[grouse789]

ok hey ive been fishing this one lake near my house here in westchester...supposedly its got some lunkers in it.. ive only landed some 1 to 2 poundes... i know that now is the time of the year that they are stocking up for winter..so my Q is... what about live lining a small bluegill or perch?? any of you guys try that?? thanks for your input!

 

[bulletbob]

Grouse... I've caught bass on blugills... they work ok but to be honest,I'm not sure you'll do any better that you would with a BIG FAT shiner, chub,sawbelly,[landlocked alewife]... if baitstealing little sunnies aren't around I still like nightcrawlers for bass,, closely followed by a big soft rayed bait species....... bob

 

[Brown Trout]

I agree

Grouse789, Bulletbob is right. Bluegills work OK but less spiny baitfish are more appealing to bass in my opinion. If I was going to use a bluegill I wouldn't go much above a 2 1/2 - 4" bait. Hook it behind the dorsal (Mr. Bass has to swallow this one head first due to the spines, giving you a better chance at hooking him in the mouth instead of the gut)18-24" below a fairly large bobber. His struggle to drag it behind him should attract any decent bass to your line.

 

[621109]

i dont fish freshwater much but when i do i use wak worms and kill the sunnies. the larger ones are fun to catch but when i catch a small blugill i liveline him, i cut off the dorsal and he swims helplessy.

 

[grouse789]

thanx

hey thanks for the tips guys... flukekid.. i used to do the dorsal fin cut with porgies...stripers luuuvvv that.... maybe i should try it..also..if anyone can help me out.. this lake i fish has these minnows...i havent been able to catch any yet.. but in the evenings they schoolup tight and you can see the distressed water from way off.. only thing is i rarely see fish attacking them..anyhow maybe you guys can tell me what kind of minnow that is?? schooling up right on top almost every evening and early morning.. thanks again

 

[621109]

get a castnet and catch these minnows!!!

use them for bait if you can keep em alive!!

 

[Brown Trout]

mysterious minnows

Grouse, I live in Westchester also and all of the reservoirs have alewives (sawbellies) present. The situation you describe on your lake (Peekskill right?) sounds identical to the 'bellies schooling up at night to feed. they resemble schools of peanut bunker in the river and sound. The cast net is a good idea if it's legal. On the NYC reservoirs it isn't, but up there it may be. Also if you can get close enough tie on a small treble and snag them just like bunker. Many times the big fish are nearby, but not actively crashing bait.

 

[grouse789]

hey browntrout thanks for the tip... i dont know about using a cast net, id be afraid someone may call the police if they saw that.. but yes i fish in lake peekskill..its an interesting lake i think ill try a dip net on a long pole possibly.. hey how big do the sawbellies get??? like i said every evening theyre out there schooling up..strange thing also is that they tend to school up only in acertain area of the lake.. maybe cold underweater springs are present there.. well thanx for the many tips.. and another Q.. how late do you guys go for bass up here?? plus.. what about fall stripers in the hudson around here?.. man so many questions so little time.. ive been fishing all my life but im completely new to the area.. so im eager to unlock some tips before hunting season gets underway... anyone know any turkey spots? lol ok ive rambled long enough thanks alot guys

 

[Brown Trout]

Hey Grouse,

sawbellies get up to about 7-8" in most of the lakes around west. + putnam. In the Hudson I've seen them to about 14". These are the "herring" you can buy during the spring run of stripers in the river. They're not the bluebacks that many fish for in Feb. + March in the salt. They can be caught the same way to be livelined though.

I fish for bass until the close of the season, and many times my biggest bass of the season come through the ice while I fish for panfish/trout/walleye. If the weather holds you could be using summer/spring tactics. Fish deeper once the eves start dropping to freezing.

Westchester has a lot of turkeys, but alas it's all privately owned. Make some friends and try seeking permission. Putnam has a few parcels of state land where there are turkey, but the pheasant/quail/rabbit hunters chase them out during the first week of Oct. If you bow hunt deer, you may get a shot later in the season when the woods quiet down. Across the river in Orange and Ulster there's a lot of good turkey terrain (Oak/beech ridges, farmland). Also in Dutchess and Columbia Co.s on this side. Good Luck, let us know about the bait.

P.S. sawbellies are very sensitive so bring a bucket with an aerator, throw in a handful of rock salt, and if it's warm a handful of ice. It will keep them alive longer. Also, use a white bucket, I'm not sure why, but it keeps them calmer. I use a black one occasionally and they beat themselves to death on the sides or jump out.