July 9 report

[Tony Scime]

Went out this past Monday, mostly to learn how to use a new sonar/GPS I recently installed on my boat - a Hummingbird Helix 10 with sidescan. First time using the new sonar.

After adjusting the settings did a bit of fishing. Nothing in the Triangle or International Bridge areas. Went down river towards Staleys and Black Creek and did some casting and tubing. 

While casting a perchbait above Black Creek had a small but aggressive follow. Since I had the GoPro running I posted a brief video. Nothing special, just playing around.

Moved mid-river to tube a deeper hole. While drifting I felt a hard thump and my line went slack - signs of a fish taking the tube. Instinctively, and perhaps due to my history of lost fish,  I set one of my hardest hooksets ever - a full-body hookset. Halfway through the hookset I felt the tube pull out of whatever it was hooked into, but my hookset was not yet over. With no resistance to hold me back, my hookset had me flying to the opposite side of the boat. Luckily I landed on my driver's seat, otherwise I think I would have flown into the river.  Had the GoPro running but it flew off my head and, again luckily, to the floor of my boat. 

Later I took a troll down the East River. Not really sure if I had a use for the sidescanning feature, but I figured I'd give it a try. The east river was mostly a barren sea bottom. But as I trolled towards the overhanging wires I suddenly saw on the sonar a bunch of boulders 50 to 100 feet to my right. One of our Fish Attraction Structures! Now I found a real use for the side scanning. 

Boated up above the South Grand Island Bridge where one of our other FAS's should be. Sure enough it showed up clear as day on the sidescan. 

Although I wasn't planning on making a video I figured I could publish one to help any one else who might wonder where those FAS's are. They should hold some bass and maybe a muskie or two.

So along with the aggressive little follow I added a couple of clips of the Ferry Landing and Grand Island Bridge FAS's. The video, which includes not only the sonar images but also the companion GPS map location, should allow you to easily find those FAS's.

The Ferry Landing FAS is in about 25 feet of water about a 100yards above the wire crossing. GPS coordinates are: Latitude - N43'00.362, Longitude - W078'55.665.

The Grand Island Bridge FAS is in about 15 feet of water immediately upriver from the bridge and adjacent to the Grand Island Fishing Platform. It is easily located from the GPS map on the video. GPS coordinates are Latitude - N42'59.949, Longitude - W078'56.364.

I'll search for more FAS's in the future so guys can fish them for bass or muskie if they're so interested. After all, that's why we put them there.

[John Jarosz]

Neat stuff, Tony. I'd like to see pics of the side scan of the FAS's. Any fish near them? I'm sure there are but did you pick up any on the side scan? When I went out with Darling one day, we located the FAS near the overhanging wires. That was put there as part of the first four FAS's. Two that we put down were put down on the west side of the East River. Supposedly there is one on the East side of the East near the Cherry Farm site but we never found it. Good going!

[Tony Scime]

John,

I didn't notice any fish near the FAS's on the sidescan. When I use the down imaging sonar some are picked up. When I use the regular sonar it's hard to distinguish a fish from the moss. But I probably need to adjust some sensitivity settings. I'll be checking that out again.

Tony

[Scott McKee]

Call me Scott. Hey, Ahab. If you are going to set the hook like you are aiming for your white whale and proceed to go flying around the boat when you miss, put on a PFD.