Walleyes are school fish so if you catch one you can bet there are others in the vicinity. A good fish finder/depth sounder will confirm that. If you find a good-sized school, just keep working them until you find the right combination of speed, lure color and presentation. Something will eventually work but you often have to work at it if the walleyes are being finicky.
While we’re on the subject of Great Sacandaga, don’t forget that the 19th Annual Great Sacandaga Lake Fisheries Federation’s Summer Fishing Contest is scheduled for this coming Saturday, June 19, just three days from now, on the opening day of the statewide bass season. I’ve already covered that event in some detail in earlier columns but as a reminder, three prizes each will be awarded in the bass, trout and walleye divisions, for a total of $1,500 in prize money - $300 first place in each division, $150 second place and $50 for third place. The event will again be headquartered at Sport Island Pub, Sacandaga Park, Northville, which will also serve as the location of the official measuring station. Contest fishing hours will be 6 am to 4 pm but plan on being at the measuring station no later than say 3:55 pm if you have any fish to enter. No fish will be accepted after the 4 pm deadline.
Entry forms will be available and accepted at Sport Island Pub, Ross’ Bait Shop in Hagaman, Dave’s Bait & Tackle in Mayfield, LaPort’s Bait Shop in Edinburg, Jim’s Bait Shop in Mayfield, Frank’s Bait Shop in Vails Mills and at the Fuel & Food Store on Route 30 in Mayfield.
DAVE’S BAIT
& TACKLE CONTEST
Dave Allen of Dave’s Bait & Tackle, Bunker Hill Road, Mayfield, has announced the results of his monthly fishing contest for May.
In the walleye division, Wayne Dingman of Gloversville and Ryan Gander of Northville tied for first place honors with identical 22 inchers, followed by Bill Harrington of Northville in third place with an 18 incher. Bill Dingman of Mayfield took first place in the northern pike division with a 27 1/2 incher, followed by Scott Mulhall of Johnstown with a 25 incher.
Skyler Ruff of Northville won the trout division with a 24 incher, followed by Richard Ruff, also of Northville, who took second and third places with a 22 1/2 incher and a 21 1/2 incher.
Nick Robinson of Hope took the top spot in the yellow perch segment of the event with a 12 1/2 incher, followed by Dan King of Northville with an 11 1/2 incher and Ryan Gander of Northville with an 11 incher. Wayne Dingman of Gloversville took first place in the white perch division with a 12 1/2 incher, followed by Dan King of Northville with an 11 incher and a 9 1/4 incher.
SUCCESSFUL
BEAR HUNT
Jack Douglas of Douglas Archery, Mayfield, along with Ted Bell of Amsterdam, Dick Bell of Warrensburg, and Jon Brown and Eric Olson of New Hampshire recently returned from a successful and enjoyable bear hunt at Oak Mountain Lodge in New Brunswick, Canada. The quintet of hunters only hunted three days because of rainy weather but in that time they collectively saw 19 bruins and each of them bagged one. This was a bowhunt and each member of the group used a PSE bow. Jack took the largest bruin, a 275 pounder, and Dick Bell took his first ever bruin, a 200 pounder. All the others were a tad smaller.
Jack said this was his 10th consecutive successful hunt with that outfitter. If you’d like additional information about the hunt and/or the outfitter, you can give Jack a call at Douglas Archery, 518-882-9731.