Syracuse.com - Oneida Lake walleye guide radically changes his tune in regard to his opening day fishing advice

[HuntingNY-News]

He said this advice is mostly an "eastern end of the lake" phenomenon.

Ted Dobs, of Cicero, an Oneida Lake charter boat captain who's affiliated with Lake Ontario Outdoors, told me in an article that I wrote recently that the Oneida Lake shoreline fishing scene on opening day would probably be problematic, that must walleyes would be out in the deeper water.

Today, he's radically changing his tune. Read his following report and prediction:

"This will be the best inshore bite on the Eastern end of Oneida we have seen in my 30 years of fishing Oneida. I have been watching hundreds of walleyes coral the over abundance of emerald shiners (buckeye minnows) in the marinas, creeks and canal at sylvan beach for the last 3 nights.

"One night last Saturday a few of us were setting up for a kids fishing event for Sunday. We watched as minnows began to fly out of the water. Normally we don't have baitfish like this.

"Its a result of LaNina (this is a fact) with abnormal warm winter and spring. We figured crappie had to be chasing the minnows. We all casted small grubs and to our surprise we all caught a walleye almost at once. A spotlight that night and 3 days after confines hundreds of glowing eyes I usually only see in the fall. This was in the very back of a marina!

"Anglers should easily limit out at night casting stickbaits. The best by far is a Challenger JR Minnow. Can't explain why, but for some reason Oneida eyes hit that lure better than any I have ever used. Green silver, black silver or blue silver is all you need. Let me say this again, as I'm not plugging here, (no pun) the Challenger Jr Minnow is in its own category.

"It is a MUST HAVE on Oneida Bucktail Jigs and sonars always will work, but the warmer water at eastern end has walleye extremly active and chasing bait so throwing stickbaits will work and may produce some larger fish. And if your going after the shallow fish chasing bait, its the only option as jigs and sonars you need a minum of 6 ft to really fish effectivly. Many of the walleyes I watched feeding were in 2 ft of water.

"The western end is very clear, and did not see as much activity.

"Unless something drastic happens this should be the best opening day in the history of the eastern end of Oneida Lake. Its worth the drive! . I'm leaving my boat on the trailer and fishing from shore. Its going to be incredible. My original prediction was guys would do better deep and the bite would be tuff.

"Throw that in the garbage!"

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog