Visited Oswego Harbor a few days ago and I must tell you that I have never seen ice cover like we have right now. From the marina entrance, to the lighthouse, and into the lake as far as one can see, it is a frozen panorama of ice, ice, and more ice. Look out in the crystal abyss and it is hard to believe we will be fishing out there in 5 or 6 weeks (I hope). Once the melting snow empties into the Oswego River it will not take long for the warming currents to do their job and melt those ice packs into the greenish blue spring waters we know and love.

   I read somewhere that hard core global warming aficionados insist that these frigid times are the result of global warming. I do not recall, but wasn't the mantra some 30 or 40 years ago that a new ice age was coming, and at that time did we blame the deep freeze proclamation on global warming? Who is right and who is wrong? All I know is that it is damn cold out there and cold means ice, lots and lots of ice.
 
  Cold weather aside, I traveled to Oswego to have lunch with the Dixie Dandy first mate Zack Rayno who in a few weeks will become Captain Zack Rayno. Let me say that this young man is rarin' to go. Having fished all winter from his river drift boat he will complete his season in a few weeks and turn his efforts to the lake fishery. Talk about charged up, this young buck is airbrush painting what will be some unique spoons, stick baits and attractive attractors unique to the Dixie Dandy and Coldsteel fishing vessels. If you are interested in a spring tributary drift boat trip on the Salmon River with my Coldsteel Sportfishing associates Tom Burke, Andy Bliss and Zack, visit Capt. Tom Burke's website www.coldsteelsportfishing.com or call Tom at 315-298-2500. I am certain that Zack, Tom or Andy would be happy to take you down the river for some exciting steelhead action. If you are wondering where I will be, think of someplace warm.

  2013 Stocking numbers include 1.76 million Chinook Salmon, 220,000 Coho, 677,000 Rainbows, 331,000 Brown Trout, 128,000 Atlantics, 523,000 Lakers and 133,000, walleyes. This bodes well for the future especially when you add in the possibility of naturally reproduced fish. Alewife populations appear to be good and will continue to provide an abundant food source for the predator fish.

  An international effort to rehabilitate native ciscoes continued in 2013 with the stocking of approximately 7,300 fingerling bloaters, and 16,000 yearling bloaters. They also stocked 9,000 Lake Herring into Irondequoit Bay. Lake Herring are near shore members of the Ciscoe family, while bloaters are found in the offshore depths. I guess the motto is "use all the water be it shallow or deep". I have said before that ours is a put, grow and take fishery. Stocking is the put part, healthy bait populations are the grow part, us angler guys and gals are the take part. You can take 'em and eat 'em or you and catch 'em and release 'em. It's your choice, and either way is ok. In my not so humble opinion Lake Ontario continues to be one of the best-managed fisheries on the planet. No brag, just fact.

  The Cold Steel Fishing Fleet looks forward to fishing with you in 2014. We know how to do it!