Diving into the Fine Art of Sport Fishing
Diving into the Fine Art of Sport Fishing
“For Your Eyes Only” Owner Dennis Young Offers Charters for Walleye Season
Now, before you start thinking about the James Bond movie, For Your Eyes Only, this is not a story about intrigue, mayhem, fast cars, and sexy people. It is a story about the art and joy of sport fishing and a local company named For Your Eyes Only. The company owner, Dennis Young, informs us that the eyes in the name of the company refer to the short name for Walleyes, which in fishing circles are called “eyes.” Although, legally, one can catch walleyes from May 15th through March 15th in New York State, Young wraps up his charter boat fishing season in late September/October, weather dependent. And we all know how unpredictable the weather is in Dunkirk or Buffalo, on Lake Erie.
There is still time to charter the boat for a couple of hours of fishing with a guy who has been fishing the area since he was a kid. Now retired, he has a lot of experience under his belt. Although seasoned fishers will most often just book him and the boat for a leisurely day of fishing, Young is also willing to take novice anglers out and teach them the art of fishing. Oh, and if he looks familiar to you, Young has also served as the East Otto Town Justice for the past 24 years.
Fishing can be a solo sport, or one shared with others, while still being solo, in a way. That is one of the joys of fishing - solitude or shared solitude. In a boat with five or six people, chances are less for that part of the sport, but the fun is shared. Imagine the thrill of catching a 11 to 12-pound Walleye (also known as yellow pike) and taking it home that night for some of the best eating from the lake. Who knows, you might even catch one to break the state record of 18 pounds!
Speaking of large fish, please cancel any thoughts you might have of going out to the lake with thoughts of catching a sturgeon. They are a historic, threatened species and if accidentally caught (very unlikely) cannot even be brought into the boat. They must be cut loose to continue living their very long lives (up to 150 years). Yes, it is exciting to think about catching a ten-foot long, 250-pound fish… but it’s a no-no.
Camaraderie is part of the fun on these boat trips. Young says his guests can bring coolers with snacks or cold refreshments. BUT NO SMOKING! Most trips head out by 7:15am for the best fishing for the predator Walleye that has great night vision. Dusk works well, too, as do cloudy fall days. There’s a lot of great fishing time left this season. Go to foryoureyesonlysportfishing.com for more information.
This story reminds me of the last time I went fishing was with my husband on the Allegany (or Allegheny) River between Portville and Eldred. The day was perfect - not too warm, not too chill, the sun was moving lower in the sky. It was close to 7:00pm, a good time for fishing. We had our lawn chairs and a cooler full of Labatts and ginger ale. His pre-teen daughter was with us. It was so still that we could hear every chirp and peep from the critters in the brush. As we cast our lines, we realized, after a while, that we were being watched. Looking down the river about 100 yards to our left, we spotted an eagle in a tree. Then it flew up the river directly across from us. Yikes! The stare-down began. My husband whispered, “Fish, don’t bite now.” He didn’t want to get into a battle with an eagle over a carp. We gently eased our bait in. After the eagle left, we went back to fishing, but it wasn’t quite as exciting.
Planning to go fishing? Make sure to get your license: www.takemefishing.org/get-a-fishing-license.