Reports

Fishing remains excellent in the Finger Lakes. I ran around Cayuga Lake a bit on Saturday looking to see where and what the lake trout were up to. Many fish appear to have migrated north back towards some of the mid-lake flats. Lots of nice marks and some bait around Rocky Dock and Sheldrake. Fish were active, aggressive and chasing white Zoom Flukes and White Flipping Tubes rigged on 1 oz. and 1 1/4 oz. heads respectively. I kept 3 fish and 2/3 had alewives or smelt (?) in their stomachs. The most marks and best fishing was in 70′ to 110′ of water. Caught one unclipped fish. I’m pretty sure that natural reproduction of lake trout in Cayuga Lake is at around the 15% range. That, or a lot of clips were missed at the Bath Hatchery!

I spent some time pike fishing but didn’t find any concentrations of fish. I dropped one good fish. The pike are around somewhere and it wasn’t a great day weather-wise for pike, so I don’t see my lack of success as having any significance. I’ll be back on Cayuga pike fishing this week when conditions improve. Steady weather and low-pressure systems generally are best for pike fishing IMO. There are still a lot of green weeds all over the lake – plenty of good pike habitat.

Skaneateles Lake was a guide trip with Joel and the fishing was very good. Caught a bunch of nice rainbows running from around 12″ to 17″. Joel had a few hits and one hookup on flies but casting jigs is what wound up producing the fish for us. The wind made jig fishing an easier call today. We managed a couple good smallmouths and one big perch as well. The docks are out. Bring boots or waders! Water temps are around 45 to 48 degrees. 12′ to 25′ was best.

bass cayuga lake Northern Pike rainbow trout Skaneateles Lake yellow perch