Reports

Got out with my buddy Terry for most of the day today starting around 8:30 am. It was colder than I thought it was going to be, but I hadn’t really given it too much thought if that makes sense. I checked the forecast and just looked at the winds. We wound up with temps not getting much above 41 or 42 degrees today. Add in some wind and rain and it looked to be a cold one. We were prepared. We never saw another boat at the ramp today.

The air may have been cold, but the fishing was hot! Pike fishing today was outstanding for fish running 23″ to 27″. I figured if we landed a dozen fish between the two of us on the day, maybe with a few bonus perch, bass and whatever else thrown in, I’d consider it a successful day. Terry and I landed about 40 pike. We missed a bunch as well and lost a few by the boat. It was some of the best action I’d seen on the lake for pike since 2007, although we’ve had moments of hot pike action here since then. Jerkbaits, spoons and swimbaits worked the best for us.

Fish were in good condition. I kept two fish that were deeply hooked. One had been feasting on alewives. Barring any diseases, next year and the year after that should provide some very good fishing for northerns on this lake. I’ve had periodic reports of fair to good pike action here over the past year. We did not do well out of Watkins Glen last year, but didn’t fish it too much. These pike seem to go in 10 year cycles on this lake. Anyways I am always happy when Seneca Lake is fishing well. Things are looking up there for lake trout and northern pike. On the downside, cormorant numbers are a big concern. We saw around 50 fly by us at Dresden. The south end of the lake has also been plagued by these fish-eating birds that have been chased off of the other lakes. We may see some bigger pike move up as it gets colder. Perhaps downlake will be better. Maybe we weren’t in the best zone, but I’m sure some brutes are around. Stay tuned…

Northern Pike Seneca Lake