Reports

Today I was back guiding on Skaneateles Lake for the third day in a row.  Boat traffic remains very low.  Water temperatures continue to be the warmest I have seen in the past 23 or 24 years that I’ve owned a boat – we are at around 55 degrees on the surface.  Usually by now, we’re at 48 down to maybe 45 degrees if my memory serves me correctly – 50 on a normal “warm year.”  Water levels remain low.

With water temps still in the mid-50s, the trout component inshore is generally low.  Historically, when the lake temps were in the 40s, the rainbow trout fishing was terrific inshore in water around 10′ deep or less.  You can thank the idiot(s) that dumped walleyes in the lake for ruining that terrific fishery.  Anyways, bass fishing remains top-notch.  Perch fishing is good for fish averaging 10″ to 13″ long.  We still haven’t seen any walleyes this fall, but they’re certainly around.

Kevin and Drew do a trip out here with me nearly every year around this time.  Last year, Drew couldn’t make the November time-frame, so the guys did Otisco Lake in early October for tiger muskies;  they timed it right, and we had a banner day topped by Drew’s very heavy 44″er!   Kevin and his Mom fished with me last year here and the jerkbait bite for bass was terrific.

We had tough conditions today with a good number of leaves in the water, but more importantly wind – lots of wind!  I had to keep a close eye on it, because we had westerlies gusting to 30 mph.  West winds with 30 mph of force can easily veer clockwise (out of the north) and with the velocity already in place, you can be looking at a wall of waves in short order.  Anyone with much experience on the Great Lakes knows exactly what I’m talking about!  Fortunately we used common sense and ran south early when the winds were down, then worked our way back up lake as they picked up speed.

Fishing was generally very good today.  I had Drew start with a bladebait (Bass Pro Shops Lazer Blade in Gold/Black 5/8 oz) and he really whacked the smallmouths good.  With two people drifting perpendicularly to the shore, and us making precise casts, I couldn’t have both guys really cast blades, so Kevin (the more experienced angler) threw various jigs and stickbaits up shallower.  It didn’t take long to get into double-digits on smallmouths running 12″ to 15″ today, with Kevin’s 16″er being the best of the day.  On the other side of the lake, Drew was the shallow guy and I had him work the stickbaits.  (I love the Rapala Gold/Black deep Shadow Rap here – it’ll take bass, perch and walleyes and they don’t break the bank.  Make sure you replace the weak treble hooks with better ones.)  He did great!  Around 1/2 dozen nice perch made it onboard today as did Kevin’s rockbass and even a sucker that may have grabbed Kevin’s tube, or perhaps been fouled!  It was tough to tell, since the fish got wrapped up a bit.  Overall a quite productive day despite the conditions.  We saw a pair of bald eagles and a loon as well today.  No bass pics today, since none of them were exceptional but we had fun with a couple of the “other fish.”

I like talking food, especially when I get hungry.  Anyhow, I get a lot of clients from the Philly/Jersey area and ask them what some local favorites are.  I hear a lot of the same stuff – Philly Steak sandwiches, Tasty Cakes (aka Kakes,) soft pretzels and lastly “pork roll.”  I’d never tried pork roll before and Kevin was nice enough to bring me some!  I’m looking forward to it.  Scrapple is also a big PA thing in some areas.

Most dates remain open for the rest of the 2024 Calendar Year!  I won’t be posting “Availability” anymore until the spring, since I only have a couple more trips currently on the books.

Opportunities available for short-notice trips include:

Tiger Muskies on Otisco Lake: I’m open to guiding here until the docks are pulled.  Water temperatures are PRIME for musky fishing.

Bass and bonus perch, trout, walleyes on Skaneateles Lake: I do trips here until the State Launch gates are locked up, which is usually just before the first major snowfall.

Lake trout on Keuka Lake: we jig and cast for them now.  From February through April, this lake offers the best fly-fishing for WILD lake trout in the Finger Lakes.  Bass, walleye and perch can be bonus catches on gear.

Landlocked Salmon on Seneca Lake: water temps need to get much colder.  We’re probably looking at the best fishing from December through March over here.  April gets spotty, but can still be good.

Lake trout on Cayuga Lake:  Fishing is very good throughout the winter here.  If Long Point is open for launching – all the better!  Good shallow fishing can be had here, along with limited fly-fishing depending on the weather.

Northern Pike on Owasco Lake:  November is the peak month here.  Smallmouths are also available.  Lakers can be taken jigging too.