Guided back-to-back 1/2-day trips on Cayuga Lake starting at 9 am. Fishing ran the gamut from good to excellent, with the overall bite being very good.
10/10: Guided Bernie and his cousin Dave starting at 9 am. Last night was the first major (killing) frost of the fall season and temperatures were around 27 degrees in Ithaca when I got up around 6 am. Both guys are experienced anglers - Bernie fishes and hunts a lot in PA and Dave has done his share of Red Man Tournaments and more in South Carolina.
We started in an area not far from Myers Park and found good numbers of fish but they were not very cooperative. These fish were near spawning areas. We could have waited them out but that can be risky if it doesn't pan out. We made a run away from spawning areas and within a half-hour or so got into a very solid bite! The guys had three doubles on the day and had a solid double-digit day. Most fish ran 21" to 26", with one 30"er in the mix. We had a couple of dinks as well. It was a mix of post-spawn fish and immature, but still nice-sized lake trout. The fish were in good condition with no fresh lamprey marks observed. At least one trout spit up a goby! It was a fun day, but the wind kept coming up and up. On our run back to the park, we had a very good chop made up of 2' and 3' waves. Great fishing and a beautiful day to boot!
