9/21 PM: Got out on Oneida Lake for the first time this year (and probably the last.) I haven't been up here in part due to the construction around Syracuse I encountered a couple of years ago. It's a huge project, but it's moving along and I didn't have any delays. Traffic can be crazy around rush hour and a few years ago I had a crazy driver hit their brakes and try to go laterally across 3 or 4 lanes of bumper to bumper traffic, so they wouldn't miss their exit. By timing things right, I'm able to get up here and out with a minimum of hassles.
I didn't know what to expect today when I launched at the south shore DEC ramp. Only a few trailers were in the parking lot. I'm seeing a lot less anglers on the water these days, that's for sure. The water levels here were too low for me to launch at the middle dock. An angler told me that most people are launching on the east dock and that was much better. DEC has been doing some cormorant diet study surveys and I ran into a couple techs from Region 7 as I launched.
The lake clarity was very good. Water temperature was 69/70. Fishing for me was fair. I fished Shackleton Shoals and the deeper basin water just north of it (out to around 40' but mainly in 28' to 32' or so.) On the shoals in short order I picked up an aggressive 19" walleye that smacked my tube jig twice before I hooked him on the third strike. It was a beautifully colored fish but in average condition like most walleyes here - not plump. I lost a bigger fish that from its fight I believe was a foul-hooked walleye. Other than that, I couldn't get much going on the shoals.
I checked on the deeper water with a bladebait and quickly caught a short walleye. Then I hooked a good fighting fish that I could tell was a drum after I felt one circular pump during the fight. I'm always happy catching drum and although my walleye fought good, there was no comparison, the drum was stronger. I kept trying the deeper stuff and had an occasional hit, but couldn't get anything going apart from another short walleye. I worked other parts of the shoal (I had a trip the next day, so I didn't want to run around much or fish late) and wound up with yet another short walleye.
Oneida anglers do well this time of the year further east in the basin water, but that's another good ride for me, so I stuck around South Shore launch. It was a fun afternoon. I didn't see a single other boater fishing Shackleton until I was three hours into my four hour day. I'm hoping to get out here a couple of times next year, but with low water and so many other options available (like Oswego or Henderson Harbor - that both offer walleye, bass and drum) I'm not planning on getting back out there this year. I was disappointed not to catch a single bass. I was fishing some good bass lures in some good bass water. Not shocked, but somewhat surprised.
