Seneca Lake out of Watkins Glen 12/14
Got out with my buddy Mike today from dusk to dawn. We started at first light trying to get back into the perch we’d found Monday. The bite was slow-steady but we managed around a dozen good perch. Fish were deep – up to around 78 fow. We used assorted plastics for bait.
We set up on some fly-fishing once the conditions looked good and the perch bite faltered. Both of us had follows from nice sized salmonids – we’re pretty sure they were browns. We each landed a very small salmon or two (10″ to 11″ range.) Mike wound up landing a 19″ brown on a sinking line and his Kingfish tube fly pattern. We didn’t have time to work too many areas.
Once the skies started clouding up and it was clear the salmon bite wasn’t great we set back up on our perch. We wound up with another dozen – some very nice ones. Special thanks goes out to one of my clients, who is a real perch fanatic on the lake and gave me some great tips and advice. I’ve learned a lot from him and from being on the water in the few times I’ve tried working them this fall. Other folks have helped too. It’s not something I’ll ever guide for, but it does add another dimension to Seneca Lake fishing and it’s nice to get some good eating on occasion.
I’m still guiding and from here throughout the winter the targets will be as follows:
Lake Trout on Cayuga and Keuka Lakes. Once launches freeze up I’ll go out of Taughannock and work the flats/shelves around AES, but right now prime lake trout areas are available via Long Point’s launch. Keuka is the place for numbers, Cayuga for size! Seneca is possible if launches are open.
Northern Pike on Seneca and Cayuga Lakes. Expect some good pike fishing through February.
Landlocked Salmon and bonus Brown Trout on Cayuga and Seneca Lakes. You can cast or use fly-fishing tackle for these spectacular fish.
Rainbow Trout on Skaneateles Lake. Fly-fishing or via casting small jigs. Mandana will be the launch site once the State Ramp is closed.