Reel Doc

So to finish the Empire Pass topic I checked in with Cayuga state park and was told a $5 savings to renew online. But then I stopped at the park office to get the above blue tag renewed to display in the truck. They said sometime this summer the self serve automated machines at unmanned launches like Dean's will be replaced with units that will read Empire Pass cards so in the future we will swipe and get a ticket to display on the car dash.

Nice shoes!

This is what they gave me at Cayuga state park last year

Sure, my annual Empire pass expires at the end of the month. Betting if I don't renew and use a launch the first week of May there will be a ticket waiting on the truck when I get back.

Yours must have been the only trailer in the Dean's parking area this afternoon when I drove by. Nice to see the water temps and water levels are rising!

Here are some pics of the trip. One thing I have to say is that a trip with Andy is about more than just fishing, it's an adventure!!

Ok, I may lack many years of trolling experience like most of you, but I have to consider the science behind this. Don't you have to believe it all comes down to timing? If you put your bait in the right place at the right time, then whether suspended or at the bottom, that big ass lazy fish is going to say "that is an easy meal" and hammer it. OR, you drop it right in front of it's face and hungry or not it says "how dare you swim 2" in front of my mouth" and they hammer your bait again. Keep in mind most, (but not all), of us fisherman have a significant number of brain cells BUT, the fish we chase are really not too bright so we have to keep it simple and on their level. Also consider, if a fish had a human brain would it ever in a million years try to eat some flashy chunk of metal or a plastic bag, (fly) colored and sliced thinking it is a small fish? I sure as hell would not and if anything would swim the other way as if my life depended on it, which it does!! When I look at it from that angle I truly believe that fish have minimal brain cells and are really stupid. What that says about us as fisherman I'm unsure since if we are infinitely smarter than the fish then we should always be catching our limit!! Maybe I'm nuts, but that's my 2 cents and even with that in mind I still love fishing even if I am getting the best of a rather dumb creature.

Is that true in the Spring? Seems like this past month I find hungry Lakers but no silvers in the upper zone.

Very nice. I'm guessing you were working the East side as nothing out that far on the West. A half dozen boats were out on the West side while I was out but no reports at the docks as I was off the water ahead of the others. A beautiful day and hopefully signs of great days ahead.

Late Saturday night at the track so slept in this morning. Such a great day I just had to get on the water. Launched at Dean's and lines wet by 10:30. Worked the shallow water for an hour hoping the overcast and little chop on the water might help but nothing doing. Didnt mark much bait and water temps at 36-37 even in shallow so maybe need a little warmer? Early Spring fishing is all new for me. Hopefully will get an idea of what the silvers like over the next month. Wind died off and lake went flat so worked out to 100 fow and started finding active lake trout. The biggest of the day was also the first of the day. Hammered a white flasher/fly off a dipsey set #2 out 200. Took a few minutes to get that one in and the next hour and a half was non-stop with fish taking the dipsey rig as first choice but downrigger with spoon and the long copper with a flasher/fly were firing too. I was spent at a Baker's dozen, all fish were in the 100-130 fow corridor. Scooted out towards the middle to take a peek but the screen was pretty much blank from 140 fow all the way out past 250 and back. Home by 2. Now time to try another recipe in the new smoker!

I wish!! A nice looking ride for sure.

Looking good! Wish I was there but did enjoy working on my Funky Chicken Dance!

I forgot to add, that is a sharp boat! I'm looking forward to getting a hard top on mine but really need to invest in an autopilot and updated electronics first. All in due time.....

I agree. This week the lake has come up a little more so I would think you'll be ok at Dean's. Last week I backed my trailer in past the end of the concrete ramp and at least to the end of the dock but the ground was smooth and firm. I was on the South side of the dock. If the water levels keep coming up like they have the last 2 weeks we will be in even better shape next week.

Reach out to me with a pm the last week or so of June and we will get together.

A few weeks back I was able to get my 24' Wellcraft out at Taughannock. Since then the water is up a little so you should be able to launch there but keep your motor trimmed up so you don't hit the bubbler on the bottom. If you have a hard or solid rocket launcher top you best measure height off the bridge so it doesn't scrape it going through.

Anytime I would love the company. The family only wants to go when warmer weather. Plus they like sleeping in so summer trips starting at 5:30 am don't work for them they want 5:30 pm. Get in touch with me and we'll get after it sometime. And remember, I'm just doing what you all on this site taught me over the years. Looking forward to getting a little smarter at catching silvers. They don't like what I've been selling nearly as much as the Lakers do.

24 foot Wellcraft. Near the end of the dock at Deans to get it off the trailer and had great help from a couple perch fisherman when loading out so it went quickly despite the fact that we talked shop for awhile. You should be fine but just in case keep your main motor trimmed up until you get out of the cove. I had to do that at Taughannock last month too as didn't want to rototill the bubbler.....

Finally some free time and decent weather to get on the lake. Water level was up enough to launch from Dean's so saved a half-hour plus drive each way when going to Taughannock. Started out working the shallow water with some stickbaits and spoons but nothing happening. Worked out deeper and found groups of actively feeding lake trout in 100-130 fow. Searched for a bit out to 250 fow but never found any big bait pods. Went back to the 1/2 mile stretch with the areas of feeding fish and had a great time bringing a dozen fish in. The first pic was a double, off dipsey #2 setting out 200 and a 500 copper. All fish went for flasher/fly except pic 2 who hammered this new spoon from the set sent to me by Jonathan Ross of Hawks Custom tackle. I asked him to send a starter set for Cayuga lake. So far so good! 👍

If it catches fish who can argue. I remember those oj cans. Perhaps a little oj scent is a fish attractant too. 😉

Orange juice cans?? Strange... Was he handlining?

That is interesting stuff, thanks for sharing the link. Would love to look at the animated map a couple weeks ago with those big winds!

I have read tons of posts on this site about strong currents on Lake Ontario. Is that true for much of the South shore or primarily the Niagara inflow and St Lawrence outflow. How does the Niagara inflow move, right out to the center of the lake or swirl up to the North or down along the South shore. I'm guessing the Genesee creates a significant plume depending on the weather and time of year. Are there others, (especially from Rochester East as when I have completed Cayuga Lake 101 I'll be giving the Big Lake a try and head straight North from home to launch around Wolcott, 😉)