Reel Doc

Short late morning trip today. Launched from Dean's and lines in the water about 9:30 Fished the middle from Thirsty Owl back toward Dean's so the wind was at my back. Found fish over 250-350 fow but only a Laker bite today although something hammered a spoon on the rigger and early in the battle got off and kept the spoon. 😥 Copper down the chute 500-600 back using white flasher fly combo took 3 fish in the 5-7 pound range. Spoons had nothing beyond the early hit at 60 down. Dropped down to 75 and grabbed 2 fish. Had to be in Geneva by 1 so off the water by 11:30 but ended up a busy couple hours on the water!!

Very nice! The big rainbows are on the prowl. I bet you had a nice battle bringing them to the boat!

That's a super fish. What did he hit? Nice to know a few big silvers are on the prowl out in the middle.

Launched from Dean's a little after 6 this morning and headed South. Nothing doing until halfway between the Brew Garden and Thirsty Owl where I found loads of debris from the recent rains. Headed to the middle of the lake and minimal debris there for the most part. Found a mix of lake trout and salmon in 250+ fow. Best battle of the year with a beautiful salmon that hammered a sliding cheater off the rigger. Had him beat and to the boat but had a problem as a lake trout had hit the terminal spoon so I couldn't manage to work the rod and the net on both fish with the salmon 7-8 feet behind the trout. Finally had the trout in the net but created enough slack for the salmon to spit the spoon. In the end the battle was awesome and glad to know he could swim away unharmed. Off the water by 9:30 so a very satisfying morning.

Beautiful group of fish. You have that lake dialed in right now. Did that bass grab on something during a troll?

So it had been a long day at the office with excessive brain strain. My wife and daughter are in California for a softball tournament all week and both boys had work until after 9 tonight. The original plan was get home and veg while finishing the lawn that I had half done before dark last night. Well, a serious shower skipped Seneca Falls but hit East Varick head on so the lawn was out. What to do.....go fishing of course. So boat in the water at Dean's about 6:30. Oops, the bozo who used this thing over the weekend never dialed off the batteries so not enough power to start the big motor BUT, I want to fish, it's a nice evening, and there is enough power to get the 9.9 to start, so why not just troll around close to Dean's for a bit? Well, even with the kicker running there is not enough juice for the electronics so going to have to wing it. Set riggers at 60 and 75, with copper carrying a flasher fly down 100. Just meandered back and forth with minimal expectations but I was fishing and that's all that mattered at that point. Well, by 8 the riggers fired 5 times, 4 off, you guessed it, the now standard sliding cheaters. Brought these 2 home to feed the 3 boys dinner tomorrow night, left 2 Lakers in the water and never got fire #5 near the boat. I would love to say what I was fishing over but don't know except to say never dragged bottom and guessing distance out from Dean's the activity probably happened at 200 fow and deeper. Seemed like best speed was low 2. something as the rigger lines were singing and typically that's between 2.2 and 2.4 In the end I had a blast as expected to smell the skunk and with no fish finder I couldn't swear at all the marks that won't hit what I'm trying to sell them.

👍. You have me really thinking with the pizza and wings an hour later. I always knew no bananas on the boat but now I'm thinking I need to revise the on boat menu to attract the fish!! Thanks for the reports and the humor

Agreed we are all blessed to have a great lake in our backyard.....or in my case front yard as I look down the hill at it every day!! One of these days I will get some of the family to come along for an afternoon trip and we can throw a few more lines in the water. I'll let you all know how it goes when we do.

That's why the fish are hungry, they know you have Jerky on board!!

Beautiful fish!! This morning I threw different speeds, different colors of flies and spoons, moved from 100-250 fow and for the number of marks, very slow bite.....that said, when fishing solo and more things to do in a day, I typically try to have dry lines by 9 in the morning. Today I broke the rule and stayed out until 10. 😉

Solo trip from Dean's Cove on a nice overcast early morning. Went South on the West side and marked fish hugging the bottom and not biting between 90 and 130, then they spread out some from 140-200 with most between 50 and 100 feet down. With so many targets I was hoping to be busy but just slow and steady mix of smaller salmon and lake trout hitting spoons off riggers. Sk8man, you should know I used your sliding cheater recipe with some good success. Best fish of the day was a 3 lb lake trout that hit a cheater. Thought it would be a salmon as fought long and hard all the way in. Just before quitting at 10 a couple Lakers finally went after flies. I suspect that the thermocline is setting up as before coming in I cruised out to 250-300 fow and many marks between 60 and 90 feet down. Nothing hit but by then the sun was out and the lake was getting flat so probably not ideal timing. Minimal flea trouble today.

Looks like Seneca lake has fish after all. Over the next couple years with no lampreys it will be right back. Agreed the small ones taste the best! Just like deer, you can't eat the horns on a big buck and his meat is musty. Spring born or yearlings are the best eating!

That's a beauty!

No worries on the slow response. I've found freezing lake trout really causes it to lose flavor and texture. You think the milk helps it freeze a little better? Greg

That's awesome stuff!! Judging by the recent photos posted here, the next generation will have some great fishermen and women! 👍

I guess I should have followed you this morning. Went North out of Dean's and from 6-7 could not find fish anywhere from 120-250. Scooted over South of Long Point and still few marks, even checked the middle in case thermocline setting up but nothing much. Came back across just North of Thirsty Owl and found some fish mostly in 160-180 fow but only the short salmon were interested. By far the slowest morning I've had this month. Just Wednesday North of Dean's was really active with mostly Lakers in 170-200 fow at 50-70 down but they vanished in 4 days. Won't be able to get out for a couple weeks now so hope you all keep finding them. 👍 I'll be reading to pick up some tips for mid-July! 😉

I followed his instructions including the same coating. They were great. Might add some Old Bay seasoning to the coating next time to give it a slight kick. 😁

Those fried fillets look great. Now you mentioned after the milk soak that you freeze them. Is that a short freeze so the meat sets up and holds together for frying? Have some soaking and ready to fry tonight. Thanks, Greg

All good!! I'm enjoying the pics, especially the All-Star. I say this as I am in Philadelphia waiting for my 17 year old's next baseball game to start.

Looks like you had a great crew to take fishing! 👍 Thanks for the pictures.