dawsonscreek

Just wondering where the best area/launch on cayuga is with kayak access to lakers. I want to get out this weekend and was thinking of hitting Canadice since it is more friendly to kayaks, but I feel as though I have better odds of solid action on cayuga. I have a very stable 12’ sit on top kayak and electronics and am familiar with how to find/jig fish I just would like to not have to paddle incredibly far from a launch. Right now the wind forecast looks promising for a smooth lake. I’ll ditch the plan of it looks like it’s going to kick up. Honestly a good morning to me will be one for the cooler and a couple more to toss back and I’ll call it a day. If anybody has any info they’re willing to give up I appreciate it very much. Thanks!

I have yet to try these lakes on the ice, hope to get out this year. I fished canadice twice by kayak/canoe for the first time last year and only managed one laker each trip. Had plenty of chasers and lookers too on the graph, but indeed the fish seemed lazy. Tons of bait too! I just found this site, nice interactive maps of all the lakes and waterways... https://usa.fishermap.org/depth-map/canadice-lake-ny/

I have a brittany as well and am very familiar with that run around for an hour to burn energy thing He doesn't really find sheds unless he just happens onto one though.

Got out for a clusterf*** of a solo hunt today. Didn’t really plan on going but woke up early and couldn’t fall back to sleep. Was running behind a little already and got stuck behind a salt truck going 20 all the way down my hill, so it took me almost twice as long to get to the river. Start unloading the truck and realize I left my blind bag with all my ammo sitting in my garage….I did have some 2 3/4” steel 6’s in the truck but figured they would be less than ideal for big late season mallards. Back to the house, grab the bag, back to the river. Well after legal shooting at this point, flushed a bunch of birds from the spot on my way in. Tossed out the decoys and laid out the blind and tucked in. Quite a while went by without even seeing a bird, but around 8:30 a quick little flurry of action gave me my limit. Waited around for black ducks but all I saw were mallards.

Certainly is unfortunate, but what matters the most is that you made the effort to search. Unfortunately, losing ducks is part of the deal in waterfowl hunting.

If you have a dog or a friend with a dog it wouldnt hurt to bring them. I winged a mallard last year and it got away, brought my dog back later and he tracked it down, granted he is a trained bird dog. Good luck!

Beautiful fur on that one!

Buddy and I hunted our river spot. Saw an incredible amount of mallards at first light. At legal shooting we had 50+ mallards in the decoys. We just watched for a while as ducks dropped in and it got light enough to pick drakes. We each took one, retrieved the birds then shortly after we each took our second. We hung out for a few more hours and decoyed a bunch more mallards but no other species showed up apart from some lawn darts. Sure do miss that 4 bird limit on days like that.

He is big! What did the weight end being?

Just thinking of a fun thread to see what guns or bows (or more) people have taken deer with… I’ll go first…in order to the best I can remember… Rem 870 12 gauge slug Hoyt bow Mathew’s bow Winchester rifle in .280 REM Mathew’s bow x2 REM 870 slug Mathew’s bow x3 CVA optima .50 cal 45-70 marlin rifle Toyota Tacoma 7-30 waters Thompson center pistol. hopefully to add 300 blackout this year. Let’s see what everybody else has used.

I'm excited to try out a new gun. Been wanting a patrol style rifle for deer hunting (short, light, compact). For where and how I hunt someting that's quick to the shoulder and easy to carry is ideal. I found a Mossberg MVP Patrol in 300 blackout at the local store so I bought myself a birthday present. I won't have it ready to go for the opener but should be good to go by the second weekend. Anybody have experience witht this caliber on deer? I think i am going to shoot a 150 grain ballistic tip (I'll have to order offline). Shots will be kept to under 100 yards.

That looks like a good time!

Woodcock are great for young dogs! I had a lot of fun with them last year. I hunt the southern tier and last year I noticed toward the end of October or early November an influx. A lot of guys don’t hold them to high value because they aren’t much challenge for the dog, but I’d rather come home with a brace of birds than be skunked by the grouse!

The best way he and you will both learn is just to take him! Don't expect everything to go perfectly, let him have fun and learn as he goes. I'm approaching the 3rd season with my brittany, and it is a blast. Like you said, having a hunting dog will change you, I've barley thought about deer hunting since I've had the birddog.

Thank you! I will definitely check out Cayuga on the right wind days. Probably wait until after Labor Day so there will hopefully be less boat traffic. I do really enjoy how quiet and peaceful it is on Canadice. I appreciate you weighing in stay safe, tight lines!

Does anybody have and willing to give any advice on jigging Lakers in canadice? I have been to the lake twice in the last 3 weeks and only managed one laker each time. Maybe I’ve just timed it in tough days or maybe these fish need to see something different than the standard 1oz jig and swim bait. I have marked plenty of fish and and bait and had some solid chasers that just wouldn’t hit. Any advice is appreciated. I don’t have a real boat or I’d obviously be on Cayuga, I just got a nice fishing kayak so Candice makes the most sense right now.

Rocky shoreline near the boat launch turned out to be alright. Didn’t have any crazy action but managed a couple chunky bass. Tried for browns with spoons but never had any luck, though I did see a really nice one Juno about 10 feet from where I casted. Overall a fun trip, the pup got a kick out of the swans! Thanks all for the tips, I appreciate it!