Search the Community

Fished out of Deans this morning with Reel Doc. The laker bite is still as good as it has been. Wire divers with paddle , green or white flies did most of the damage.Just a few fish on rigger spoons.Probably around a dozen fish . Fished close to four hours.The launch at Deans is real shallow. WE did not run any top lines.There was a stout west wind. Here is the best one released to fight another day. Thanks for the trip Reel Doc ..

Day off and decided to give the perch a break today. I have zero ready for winter trolling, about a week behind with that, so I grabbed some jigs that I recently tied up and to casting the shoreline Dad and I went. Wind was on the calmer side to start and we were able to use the preferred set up with 4lb test and 1/8oz jigs. Had to bump up to 6lb and 3/8oz as the morning progressed and SE winds pickup up pushing us along. The salmon were definitely schooled up and only in certain areas, when we caught 1 another 1-2 were sure to follow. One brown, the rest were salmon, zero lakers. The grill is heating up for the few we kept. Tomorrow will be spent prepping planer boarding rods and gear. Fun day but Sunday we troll!

My buddy hooked this 17 pound 3 ounce brown trout, shore casting a small swimbait. It was 32” long and 20” around the belly, super fat. I bent the handle of my net lifting it up on the dock. Largest brown I’ve seen out of Cayuga

Now entering our third consecutive Winter, Sunday was the Chowder & Reeldoc reunion on Cayuga. Unlike the previous 2 years launching Andy's lil Boat out of Taughannock, this go round my Wellcraft did the heavy lifting as we launched out of Deans. Weather was a concern as early on a moderate South breeze started sending sleet at us intermittently, but we were dressed for the occasion. Set up a spread to cover a wide variety of depths and went in search of fish. The screen stayed bland for the majority of the trip, with no sign of bait pods and rare marks, mostly close to the bottom. In the end the majority of active fish, all Lakers, were near the bottom going for flies off the dipsey and long copper. The chunky 1 in the photo turned out to be a female whose timing was off a little as she was still full of eggs. By 10:30 or so the wind picked up to a level that made things unpleasant and after a big tangle of wire and copper we decided it was time to call it. As I was hauling in the spiderweb Andy pulled in the 5 color out on the big board and had a good sized pickerel attack the spoon. Timing off the water was excellent as the sleet/snow mix hit soon after so all in all it was "a nice day for January!"

Anyone at Taughannock today? I'm thinking of a trip tomorrow but wondered about the launch as its a little chilly. Have they turned on the bubbler?

Couldn't get down to Taughannock this morning but able to take the 4 mile drive to Deans this afternoon for a couple hours of trolling before sundown. Worked the West side with dipseys and downriggers. Found active fish in 100-150 fow, all lake trout in the 20-25 inch range. Most were hanging near the bottom so I was starting to think about Auto riggers by the time the 3rd fish took a spoon down 100. The highlight was the double that took both spoons off the rigger with a sliding cheater. Just a great afternoon to be out and the moon rise was spectacular!

I purchased a assortment of squid .I wanted to give them a try in the Fingerlakes,they almost look like the jigs the guys jigging use.This one is white glow pulled behind a trashcan dodger with peacock tape. I run them on the riggers or divers . I wanted to put this on the board you do not hear much of squid anymore.It put many quality fish in the box this year.......Just something to think about this winter we all need more tackle....

With the lake level down a touch I skipped Deans and took a trip down to Taughannock. The bridge was a tight fit but made it through and lines in about sunrise. Ran North on the West side from 80-250 fow running spoons on riggers and flasher fly on the dipsey. Early on the Landlocked hit a Stinger down 50, then during the 4 hours of trolling picked up 4 lakers, with no other hits. They were scattered in 80 up to 200 fow, with 2 hitting spoons at 60 and 100 and the other hitting flies first down 75 then down 100. The screen showed very few marks today and not much bait. Saw several trollers out but none working shallow, just a few bass boats in there. Anyone try the boards in tight this weekend? Got back to the launch and saw the 2 landlocks, (I think) darting in and out from the dock. Saw the No Fishing sign and thought.....smart fish.....Rewarded my first mate with a swim and thankful for such a beautiful November day to be out on the water.

Hoping to get some fishing in this month if the weather cooperates. Have rarely been out from late October to the end of the year. Last couple weeks found lake trout deep in 80 out to 200 fow. 2 weeks ago 1 Rainbow, last week nothing silver and very few marks above 60 feet. With the spawn on now is it best to fish skinny the next few weeks? Usually launch at Deans until the lake drops in midWinter, then go to Taughannock as the boat fits under the bridge. Anybody go out of Treman this time of year? Interested in your thoughts.

Went down to the fishladder on 13A. You can see a lot of nice big browns swimming below it.A beautiful day to do it. I was surprised I was the only one there. I do not know the rules other than you cant fish there.

Hello Everyone! First time Poster, please bear with me. So...this was my first season kayak angling on the finger lakes. Many hours trolling but no success. Trying to target trout. I want to keep it simple and run crank baits unassisted with spinning reels. Can any one offer a good starting point as to what depths to have the lure at and what lure may get you there? I feel like I'm just shooting in the dark, and also don't think I'm getting the depths noted on the box of the lure.

A real treat to be out on the water this morning as light winds, moderate temps, and foliage starting to show some brilliant colors. The only negative for the morning was the lack of a spectacular sunrise but we have had a bunch of great ones recently.....super moon rises this week too. Left Deans before sunup and ran South past Sheldrake to get set up. Hadn't set the second rigger when the first fired with a stout Laker. Had another quick strike soon after setting the dipsey pulling a flasher and fly. Another solid laker was on the line. Things went quiet for a stretch, then kept a steady pick of fish, 2 on dypsey for each 1 on the rigger. All lake trout plus 1 rainbow that took a fly and a nice dinner for 2 sized landlock that hammered a spoon off the rigger. Big fish of the morning was this Laker that tipped the scale at 9 lbs. Just a great morning to relax and enjoy the lake with all it has to offer.

1 salmon, 2 bows and 2 LT. Nothing bit all morning until 12:00. Bows on silver Sutton 44, down 50 feet in 100 FOW. Salmon 35 down in in 80 FOW on dipsey with small silver cowbells and silver Sutton 44.

Launched at T.Falls this morning went north.Was running 10# test and the fleas were real bad.

Have not had time to post about Bear's derby a few weeks ago. We got a fair number of fish but none the size we needed.. It was fun to play in the waves. Of interest to me was the fact that one of the fish I kept to eat had 4 smelt and a goby in its gut. Anyone else see the smelt returning? Wes

A couple weeks since my last trip and boy what a difference in the weather. Was wishing Chowder was around with his little boat as that thing can keep you warm in the dead of Winter, (Note he's posted it for sale in the Classifieds) Went South out of Deans and for the first couple hours the fish were as cold as I was. Almost drained my coffee when the sun came out and game on. Silvers took the rigger spoons down around 60 and the Lakers went for flies on the dipsey down around 100. About to pick up about 11 when a decent rainbow hit a spoon doubled up with the biggest laker of the day at a bit over 28". No pics of the biggest ones as already had enough in the cooler for a few meals so quick releases at that point in the day. Still great fishing out there but I for one am hoping for a long Indian Summer.

I have been trying to put together a spin n glo program after the morning bite for a few weeks and have absolutely no luck! Today out in front of taughannock falls my oldest and I decided to stay out until 11:30 working on said program and boy did it pay off! trolling slow around 1.8 really was the sweet spot and today the wonderbread flasher with a gambler chartreuse spin and glo picked up 2 laker right off the bat including this big boy!

Bear will be holding a tournament on Saturday and Sunday September 12th and 13th. Attached is the entry form for Bear's 2020 Fall Trout and Bass Derby. You can sign up at Bear's Baits, located at Myers Park in Lansing, New York. Note: Please practice social distancing when visiting the park and marina area to protect all individuals using these areas. Any questions please contact Bear at 607-387-5576. Bear's Fishing Flyer Fall Derby Sept 2020 Master.pdf

Fished Cayuga this afternoon. Sea Fleas are back with a vengeance.. A dark brown variety that Ive never seen before. Real hard to clean off. I am wondering if some of those pods we think are bait might be sea fleas..

I reached out to several of my LOU friends for some starting points to catch some fish for a coworkers kids. Thanks so much for the help guys. The kids had a great time and each one got a fish. We lost a few as well. Big fish was 10lbs 13 ozs and was caught on a spin-n-glo. Weeds were taking a toll on my fish count. every time a cleared a rod it was loaded with weeds. No fleas. See you at Bears fall derby! Wes ( Quality Time) .

Launched at Dean’s around 7 AM and went a bit North. Was fishing with my father in law, brother in law, and a family friend and we were all jigging for Lakers. Didn’t catch a single trout nor have any hits. Also took a ride over to the east side of the lake and fished north of long point, in the Aurora area, and didn’t see much life there as well. Caught two small perch and snagged a sawbelly. Jigged from 40 ft to 90 ft, but saw the most life on the fish finder in the 40 to 60 ft depths. We were off the water by noon. Anyone else fish Cayuga today, and what was your report? Surprised to have not gotten a single hit or laker. I thought the fishing was supposed to be hot this time of year? Maybe the storm last night shut down the bite? Any advice?

Attached is the entry form for the BARNEY BALDWIN 4th Annual One Day Fishing Derby. You can sign up at Bear's Baits, located at Myers Park in Lansing, New York. Note: Please practice social distancing when visiting the park and marina area to protect all individuals using these areas. Any questions please contact Bear at 607-387-5576. 4th Barney Baldwin Fishing Flyer.pdf

Hey all, Coming up to Cayuga from 9/14 to 9/20.. Normally fish in tournaments in VA for largemouth bass but want to fish for lake trout and other species on this trip. Will be staying on the west side of the lake at about the midpoint along the lake. Could you be so kind as to provide advice on what tackle/baits to bring and potential tactics and areas to target? Probably wont troll - considering jigging. Thank you in advance

Beautiful weather so on the water Saturday and Sunday morning running solo then Sunday evening with my son and some old high school buddies. The pattern mid-lake seems to be changing a bit from the past few weeks so new challenges to search and entice some fish. Saturday had heavy boat traffic on the West side which really built up closer to Sheldrake. Slow picking primarily with spoons on the riggers. Picked up Lakers and a teen sized rainbow. Lost the fish of the day in a landlocked that was at the back of the boat until the net minder, (me), rather than net the fish, managed to knock the spoon out of his mouth with the edge of the net. This morning greeted with a beautiful sunrise and very little boat traffic. Cruised North out of Deans and dipsey action came early highlighted by the fish pictured as it fought like very few lakiers do. From hit to the net and all 200 feet in between this fish was a tiger. Expected to see a Landlocked or Brown when it finally came up behind the boat. Opposite of Saturday as 90% dipsey bite. This afternoon after swimming and wake boarding the boys wanted to fish for an hour. They went 1 for 2 and like the am, dipsey hits. Unfortunately the one who lost the fish was the only one of 6 teens who dropped a fish a few weeks back when the whole crew did a quick evening troll and managed to boat a nice mix of Lakers, landlocks and a rainbow . Nice to know the next generation knows how to give each other some lighthearted abuse for failures. All great stuff and a great weekend.

Alright everyone who's in this year?!?! Let the trash talk begin and have fun! See you all Saturday! Two days left to register! Must be registered by Thursday 8/6!