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Any word on the Seneca bite? Heading down for my seventh derby next week. What temps are you reading? Any info is much appreciated.

Launch & Conditions • Launch site: Lodi • Left home 3:30 AM, arrived just before 5:00 AM • Too much debris to launch safely in the dark • East wind ~5 mph until 10:30 AM, then increasing • Full moon Cold from went through overnight • Bluebird skies by 8:00 AM --- Bite Overview Early Action • First fish: Solid brown trout • Lure: Brett’s custom UV glow Dirty White Boy with a silver cup • Depth: Browns in ~30 ft, with best overall depth 25–45 ft • Downriggers:• 25 ft down, 30 ft back • Productive from first light through the entire day • Flat lines & weighted steel:• Flat lines, 1‑color, 2‑color, and your 80‑ft weighted steel (your “3‑color”) all produced early Lure Pattern Progression • Before 9 AM (low light):• Pink, white‑glow, and UV patterns were hot • Scott’s pink spoons especially • After 9 AM (high sun, no clouds):• UV yellow and UV blue patterns dominated • Best rods: 80‑ft weighted steel, 4‑color, 5‑color • Hawk’s Blue Dolphin and Alien Eye both produced General Lure Observation • Silver‑back spoons out‑performed gold and bronze throughout the day --- Species Breakdown • Atlantics: Shallow, right in front of the creek, just south of launch • Rainbows: Spread out, hitting smaller spoons • Browns: Concentrated in 25–45 ft, taking 25‑ft down riggers --- Trolling Details • Speed: 2.5–2.7 mph at the ball • Weighted steel & leadcore:• 80‑ft weighted steel produced all day • 4‑color and 5‑color lit up after 9 AM • Location:• The point held fish consistently • Atlantics tight to the creek mouth • Rainbows roaming wider --- Challenges & Lessons Learned • Rod rotation on every turn: Needed to switch rods constantly to keep shallow inside rods tight to shore. • Tangles from crossing rods: Moving rods over each other caused multiple tangles. Fix for next time: Pull the inside boards closer to the boat before setting the outside boards. • Limited spread due to tight water: Only ran 8 rods because of how tight the program had to be. Hindsight: Would have liked another Chinook diver or an additional 3‑color/weighted steel onboard. --- Good Decisions • Staying on the point: Decided not to leave the fish, even when other boats pulled off. This has been the right call for the last three tournaments — the point continues to hold fish consistently and reward patience. --- Key Takeaways • Best depth: 25–45 ft • Pink / white‑glow / UV early → UV yellow + UV blue after 9 AM • Downriggers were productive from first light onward • 80‑ft weighted steel was a top rod all day • Silver‑back spoons beat gold and bronze • Staying on the point was the right strategic call • Clear operational improvements identified for next trip

Decided to make a shake down trip with the new to me boat on Sunday out of Watkins. I spent time this winter setting it up with Scotty riggers, tripple rod holders on each side and rewiring a lot of the electronics that were in desperate need from the previous owner, so it was great to hit the water. Took two buddies and we got to the launch around 8:30. Water color was terrific and surface temp was 38. Headed to the east side first, nothing happening so we went across to Hector Falls. Found numerous Rainbows a Landlocked and a very respectable 6# Brown. For it being my first time fishing out of the boat and having a lot of figuring out to do while setting up I couldn’t be happier with the trip. The hot spoon was caddy shack, perch rapala took several plus one on a jointed fire tiger.

Fished Monday and got a 29.5 rainbow! Ended up with some nice lakers and 2 rainbows and missed 3 silvers early.. Second picture is a big group of 9ppl Captain Nick and I split between the two boats I believe we had almost 30 bites!

Got out for the first time this season last week. Slow start on the SW corner, marking lots of bait but not many fish. Moved north and saw lots of gulls swooping and diving (alewives). Setup and made a turn, leadcore (6 colors) fires hard. After a nice fight boated a nice 5.25 lbs rainbow. He ate a steely dan DW SS spoon. My expectations were low so I was happy to connect with a quality fish although that was it for the morning, This was a hatchery fish with a clipped ventral fin. Surface temps were 64-66 , no fleas or weeds to deal with. Speed 2.5mph. Check out my vid of the morning on my YT channel

Just ended a 4 hour trip this morning with 12 eels either stuck to the boat or down rigger balls all over 15 inches most I’ve seen this year! Got 8 in the boat and lost a couple off the prop

I’ve just heard from 2 people they just got approved to run full time without dec permits.. anyone else hear about it getting approved?

Just got my flier in the mail. Its still on with a $10,000 grand prize. May 29, 30 and 31. I did not see on the flier a place to sign up online.If there is one please correct me. I know its a little tough fishing but your odds are better there on winning than in that damm casino.We look forward to it every year. 315 789 5520 is the number to call for info. Good luck to all. Sign up everyone.

Lets hope the weather cooperates for these treatments.

Camp open , boat here , almost ready for 1st trip of 2018 . just renewed fishing license...... good luck to everyone and have fun.....

My dad just gave me the fishing report for today pulling cowbells in 80-100ft, he caught 2 lakers The real time consumer was netting eels stuck to the side of the boat, heading in he seen a decent laker on surface trying to shake a eel off but laker was already about dead.. just 3 hours of fishing. IMG_4152.MOV

Pretty cool report on Seneca today, after the big blow I had 2 trips today, first trip out the 7-11am we had steady laker action with 10,12 colors taking lakers, 50 degrees was down 50ft reel rages black, purple ale and tony tiger, black ale took most, then fishing slowed down so hammerhead “laker takers” with gamblers slimers took a few to end the day. The Interesting night trip, the crew wanted to catch a salmon for dinner so we stacked spoons from 40-70ft with cheaters 62-50 degrees, ran 3 leadcores (6,10,12), first leadcore pulled in 220fow 10 color 3lb small mouth kept trolling rigger parked at 60 popped another small mouth, ended up with 4 small mouth 6 lakers and a brown, reel rages black widow black ale took most, never ended up with a salmon but everyone was surprised as much as I was seeing the small mouths chasing bait pods in 200ft + everything was released to catch another day

Fished Seneca for the first time since the derby today, West side Severne to Long Point didnt mark much at all, fished Caywood to Lodi Point and screen was littered with bait balls the whole time. Ended up getting skunked, ran spoons off a rig rod and down-riggers with Dipsey divers and Chinook divers. Praying that Lady Seneca recovers soon!

Fished north of Sampson to the north end and back Saturday and managed five Lakers over 12 hours---all caught jigging out of the back of a 28 foot Carver. Caught a couple of little ones (19" and 21"), 2 @ 25", and 1 @ 28" (looked like a nice wild fish). I fished Sunday morning for a few hours north of Sampson and managed one @ 27". Also had a few hits and lost a few after a short fight (typical jigging stuff) on both outings. Still crappy fishing but Saturday was probably my best day since I got back on Seneca a year ago. Also learned how to use the timer on my phone's camera for a selfie. Here's the 28 incher...

A great morning fishing seneca aboard Reel Stories Charter. Boated 22 lakers and missed a bunch as well. Good fishing with friendly/funny guides that will teach you everything you need to know. A few beauties to finish off the great day...

This came out in today's Fingerlakes Times and thought I would share. Always nice to read and learn about LOU Members. Here's to ya Steven!

So, my new job is right on Seneca Lake, just South of Dresden, I am the Caretaker for a kids' summer camp there, and with Covid-19 going omg, the camp is offering families a chance to stay in one of our fully furnished staff cabins for a few days or weeks, as well as offering stays in the more "rustic" cabins for less money. It has been a tremendous success for the camp. I am a very avid fisherman, and I suggested to my boss that we could offer a list of good charter captains to those who stay at our camp this year. She loved the idea. Anyone here on LOU who is or knows top quality charter services, please PM me or e-mail me directly at [email protected] . I'd love to give some business back to the LOU community, since I have learned so much from you all over the past years. Of course, if you'd be willing to pick the customers up at our docks, I'm sure they could appreciate it as well. Thanks!!