Finger Lakes - Cayuga ... Anyone

Abbeysdad · 10-06-09, 02:21 PM

Anyone out there fishing Cayuga lake?

bigbasser · 10-10-09, 01:10 PM

I have but not this year, what are you looking for? bigbasser

Abbeysdad · 10-12-09, 10:16 AM

Cayuga is a larger lake and I've been out several times and with the exception of a couple of jumbo sunfish (dinner plate size!) I haven't caught much of nothing. I was hoping to find someone that knows the lake and might offer some tips on the migration and/or spots likely to produce fish.

bigbasser · 10-12-09, 10:29 AM

I sent you a P/M. bigbasser

Abbeysdad · 10-12-09, 09:00 PM

Well so far, over 50 views on nybass.com with 1 'joke' response.

Baron49 · 10-16-09, 03:52 PM

I gave up of nybass.com for that exact same reason, I am a New Yorker and do not contribute there any more.

Now as for your question, fished Cayuga earlier this Summer with marginal results. Over the years smallmouth bass are in the south end while largemouths seem to be in the shallow weed flats of the northern end. With the largemouths generally running larger then the smallmouths I concentrate on the upper end. Skipping a soft stick bait under boat docks does produce, marinas, if they allow you in, produce some nice fish pitching baits around the docks and under the boats, willow trees that are in or hanging over the water hold fish as well, but the majority of fish will be in the weeds. It takes a lot of time and effort to find them. Work a rattletrap type bait over the tops of the weeds and if you catch one, mark the spot and go back with a texas rigged worm or jig. Deep diving crankbaits on the outside edges of the weeds produce some big ones when you finally find them. Look for weed points and fish them slow. There are several islands and many rocky points that will hold fish as well. There are a lot of old cribs and docks under the water along the shore lines. You will need a good map and a GPS mapping unit to work these areas properly. I had my best luck last trip down in shallow water cover using a 1/4 oz jig and a zoom chuck as the trailer

Abbeysdad · 10-19-09, 10:12 AM

Thanks Baron - I've been out on Cayuga a few times now and only twice has my fishfinder "delivered" several fish, both times by the Millikin power station. I'm not sure how effective it is in the really deep water. I put in near the south end at Meyers and haven't gotten way up north yet.

I must confess that as much as I like catching scrappy bass, I wouldn't mind hooking a large lake trout or salmon. (I was watching 'Hooked' on the discovery channel and have no desire to hook/catch a several hundred pound fish....but you know the thrill of catchin a biggun....like the one in yer avitar). Anyway, so far, I have only caught a couple of giant (dinner plate size) sunfish outta this 'pond' and this is just not acceptable!

Baron49 · 10-19-09, 11:58 AM

Actually I meant to accurately find underwater structure you would need a good map and a mapping GPS. Other then really deep water dropshotting I rarely depend on the depth sounder to find fish. I primarily use the depth sounder to locate and to be able to stay on what ever structure or cover I might be fishing. It will show balls of bait fish even in shallow water which is not a bad thing either.

Abbeysdad · 10-19-09, 02:36 PM

Well my sonar is a 2002 Lowrance 29. It's okay for depth and does show suspended objects as fish, but I'm not certain that I'm seeing the best bottom contour and structures. Then again, it's all part of the learning curve and I'm not so certain I have all the settings set to optimize performance (I just got my first boat back in June so there's been a lot of learnin the last few months!)

Abbeysdad · 11-20-09, 03:58 PM

Just for the record, I'm convinced that there are no catchable fish in all 38 miles of Cayuga lake.... oh you hear stories about fish being caught and once I saw a couple of fellas sneaking a cooler from boat to car and acting all weird and stuff....
But my personal experience is that any sonar echo is merely phantom echos and there are just no fish in there except maybe fer the two giant sunfish I caught that one day!
Other than that, they just aren't there!

lol

zooker · 11-20-09, 08:14 PM

only thing i caught of there was trout a LONG time ago.. sorry abby

zooker

Abbeysdad · 11-21-09, 11:02 PM

I'm thinking still the fish heard I got a boat and swam off scared!

pig n jig · 12-12-09, 08:24 AM

Where are you putting in at ? Deans Cove area ? Cayuga has some nice bass but sometimes difficult to catch.I have 2 go to lures for ayuga.An old Heddon dying flutter worked slowly over the grassy flats and a spinnerbait.All chartruese ,blades and all.I like a 3/4 oz.cast around big primary points and docks are a good place to start.Sorry I am so late in response.I haven't visited here at the site in a while.

Ivan

Abbeysdad · 12-14-09, 12:09 AM

I put in at Meyers Park in Lansing. Still getting to know the lake. Have seen a lot of fish around Miliken where the power plant is (Have heard this is a real hot spot in the spring due to the warm water the plant expels. Also have 'seen' a lot of fish on the south end and in the river.

10-06-09, 02:21 PM	#1
Abbeysdad BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Central NY - Finger Lakes Posts: 1,307	Finger Lakes - Cayuga ... Anyone Anyone out there fishing Cayuga lake? __________________ Fish now, work later

10-10-09, 01:10 PM	#2
bigbasser BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Posts: 154	cayuga I have but not this year, what are you looking for? bigbasser

10-12-09, 10:16 AM	#3
Abbeysdad BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Central NY - Finger Lakes Posts: 1,307	Cayuga is a larger lake and I've been out several times and with the exception of a couple of jumbo sunfish (dinner plate size!) I haven't caught much of nothing. I was hoping to find someone that knows the lake and might offer some tips on the migration and/or spots likely to produce fish. __________________ Fish now, work later

10-12-09, 10:29 AM	#4
bigbasser BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Posts: 154	cayuga I sent you a P/M. bigbasser

10-12-09, 09:00 PM	#5
Abbeysdad BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Central NY - Finger Lakes Posts: 1,307	Well so far, over 50 views on nybass.com with 1 'joke' response. __________________ Fish now, work later

10-16-09, 03:52 PM	#6
Baron49 BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: 1000 Islands, New York Posts: 62	I gave up of nybass.com for that exact same reason, I am a New Yorker and do not contribute there any more. Now as for your question, fished Cayuga earlier this Summer with marginal results. Over the years smallmouth bass are in the south end while largemouths seem to be in the shallow weed flats of the northern end. With the largemouths generally running larger then the smallmouths I concentrate on the upper end. Skipping a soft stick bait under boat docks does produce, marinas, if they allow you in, produce some nice fish pitching baits around the docks and under the boats, willow trees that are in or hanging over the water hold fish as well, but the majority of fish will be in the weeds. It takes a lot of time and effort to find them. Work a rattletrap type bait over the tops of the weeds and if you catch one, mark the spot and go back with a texas rigged worm or jig. Deep diving crankbaits on the outside edges of the weeds produce some big ones when you finally find them. Look for weed points and fish them slow. There are several islands and many rocky points that will hold fish as well. There are a lot of old cribs and docks under the water along the shore lines. You will need a good map and a GPS mapping unit to work these areas properly. I had my best luck last trip down in shallow water cover using a 1/4 oz jig and a zoom chuck as the trailer __________________ B.A.S.S. Member since 1976. Life Member since 1987

10-19-09, 10:12 AM	#7
Abbeysdad BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Central NY - Finger Lakes Posts: 1,307	Thanks Baron - I've been out on Cayuga a few times now and only twice has my fishfinder "delivered" several fish, both times by the Millikin power station. I'm not sure how effective it is in the really deep water. I put in near the south end at Meyers and haven't gotten way up north yet. I must confess that as much as I like catching scrappy bass, I wouldn't mind hooking a large lake trout or salmon. (I was watching 'Hooked' on the discovery channel and have no desire to hook/catch a several hundred pound fish....but you know the thrill of catchin a biggun....like the one in yer avitar). Anyway, so far, I have only caught a couple of giant (dinner plate size) sunfish outta this 'pond' and this is just not acceptable! __________________ Fish now, work later

10-19-09, 11:58 AM	#8
Baron49 BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: 1000 Islands, New York Posts: 62	Actually I meant to accurately find underwater structure you would need a good map and a mapping GPS. Other then really deep water dropshotting I rarely depend on the depth sounder to find fish. I primarily use the depth sounder to locate and to be able to stay on what ever structure or cover I might be fishing. It will show balls of bait fish even in shallow water which is not a bad thing either. __________________ B.A.S.S. Member since 1976. Life Member since 1987

10-19-09, 02:36 PM	#9
Abbeysdad BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Central NY - Finger Lakes Posts: 1,307	Well my sonar is a 2002 Lowrance 29. It's okay for depth and does show suspended objects as fish, but I'm not certain that I'm seeing the best bottom contour and structures. Then again, it's all part of the learning curve and I'm not so certain I have all the settings set to optimize performance (I just got my first boat back in June so there's been a lot of learnin the last few months!) __________________ Fish now, work later

11-20-09, 03:58 PM	#10
Abbeysdad BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Central NY - Finger Lakes Posts: 1,307	Just for the record, I'm convinced that there are no catchable fish in all 38 miles of Cayuga lake.... oh you hear stories about fish being caught and once I saw a couple of fellas sneaking a cooler from boat to car and acting all weird and stuff.... But my personal experience is that any sonar echo is merely phantom echos and there are just no fish in there except maybe fer the two giant sunfish I caught that one day! Other than that, they just aren't there! lol __________________ Fish now, work later

11-20-09, 08:14 PM	#11
zooker BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: denton nc Posts: 13,441	only thing i caught of there was trout a LONG time ago.. sorry abby zooker __________________ the godfather.. aml in remission since 7-20-09

11-21-09, 11:02 PM	#12
Abbeysdad BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Central NY - Finger Lakes Posts: 1,307	I'm thinking still the fish heard I got a boat and swam off scared! __________________ Fish now, work later

12-12-09, 08:24 AM	#13
pig n jig BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Avoca, NY Posts: 3,508	Where are you putting in at ? Deans Cove area ? Cayuga has some nice bass but sometimes difficult to catch.I have 2 go to lures for ayuga.An old Heddon dying flutter worked slowly over the grassy flats and a spinnerbait.All chartruese ,blades and all.I like a 3/4 oz.cast around big primary points and docks are a good place to start.Sorry I am so late in response.I haven't visited here at the site in a while.Ivan

12-14-09, 12:09 AM	#14
Abbeysdad BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Central NY - Finger Lakes Posts: 1,307	I put in at Meyers Park in Lansing. Still getting to know the lake. Have seen a lot of fish around Miliken where the power plant is (Have heard this is a real hot spot in the spring due to the warm water the plant expels. Also have 'seen' a lot of fish on the south end and in the river. __________________ Fish now, work later

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