Sk8man

This time of year I run small to medium spoons off fluoro leaders run way back for the bows with 6-8 ft sliders as well off downriggers. If the water surface temps are in the 50's early in the morning before the sun gets high try running boards in close even near docks if fishing the south end of the lake for browns. I don't often use sticks this time of year but they may work (e.g. J-9 size or J-ll). The small Honeybee spoons also are known brown killers on Canandaigua. Often running 2.8-3.4 works for the bows with the smaller faster running spoons. Unlike lakes such as Seneca which has a very diverse bottom Canandaigua is largely a combination sandy muck bottom so a lot of the laker fishing is looking for active suspended fish around bait pods rather than dragging cowbells along gravel or rocky bottom structure.

After reading these last 8 pages I can't help but throw in a response. First of all like Keith I feel that the LOU crew is in general a cut above the norm in terms of not letting emotion totally take over an intellectual discussion. After more than 40 years of salmon fishing I've learned more details about Lake O itself from this thread than any other source I've looked at. I also note that much but not all of the commentary is subjective in nature meaning that specific data and interpretation by qualified scientists is missing from many of the issues raised and comments offered. We all have a lot to learn about the lake and it's fishery. One of the things that I keep coming back to in my own mind is the impact of the Zebra and Quagga mussels as well as the water fleas on the lake and the food chain itself along with the composite of things already mentioned as potential adverse variables (e.g. weather etc.). The food chain itself in any ecosystem is a complex interplay of many players and when a problem occurs the lower down in it that the problem occurs the greater the potential impact on the organisms above it. If the levels of phytoplankton and zooplankton have been decimated by the high levels of these invasives it could take a significant amount of time to actually see the severe impact on the higher elements in the chain such as the apex predator and its cohabitants and given the large expanse of the lake and diverse nature of the lake structure itself regions of the lake could be differently affected. It is not just the trout and salmon species that have been affected. The black bass and perch populations have also tanked, and it is not limited to just Lake O as the Finger lakes have also been seriously compromised and this may underscore what I'm suggesting. This is a complex problem and anyone seeking a "silver bullet" origin or solution to it is making a mistake.

No landlocks just lakers and rainbows and browns

This might help out

Just an FYI regarding the dead bait issue. I believe in the bait regs they stated something about the the fact that the only dead bait that can be used is commercially prepared baitfish that are not prohibited from use (e.g. Goby) and the packaging has to be present too. Bait such as those just frozen or salted minnows etc. are not allowed.

For most jigging on Lake O 20 lb braid and a 2-2 1/2 oz jig will work down deep if you choose your day carefully and the lack of stretch will help greatly with results. Remember although you may be targeting lakers there are kings and cohos present in the lake and you never know where they are going to be....sometimes they are mistaken for lakers near bottom . I'd be using a high capacity bait casting reel with a good drag and a rod with some stiffness. A lot of the lake is a flat basin that you can drag the jig across too when they are on or very near bottom without the steep drop offs, unpredictable structure changes and canyons in an ocean environment. Ocean currents and rip tides etc. are a much different matter too.

A long long time ago walleyes were here but now... not in a long time. They are in Hemlock however.

For those folks here new to jigging or Lake O for that matter - It is never an "either or" situation in fishing and that is what makes it such a great sport. Jigging and trolling both have their place and the person that masters both will be the most productive. Both have one thing in common as far as success goes....water conditions conducive to it. When the wind is up and the waves are cresting neither usually works real well. The other factor is water currents - and both require adjustments in technique and equipment. With jigging it is important to be able to stay over or very near the fish to be able to present your"bait" (jig or spoon) properly and the wind and currents raise h with this much of the time. Lake O has very "active" subsurface currents sometimes going in multiple directions at the same time so you need to be able to "hover" (e.g. electric trolling motor) over the fish if not anchored up and often use heavier jigs than normal to deal with the subterranean currents. "Drifting" while jigging is often difficult on Lake O because of the rolling wave characteristics that can take you far from the target in just one wave. As with any other lake locating active fish is the key and then staying with them becomes the next objective. Pick a pretty flat day out there to give it a try.

Those west side fish don't have a chance now Ed with both you and Andy over there

First of all Joe you've gotten much prettier since the last time I saw you Oh I see it wasn't you holding the laker Happy Birthday! and that was a great way to spend it pardner. The action sounds better than that reported lately at the north end too.

WWIV and Pequod - Sorry we didn't get a chance to actually meet you as we were BSing with a few folks we knew and didn't realize that there were other LOU guys there. Hopefully next time. Hope the motor problem turns out to be a minor one.

Thank you Ted and the folks at Seagers for putting things together so well. It was a lot of fun and I hope more folks will participate in the future...they are missing out on a fun tournament.

Nick I think the problem was we got way off topic from your original post and I apologize for starting the off topic stuff. You were merely letting us know about the stocking and I think that things drifted off the mark from there but try to keep it in perspective too s*&^t happens and this website is a really good one when we play by the rules and when we don't get caught up in things and go astray. Fishing can be and often is a frustrating activity when folks don't have things dialed in and there can be many reasons for that but the Internet has become the vehicle for venting frustration. I wouldn't lose any sleep over this posting information bud. We enjoy your posts and I for one appreciate you letting us know about the stocking down at that end of the lake.

I guess you don't have to worry though because your head seems to be stuck in yours.

Thanks John.

Thanks Sean....very good points and something I too am all too aware of and neglected to mention above. Gee blue-green algae in the lakes? I wonder how that comes about?