Keuka Jigging????

[tap001]

A couple of years ago I did real well jigging for lakers on Keuka. However, the past year it has been extremely slow and in the spots where I used to see a dozen boats each morning there are basically none. Is anyone still jigging keuka? I certainly understand if you don't want to give up specifics publicly. I'm just looking for general information. Of course if you are willing to share please feel free to PM me and I will share what I know.

TAP

'85 Montauk w/Blue canvas front

[kenF]

Because I live in SE PA I only get to fish Keika a few times a year. I started jigging for Lakers about 5 year ago. Typically I do fairly well jigging, however last year not so much. I typically fish off the bluff or up the western finger around the Kennedy cottage. I never had much luck jigging up around the state park, however I do have luck in that area using dipsy divers.

[rolmops]

Oh yes,it is done a lot.We call it "pulling copper" usually with a small Sutton spoon at the end of 400 feet of copper.It is done by hand without a rod but with an old Victrola box.Although I see more and more people pulling by hand and then reeling in with a rod.

I do most of mine in the eastern arm in the middle just a touch north of the college.

[ray koziatek]

i think if you move a bit youll still do good ,if ya have a fishfinder zoom in max and look the bottom over good ..tho there are always "resedent fish" everywhere lakers actually migrate around the lake specially when they get bigger..to stay on bait ...If you cant see the fish on bottom look for the schools of bait the bigboys arnt too far from them..The problem with jigging is not covering much ground so take a few hours driving around slow and look for the bigger schools ,,note temps depths, time of year,time of day,and weather conditions...seems like a lot of info to retain but after a while it will be second nature..

[tap001]

Thanks guys. I have looked around the east arm of the bluff a fair amount with a trolling motor looking for fish and searching the various depths. Even when I have found bait I haven't been able to find fish. It is certainly more difficult to find fish. I'm not interested in pulling copper so I may have to go back to trolling. Now I will say that the shore line fishing for pan fish has provided some entertainment but just haven't found the lakers.

[rolmops]

You can also go to the "Beverage Baron" in Penn Yan and buy a dozen mooneyes and use them as a trolled bait behind a copper line or a leadline.

If you are in front of the College you will see a farm on the hills to the north-west and to the south-east you will see a fancy wooden house at the end of an open field on the hills. Go back and forth using these 2 points for reference while trolling this live bait with 280 foot of leadline out .(9+colors) at somewhere between 1.6 and 1.9 mph.Stay in water that is deeper than 70 foot.Most of your hits will come in about 80 to 90 foot.

That should put you in the fish.

The best way to rig a mooneye is with one single hook through the mouth/forehead which tows the bait and a second hook,a treble,either hooked nearby the tail or trailing behind the tail and held close to the fish with a rubber band just in front of the tail.

I do it this way because lakers like to hit their bait from the side.then they swim away from the small school they travel in and turn the fish to eat it,the treble on the tail end will hook them instantly and they will not swallow your hooks.

[ray koziatek]

840ft is a lot of leadcore

[rolmops]

840ft is a lot of leadcore

You are right there,I meant 280 feet.