Cayuga Lake B & B weekend

[stoutner]

We hit the lake pretty hard both Saturday and Sunday and fish just about all day both days. Started at Dean's Cove, tried North and found all water to be 62 degrees plus. Even at 100' down. Went down between Dean's and Sheldrake on the the West side and di pretty good on Saturday. probably landed 20 or so but all were 5 lbs and below. Mostly lakers and a few Salmon.

Sunday morning grabbed a few just North of Sheldrake but no size to them either. Sunday afternoon went South of Sheldrake and Hammered them for a few hours. Size picked up and our largest was 7 1/2 lbs. Also landed a huge one that only weighed about 6 lbs. His head was bigger than the 7.5 lb laker and he was about 3 inches longer. It had an obvious lamprey mark on it and I think that eel just sucked the life out of him and made him really skinny. I was not too happy that I waited until Sunday afternoon to fish that spot because I truly believe that I could have gotten on the board with the sizes and amounts we were starting to catch Sunday afternoon.

We did catch this really cool looking Laker with Syracuse Orange tail and fins. This pic does not do it justice because the fins and tail were literally as bright as the logo on a Syracuse Orange uniform.

[rshubuck]

Nice! Those fins sure do look orange. Wish I could have seen that fish up close I had the same problem when I went up N of sheld. point. Did not find colder water in one spot until I dropped to 110 ft down. We caught more dink Salmon then anything else when we were N. Sunday we found the cold water between Taug. and the Boyscout camp and we just followed the cold water all day with that N wind. I was glad to find it cause it paid off.

[alyakhim]

hey what ball speed to you guys troll those flasher and flys at to get those lakers? i just started trolling avidly this season and have caught a few of them a (2 were 9 pounders) in the dog days of summer on cowbells and rainbow colored rapalas but i believe they were just flukes. I haven't figured out a good ball speed yet. Also what temps do you guys like to fish for lakers at? 44-48 deg? thanks guys, sorry if i'm posting these questions in the wrong section figure i will ask while the topic is at hand.

[Big Dave]

I didn't fish the derby , but I run the flashers and flies at 2.5 to 3.0 mph at the ball. The lakers can move if they want to.

[stoutner]

I usually fish between 2.0 and 2.5 at the ball but not when running cowbells. I think cowbells work a lot better when running about 1.5 - 1.75 or so. I like to run bigger spoons and flasher fly so that I can cover more water. Cowbells catch a lot of fish but they are a pain in the arse to reel in and it seems you have to run slow to catch fish with them. Running that slow you cannot cover nearly the same amount of water as running 2.5.

I think water temp is a little over rated when they are aggressively feeding. I catch them in 40 up to 55 and occassionally in 60 degree water. I usually see them on my finder sitting on the bottom or suspended in anything less than 55 degrees.

Best thing to do is...if you aren't marking fish and/or bait....move and find it.

[chowder]

I usually fish between 2.0 and 2.5 at the ball but not when running cowbells. I think cowbells work a lot better when running about 1.5 - 1.75 or so. I like to run bigger spoons and flasher fly so that I can cover more water. Cowbells catch a lot of fish but they are a pain in the arse to reel in and it seems you have to run slow to catch fish with them. Running that slow you cannot cover nearly the same amount of water as running 2.5.

I think water temp is a little over rated when they are aggressively feeding. I catch them in 40 up to 55 and occassionally in 60 degree water. I usually see them on my finder sitting on the bottom or suspended in anything less than 55 degrees.

Best thing to do is...if you aren't marking fish and/or bait....move and find it.

Excellent practical advice! Watching temp and speed is good, but putting fish in the box is better On Sunday 9/19 I took lakers & a few 3lb salmon from 55' to 110' down (That's quite a temp spread!) The only time I go real slow is when I'm marking lots of fish in and around bait and getting no strikes, of course I'll also speed up and try that too.

Big Dave's comment that the lakers will speed up to chase faster lures is true and running faster than 2.0 @ the ball (depthraider) will attract a lot more bows & salmon into your spread. Again though, there are times when you need to go slow, especially early and late in the year when the water is cold. -Andy

[rshubuck]

My usual program has been 2.0 to 2.5 on the ball. 2.1 2.2 being the most productive for me. But the last two weeks slow has been the ticket for me. I probably been trolling 1.7 to 2.0 mostly. We picked the 2nd place laker at 1.7. I haven't had to troll this slow all year but it made a difference for me. Another thing I like to do is speed up to 3.0 for 30 sec to a min and then drop back down. I pick up a ton of salmon doing this.

My thoughts on temp is exactly what stouter and chowder just said. I probably learned it from them The only thing I can add is fish like stable water and this time of the year the temps are so messed up you want to find more stable water were you have that temp break 60 70 down. Not a 110 down. We fished the warm water saturday morning to afternoon and some luck picking a 6lb laker, dink salmon and 2 dink rainbows up but my fish finder was blank most of that time. We found that colder water break and my screen lit up and what did you know my rods started to move again.

Every day is different so change things up. You feel that there are fish were you are at then def change things up if nothing is moving. Its part of the fun tring to figure out what works and isn't working. Its a good feeling when you start figuring them out but these fish sure do know how to put you back in your place the next day. "Persistence will lead you to success"

Rob

[bigweenies]

A thing here on Lake Mi with lakers is when you get them on the graph throw the boat in nuetral for a few seconds. When you throw it back in gear lakers cant resist the change in speed. I have seen many tourneys here where the top boats do that, BW

[Fishtails]

Yup....most guys call it stop & drop.

[chowder]

Yup....most guys call it stop & drop.

My kids have come to call it 'the crazy Ivan' ( good for breaking up the monotony, though it can lead to expectations that are often unfulfilled )