Cayuga 6/24

[hermit]

Excellent day today, did very well early up by AES. Mornings on the water are one of my favorite things ever. Not many boats there?

Slow start but after the sun came up I got it going. Lots of short strikes. Some fish would hit it 3-4 times on the way up and not get hooked. One I would've seen hit the jig but it was directly under the boat, not expecting that one. Got 10 in the first few hours then went and did some bass fishing, something I'm not very good at. Landed one 1 1/2 lb or so smallie which was good enough for me. Fished about an hour. Unweighted salt and pepper tube.

Finished up with a little more jigging, picked up 2 including a 32" beast as the last fish of the day. Had to go by 9:30. It's been consistent up there for me for several weeks now. 60-72 did the trick. I'm sure the bite is as good or better out of Dean's but I have a hard time making the trip with good fishing closer to home. Another beautiful morning.

[woody 184]

Hermit Nice Report..... Love that Jigging Report.

[gonefishing71]

great report....and sounds like a great time....

[143447]

beautiful, Alec

If you launch at Dean's by 530 there are never more than 1 or 2 trailers there!! quiet early is nice

Any LL's around?

[hermit]

Hey guys well I wasn't going to be posting many reports but it sounds like you like reading them. Hope it's helping someone out there.

gonefishing there was one other boat I saw jigging, wondered if it was you, guess not today. Good luck when you get out.

t9, I did try jigging to a couple of suspended fish down 25 or so. One turned out to be a laker the other followed my jig around a bit but never took a whack at it. Got to give the salmon hunt a break until I rig better rod holders for the big dipsys.

[gonefishing71]

hermit,

I did plan on going this morning, unfortunately I hit a boulder saturday and tore up my prop

hopefully I can get it fixed up this week, and get after them next weekend

i do enjoy reading your reports, keep them comeing

[hermit]

Ouch that sucks...

[guff]

Hermit - I too like your reports, especially your jigging reports. Please keep them coming. My only wish would be that you would resurect your jigging tutorial. So many potential jiggers would get SO much info from them. Hope you are not mad at me for harping on this. I just know how much good info was in them and maybe best of all, it was all in ONE place.

[hermit]

guff, no problem at all. I am getting it back together, just being a bit slow about it.

[guff]

Hurray!

[PCPete]

Hermit/Guff - I fall into the potential Jigger category and the sound of a tutorial puts a smile on my face. I have never caught anything jigging before, however you report there has encouraged me to give it another try... It seems all the good Jigging reports usually come from Keuka.

Thanks!

[genEus]

Hermit/Guff - I fall into the potential Jigger category and the sound of a tutorial puts a smile on my face. I have never caught anything jigging before, however you report there has encouraged me to give it another try... It seems all the good Jigging reports usually come from Keuka.

Thanks!

x2. All I've managed to be able to get jigging is see my jig falling and going up in the fish finder window. That was fun. Yup.

[hermit]

Guess I'll get to work then. Searching old posts will also reveal lots of info.

genEus, that's a good start, actually. Being able to see your jig and what is happening is a big help. Do it on active fish and you're good to go.

new@this- It's hard to go wrong down by the bluff on Keuka, just up the E branch. It's about 100 fow and fish are usually there. Lots and lots of hungry fish. They will average smaller than other lakes but the sheer number is very impressive and might be a good place to start. However, Cayuga fishing is pretty good right now, either up by the power plant or by Aurora out of Long Point, it looks like you're on the East side.

It does take some practice. I started fishing from a 10' plastic jon boat w/ an electric trolling motor and no fishfinder. I studied lake maps and found some underwater structure in the 70-100 foot range near boat launches. Figured out depth by counting seconds until my jig hit bottom. Doing it this way was hard but I think helped in the long run.

I did take a trip with John Gaulke during his first year guiding which helped a lot with confidence but mostly it was time and effort that got me into fish as I was unable to fish those locations or use the FF, etc. (At the time I was very new to fishing the lake, caught a nice brown shorefishing that year and didn't even know what it was.)

Reduced to its essence, all you need to do is drop a jig down and reel it back in. If the fish are there and willing you will get hit on the retrieve. If at any point you feel something funny or a little tap, start reeling. Vary your speed, the fish seem to prefer a relatively fast retrieve, as if the "bait" is trying to escape. It's much faster than trolling speeds.

TL;DR version: staying nearly vertical and being able to feel the jig is key, drop it down and reel it back in, and fish underwater structure or flats in the 60-90+ range depending on time of year. I like fishing early but the afternoon bite can be very good at times.

Hopefully others will pitch in with some tips too, there are plenty of good jiggers out there!

Drawing A is what you'll often see without bait around. If you see fish coming up don't let the lines intersect when the jig is falling, start reeling.

Drawing B is what you'll often see if the fish aren't being aggressive. Tough fishing.

Drawing C is ideal- suspended bait with fish underneath. So far this year a lot of bait is on the bottom, that's okay but makes it impossible to see what's happening. Drop the jig down in there and bounce it around anyway.

[guff]

new@this & genEus - Wow. Where do I start? Point # 1 -Understand I do NOT work for John but if you can afford it (not that expensive really) a laker trip with John Gaulke will pay dividends for years. I went out with him twice. He will tell you all the secrets. Even drew on a Seneca Lake map where and when the best laker action was. I copied down the info off his jigging poles and have bought 2 so far. Point # 2 - I am NOT bragging here. Just the facts. In 2011 on 48 trips I and my guests boated 501 LT just jigging. Note I had a few skunk days but 3 trips were over 40 LT. Point is, don't give up. It works. Point #3 - Just wait till you see Hermit's jigging tutorial. It will knock your socks off. Point #4- I concentrate my fishing on Seneca and Keuka but Cayuga is jigging heaven also. On Keuka I either fish the Branchport end or the bluff. Right now the bluff is better. HOWEVER, the north end of Seneca is just about to erupt. There are thousands of BIG LT up there and they will turn on any day now I believe. I have done well there several times since mid April but have had some skunk days. Do not get the numbers as on Keuka but BIG LT. 30-35" not uncommon. Start by fishing across from the Belhurst Castle. Point # 5 - Don't give up. Jigging WORKS

[hermit]

Hey guff, thanks for the kind words and prodding me into action. I have resurrected my old site, parts of it aren't working but the jigging tutorial is there. (Link in sig line.) It definitely needs rewriting as I wrote that in '06 I think but the gist is the same.

At first glance I'd say- no longer rec a swivel between leader and braid. Not really necessary, a double uni knot works fine. I actually didn't re-read the whole thing as I spent most of the time just getting the old site running again. I'll be updating it this week I hope.

[genEus]

Hey guff, thanks for the kind words and prodding me into action. I have resurrected my old site, parts of it aren't working but the jigging tutorial is there. (Link in sig line.) It definitely needs rewriting as I wrote that in '06 I think but the gist is the same.

At first glance I'd say- no longer rec a swivel between leader and braid. Not really necessary, a double uni knot works fine. I actually didn't re-read the whole thing as I spent most of the time just getting the old site running again. I'll be updating it this week I hope.

You rock! There goes my night...

[gonefishing71]

hermit,

that is awesome

can't wait till saturday

[guff]

Great job Hermit. Can not wait for the revisions. But take your time. Would DEFINATELY add the Drawings A, B, & C in this post. As genEus would say, "they rock".

[woody 184]

Guys that is some Incredible Information..Chowder (Andy) has given me some awesome information over the last year on equipment and tactics, I just have not been able to get out after them.... I am going to jig Canandaigua tonight and prolly in the am on wednesday.... I hope to bring a camera to photograph my Success...... Guff and Hermit Thanks for the information... I have been wanting to do this for some time now and everybody I talk to about jigging for Lakers except a few give me a Weird Stare.... Its just something about jigging for these fish that is drawing me in.... Thanks Guys........ Woody

[genEus]

That is some great tutorial all in one spot there, thanks Hermit!!!

One thing I didn't see is what, in my mind, is the biggest hurdle or time waster. Maybe it's just so obvious that it doesn't require a mention, but how do you FIND the spot where you settle in and decide to do some jigging? Do you just move around at slow speed watching your FF window until you hit a concentration of fish?

[guff]

genEus - Well finding the fish can be troublesome. Would make the following suggestions #1- If you keep an eye on this forum you can often get an idea where to look. 2- At certain times of the year the LT concentrate in certain areas. Right now I would got to the end of the bluff on Keuka and the Belhurst area of north Seneca. Actually almost any time of the year these 2 areas hold fish. Hermit's reports zero you in on Cayuga. 3- If the fish are suspending as they are on Keuka now, yes I would cruise around with my ff (high sensitivity). If you see marks in 60 fow or deeper stop and drift and jig. 4- Remember however that just because you do not see LT on your ff DEFINATELY does not mean they are not there. They are definately bottom hugging fish. The only way to see them is to drop your jig and watch your ff for fish coming up off the bottom to take a look at your jig. 5- In the places I jig I find a lot of LT in water from 60' to 110'. They certainly can be shallower or deeper but 60-110 fow is a good place to look. 6- Of course time on the water gives you the best results. Good luck. Let us know how you do.

[bulletbob]

Lots of great information from guys that know... Most of us that have been jigging a long time have had days where we caught lots of good fish from blank screens, and had bad fishing when we were marking a ton of fish... Don't always let the screen dictate where you fish,, As you gain experience and get into some lakers you will compile a bunch of "go to" areas..

One thing I didn't see mentioned that many laker fisherman do, trollers and jiggers alike is look for bait as oppossed to looking for fish... Typically, if you find good concentrations of bait not far off bottom there will be lakers close by, and the bait balls are much easier to spot than individual pods of fish. I look for bait first... This time of year, if I see bait lets say 60 feet down in 75-FOW, I start fishing not far from the bait.. There will be lakers around, even if your screen doesn't show them... btw, thanks to Chad for getting me back on LOU... I have been trying for over a year to log in, and been unable to, despite jumping through hoops, new passwords, username ,everything.. I look forward to some good discussions.. Glad to see a lot of the "jigging crowd" here as well... This is a trolling board more or less, but I bet some of them will "come over to the dark side" the first time they start hooking into big lakers with a one hande bass rod, instead of heavy trolling gear. bob

[genEus]

Lots of great information from guys that know... Most of us that have been jigging a long time have had days where we caught lots of good fish from blank screens, and had bad fishing when we were marking a ton of fish... Don't always let the screen dictate where you fish,, As you gain experience and get into some lakers you will compile a bunch of "go to" areas..

One thing I didn't see mentioned that many laker fisherman do, trollers and jiggers alike is look for bait as oppossed to looking for fish... Typically, if you find good concentrations of bait not far off bottom there will be lakers close by, and the bait balls are much easier to spot than individual pods of fish. I look for bait first... This time of year, if I see bait lets say 60 feet down in 75-FOW, I start fishing not far from the bait.. There will be lakers around, even if your screen doesn't show them... btw, thanks to Chad for getting me back on LOU... I have been trying for over a year to log in, and been unable to, despite jumping through hoops, new passwords, username ,everything.. I look forward to some good discussions.. Glad to see a lot of the "jigging crowd" here as well... This is a trolling board more or less, but I bet some of them will "come over to the dark side" the first time they start hooking into big lakers with a one hande bass rod, instead of heavy trolling gear. bob

As long as this thread's turning into a thread about jigging, I wanted to respond to this... I'm not sure about others but if you "strip" fishing down to catching fish, I think some people might "come over to the dark side." However it's a lot more than just that, at least for me. It's fun trolling around a lake. You get to enjoy a slow boat ride, look around and enjoy the sights, AND catch fish, if you know what you're doing. You also don't have to be constantly "doing something" and can enjoy a sandwich or a beer without feeling like you're wasting your time if your jig isn't in the water or else you're going to miss "the big one." I still really do want to at least be able to make a choice, knowing that I can catch fish with both methods, and do each depending on the day.

[hermit]

genEus,

I agree with you. Sometimes I feel like trolling, sometimes jigging, and sometimes trying something new. It is true if the jigging is slow maintaining concentration can be tough and I'll often go for a boat ride. But staying on focus is a big part, I'll see guys out there either looking around with a slack line or mindlessly moving the pole around. You might get a few fish that way but it is an active fishing technique and keeping focus and keeping the jig moving will result in more fish.

Funny you mention eating, I'll often put it off b/c I'm too busy jigging… or start to eat something, see a hook on the screen and put it down to drop the jig overboard. Usually end up eating on the way back to the ramp or on the way home.

It's not for everyone but it can be a lot of fun. Hey I figure it's good to be well-rounded. Trolling is also good for learning the lake structure and finding hotspots to come back and jig later.

As for finding fish, guff and bulletbob have good tips. I'll start looking at successful spots but they aren't always there. They might be nearby, though. Then motoring around at 5-6 mph looking for bait is the next step. If you can't find any drop a jig down and see what happens anyway, any active fish will come take a look.

[bulletbob]

Geneus.. I think you are mistaking my post for a knock against trolling.. I assure you it is NOT.. Trolling is far and away the most efficient method of fishing large deep lakes like the Fingers and Great Lakes.. there is no comparison... Day in and out, a good troller will outfish any other fisherman of equaL talent... I troll myself, usually in the spring, and caught an 8 pound landlock earlier this year while flatlining, my best fish so far this year... That being said, when you find the fish jigging is easily as productive for lakers as trolling is, due to the nature of the fish... They are bottom oriented by nature. and congregate around bait in the Finger Lakes... Hermit or Guff can tell you stories I am sure, where at the launch ramp upon asking the trollers how they did, thier numbers caught jigging were a lot higher.. it has happened to me several times.. Other times when the fish are scattered, trolling is FAR more productive.. Depends on the day, the fish etc...

My all time best brown, an 11 pounder was caught jigging in Seneca 2 years ago..

I will say this.. Jigging is a lake trout proposition by and large in the Finger Lakes.. Yes you will occassionally get a brown salmon or rainbow, but over the years, better than 95% of the Salmonids I have caught on jigs have been lakers, so if you want "silver fish", stick to trolling...

I too like the surroundings and sometimes would rather just "veg out" instead of moving a jig, but as you stated, catching fish is the key.. Most trollers spend a LOT of money on boat, gear, and these days especially, on gas.. So if a couple guys go out and catch 10 lakers trolling, yes they had a very good day. Howver, a good jigger gets those same numbers regularly with a cheap rod and reel, a handful of cheap jigs, and a 14 foot tin boat and 10 horse motor..

It really comes down to what you like.. Personally I don't like deep trolling, but I am in a very small minority... I also readily admit that the trollers on these pages probably catch 10X the fish I do. However, there are a few guys that put their trolling gear in storage, or sold it once they got into the deep jigging thing..... Its just another way of catching fish is all... bob