Seneca Question?

[Guppy35]

My brother and i are thinking about making a trip to Seneca this weekend to do some trolling. The only problem is i haven't been on Seneca since early spring, and don't normally get out this time of the year. With that being said, i don't really know where to start this weekend so i'm looking for some advice. I will be running 2 downriggers with a stacker on each, and 2 wire dipsy's (first trip with wire). Can anybody give me some tips to get me started? Anything would be helpful; lures, speed, location....we will be coming from Corning and usually launch either in Watkins or at Severne. Please feel free to PM me if you'd rather. Thank you in advance for all the help!!

Sean

[BALLS DEEP]

Been doing good on the wire dipsys with a spin doctor and a fly. anywhere fro 200-300ft back. Been really weedy lately so choose wisely.

[ac holmes]

I fished the south end for 3 hours this AM. Started at the canel and went north for about 7 miles with a light se wind at 2.5 mph. caught a few (3) smallish salmon and one decent laker from 60 to 120 feet down over 250-350 feet of water. All spoon bite on downriggers, no fleas to speak of and the weeds were not too bad at all. I started out late (10am) and am sure I would have done a lot better earlier in the am. Did not mark much bait or fish but it was a nice day on the lake. I am starting to understand that the bite is always better early in the am on seneca and if I don't get out early, it's better to stay home. I think the reason is because the fish don't have eyelids and the water is very clear, so the bright sun sends them deep and they shut down. I saw some guys catching fish anchored fishing bait off the bottom.

[Adm Byrd]

We have fished out of the north end off and on all summer, start in 100 feet and watch for fish, last weekend 250 - 300 seemed most productive.

Bob

[Iron Duke]

Launch at Severe or Lodi... Fish Lodi side out in about 200 to 450 fow... Fish flashers and and flys down 260 and 210 for lakers and set riggers cores or coppers up between 70 to 55 fow for the off fish... Good luck..

Mike

[ Post made via Android ]

[lakebound88]

Fished last night off peach orchard. Rods started flying before I got spread down, hit water at 3:30 . Hot lure green dot white SD with atommik halo fly. Spoon, the MS steelie stomper. Dipsys were dead. Riggers fished 45-65 and the SD was fished 130 down with ball speed of 2-2.1. Fish over 400 fow. If you don't make it out to evening, be patient, wait for that sun to touch that west hill above glenora, its a light switch, turns them on! Good luck!

[ Post made via Android ]

[Guppy35]

Thanks for all the info guys, will let you know how we do this weekend!

[ac holmes]

Nick is correct about evening fishing...it seems as good as early AM, in my experience. If it is so that the fish are more active sunrise/sunset maybe bright moon light would be a good time to fish also. There would be enough light for the fish to see the bait.

There used to be lots of night fishing on Seneca years ago. The setup was a gas latern extended off the row boat a few feet (most of these lights were hand made by the guys at the old Shepard Niles in Montour Falls, and I'll bet there are still some of them hidden away in boathouses and cellars) and once the sawbellys came to the light guys would use a M80 or dynamite cap to stun the bait, and a speed net to gather fresh bait for the evenings fishing. The stunned bait was hooked on a gang hook rig and fished in the light and schooling bait. I remember seeing many boats night fishing summer nights on Seneca, and also remember many big lakers were caught this way.