Cayuga 10/5

[quality time]

Had the day off from work so made a trip to Cayuga. Fishing was slow, Started at 6:30 am and did not get a fish for several hours. We worked south end then headed north getting first laker above yatch club. T-falls produced two more and fish were 3 pound range. Did a few laps around that point then headed back south. We did get 10 or 12 short salmon. 12 color leadcore and 600' copper caught most fish. Every time we looked at the back of out boat we had lampreys on the big motor. One was close to 3 foot long. at one point we had 3 on the back of the boat and the motor. Since other post had fish on the downrigger ball I am wondering if the are going from the electical charge of the ion control downrigger or the boat ground at the motor. I worry the damage from this year class lamprey will take years to recover from. Wes

[Ray]

I worry the damage from this year class lamprey will take years to recover from. Wes

I have been wondering what the impact will be too!

This year on Cayuga has been less productive than past years. Every time out, we have been getting lampreys on our downrigger weights...not a good sign!

[Skippers Trophy 01]

We keep a treble hook on a spare rod ready for any hitchikers!

[fathobbit0074]

started at t falls 730 ish and headed trolled north turned around past milikan and trolled back south threw everything at them slow day wish i had some planer boards and copper and lead to run off them need to invest in some i ran dipsys and riggers every thing came off riggers didn't see too many boats out there quality time what kind of boat were you in i had starcraft with grey soft top

[quality time]

Bayliner Trophy, We had 3 guys fishing so ran 9 rod spread. We did not catch anyything on the riggers or sliders. We did the 600" copper and 12 color lead on inline board, 300" copper down the chute 4 dipsys 2 high dipsys had spoons and the deep ones had spinny/fly. We did not have any fish on spinny/fly combo which normaly take most of our lakers. All spoon bite and we put medium size spoons down trying to not catch short salmon. The other thing that we had was it would look like we had a shaker on the high dipsys but it would not trip or have a fish on. We think the lampreys were grabbing the dipsy.

[Hookedup]

Fishing should be better when Lakers are done. I have got to spend a lot of time on Cayuga and Seneca the last few years and the fish numbers are down this year. I think the lampreys will only hurt Cayuga more for next year. Fish numbers were down on Seneca. I think the mild winter and the 40 to 60 boats at the launch all winter every weekend put a pounding on the salmon and browns. Laker numbers on seneca and Cayuga were not like last year. One good thing we noticed this year were lots of small rainbows. This is just what we found on my boat, DEC and others may not agree.

[ Post made via Android ]

[fathobbit0074]

WHAT KIND OF SPEED ARE YOU GUYS RUNNING AT THE BALL?

[quality time]

With the lures that we run 2.2 to 2.8. You want to change up and down to see what they want on any day. Take note if you catch fish on a turn. Your inside lures will be slower and out side will be faster. If you run cowbells and old style flutter spoons 1.5 to 1.8. I like the faster trolling speed because we cover more ground in a day. Fish are always moving and the more ground you cover the better chance you will find them. Wes

[Bobber]

Glad you finally got back out Wes. We decided to stay home this weekend, which was a good move by the sounds of things...doesn't sound like things have picked back up up there yet. Besides...got another pig outa my dad's pond sunday morning.

Kyle

[quality time]

Holy cow! That is a nice bass. I forgot to mention that the lampreys chewed paint off my lower unit. It was nice to get out. Wes

[stinger]

I forgot to mention that the lampreys chewed paint off my lower unit.

You sure it's not electrolysis from running all that copper?

[W.W.IV.]

WOW!!! did they lose any swimmers down there this summer.Imagin a dozen of those big eels hooked on to you.

[fish-on]

I don't know what you guy's are talking about, Iv'e fished Cayuga lake my whole life and this spring and summer was the best iv'e ever seen it, Usually fish Ontario alot, Made a few trips up but could'nt beat the fishing on Cayuga so stayed on the home turf. Yah alot of lampreys but everywhere you fish they're there. Lets see what happens next spring.

[quality time]

We did well this spring and summer as well. 20 to 40 fish a day . Late summer and fall were tough to catch enough for a meal.

[rustyrat]

I fished about 40 days on Cayuga this year. It was off in numbers and size. Normally I would get a nice brown every trip. I got 1 this year. I also only got 2 decent bows and about 10 decent salmon. I never took a laker over 10 lbs either. Believe me its off.

RR

[ Post made via Android ]

[quality time]

The last two derbys that payed 5 places did not get enough fish to fill them. Weight on lakers was way down compared to other years.

[Bobber]

Well I'm glad we haven't been the only ones struggling the latter part of this year...startin' to think we were missing something.

Kyle

[quality time]

It is normal to see lampreys in the spring. We would see lampreys on one out of 5 or 10 fish and it would depend on what part of the lake you fished. This year we had lampreys on 1 out of 3 and many would have 2 or 3 on a fish. By mid or late summer we would see very few. This year we are seeing lampreys bigger than I have ever seen on the fingers and they are attaching to everything. Downrigger balls,spin doctors, mag spoons, lower unit , bottom of the boat. It is a shame that that the many large lakers that I have carefully released over the last few years are going to die a slow death by the hands of an invasive fish that the DEC decided not to treat this year. They made the comment that they felt the lake could withstand the extra mortality from not treating this year. I understand that flood waters prevented the trapping of some lampreys but control lies in treatment. One lamprey can lay 100,000 eggs so thinking you can control them with traps is fool hardy. Fisherman pump alot of money into the economy and you will see many move to other lakes.

[MikeyP]

It is normal to see lampreys in the spring. We would see lampreys on one out of 5 or 10 fish and it would depend on what part of the lake you fished. This year we had lampreys on 1 out of 3 and many would have 2 or 3 on a fish. By mid or late summer we would see very few. This year we are seeing lampreys bigger than I have ever seen on the fingers and they are attaching to everything. Downrigger balls,spin doctors, mag spoons, lower unit , bottom of the boat. It is a shame that that the many large lakers that I have carefully released over the last few years are going to die a slow death by the hands of an invasive fish that the DEC decided not to treat this year. They made the comment that they felt the lake could withstand the extra mortality from not treating this year. I understand that flood waters prevented the trapping of some lampreys but control lies in treatment. One lamprey can lay 100,000 eggs so thinking you can control them with traps is fool hardy. Fisherman pump alot of money into the economy and you will see many move to other lakes.

Count me as one of those that will probably be moving on from Cayuga next year. Fishing this year on Cayuga was some of the worst I have ever seen. If the lampreys are the culprit it will probably take a few years to improve even with treatment. Treatment is no guarantee either with the way the DEC budget has been slashed the last few years. I wouldn't count on it.

[flyrod2]

Hey all: New to sight, was looking for some info and signed up immedialey. I am the sportsman Rep to NYS Fish WIldife Management Board in Region 7 and have accsess to many resources for questions or even suggestion to bring to DEC.

On the Lamprey ordeal I have been following that with great interest. DEC will be doing a chemical treatment to help get rid of the 2011 year class that got over the dam. And an important correction to the previous post about DEC cut in funds. With the last license fee increase and the subsequent cuts to staff the Conservation fund is running big surpluses. It is the Governors office and the Division of budget that will not release the money to allow regions to take care of business. In fact they want to raid the funds or pay for other nonsense.

Thanks for the great site.

[quality time]

Welcome, Hope we can help you. Wes

[panfisher]

flyrod 2... Just the guy I might B looking towards with thought and questions about NYS fisheries and related stuff! Don't worry.... don't want to scare ya! Have often wondered who could possibly open doors to or have answers for DEC related things....

[flyrod2]

I gotcha panfisher! Will be happy to help in any way. Often it is difficult to find an answer from DEC. There is a disconnect from Albany to our regional crew who are often battling to get anything. Can't guarantee results but always willing to try.

[Ray]

Can't guarantee results but always willing to try.

It is a start flyrod2...thanks for your help and dedication to our lakes!

[BIGHERG]

Fish Numbers seemed WAY down on cayuga this year. I didn't fish it as much as I used to but got out plenty of times this year. Many of the LARGER lakers seemed to have magically disappeared this year? Plenty of smaller ones around but not a lot of the bigger ones. That's what it was for me anyway.

You guys forget about the huge #'s of cayuga tributary anglers around the last few years. I'm a C&R guy and I fish the Cayuga tribs a few times a year. Not as much as I used to but I still get up there when conditions are right. I've seen some of the worst snagging/ripping (whatever you want to call it) going on in certain tribs. Fouled or fair hooked, those big spawning Rainbows and LL went on the stringers. Made me sick to watch. Called 1-800-TIPPDEC many times with no answer. Left message but I might as well have been talking to the wall as nobody ever showed up.

The worst part was most of these guys just kept snagging fish off beds until the creek was empty. Just unreal.