Fishing Irondequoit Bay

[fatgrouper11]

With yesterday's stiff off shore breeze I used my better judgement on my shake down cruise to stay inside I-Bay and try and locate some Spring Browns. I've never fished inside the Bay and assumed that fishing as close to the mouth of Irondequoit Creek would be a good spot for some fish dropping back  or congregating in the warm water coming into the Bay. I didn't realize how shallow the water gets long before you reach the mouth of the creek which made fishing difficult at the South end of the Bay.

 

Is there a certain area of the Bay that tends to be more productive than others this time of year for Spring Browns? I spent most of the morning cruising the 5ft -10 ft contour line along the shore around the 104 bridge with limited success. 1 hit but fish spit the hooks...

 

Any insight is appreciated! I have to imagine there are some big fish cruising in the Bay and look forward to giving it another go.....

 

thanks,

 

asl 

[brucehookedup]

When i have been reduced to the fertile waters of ibay, due to mother nature, i hardly ever go past the south side of the bridge. I would turn at the first cattail point on the west side south of 104, go across bay, up the other side to buoys, and back around. Hope that helps

[Just Fishin']

Been several years since I fished in there, but I had early Spring success working southwest from the last buoy towards German Village and then

down the west shore in front of Newport Yacht Club. Sometimes swing North of the bridge and work the East shoreline back North, but honestly don't remember much success on east side. Usually just looped back up the west side. Had some real good days in there back in late 90's.

[LongLine]

Just south of the channel markers  it drops off real quick.  Amazing what fish hold up there.  East side of bay just north of bridge is very steep.  Watch out for that "finger that juts out about 1/4 mi south of the markers. 

 

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[rolmops]

There is the channel  that goes from the markers that Tom talks about all the way to the outlet. It is between 13 and 5 foot deep you can run up and down the channel flat lining or with the riggers at 2/3 foot down.I picked all sorts of surprizes out of there.

Don't try to use the boards.

[Mortigan]

I posted this report last year, same weekend: http://www.lakeontariounited.com/fishing-hunting/index.php/topic/28497-forever-young-i-bay-4-7-report/?hl=mortigan#entry174319

[fatgrouper11]

Thanks for insight. This time of year are you keeping most lures high up in water column or are you dropping some down deeper on riggers? I was marking some fish near the drop offs you mention but assumed they were schooling walleyes down 20-30 ft..

I kept all of my spoons down between 5 and 10 ft and 40 to 60 ft back...

Ps - this hoops NCAA Championship game is a great game!

Thanks again

Asl

[Mortigan]

If i remember correctly, as we passed under the east side of the 104 bridge on a south troll, we picked up a layer of fish around 40 down and dropped our riggers to that depth, running spoons 75 feet back.  We'd get a hit every time we looped west to come back up the middle, right in front of bay village.

[dgio67]

We caught a couple in the bay last year at the south end where it drops to about 8 foot of water.  We were running stick baits on the surface.

[LongLine]

None of the Salmon or Trout in the bays this time of year care about structure.  All they care about is food & their survival.  i.e. You'll run into them almost anywhere.

 

Tom B.

(LongLine)