Cayuga Question-Out of towner

[archman]

Guys,

 

Great discussion board you have here.  Please bare with me, this is my first post as I am from Ohio.  My brother-in-law just graduated from Cornell, so I have been up there a couple times and we have stayed around Taughannock State park.  This past Memorial Day, I probably caught 50 smallies underneath that first waterfall in the river there.  So that really got my interest going.  I went to the pier where they said there is a huge dropoff not too far out and was talking to some guys.  They said that spot is good for lakers, trout, landlocked salmon, and smallies.  I love that kind of fishing how they were fishing with a minnow under a float, and casting another rod as they waited for the float to go under.  I even caught a landlocked salmon while I was there.

 

I would like to come back and try that spot, or fish around there in a kayak to catch those species mentioned since I sort of know the area.  I just have no idea when to come back.  I've done some reading, and I can't really pinpoint the ideal time to try it.  Smallies aren't as necessary, but I'd love to be able to jig for the trout/salmon in my kayak.  I just don't know where to go around there or the best time of year.  I'm guessing spring/fall, but that's a wide range.  I've seen some youtube videos of guys jigging in their yaks around there, and I think even wading. We catch steelhead where I am from, but it would be more fun to do it in a yak and catch multiple species. Any help you can give me is greatly appreciated!

[vogel451]

Archman, my guess is that your experience at t-point happend earlier this month.  The sawbellies come in to spawn at the mouth of the creek.  Thats why June is one of the best months to fish minnows under slip bobbers at that location.  Recently the bait has beenmoving back out deeper.  So im affraid you prolly caught the tail end of that.  Good news is, since you have a kayak you can Jig!  Jigging on the fingerlakes is very successful.  Id start with a 1oz Gumball jig (white) and a white bodied palastic bait and send it down.  This method is deadly.  More so for lake trout than salmon though.   Good luck!

Edited June 27, 2013 by vogel451

[hermit]

Sounds like you did pretty well!  Sending PM.