Canandaigua - July 4th

[Sk8man]

Well I was going to stay home today but then got up at 5AM and decided to give it a try before all h breaks loose on the lake with jet skiers, etc. and left the launch at 6:30 AM and to my amazement there were several water skiers and jet skiers out then at north end....as well as some folks parked near Kershaw...probably getting a good spot for the fire works tonight. That should have been omen enough but I never give up....   I started out at the pump station on a diagonal toward Thendara with two downriggers with sliders and a 6 color leadcore. Spoons on downriggers Rapala on leadcore. I changed out the lures after a bit and then I ran into the biggest debris field I've ever encountered near the east side in 100-125 ft of water (for miles). logs, sticks on top and underneath, grass, leaves dead fish...you name it! It extended all the way south to south across from Danny's place. Fleas are now getting bad the deeper I went with the downriggers on lines and some on cable as well. Stopped using the leadcore went to 30 lb wire rig...fleas still caught on terminus and lure and above dipsey. Very bad from about 50 ft down. Many people out water skiing and boats going full tilt not even noticing all the debris.. Just hope some water skier doesn't end up impaled by those limbs.

Never had a hit on anything....only marked a few fish suspended and a couple lakers on bottom in 103 ft. and very little bait. I decided to bag it at 11:30 AM. First time skunked two times in a row in more years than I can remember (if ever)

 

When I arrived at the launch ramp kids from the Finger Lakes Institute were there checking boats for invasive species and asking folks to fill out 4 page survey (which I did despite the onset of storm clouds and folks waiting in long line to launch). One of them said he had been to a meeting a couple days ago with DEC and they are quite sure the dead fish in the lake aren't the result of the virus but indicated that something serious is going on with the lake and they are not sure what just yet....

 

74.5 degrees on surface.

Edited July 4, 2013 by Sk8man

[Frogger]

Sorry to hear Les, at least you didn't lose anything or get caught in the rain, went to sodus and just missed a cloud as well but made it in ok. mike

[ERABBIT]

Well you got a fishing fix anyway Les that's always a good thing.........

 

saw some dead bullheads (yellow belly) a few smb on Seneca today......wonder if the DEC treated for lamprey !!!!!!!

Edited July 4, 2013 by ERABBIT

[Sk8man]

Glad things went OK Mike I guess those biting flies were pretty bad too at Sodus today. It is a real puzzle Ed regarding this die off thing....especially since it seems to be multiple species and multiple lakes etc. It is also interesting that the fishing has been so bad on most of the lakes for most folks at this time of year .I usually do real well about now on the rainbows out here and not marking much either.....very puzzling indeed.

 

Les

[mottman32]

Something must be going on in the lake as I have never seen the fishing this bad. The water is dirty and the fish will not bite. Has anyone had any luck on even the pan fish? It seems like all the fish are turned off. Very puzzled. Will be interested in an update from the dec survey. Thanks for the report.

[treerat]

fished the south end mon night and wed morning . stayed near the drop off as weather was iffy on Monday . Did not mark much nor did I catch any thing that day . ran spoons on riggers and dysies .  Tuesday tried for some panfish mid day on south end . we caught a few small perch and blue gills . Wed morning back trying for trout . tried spoons and flies .still nothing to show for my effort . fished the south end .and up across from the condos . marked some fish in tight up there  90-50fow . no bites never moved a rod while trout fishing other than to change stuff . Was some debris both days

 not happy with the launch ramp situation at woodville . you would think they would have had a second dock for this holiday period

Edited July 5, 2013 by treerat

[machzrcr]

I fished the north end yesterday. Rigged up dads gfs pontoon with. 2 riggers. Dipsy holders and a holder for leadcore/copper! So fished first time. And. We worked 80-100 fow ended up 3-4 diver out 180. Riggers down 60 and 85. All lakers had rainbow spoons on leadcore and copper without a touch but. Diver with white spinny and ito mirage fly. Took one, rigger with same took the rest. Biggest was only 22 inches but still had fun for first time on ca!

Sent from my C771 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[apb]

My son and I did ok during the mid day today.  Picked up a couple lakers and lost a couple using old school methods.(that's how he likes to fish)  Pulled some copper and trolled a cowbell/peanut off the Seth rod.  I agree with all that's said about the slow fishing ,  dead fish and water clarity...sure hope this is not a sign of something negative to come.  Lakers were taken off the bottom in 65 f.o.w.

Edited July 6, 2013 by apb

[Sk8man]

Good going Andy.....fishing together..that"s the important thing. Keep after them. Hopefully things will improve soon on these lakes....