IBay Confusion/Frustration

[bfarrow]

I have lived on the bay and fished it and the lake now for many years (.  I typically have a great deal of success in the bay itself as a warm water fishery but have been intrigued by the idea of trout being caught in the bay.  I can say that someone on my boat checked that box off by jigging for walleye (which we can never find) and coming up with a steelie. 

 

While that was a great bonus this spring, other than that this year has started terribly.  Outside of some white bass and rock bass, I have had no luck either in the bay or in the lake. 

 

Saturday 5/17 was spent in the bay looking for elusive walleye (starting to wonder if they are like Nessie) and pike (They may as well be Champie from Lake Champlain).  Afternoon until early night was spent moving around the bay until finally trolling home in the dark marking fish and still not moving a rod for anything but white bass.  Spoons...rapalas....worms (live/fake)....spinners....kitchen sinks...nothing.

 

Sunday 5/18 was spent on the water morning to dinner with a short break.  Targeted trout and salmon in the lake heading east out of the IBay and sticking to the recommendations I saw as well as the boats - 20fow - 50fow - mixture of spoons & sticks (firetiger, purples, black, white, gold) were dragged through the muddy water trying to avoid the fallout from the Genny, trolling from the IBay to the Webster pier and back with only 1 small brown trout to show for it.  Fished the lake from 9-until 2:30 like that.  Then spent 4:00-6:00 again in the Bay...nothing.  Not one fish, though MANY on the finder (which is frustrating).

 

This terrible performance is in-line with the last three trips I've taken, all with the same result.  Either the lake fishing turned into a slow choppy boat ride without moving a rod or the bay fishing was an occasional perch, rock bass or white bass, but even those have been so sporadic as not to make it worth speaking of really.   This was even while throwing worms as live meat!  If you cannot catch fish on worms in the Bay, you know you have a problem. 

 

Therefore - I'm asking for some help.  Public post, private message, send a courier pigeon or a smoke signal.  What is going on out there that I'm missing?  I know this is fishing and not catching - but this is crazy.  My only good fish to speak of was a big sheepshead off the docks of my boat launch. 

 

HELP is appreciated.  For the Lake - for the bay - for whatever...I need to catch SOMETHING...not just a cold or a weird sunburn...though that was funny. 

 

Thanks

[bfarrow]

The smile was supposed to be EIGHT years...not a smiley face....that makes no sense...LOL!

[bondouley]

I live on the bay and will tell you to avoid the bay and fish the lake.  The bay gets messed up by the shad run in the winter and spring then when thats over the boat traffic begins.  Right now the best fishing in the lake seems to be to the west of the bay.  I fished east sunday morning and had less than 10 bites where the guys that went west are reporting 25 plus bites.  Just look for the boats and go in that direction. 

[LuckyJack]

fish the lake just off the genny in about 20-40 fow,using spoons and sticks,troll the edges of the muddy water not in it,right now ive found the big kings are in 100 fow about 35 feet down,but did pickup a 20 king last nite in 15 fow,between the genny and rusells station,werent marking alot so we trolled in a little shallow and picked that up and a nice brown

the lake has been hit and miss,staurday was slow but sunday the hit anything u dropped in the water,just keep at it,good luck

[LuckyJack]

also keep in mind over the next few weeks they will move farther out as the water warms up

[MadPerry]

Ive never thought bay warmwater fishing was great, but it can be good. We fished for bass saturday also and caught several but nothing exceeding 2 lbs. Also caught some white perch and rockies. All on artificials. Jigs, but mostly moving crankbaits real slow. Water clarity was terrible throughout the entire bay. I shy away from worm like soft plastics when there is very murky water because those are more of a sight type lure. Water temps were around 60. Something you can work slow but that will vibrate or rattle in the water could help.

As for lake fishing, between someone getting seasick and the crap in the water, we gave up early. Most days have netted ok numbers out there for me.

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[Mortigan]

We (Forever Young) were out Sunday afternoon from I-Bay east almost to Webster Park and the water color (and debris) was some of the worst I've ever seen.  That west wind pushed all the Genny outflow straight to I-Bay.  We had 55-60 degree surface temps, couldn't see a ten pound ball a foot down and the color line was almost two miles out.  There were so many trees arranged along the color line, it looked like they'd been planted.

 

We actually found a great screen 20-30 fow off Shipbuilders but couldn't buy a bite.  I doubt they could see a thing we had in the water - plus debris kept fouling our rigger cables and tripping our lines.  I heard about the bite west of the Genny but we had limited time and didn't make the run.   

[Trout Bum]

I fished West out of I-bay this AM. From Russel to about a mile west of Crescent Beach in 20-30 feet. First time in that area for me. Most of the water was reasonably clear after about 1/2 mile west of the river, especially compared to off of I-bay. I went out 3 miles from I-bay and was still in brown water at 70 feet deep.

 

The bite was a little slow but consistent. A fish about every 1/2 hour. All Salmon, biggest about 15# and a couple three skippers. Sticks off in-lines (both fire tiger pattern) one out 100 and another on single core. Rigger at 18' pulling a DW spoon in Bloody Nose. Every rig caught fish.

[GAMBLER]

I-bay warm water fishery is tough to figure out.  Once you do, the fishing is great.  A little hint about walleye in I-bay, don't troll them!  If you do, row or use a trolling motor!  When I used to fish the bay, we caught a lot of pike, bass and walleye. 

Edited May 20, 2014 by GAMBLER

[devoknevo]

I guess everyone has their opinions on fishing the Bay, and casting sticks and blades is OK but if you troll, you may end up with these! This one was 28" long and she's still swimming!

Sorry the pic is sideways

Edited May 20, 2014 by devoknevo

[bfarrow]

Thanks to everyone for their advice and help!  I'm hoping to be able to put some of it to good use on the next trip out.  I'll keep you all posted.

[GAMBLER]

I guess everyone has their opinions on fishing the Bay, and casting sticks and blades is OK but if you troll, you may end up with these! This one was 28" long and she's still swimming!

image.jpg

Sorry the pic is sideways

You get more of those at night casting than trolling during the day. 

[devoknevo]

You get more of those at night casting than trolling during the day. 

 

Day or night, the fish are there, just in different spots. But how would I know?

[pikefreak]

I've had my boat in the water for two weeks now and no matter if I troll or cast I'm catching a ton of large mouths and a gar!!

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[bfarrow]

So - Another weekend (a LONG weekend) spent on the water with very little success. 

 

Saturday I trolled the mudline with everyone else.  We marked bait all day long and moved the rod 2x - once nobody was home and the second time a small silver.   Eventually the lake chop got too much for the boat and we had to run into the bay.  We ran a downrigger with a variety of spoons - 2 sticks for awhile off boards - switched those out for some leadcore with spoons as the bait all seemed to be down around 20 ft. and the larger fish just below that.  Virtually nothing. 

 

The move to the Bay seemed like it would be productive as we found large schools of fish and decided to vertically jig with some gulp minnows.  We marked a LOT of fish - we caught nothing.  Two hits - no hookups.  That was from 7am until 2:30pm.

 

Sunday I went for a solo trip in the Bay.  Again - I found a LOT of marks.  Again - I tried the gulp minnows - I tried jigs - I tried spinners - I tried rubber worms and raps.  Nothing.  Not even a hit.  I was so sick of hearing the fish alarm go off - I wanted to scream.  On the water from 7-1:00. 

 

Monday - I had been on the water so much I was only able to sneak out of the house to fish around the docks.  small jigs tipped with a gulp maggot usually is killer on panfish.  Nothing. 

 

I know this is called fishing...but I believe I have become cursed.  One of these days I'm going to get that "BIG" day with a number of fish, but this past weekend was not it.  Still, I appreciate all of the tips and advice.  I will see you all out there! 

[Pike Hunter]

For next year during April - Steelhead can be caught in the bay while trolling flatlining or stickbaits or spoons. Browns can be found south of the bridge in late March/early April before they move out to the lake. I have caught steeleheads in the bay but not the browns.

 

Just like what everyone else mentioned, you are better off fishing in the lake.  Continue to study the posts from the I Bay fellas.  Also, you should consider hooking up with the LOU members and you will learn a great deal from them. I always learn a few new things each time I fish with somebody who have not fished with me in the past.

 

Persistence is the key!  Best of luck on the water.

[tlombardozzi]

I agree with Pike Hunter, read posts and get a feel for what is working ou there. I had a real slow year last year but I feel more confident and seem to be more consistent this year from all the help and tips I have received from everyone on this site. A lot of helpful people on this site.

[pikefreak]

I'm going out tonight so I'll give a report when I get home.

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[devoknevo]

I'm going out tonight so I'll give a report when I get home.

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You'll do well , follow your instincts grasshopper.

[pikefreak]

Lol, you gonna be out Devo?

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[pikefreak]

Friday night went out and got broke off first pass under the bridge. Then a little wile later ended up with a nice sheepshead! Then I went out this morning got broke off 3 times and landed 3 more sheepshead! Biggest one was 10lbs!!

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[pikefreak]

Went out this morning with two buddies and we landed 9 sheepshead and got broke of 4 times! Biggest one of the day was 18.9lbs!!

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[bfarrow]

Do you troll the bay for the sheep? I catch them on our docks pretty regularly - they seem to love spinner baits.

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[pikefreak]

I'm trolling for pike and walleyes but the sheep are aggressive on the stick baits!

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[pikefreak]

Got 4 more tonight!!

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