Black Lake 8/2 to 8/10

[bridget]

Since our last trip to Black Lake in June, we enjoyed fishing the Finger Lakes and Lake Ontario in between.

 

As much as we enjoy the screaming kings and acrobatic rainbow, the truth is that even on a good day there is more times watching rods than reeling in fish. Beyond that we don't really enjoy eating those fish. What we keep ends up being giving away or as cat food (and only one of our cats will eat them). On the other hand we love the pan fish as do those at deer camp and parties.

 

We lucked out on the weather. We got out any day we wanted to. 

 

Fishing varied from OK to great. Fished solo most days, but Bridget went out for three afternoon / evening trips. Made two afternoon side trips to Akwsanee Casino and Alex Bay, and some P.M.'s just were to wore out to fishing, especially after dealing with all the fish cleaning.

 

Fishing solo fished two rods with minnows and one rod with dual jig flies tipped with worms. Did a limited amount of casting with 1/16 oz Mister Twister Jigs.

 

Mister Twister Jigs took exclusively Crappie.

 

Flies with worm tips took only a few Crappie, predominately Sunfish, but Perch were not far behind.

 

I'd estimate we caught about 1000 fish keeping about a 1/3. Ended up with 5 one gallon bags of fillets.

 

Gross make up was approximately 45% Perch, 35% Sunfish and 20% Crappie. Also landed 4 LM Bass and 3 Bull Head, all released. No Pike this time.

 

Fished Tin, Raspberry, Limestone and Wood Islands along with some of the shoals in the area. Didn't do that well on the shoals.

 

Surprisingly fished were a little shallower that what we found in June. Best success in 10 to 12 FOW. 

 

All and all we had a great time.

 

May go up again in late September? The residents campers we have met say then and in April / May is when the Crappie are best. In the fall they like fishing Back Bay on up to Indian River and fish exclusively with the Mister Twister (White with Pink) Jigs. We are just learning but having a ball in the process.

 

 

[panfisher]

Sounds like some real fun, with some good eats too!! Perhaps the pike are at those shoal areas, near where they trail off into deeper water. That is a lot of fish cleaning for sure, but will (if not already done) be worth every minute when cooked! Nice post.....

[schwartz]

Great job at Black Lake!! I also would rather spend all day catching perch than staring at rods trolling. I have had my fill of salmon fishing.

Been on Wellsley Island most of the summer catching perch in shallow water 6 to 10 feet. Lots of keepers 9 inch and up. Lots of smaller ones too.

Heading down river next week for walleye.

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[bridget]

I think Panfisher maybe right about the Pike and the shoals, it make sense.

 

When we were camping and fishing out of Seneca Lake this year for the derby the folks next to us were from Ogdensburg. They had pictures of some beautiful walleye from earlier in May.

 

We may try going up to Black Lake next year for a week in early May as well, and if so maybe will give Ogdensburg a try. I used to fish the Clayton area quite a bit when I was a teenager 40+ years ago, but I have never fished north of Alex Bay, so have no clue of what just where to go or what might be the best techniques. Our last outing for Walleye was Port Clinton on Lake Erie, where we did quite well the final day - 60 keepers in 4 hours on erie deries with night crawlers.

 

Week after next we will be back up to Oak Orchard for the Salmon and Camping. Hope we do more cranking then rod watching, but you never know. What we hate more is to sit a camp and watch the waves (then again watching rods and bouncing around in the waves gets old fast as well).

 

Good Luck folks, thanks for the tips.