Seneca/Sampson to Lodi 9-5-14

[Sk8man]

I went solo this morning on the spur of the moment and I'd first like to thank Redeye and his buddy for giving me a hand at the launch in that PIA SW wind.  I initially arrived at Sampson launch at 6:30 AM but the wind was really cranking so after waiting to see if it was going calm I decided to visit the Lodi launch and check things out there  with the thought also of possibly  trailering to Watkins. It was very choppy at Lodi and only one double axle trailer was in the lot so I decided "screw it" and headed back home. When I reached Sampson again I thought I'd check it out again before heading home and it didn't look as bad now so I launched (with the above help) sometime after 9 AM and headed south.  After running aways I kept going south but with the big motor against the waves which were pretty brutal anyway I got 2 downriggers with sliders out and a 250 copper but it was hectic solo and then I looked at the depth finder and was marking all kinds of bait and fish in 70-120 ft of water down 40-60 ft. then I discovered it was unfishable in there because the weeds floating were huge and terrible. After clearing my lines several times and resetting I gave up and moved out deeper but the weeds were at intervals out to 400 ft of water. I trolled all spoons out in the 400 -550 ft range all the way to Lodi and picked up three rainbows about 18-22 inches and a laker about 5-6 lbs (never marked any of them) all on the main spoons on the downriggers down 45 and 55 nothing on copper. I trolled back north with the wind which was picking up when I reached Lodi and trolled all the way to the chute at Sampson going in and out of the 300-500 ft range and never had a touch and when I turned at Lodi I substituted a 6 color leadcore for the copper and it too was dead the whole time despite changing spoons on everything multiple times. I marked about2 fish and two bait pods out deep and that was it. Everything (fish and bait) appears to be within 70- 120 ft range so for anyone going in that area don't waste your time out deep they aren't there.  If the weeds somehow clear out of there with a wind change and the rest stays the same someone could have a field day in there on all that stuff but today it wasn't doable and was very frustrating. A few fleas were noted when I briefly ran 2  5 leader Seth Green rigs but not on the other stuff.

Edited September 6, 2014 by Sk8man

[Adm Byrd]

I knew you would try it somewhere. Good job considering the weeds!

[Sk8man]

  You know me too well Bob

[Nautitroller]

Wow hope Owasco isn't like that with the weeds, way to grind out some fish Les!

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[Redeye87]

Same story for us les.. Couple little rainbows.. We didn't stay very long. A ton of fish there though like you said. That whaler can run through some waves!

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[ERABBIT]

Les I'm going to PM you my cell phone # , they are also deep but spotty....... steady south wind for a few days now opened the west side up much better....  I would have come down too the launch if I knew you were down there........the trailer in the lot was a guy from here he has a big glass boat I think it's a Sea Hunt it has a blue top

Edited September 6, 2014 by ERABBIT

[mjones 59]

I was fishing the north end. We marked a lot of fish but they were mostly suspended.

With the south wind blowing like that and the current heading back to Watkins

It is tough fishing. I never have much luck with these conditions. I had looked at

the Hobart bouy site and it was 9mph @ 178 degrees, out on the water we checked again

and it was 12 mph! Ended up with 3 Lakers.

[ERABBIT]

I was fishing the north end. We marked a lot of fish but they were mostly suspended.

With the south wind blowing like that and the current heading back to Watkins

It is tough fishing. I never have much luck with these conditions. I had looked at

the Hobart bouy site and it was 9mph @ 178 degrees, out on the water we checked again

and it was 12 mph! Ended up with 3 Lakers.

You were fishing the north end and launched out of Watkins...........

[justtracytrolling]

Nice job les....glad you got out! Weeds can basically shut you down, and its far worse when you count on big boards for fish!