Seneca Seneca 7/23 report

[DWHJR]

Good morning.  Not an expert here.  Just love to fish.  I am posting to contribute as I have taken info from this website.  Hopefully someone can learn from my successes and/or failures.  As always,  I gladly welcome positive reinforcement and/or constructive criticism to improve my angling.

 

Date:  7/23/15

Plan:  Got a last minute call from my friend from Buffalo who was in area.  We made last minute plans to fish.  I was originally going to meet him at Severne as I have been having some success on that area north in the past couple weeks.  Due to late start I suggested we meet in Watkins.  Should have stuck to my original plan. 

Lake:  Seneca

Launch:  Watkins

Area fished:  west side, center of lake and east side

Crew:  Friend from Buffalo and his 12 year son

Time:  Started out at 5pm-845pm
Direction headed:  set up near first point on east side and trolled north toward Peach orchard point.  Pulled lines and cruised further north a  little bit.  Set up lines and trolled north then crossed lake.  Trolled north on west side then turned around and trolled south for a time until dark.
Depth of water fished over:  80ft to 500ft

Wind:  out of north
Surface temp:  70
Water Down temp:  This is second time I used my Fishhawk TD temp probe.  65deg-30Ft, 58deg-40Ft, 51deg-50Ft, 48deg-60Ft, 46deg-70Ft.  I assume this is accurate.  Can someone confirm if these are temps they have been seeing?
Setup: 

Rod 1 – 3 color core with small michigan stinger on inline planer board

Rod 2 – 5 color core with small michigan stinger on inline planer board

Rod 3 – wireline, #1 dipsy out 150 ft on 2.5 setting using michigan stinger orange spoon

Rod 4 – wireline, #1 dipsy out 120 ft on  0 setting using mountain dew paddle and fly

Rod 5 – wireline, #1 dipsy out 120 ft on 2.5 setting using michigan stinger watermelon spoon

Rod 6 – wireline, #1 dipsy out 140 ft on  0 using NK28 mountain dew spoon

Results:  Nothing happening.  Didn’t really mark anything good on fish finder screen except for 2 small areas in shallow water.  Fleas and weeds were very bad all over.  Got to use for the second time my fishhawk td and new rod holders from Cisco fishing systems.  Nice night to be out.  Wish we would have caught at least one fish for my friend’s son.

Question of the day:  Is it true that fishing in south end is tougher until later in the summer?  When does fishing in south end really pick up?  I expect some biased answers as I know there is a friendly battle between north enders and south enders!!!

 
Thanks and stay safe.
 
Dave

Edited July 24, 2015 by DWHJR

[Sk8man]

First of all thanks for your highly detailed report Dave. It could serve as a good "template" for the rest of us  . One of the things that can be very beneficial to each of us is taking good notes when fishing (or afterward) but few people truly take the time to do it. Your post provides a real good outline for folks to follow in doing so. The review of notes from different time frames  and locations over the years offers a goldmine of information regarding "what to do when" out there.

 

At the risk of being "hog tied" by southenders because I'm a northender   I'd say that often the fishing at the south end tends to be better in the Spring and Fall into winter specifically for browns and landlocks. Summertime fishing on Seneca is often a "crap shoot" no matter where you are and once again notes taken over the "long haul" can be important in looking for any location trends for the different species and thermocline information at that time of the season. The two ends of the lake are very different "animals" to fish as is mid lake. In the Spring and Fall they may be very much like fishing "different lakes" so different strategies may apply to them to be successful. It is of interest to note that in the not so distant past the guys from the south end stayed pretty much in that end of the lake as did the northenders stick to the north end to mid lake (I'm being serious now). Now days and especially with the information sharing on LOU we've all become a little more comfortable ranging throughout the lake at different times of the year and I think this is adding a lot to the quality of information we can gather and share with a common goal. I can remember when information was jealously "guarded" even between fishermen at either end of the lake and it is gratifying to see that this has changed considerably and has opened up the opportunity for great friendships to develop as well and it adds a very valuable dimension to our sport  and many thanks to LOU for bringing this about

Edited July 24, 2015 by Sk8man

[lakebound88]

Good report, as a south ender, I'm sorry to say, it hasn't been too good down there. September will be good I hope. These floods keep hurting us and the lake there goes from 72 one week to 58 the next on the surface. Your temps sound good from what I had yesterday. However, if you can get above glenora and peach orchard in the middle of lake the fishing is decent. The south end is just a crap shoot. Has been since may derby.

I average a 9 to 12 mile run before I even think about fishing. In two weeks just north of Hector in the middle should pick up as the Lakers move a bit south, at this time the salmon bite gets a bit better too.

Good luck

Nick

Sent from my XT1080 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Frogger]

Damn, nice detailed report.

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

[DWHJR]

Thanks for the feedback.  Copy and paste is a wonderful thing and then just update.  Not trying to make anybody look bad.  I wish my reels were always wound as tight as as I am!!!

 

Thanks again!

[reeldilemma33]

Wow... Nice report! Bummer you didn't do so hot....

Hey a bad day fishing is better then a good day at work!!

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

[DWHJR]

We are renting a house starting 8/1 thru 8/8 about 3 miles north of Sampson. I guess I'll see firsthand if the northenders have a slight advantage over the southenders and middlers!!! I'm always up for a mulligan. I am hoping to fish most early mornings before the family gets up and going. I will use the 'hot spots' map for areas to try. If anyone has other suggestions on starting points or thoughts in the north end it would be kindly appreciated.

Thanks and see you on the water. Stay safe!

Dave