Bass fishing Lake Ontario

[njg0621]

So I have only trolled lake Ontario for trout\salmon but I also love to bass fish.  My question is where do you start? Just work the shorelines? What method do you typically use when you fish for them? And lastly is there a lot of bass in Lake Ontario? Is it worth going out with some buddies and going after them? 

[Dylan585]

For trolling I like using small deep diving cranks... If you do a little research you can find the spots... It seems now-a-days that your better of jigging rather than trolling

[2lbperch]

What section of lake Ontario are you interested in? I shoreline for largemouth in the bays. The most fun is smallmouth in the lake.

[Dylan585]

I assumed he meant smallmouth... If you want large mouth then you have to hit the bays

[njg0621]

 

I would be in the Mexico bay area....I usually fish between Pulaski and Oswego.  I'm not looking to troll bass, just looking to jig\cast.  Any advice appreciated!

[2lbperch]

You have to get out a little deeper for the smallmouth now days. Usually start around 40 to 60 ft and drift to 20 mid summertime. Some days deeper. Drift with a mushroom anchor, concrete in a coffee can, dragging a gravel bottom, & cast rubber crawdads in the cloud the drag makes works for me. Pull up the drag and keep drifting over the spot till it slows down, drag again.

[bandrus1]

last year in may we couldnt keep the smallmouth off our sticks and spoons while trolling for browns 

[krux5506]

You will hear a lot of mixed reviews on smallies in the lake. Being you're pretty far east of the negative feedback I typically hear from guys fishing for them, you should be in a good area. I try to find them in the summer around 25 to 15 FOW. Not much of a bait fisherman but it can be hard to resist soft shells in the lake. Find out where they are hanging out, when you mark a bunch just drift around and drop shot for them whether it's live or artificial bait

[Chas0218]

Find structure and you will find the smallies. East end out of henderson has some good smallie action if you can get up that way.

[Mikenfrank]

Are there any good spots for small mouths around oak orchard

[GAMBLER]

Not anymore.  10 years ago, you could find smallmouth anywhere in Lake Ontario.  The population is low now so finding them is like finding a needle in a haystack. 

[PeltHunter]

I caught like 15 in an hour and a half right behind the fort in Oswego using Mr Twisters. Can't get back there anymore on shore but you can easily fish it from a boat. I don't wanna hear any of the spot burner guys because 90% of oswegos population fishes in that spot.

Edited April 4, 2016 by PeltHunter

[2lbperch]

Good place to try on a windy day. Harbor breakwalls protect it. Go deeper mid summer though. Tour the fort & the lighthouse, nice family day out. The launch is only 100 yards away from activities and fish.