Cayuga (7/5)

[Guppy35]

I'm planning on taking my two younger brother in-laws (13 & 15) out on Cayuga this Thursday jigging for lakers.  It will be their first time fishing from a boat, and (hopefully) their first time catching something bigger than a 12" bass out of my parents pond!  The only problem is, i don't have much experience fishing Cayuga for lakers, and i'm just getting into the jigging.  I sent my parents on a guided trip with John Gaulke last week on Cayuga, and they did very well - I have picked their brains as well as his quite a bit, but still hoping someone can answer a few questions for me...

 

Where would be the best place to launch from? (coming from Corning area, but don't mind driving a little farther if it gives them a better chance at hooking up)

 

General area or depth to start looking for fish?

 

Any place local to Corning/Big Flats area that may carry 1oz jigs?  We have some ordered from www.Billysmtolures.com, but not sure if they will be here in time for Thursday.

 

I have a feeling it could be tough fishing after almost a week of 90+ degree days, but it's my only opportunity to get out and the boys are as excited as all get out   We have baitcasters that are all set up per John's recommendation (braided line with fluoro leaders).  Thanks in advance for any advice to help them hook up with a laker on Thursday, and please feel free to PM me if you'd rather!

 

 

Sean

 

 

[Lewis863]

Follow johns advice he’s a jigging master 

1 oz is too light 1 and 3/4 at least If you don’t have a gps stabilized trolling set up and good electronics and knowledge of lake could be challenge ... 80 foot is a good depth to start launch Meyers go north east side north of power plant  in that area is generally good I’ve seen John there lately also north on other side of lake near kidders ... fish will be moving deeper as temps rise in water...we have been getting lots of fish 50-90 ft down some were in 40-50s though I suspect that will go away as thermocline develops .  Your issue will be holding position if you don’t have a gps stabilized trolling motor as wind on the lake is usually present in am dies off mid morning and picks up again afternoon 

 

if all else fails pm me I’ll be on charter that afternoon and I do plan to hit the area there or marine radio boat name is Avalon

 

the fishing has been hot and don’t be afraid to do mid morning when wind typically settles

 

the jigging thing is a real touch game speed and manner of retrieve is nothing like Bass... 

 

If you don’t succeed and you want to hop a charter let me know

 

Captain Mark

 

 

[Sk8man]

Sean - If you don't have the capable trolling motor to 'hover" over them make sure you bring a lot of anchor line and do it the old school way of prospecting for some likely fish candidates then move away and to the outside of them carefully and quietly drop anchor and let out line slowly until spot themm on the finder and jig. Even when you are somewhere near them they will often follow the jig dragged along bottom if they are down there and the jigging movement reeling up will get some to chase it.  Sometimes they will hit dead bait that has been cut in half rather than the plastics too. Despite the benefits of fish finders the old timers did it by feel alone (maybe not as much fun as watching them though)

[Walleye Oughta]

I agree with the above for depths / locations. In front of Myers / the salt mine has produced as well. The fishing (and weather) has been hot lately.. We've landed 10+ lbers almost every day over the past 3 weeks - note: please release the larger ones, not only are they good breeders and old fish but they also have a much higher mercury content..

I have an Ipilot trolling motor and don't use it near as often as my drift socks. Sure you can anchor up and pound the same bottom and pick up some fish but staying on the move helps if you want to put numbers in the boat. 

1oz jig heads work fine... you're fishing under 100' right now. Plus the slower fall as compared to the 1.5 - 2oz seems to be more enticing. Dicks sporting goods has your standard keitech paddletails that work great. Try different retrieve speeds: there were some days they wanted them moving slow 2ft/s and other times fast 10 ft/s - keep your bait moving though.

 

Welcome to the jigging game. Beats the crap out of trolling once you get it down. 

 

JD

[Copperliner]

Sean, give me a holler if your jighead order doesn't come soon, I would gladly send a few heads n tails priority mail to you - I've been doing fine midlake using 3/4 and 1oz, 75' avg., usual white or chartreuse plastics.

[Lewis863]

Copper liner can outfit you with what you need he makes his own and they are good stuff

[Guppy35]

Thank you everyone for the replies, i greatly appreciate all of the advice!

 

Copperliner - If you don't mind sending me a few, that would be a great help!  I will gladly pay you for the jigs as well as the priority shipping.  I just want to make sure that i give the kids the best chance of hooking up as possible.  Below is my address, and again THANK YOU!  Please let me know what i owe you and i will get a check in the mail for you.  Everyone on this site is always willing to help.

 

Sean Mourhess

2675 Reservoir Hill Rd

Addison, NY 14801

[Sk8man]

Sean check your PM's

[jk1]

 

to quoter Walleye Oughta  "

"Welcome to the jigging game. Beats the crap out of trolling once you get it down. "   X10.  Lots of fun just watching them chase your jig even if the don't hit.  And we too keep moving, it seems once you get one out of a group the next comes a bit harder  a nd the one after that harder.    Jig um up.........jk

[Copperliner]

Sure thing Sean - will have some in the mail to you today, not sure if they'll make it to you by Thurs though with the holiday closure.

 

Glad to help, no need for any payment - hope the kids catch some big ones!

[PCPete]

Hey Sean,

 

If all else fails and you don't end up with any in time, please shoot me a PM. I live a few miles from Myers and I am happy to meet you with some Jig Heads. You can also text or call me at 607-301-0602. Ill be around and most likely on the lake. 

 

-Pete 

[Guppy35]

Wow!  Thank you guys for all the information, and for being willing to lend me jigs if needed.  If we do get in a pinch, i'll at least know where to start.  I'll be sure to post pictures of our trip when i get a chance.  Thanks again!!

[Guppy35]

Unfortunately we had to postpone our trip that was planned for yesterday morning.  When looking at the weather Wednesday night, it looked like a pretty good chance of thunderstorms by mid morning on Thursday.  In hindsight it probably would have been a good morning to be out, but better to be safe than sorry!  We are now looking to go out either Saturday or Sunday morning.  I'll try to post a report when we get off the water.  A big thanks to Copperliner for sending me a big supply of jig heads and soft baits to get us started.  It was very much appreciated!

[Copperliner]

Glad to help, nice looking weekend on tap -- good luck!

[Guppy35]

Well we were able to get out on Cayuga Sunday morning for a few hours of jigging.  Despite the wind and algae bloom, we were able to land 4 lakers in 3 1/2 hours of jigging.  Fish ranged from 18" to 27", all healthy and fat fish!  We launched at Taughannock State Park, and ran North just past the Power Plant.  Best depth was 65-80 fow, marked a ton of bait fish.  Thanks to the advice of several individuals on here as well as supplies from Copperliner, both of my brother in laws were able to hook and land their first laker!  That alone made the trip worth it.  I've got a lot of things to learn with jigging, but i'm looking forward to it.  Next thing i want to do is try to figure out how to make better use of our fish finder.  I don't know much about it, and i know that's one way we can drastically improve our fishing.

 

 

Sean

[Lewis863]

What model do you have?

[Copperliner]

For jig & fish-watching, you usually need to tweak your sensitivity setting higher and stay vertical over the cone if possible.  I use a simple old X85 Lowrance, sensitivity 100%, zoomed in on bottom third of column, 193kh.

 

Pic of jig falling and rising on left, lake trout everywhere else...cat n mouse game

[Guppy35]

The fishfinder is a Humminbird 597 ci HD with Down Imaging.  When we went this weekend we mostly were looking for baitfish and jigging around them.  Do you look for baitfish first, then zoom in on the bottom and jig?  Or do you just zoom in on the bottom to start and look for lakers sitting on the bottom?  

[Lewis863]

I’ll defer to copper on that one he is the jigging talent in the room ... trolling I go for the fish with no bait... less competition... so I use the Lowrance with fish reveal (that I bought from copper aka mike lol cause he didn’t like it more than his old system ) I can detect fish easily sitting on the bottom or suspended in the column... but on your unit use max mode on your sonar and pay attention to the live bar to the right you should clearly see your jig and the live bar should show you fish coming for the lure don’t try to use downscan I don’t think it will help you .. google your unit and jigging to find some videos 

[Copperliner]

Sean, pm sent