Cayuga Jigging technique for Lakers

[fishyoo]

Fished Cayuga lake this past weekend for lakers with my father in law and his friend. We launched from Dean's Cove and fished mainly around the launch in 30 - 70 FOW. We fished both Sunday and Monday, and we caught fish on each day, but didn't really crush it either day. On Sunday we caught 5 fish (4 lakers and 1 rainbow), and on Monday we caught 2 lakers. We don't troll so all of the fish were caught vertically jigging. 

 

What techniques do you guys use for jigging? Are you mainly bouncing the jig on the bottom or is it a drop and retrieve type of fishing? My father in law had the most hits and he mainly jigs close to the bottom, but I've had some days were I caught more fish on the retrieve instead of bottom bouncing.

 

We also marked a lot of bait.

[Big Spoon]

It depends on the day... sometimes they like it yo-yo'd off the bottom, some days they want it to hit bottom and straight retrieve to the boat.  I find when the fish are relating to gobies they tend to prefer repeated bouncing off the bottom, and when they're on sawbellies they like the retrieve... but mix it up, let them tell you what they want.

[Pete Collin]

Here's the best tutorial online of the technique.     https://cayugafisher.net/index.php

[gonefishing71]

I've tried several different way's  the best for me, bounce it 3 times and reel as fast as you can

 

my biggest fish always come on the retrieve, some almost on the surface 

 

the biggest thing to remember, they don't always bite even when they're right under you, we've fished for hours with nothing to show, then all of a sudden they turn on and we catch 15 in a hour, then bamn nothing for hours

 

another thing of note, the fish are everywhere rite now,  in another month they'll concentrate deeper

[fishyoo]

Thanks all. The freshwater jig bite can be frustrating as you say. We had some good marks underneath us at times, but like you said, I guess they're not always in the mood to eat. 

 

I still haven't experienced a real banner day of lake trout jigging. Granted I've only been lake trout jigging maybe 20 times in my life so far, I've only caught multiple lake trout on a single trip maybe only twice. Most other times it's usually a skunk or just one single fish for me. However, I will say that probably 15 of the 20 times that I've been laker jigging has been on Seneca Lake in the last 5 years, which everyone says is a fraction of the lake trout lake that it used to be. 

[Lively1]

Just to echo a few of the above comments..

 

I went out yesterday, saw lots of marks and had plenty of follows, but only could get 4 to bite.. Just seemed like they were not much interested. Turned off just like that. 

 

And I had never had a double digit day in 8 years of trying until this past weekend.

 

Perhaps since they are trout, they are selective in what they eat at any given time and you have to 'match the hatch' like you do stream fishing for really spectacular catches. Especially on Keuka with sawbellies in decline, they might be eating perch fry, crawfish, emerging mayfly nymps, mysis shrimp, or (maybe?) the recently stocked cisco. I have had the most laker hits after dropping slowly to bottom, letting the jig rest for a count of ten, and then giving it little lifts like (I imagine) a crawfish or sculpin would look like that had been scared out of a hidey hole on bottom. A smaller share on the retrieve.. (three quick turns of the crank, rest, repeat), and a very few on the drop (and missed half of those hits). I am also using a smaller lighter jig than previous (3/8 oz).. I would not in Seneca or Cayuga however, or if fishing deeper than 50-70 feet.

[Sk8man]

43 minutes ago, Lively1 said:

. Especially on Keuka with sawbellies in decline, they might be eating perch fry,

No doubt whatsoever. I had a 6 lb laker through the ice this year spit up 5 LIVE perch out on the ice about 2 1/2 inches long

Edited May 30, 2019 by Sk8man

[Fishnet]

No doubt whatsoever. I had a 6 lb laker through the ice this year spit up 5 LIVE perch out on the ice about 2 1/2 inches long

What did you catch the laker who was eating perch on?


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[bulletbob]

 I started jigging for lakers when I moved here in 1991.. Never liked trolling, and avoid it,,, However, jigging  will never replace trolling as the best way to catch lakers.. we have our days, and on any given day,  a guy jigging might catch 10 while the trollers are only picking one or two, but the odds are heavily stacked against us. a lot of the fish we read near bottom, are carp, catfish,  sheepshead, or dormant lakers that won't eat..
 trollers lures are seen  by  a LOT more fish than our vertical jigs are.. Jigging is for those of us that like it, are happy with   fewer fish and less action than the trollers get..    It IS an effective way to catch fish, certainly, but as far as numbers, no technique is near as efficient as trolling is...  We jig because it fun, its rewarding, there is a sense of accomplishment, but  trolling is the better method if you want more fish.. If I catch 2-3 lakers in a morning, I am very happy.. Some days I catch more, lots of days i don't hook up at all.. Its just the way it is for most of us that don't troll... bob

[Sk8man]

Small 1/16 oz jig with spikes on it It won't get you down deep enough now

[fishyoo]

31 minutes ago, bulletbob said:

 I started jigging for lakers when I moved here in 1991.. Never liked trolling, and avoid it,,, However, jigging  will never replace trolling as the best way to catch lakers.. we have our days, and on any given day,  a guy jigging might catch 10 while the trollers are only picking one or two, but the odds are heavily stacked against us. a lot of the fish we read near bottom, are carp, catfish,  sheepshead, or dormant lakers that won't eat..
 trollers lures are seen  by  a LOT more fish than our vertical jigs are.. Jigging is for those of us that like it, are happy with   fewer fish and less action than the trollers get..    It IS an effective way to catch fish, certainly, but as far as numbers, no technique is near as efficient as trolling is...  We jig because it fun, its rewarding, there is a sense of accomplishment, but  trolling is the better method if you want more fish.. If I catch 2-3 lakers in a morning, I am very happy.. Some days I catch more, lots of days i don't hook up at all.. Its just the way it is for most of us that don't troll... bob

Thanks for the perspective, bulletbob. I too am not a fan of trolling, but understand that if you're looking to catch numbers that trolling would be your best bet. Dragging in a trolled fish as your boat chugs along at 2 mph just doesn't have the same appeal as fighting a fish that was hooked while vertically jigging. My father in law constantly tells me stories of fishing on Seneca in the heyday when they would be jigging up limits all around, so I guess that's why my perspective is a bit skewed. Now a days I just chuckle to myself whenever I drive past the "Geneva - Lake Trout Capital of the World" sign. 

[Fishnet]

Small 1/16 oz jig with spikes on it It won't get you down deep enough now
[


/quote]
So much for match the hatch huh
Are all the lures and spoons I see in orange,yellow, black trying to look perchlike?


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[chugbug]

Bob im surprised with your outlook on jigging , I consistently out fish the trollers in are camp with numbers and size at least with lakers , jigging  cant compete with trollers when it comes to salmon rainbows and browns we arent fishing in there temp. zone long enough to catch many although in the fall we get quite a few big bonus browns and rainbows when there plentiful .Back when  Owasco was stocked with a ridiculous amount of lakers we had 25 fish days and have done it on cayuga too its so much fun seeing the jig and the fish and the chase and one on one when you hook up !!!  Love it !!

[Sk8man]

It was while ice fishing for perch in shallow water Fishnet We caught five of them as I remember.

[bulletbob]

6 hours ago, chugbug said:

Bob im surprised with your outlook on jigging , I consistently out fish the trollers in are camp with numbers and size at least with lakers , jigging  cant compete with trollers when it comes to salmon rainbows and browns we arent fishing in there temp. zone long enough to catch many although in the fall we get quite a few big bonus browns and rainbows when there plentiful .Back when  Owasco was stocked with a ridiculous amount of lakers we had 25 fish days and have done it on cayuga too its so much fun seeing the jig and the fish and the chase and one on one when you hook up !!!  Love it !!

 I too have had those 25-30 fish days, but its been quite a while.. Seneca used to be so good i stopped fishing cayuga altogether, but now its slowed a lot..
 The thing with jigging is you have to be   equipped with a seriously good trolling motor that allows you to stay vertical... Jigging is very good for guys that do it a lot, and have the right equipment, and have put the time in to learn when and where, what colors, how to move the lure.. Just like trolling the guys that do best have put a lot of time in, and are well set up..
 For the casual angler that doesn't have the best  trolling motor set up, or the time to learn the best spots and techniques, trolling deep with  a couple of cheap hand crank downriggers    would most likely catch more fish  day in day out.. Jiggers catch plenty of lakers, and some big ones no doubt, but there is a reason 90% of the guys fishing the Finger lakes for Salmonids of any species still troll.. bob

[[email protected]]

can I ask what do the trollers use as lures for them. thanks

[chugbug]

spoons , stickbaits , fly flasher dipsey rigs just to name a few

[Pete Collin]

22 hours ago, [email protected] said:

can I ask what do the trollers use as lures for them. thanks

I'm partial to spin doctors w/fly, flatfish, rapalas, sutton spoons.

[trouthunter24]

Pete we did some nice rainbowns on the dipsey diver in Seneca some years back remember the spoon?? lol 

[Dlott]

Here’s one we got Monday out of deans

[Fishnet]

It’s always good to see results from last week rather than stories from years back[emoji2]


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[Dlott]

Got it on a leadcore black and silver stick bait

[TCIII]

So I'm a complete rookie that just installed some downriggers: do you cruise an area and mark fish and then set the riggers for that depth and troll back through?

[Dlott]

Put your riggers at the depth you mark fish

[Dlott]

Put your riggers at the depth you mark fish