Seneca Seneca 8/14

[Never Ends]

Fished Seneca for the first time since the derby today, West side Severne to Long Point didnt mark much at all, fished Caywood to Lodi Point and screen was littered with bait balls the whole time. Ended up getting skunked, ran spoons off a rig rod and down-riggers with Dipsey divers and Chinook divers. 

 

Praying that Lady Seneca recovers soon!

[BSWINNY]

Fished Seneca for the first time since the derby today, West side Severne to Long Point didnt mark much at all, fished Caywood to Lodi Point and screen was littered with bait balls the whole time. Ended up getting skunked, ran spoons off a rig rod and down-riggers with Dipsey divers and Chinook divers. 
 
Praying that Lady Seneca recovers soon!

Amen!


Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[shaneo19]

I have been catching a lot of 12-15 inch lake trout just south of Long Point.  80 to 100 ft on copper. All stocked. That is about it.  At least they should be keepers next year.

 

I cannot drop a camera down anywhere in the lake over 20 ft and not see swarms of sawbellies.  Anyone who doesn't think that is the main problem with the fishing on Seneca doesn't know what they are talking about.  

[Frogger]

No fish to eat the bait up will allow the bait to spiral out of control.


Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Sk8man]

Along with the lampreys attacking the fish that are there.

Edited August 18, 2020 by Sk8man

[Gill-T]

Bring on the kings!!!

[cinnamon fish]

Time for the state to allow everyday anglers to catch sawbellies in Seneca?

[Frogger]

Time for the state to allow everyday anglers to catch sawbellies in Seneca?

We could have an annual saw belly derby!


Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[suttontroller94]

3 hours ago, Gill-T said:

Bring on the kings!!!

Been saying it for awhile. 2 years of king stockings could give us fish for a few years and help the bait issue alot!

[Frogger]

Been saying it for awhile. 2 years of king stockings could give us fish for a few years and help the bait issue alot!

Or you could get the original fish back in the lake to take care of them.


Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Roys Boys]

The fish marks are there tricking them into biting is a different story, I’d love some cohos in Seneca

[Sk8man]

Or you could treat the streams for three consecutive years and try to decimate the future lampreys. Give it some time and restock.with yearlings and some 15 inch browns

Edited August 18, 2020 by Sk8man

[Frogger]

Yea, I hope we get by the fish are there saga. The only thing that has helped Seneca the past three years is the lack of fishing pressure due to the lack of fish.


Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[ifishy]

Let's go with something radical and different that could draw tourism. stock striped bass, the lake unfortunately is not and will never again be in it's native state so maybe manage it to create an economic driver. That is far different than the current mentality of restore but it is the mentality that lead to Pacific's in the great lakes. They would likely not reproduce naturally so could be controlled and discontinued in the future. Just a thought something a little less in the box

Sent from my XT1080 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Hop]

Xs 2 and 3 les and frogger. Bring  it back, but bring it back right. 

[fisherdude]

Does ny have the funds to rebuild Seneca lake Cuomo crying no money . No money from feds due to being a blue state. Maybe the finger lakes can help each other to much bait on Seneca Keuka Lake very little Canandaigua has a bunch of rainbows cayuga has bunch of lake trout Owasco and Otisco Lake has a bunch of walleyes. Just a thought

Sent from my SM-A102U using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Sk8man]

I know I sound like a broken record but the problem is more complex than just a lack of fish and over abundance of bait. The previous sewage dumps down the Keuka Outlet (one reportedly 55,000 gallons) combined with runoff from human interactions (e.g development along the lake, vineyard and farm run-off, perhaps combined with natural factors such as a gradual change in the type of lake (from oligotrophic or cold water lake -to mesotrophic (mixture) toward eutrophic e.g. toward warm water and more nutrient rich), actions of the invasives on the water, weed, and lake bottom (Zebra's, Quagga's and perhaps waterfleas), increased susceptibility of some of the trout species (e.g. lakers and browns) to the increases in lamprey predation because of their bottom orientation and feeding habits, and either previous ineffective lamprey treatment, or the lack of it being consistently applied during the recent past.

Something I have not heard anyone mention is the possible effects of the sewage releases on the Keuka Outlet environment itself as It is a major repository and developmental environment for the young fish of many species in addition to Catherine's Creek. The lampreys also breed at the mouth and within it and the larval stage would be in the mud and probably not affected. 

 

There are probably other things as well involved in it and just stocking more fish  although it may address the short term surplus of bait may not solve the problem long term. As Brian suggested is the state going to be able or willing to invest the money or resources in the situation  especially after this covid stuff.

Edited August 19, 2020 by Sk8man

[GAMBLER]

The lamprey are the issue!  If the DEC gets the lamprey issue under control, survival rate for all species will be higher and bait populations will get the pressure they need!  

[Sk8man]

The lampreys are a main problem but not the only one. Even less than ten years ago there were minnows of various species seen in near shore areas around the periphery of the lake. There were sunfish, perch, bluegills, bass, and pickerel and pike. Now you see few to none present in these habitual areas. Those of us who grew up on the lake remember when there were  fish all over the place including the Seneca Lake state park marina where you could catch any of these fish right from the docks. It is now devoid of life and encrusted with mussels and algae. There are many things going on here at once and there is no single factor that is totally responsible for the changes; it is multifaceted and complex and so will be the solutions.

Edited August 19, 2020 by Sk8man

[lakebound88]

With all of the concerns here, I hope to see most of you at the next seneca lake fisheries meeting.

They are hoping to do one this fall after all the bait studies are confirmed. Seneca had its sampling done for cold and warm water this year.

There is a lot of bait. There is a lot of fish. There is a lack of browns and a lack of Atlantic's as well. However, I'm interested to see what the state will do.


Nick

Sent from my SM-G960U using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Sk8man]

I truly hope so too Nick. I hope to be there God wiling. I should also mention that in spite of my commentary regarding current conditions I dearly love Seneca Lake and my family has fished it for well over 100 years. I hope to see it rebound and perhaps with the states efforts combined with natural cyclical and evolutionary factors it can "correct" for these problems and return to the stellar fishing days of years past. Nobody should give up on it Cayuga was in tough shape a few years back and look at things now and changes don't necessarily take a lifetime to occur either.

[Frogger]

It sure is getting old though!

[cransy]

I have lived on Seneca since the 70's. This year is the first time I have seen minnows in shallow water in 18 years. Why, because there has been very little rain this year. No chemical from farms and winery entering lake to kill them. This lake has other problem too and I just which the DEC could monitor the chemicals entering the lake.  Seneca also gets the chemicals from Keuka farms and wineries. This lake will never recover in my lifetime. I hope I'm wrong.

[Followed The Waves]

I cry on Nick's shoulder back at the marina and I hate to be that old guy living in the past, but I fished Seneca from 2003 until 2011 when I sold No Clue.  I used to keep a diary and reported about 350 fish a season---all vertically jigged up.  So far this season, I am up to FIVE fish and I've been on the water since April 4.  I am having good marks but from my interpretation on the TV, I think the fish I am seeing are small and for whatever reason, are less interested in a vertical presentation.  In this pic, you can see my jig dropping and a couple of lookers but it's pretty rare these days to see them firing off the bottom and intercepting the jig 20 feet from the bottom.  Back in the day, they'd come flying out of the mud and often chased the jig right to the boat.  I rarely jigged up a fish smaller than 24 inches so I'm hoping that what I am seeing on the TV are little guys who will grow up to be big guys.  A boy can dream…

 

 

[Trouthunter]

We fishermen can change this if we just get involved