Cayuga Cayuga Fleas

[Fishstix]

Fished Cayuga this afternoon. Sea Fleas are back with a vengeance.. A dark brown variety that Ive never seen before. Real hard to clean off.

I am wondering if  some of those pods we think are bait might be sea fleas..

[Reel Doc]

I was out this morning and I agree, the most stubborn fleas I've ever dealt with.  They even gummed up my rigger setups that are rigged with the Cortland line Co 30 lb test Flea Flicker.  I'm wondering if this flea strain is resistant to the line as typically my rigger rods don't see much buildup.   Last week minimal fleas and this morning not bad until 8-8:30 then they started gobbing onto everything.  It was the only frustration on a great day for fishing.  Found some good sized Silvers down 50-60 that went for spoons off riggers.  The lake trout were all about flies on the dipseys 80-100 down.  Anyone else find fish?

[Camo Joe]

Got into Fleas on Owasco today not horrible but worse than it's been. Found plenty of lakers some browns and a few bows

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[Fishstix]

We got a few fish .Having trouble getting silvers to the boat. We ran all spoons..  Back to FF and cowbells today to see whats working before the derby. Been trying something different We are starting out in the middle of the lake and doing real large circles. 

[bandrus1]

interesting i was out this weekend with 10lb on my rigger rods and didnt see a one... was between long point and the plant

[Lewis863]

Strange they were there last two weeks did not stick to 20 pound test at all came off the 30 easily and didnt touch the wire...maybe somebody smeared flea attractant on your gear..?


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[Sk8man]

I think the problem may be one of flea distribution. Folks often seem to assume that the fleas are distributed evenly all over the lake but they probably are in areas of the lake and not in others or are much less dense in some areas than others and this may apply to areas or levels of the water column itself as well so depending on where you troll and at what levels of the water column and how dense the fleas may be in that given area you can either have a severe problem a mild one or none at all. The spiny type water fleas are usually much easier to get off lines but the fishhook type are terribly difficult to get off and they range in color from grey to brown and from the description seem to be what is encountered now. Each type of flea may have a different life cycle with a different timing of the concentrations. That is my suspicion not hard research info

Edited September 7, 2020 by Sk8man

[Lewis863]

I think the problem may be one of flea distribution. Folks often seem to assume that the fleas are distributed evenly all over the lake but they probably are in areas of the lake and not in others or are much less dense in some areas than others and this may apply to areas or levels of the water column itself as well so depending on where you troll and at what levels of the water column and how dense the fleas may be in that given area you can either have a severe problem a mild one or none at all. The spiny type water fleas are usually much easier to get off lines but the fishhook type are terribly difficult to get off and they range in color from grey to brown and from the description seem to be what is encountered now. Each type of flea may have a different life cycle with a different timing of the concentrations. That is my suspicion not hard research info

Probably not too far off ...with the remnants of the hurricane last week and high winds lake temps went wacky found 55 degree water down 80 feet last weekend took 100 to get under 50 lake temps started to settle this weekend to more normal I think the thermocline broke last week and is now resetting... by Sunday it was back to finding 49 degree water by 80 feet and fleas lessened


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[bandrus1]

There was a MAJOR current for cayuga this weekend maybe all the fleas moved to one area

[Reel Doc]

The color of buildup yesterday was different.... More brownish and much more difficult to remove.  I think you are on to it that different flea type was causing the troubles.  I guess from now on I'll bring a microscope along for definitive flea ID!!

[fisherdude]

The way the wind is now out of the south the lake going be mess up again.

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[Fishstix]

Went out of Meyers this morning, Strong South wind,Fleas are still there ,middle of the lake...1 for 1.Radar showed a storm off the water by 8;30.