Keuka

[Bad Habit]

Any one been fishing Keuka lately?

[Trolling Keuka]

Went out on Keuka last night at the state park. The weather looked poor for Sunday so the kids and I went out Saturday evening. Took 1 laker on a j-9 black/brown rapala, black dipsy set on #2 out about 150' on wire. My daughter had 2 good hits on her downrigger, down 75' and 120', small yellow/orange honeybee...no takers. All marks were down deep, on the bottom or just off bottom. Didn't mark any bait.

[troutman]

Trolled Keuka on Friday...didn't get out until around 1:00PM...landed 22 lakers...missed about 7...fishing green and white glow peanuts behind green and silver cowbells...fishing 150 fow down 140-145...what a blast!!!

[Trolling Keuka]

Wow! Looks like you did have a blast when you were out there. I had my 6 year old daughter and 2 year old son with me. Most of the time I'm paying attention to them rather than concentrating on fishing. Nothing wrong with concentrating on them, they had fun because they were with dad and got to eat on the boat. Now they are trying to decide which one of them caught the laker. My son said he caught it but I seem to remember him running to the front of the boat when I told him he had to kiss the fish...

[Netbender]

Second year on Keuka.....where are the browns hiding? Did pretty well last year with the Lakers, but would like to pick a few with color. Any thoughts ?

Thanks, Dave

[Robert Benner]

Hello Dave: The Browns are probably hiding in Lake Ontario. I have fished Keuka a lot over the past few years and have managed one 12 lb Brownie and nothing else in that species. I try like hell to get anything but those dink Lakers, seems though they have pretty much taken over the lake and food supply for that matter. Browns also spook easy and with all the summer traffic on the lake you had better get out there in the early am! I did manage a 10 lb Bow on election day last year in the lake, this only after landing about 20 or so of those famous 18-22" forked tail predators. If you want a big Brown here give the stick baits a shot and work them hard, it is very diff. to entice the older Browns, they become masters of their domain. On another note they are the hardest species of all salmonoids to get to bight on a regular basis, maybe try lead core line and streamer flies, this is how I used to bag a lot of them in Maine when I was younger and did not know as much, hah.

Good Luck, Rob

P.S. Try Cayuga and fish the bottom structure areas's, this can produce some good Browns

[Netbender]

Robert, I believe you are correct. I have landed my share of Brownies on the big lake. And I must admit, I miss the action. I too, have had plenty of the lakers here on Kueka, I thought I was missing something but any other species seems hard to come by. Out of all the fish last year trolling, the most rewarding was a 4.5 lb small mouth when I was washing a few spoons!

I will take your suggestion and give the sticks a run for the Browinies, and early is no problem. I like to leave the dock under dark when I can, just for that reason. I have heard the South end of the lake maybe be the best try?

Dave

[Robert Benner]

Yes Dave, do try the south end where the creek enters and over to the motel that Ralph owns, Hammondsport I think is the name? Three years ago my father and I landed a nice Salmon off of the motel on lead core and a crystal minnow yozuri 3-4" length I believe? He had to take a dump after that catch so we headed in to the motel, half an hour later we were back out at it and the old bastard had the lead core go off and battled the female brown head to head for about 15 minutes, all the while impressing the swimmers at the town beach. After that catch he had to crap again, I think he is still on the thrown as I right this now? Whenever that guy fishes around his B-Day he hits pay dirt, the rest of the year he is in a coma or such. There is a picture in the motel lobby of some kid holding a 19lb. laker taken with a worm out of that lake, now day's you need to put five fish together to get that size. Sorry to bore you here, I am working on a fishing book called Trout Tails for kids and guess I am practicing on this site? Any how good luck, by the way I most always catch the brownies between 3-4 colors out.

Rob(sometimes The Remedy)

[Netbender]

Rob, if I was you I think I would invest in a brand new 5lb bucket, for Dad! I am on the North end of the Lake and a Hammondsport run will take me a long time, not to mention gas. BUT, I will give it a try, as I have heard this location before as well. I was only able to get down there one time last year, early in the AM. Would like to move well beyonf these lakers!

Dave

[Robert Benner]

Sorry to hear your stuck up at the other end? You could try off of the bluffs where it drops of and such, zig zag around in that area and keep changing your speeds. I have a new boat now called the Remedy and it has a throne on it for these special occasions.

Good Luck,

Rob

[Netbender]

Not so much stuck, just need to grab an extra cup of coffee and some additional fuel......I'll look for the Remedy if I ever get stuck on the water in need of a throne! Thanks for the info, I think I will give the South End a good run this Spring and see what I come up with. I have the week of 4/20 off and plan to be on the water every day......

Dave