Newbie Question

[MSFishing]

Hey all, I created a post on here back in February about a kayak fishing trip I am planning on the finger lakes. After receiving some help from you guys (shout out to Reel Doc, Muskie141, and JJBat150), I've narrowed down my possible spots to a few areas. After looking at a few areas on Navionics, specifically Sheldrake Point on Cayuga and Keuka State park on Keuka, I'm wondering what you guys tend to look for as far as depth changes. Do you generally do better around steep drop offs like the one straight out of Sheldrake (where it goes from 40 to 150 really quick) or in the more gradual drop offs like to the north of the point where the contours are much further apart. 

 

I have a fish finder attached to my kayak so I won't have a problem following the depth or looking for fish, I just figured I'd try to narrow my peddling down a bit if you guys know that they never hang out in one of the scenarios listed above. Any help is greatly appreciated as I have no experience fishing for lakers (the only trout I know are in mountain streams lol).

 

Edit: I wanted to mention that I will be there in late July. 

Edited May 6, 2022 by MSFishing

[Dlott]

You jigging or trying to trolling 

[jk1]

16 minutes ago, Dlott said:

You jigging or trying to trolling 

Sheldrake Point on Cayuga you have a good chance for a ten pound 30 inch fish, in Keyuka 24 is a big fish and theya re rare.  We fish Keyuka a lot because of the size of our boats and the guys I fish with are leary of the bigger water.......jk

[Dlott]

This is 13 went back for another day 

[MSFishing]

22 hours ago, Dlott said:

You jigging or trying to trolling 

Jigging. I also forgot to mention I’ll be there in July 

[MSFishing]

On 5/4/2022 at 8:21 PM, jk1 said:

Sheldrake Point on Cayuga you have a good chance for a ten pound 30 inch fish, in Keyuka 24 is a big fish and theya re rare.  We fish Keyuka a lot because of the size of our boats and the guys I fish with are leary of the bigger water.......jk

Honestly I'm not to worried about size. Along with this being an annual fishing trip, I also have a goal to catch a new species of fish every year and Laker would do it for me. Which lake would you say I have the best shot at numbers?

[Dlott]

Cayuga 

[Ecto2]

Sheldrake or Taughannock if looking for a spot on the west side of Cayuga.  Jigging the ledge and the bottom of those ledges can be good in summer early in the mornings.  Protected from West wind too even out over the 100'FOW mark.  Can be helpful for small boats and kayaks to stay vertical on your marks

 

[MSFishing]

2 hours ago, Dlott said:

Cayuga 

Thank you! 

[MSFishing]

1 hour ago, Ecto2 said:

Sheldrake or Taughannock if looking for a spot on the west side of Cayuga.  Jigging the ledge and the bottom of those ledges can be good in summer early in the mornings.  Protected from West wind too even out over the 100'FOW mark.  Can be helpful for small boats and kayaks to stay vertical on your marks

 

Bro, thank you so much! This is exactly what I was looking for! I’m never trying to steal spots but just wanted some guidance. I really appreciate the help friend!

[JJBat150]

Early mornings before the sun gets high up, you may also find lakers shallow - like 30 FOW around Sheldrake.

 

 

[MSFishing]

28 minutes ago, JJBat150 said:

Early mornings before the sun gets high up, you may also find lakers shallow - like 30 FOW around Sheldrake.

 

 

Thanks for the tip! 

[jk1]

Travel around until you find the Bait, they will be there!!!!    Even if you see big marks of lakers give it a try, if nothing in 10 minutes move again.   Once you find bait you will probably find many schools of bait, they are there!!!!........jk    Hay in Cayuga there are other species too, browns, those silver salmon bass and pike

[Crestliner]

Canandaigua for sure. Cant keep lakers off the hook !!!!

[ChasinFin]

Cayuga lake, taughannock, the 100ft drop off is not far at all, quite close to shore actually 

[WildLaker607]

Sheldrake is a good area in July you are likely to run into Lakers and there is a chance at salmon or other species. Wind depending but I usually like the area north of sheldrake where as you said the contours are farther apart. It’s kind of a broad cove. Early morning might be shallower fish but as the sun comes on the water generally have to move slightly deeper. Usually in July thermocline may be set up. Depths paddle around in the cove/ near the point would be 30-100 ft. Don’t get married to one spot. Paddle until you see bait or fish marks or both then start fishing. Some fish you can’t see on finder so looking for a bait school is a good bet they’ll be nearby. If you see a solid mark up high in the water it might be a non-laker and drop your jig right on it’s head watching the finder you might get a reaction strike. 

Taughannock is a good area too, same kind of deal fishing as sheldrake. with a drop off out front and coves on north/south side of point good for fishing. Taugh sounds like an easy launch for a kayak. And depending on wind you can go to either the north or south parking lot to launch and get on the downwind side of the point. With jigging it’s better if you can try to slow down your drift so that you can keep line more vertical and stay on top of bait longer

good luck 

 

 

[MSFishing]

On 5/14/2022 at 9:15 AM, WildLaker607 said:

Sheldrake is a good area in July you are likely to run into Lakers and there is a chance at salmon or other species. Wind depending but I usually like the area north of sheldrake where as you said the contours are farther apart. It’s kind of a broad cove. Early morning might be shallower fish but as the sun comes on the water generally have to move slightly deeper. Usually in July thermocline may be set up. Depths paddle around in the cove/ near the point would be 30-100 ft. Don’t get married to one spot. Paddle until you see bait or fish marks or both then start fishing. Some fish you can’t see on finder so looking for a bait school is a good bet they’ll be nearby. If you see a solid mark up high in the water it might be a non-laker and drop your jig right on it’s head watching the finder you might get a reaction strike. 

Taughannock is a good area too, same kind of deal fishing as sheldrake. with a drop off out front and coves on north/south side of point good for fishing. Taugh sounds like an easy launch for a kayak. And depending on wind you can go to either the north or south parking lot to launch and get on the downwind side of the point. With jigging it’s better if you can try to slow down your drift so that you can keep line more vertical and stay on top of bait longer

good luck 

 

 

Wow, thanks for the great info! If you don't mind answering one more question, you say the thermocline will be set up. Do I want to fish above or below it? For bass fishing, You always want to stay above the thermocline, is it the same here?

[ChrisS]

Invest in a drift sock to slow down and stay on top of fish.

[WildLaker607]

The lakers like the cold they are usually below thermocline

[Followed The Waves]

Here is a link to a local guide who fishes a lot on Cayuga who may be able to help:  Finger Lakes Angling Zone  He fishes a lot out of Long Point.

[MSFishing]

22 hours ago, ChrisS said:

Invest in a drift sock to slow down and stay on top of fish.

Thanks for the tip. I was actually looking at them this weekend b/c after a windy day on Lake Erie, I decided it was time to buy one lol.

[MSFishing]

17 hours ago, WildLaker607 said:

The lakers like the cold they are usually below thermocline

Thanks!

[MSFishing]

12 minutes ago, Followed The Waves said:

Here is a link to a local guide who fishes a lot on Cayuga who may be able to help:  Finger Lakes Angling Zone  He fishes a lot out of Long Point.

Thank you! I will have to keep an eye on it as the date gets closer!

[Guppy35]

2 hours ago, MSFishing said:

Thank you! I will have to keep an eye on it as the date gets closer!

If you go to the link provided above - www.fingerlakesanglingzone.com - you can go to reports and look back through years of reports - the majority of which are on Cayuga.  John (the guide) is extremely knowledgeable on all finger lakes fishing.  Check out some of his reports from July timeframe of previous years to get an idea of areas/depths that he was fishing at in the past.

[MSFishing]

On 5/17/2022 at 3:14 PM, Guppy35 said:

If you go to the link provided above - www.fingerlakesanglingzone.com - you can go to reports and look back through years of reports - the majority of which are on Cayuga.  John (the guide) is extremely knowledgeable on all finger lakes fishing.  Check out some of his reports from July timeframe of previous years to get an idea of areas/depths that he was fishing at in the past.

Thanks for the tip man!