Shore Fishing Skaneateles Lake, June 24, 2015

We had a tough time finding where you could shore fish on Skaneateles Lake. There was little information online and so when we got there, we read signs and asked. There is a beautiful dock leading far into the lake right in downtown but it is for walking only. It looked like there may be a small park near downtown too but we decided to try our luck at the boat launch site, 2.5 miles south of Skaneateles off route 41A.

There are two boat launches that if you are courteous enough to not get in the way of the boats docking, no one seems to mind you fishing off of. We arrived around 8 pm when the boaters were starting to come in.

                                     

Fishing Tales:
One of the boaters chatted with us and advised us that the flies were hatching this time of year and fish would be toward the top of the water. He advised switching to spinners. We did that and started catching small SM bass right away.

We stayed until about 10:30 pm and had a great time catching little bass and listening to some conservative radio show that someone in the distance had playing really loud. It felt like a rustic campground.

Shore Fishing Green Lakes State Park, Fayetteville, June 2015

After foot surgery, I have been stuck doing accessible shore fishing. There is nothing more beautiful than sitting on the shore of Green Lakes. You can usually enter for free after 7 pm (earlier in the day there is a $7 entrance fee).

Much study has been done of the lake because of its highly preserved ice age features and its unusual mineral content that makes it a beautiful green color. Fishing is allowed in Green Lakes not the adjacent Round Lake. Fishing is allowed outside the swimming areas, which are clearly designated. The most accessible area of the shore is near the rowboat house (designated by the arrow below). Row boats are available during specific hours and only $20 to take out and the nice thing about that, motor boats are not allowed so you won't go flying when one comes near your little row boat! The lake depth reachable by boat is pretty deep, 180 feet in the center. There are even some really nice cabins available for rent.

I post this information because it took us going there to find out where we could fish because there was little information on it online.

The DEC website states that Rainbow Trout, LM Bass, Bluegills, and Rock Bass are present. The only thing we have caught is some small LM Bass on worms or half inch pinched bubblegum Gulp crawlers (one of my favorites) as the sun goes down. The park closes at sundown but we usually stay a bit longer without any trouble or until we can't stand the mosquitoes any more. Don't make the mistake of going on a weekend morning like we have. They have paddle yoga, boating, and tons of kids doing who knows what that use that area. 

If for no other reason, it is worth going there to throw a line in and stare at the beautiful lake. You still leave happy, even if you don't catching anything. 

Shore Fishing Oneida Lake in Brewerton, May 12, 2015

There are two very popular designated fishing areas under route 81 in Brewerton  (see http://blog.syracuse.com/outdoors/2012/06/shoreline_hot_spots.html).
                               
They are popular for walleye fishing early in the season because the area is located at the opening of Oneida River into Oneida Lake. The South side has access on rocks and the North side has a path to a nice deck. We went to the deck around 6 pm and it was super windy. The noise from the cars above did not make it very enjoyable. On top of that, the wind knocked my tackle box into the water and me in all my infinite wisdom, sent my wife the wrong way down the stream to retrieve it. While she waited and stared at me and the box, I ran over some rocks and retrieved what I could with the net. My tackle box was the most we caught all night long. I had several nibbles near the end of the platform in a weeded area near the cement but no takers. As we left, some serious guys with headlamps and buckets showed up and we gathered we may have come too early in the day for the Walleye to be in shallower water.

At around 8 pm we moved to the dock by Route 11 in front of the Waterfront Tavern (see below).

                                       

Sadly, not even a bite here. 

Annual Chippewa Bay Fishing Trip! May 5, 2015

The fishing season started for me with our annual trip to Chippewa Bay, a beautiful lesser known area East of the busy Alexandria Bay. It is only an hour to two hour drive from Central NY depending on where you are. We stayed at Riverbay Adventure Inn, a great place owned by "Mike" who charges very little to stay, very little for boat rentals, and has a great extent of knowledge about the bay. I went there looking for walleye as the season just opened and found that it was mostly bass (to be tossed back, out of season) and bullheads that were hitting. Mike said the walleye population has not been there for years because of the effect of politics and water supplies sent down to Chippewa Bay from Alex Bay.

We rented a pontoon and ventured out around 9 am. First catch was a nice out of season smallmouth bass on a suspending stickbait (I still thought I might catch walleye at that point) in the middle of the bay. The bay doesn't get above 4-6 feet so those who come later in the season for pike and musky mostly venture out to the islands heading toward the St. Lawrence.

Islands heading toward the St. Lawrence

My favorite fishing area is always Chippewa Creek. There are a couple of areas in the bay heading to the creek to avoid with your boat and if you purchase a map from Mike, he will mark the areas for you. We usually start fishing in the main bay waters then move to the creek. Near the bridge in the creek is one of the best areas. 

We caught some bullhead, some bass that were released, and a bowfin. Stickbait and worms seemed to be doing the most. The bowfin was a big surprise, it was large and unexpected. Apparently it is studied for its qualities that make akin it to prehistoric fish, including the ability to breath in and out of water. Here is a link about bowfin: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowfin

The next day we stayed on the docks and caught panfish after panfish and a couple of incidental bass. There were tons just lingering around the dock and in the shallow water. All in all, we went home with a little bluegill and bullhead meat.

Sundown

Photo of the trip:

Doh! Locked out! Do these cabin doors actually lock?!