Central New York Fishing Hotline
June 3 - July 10
Bass are starting to set up on summer patterns. Good locations are outside weed-edges, points, drop offs and boat docks (please be courteous of the private property when fishing around docks). Good baits to try are; deep diving crankbaits, rubber worms, tube baits, lipless crankbaits and topwater baits. Flipping tube baits and creature baits into holes in the vegetation or running weedless frog baits over the top of the vegetation also works well this time of year. If fishing in Lake Ontario with live bait try fishing 18 to 24 inches off bottom to avoid the bait stealing gobies.
Some good Central New York bass fishing locations are: Cayuga Lake, Lake Moraine, Leland's Pond, Little York Lake, Lake Ontario, Oneida Lake, Onondaga Lake, Otisco Lake, Owasco Lake, Salmon River Reservoir, Skaneateles Lake, Seneca and Oneida Rivers, South Sandy Pond, Susquehanna River and Tully Lake.
Region 7
Lake Ontario
Fishing is picking back up for Chinook salmon. Fish are being taken 50 to 100 feet down over 100 to 200 feet of water west of Oswego. Good baits have been green e-chip flashers with Atomic green glow flies and white & green dot Spin Drs. with Atomik flies. The brown trout bite has slowed but fish are still being caught in 20 to 70 feet of water. Good baits are Dream Weaver spoons in glow green and stinger spoons in black & silver and orange. Smallmouth bass are being taken on the shoals and rock piles and yellow perch are hitting off points on nightcrawlers.
Oswego River
River levels have risen some and are running around 6,000 cfs (cubic feet per second). Some walleye are still being taken trolling large stickbaits (Rapala #18's) after dark. Walleye are also being caught in the river by anglers using nightcrawlers and leeches. Smallmouth bass are hitting tube jigs and twister tails. Sheepshead are being caught throughout the river on crayfish and nightcrawlers. Channel catfish are also hitting throughout the river with good baits being nightcrawlers, cut-bait and chicken livers. Yellow perch are being taken around Wright's landing.
Salmon River
No fishing activity to report in the river. Chinook salmon and brown trout are still being taken in Lake Ontario however.
Oneida Lake
Walleye fishing has been really good in the eastern end of the lake in 20 to 30 feet of water. Good baits continue to be ¾ oz. purple & black bucktail jigs tipped with nightcrawlers and blade baits (Sonars and BPS XPS Lazer Blade). Walleye are also being taken in 10 to 15 feet of water along the weed edges. Bass fishing remains good with fish hitting a wide variety of artificial baits with fish being found in 2-15 feet of water. Pickerel fishing continues to be very good in most of the lake. Pickerel, though bony, are good eating. The easiest way to deal with the bones is to filet the fish and then grind the filets in a food processor and make fish patties with them. Size limit for pickerel is 15" and the daily limit is 5.
Sandy Pond
Northern pike continue to cooperate and are hitting well on spinnerbaits on the ponds. The vegetation is getting thicker making fishing more difficult. Largemouth bass are also hitting well on the spinnerbaits. A few walleyes are being taken on worm harnesses and stickbaits especially in the south pond.
Cayuga Lake
Lake trout fishing continues to improve. Fish are being found in 65 to 110 feet of water. Brown trout and some good sized Atlantic salmon are biting well for anglers fishing spoons 50 to 65 down over 80 to 120 feet of water. Spiny water fleas are making trolling more difficult. Bass fishing remains good on the north end with fish hitting spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, Senco's, plastic craws, swimbaits and jigs. Yellow perch are being taken in the north end in 15-20 feet of water on small minnows.
Owasco Lake
Lake trout fishing continues to be slow. A few walleyes and rainbow trout are being taken in the north end by anglers targeting lake trout. Northern pike are hitting in 10 to 15 feet of water. Smallmouth are hitting in 2 to 10 feet of water on tube baits, small jerkbaits and swim baits.
Skaneateles Lake
Fishing has been slow during the last week. The brown drake hatch is still going on. Smallmouth bass are hitting along the shoreline on tube baits and Senco's.
Otisco Lake
Angler's trolling are getting a few brown trout on spoons fished down 40 feet. Tiger musky fishing has picked up and fish are being caught on the north end. Spinnerbaits have been working well for the tigers. Bass fishing has been slow but some fish are still being taken on spinnerbaits and tube jigs.
Whitney Point Reservoir
Drifting with jigs tipped with nightcrawlers and trolling with worm harnesses in Kelley green and fire-tiger are producing good catches of walleye. It's also producing some good sized yellow perch. Catfish are hitting on the north end on cut-bait and nightcrawlers.
Susquehanna, Chenango, Tioughnioga and Unadilla Rivers
With all the rain the river has been up and down and fishing has been slow, so nothing to report at this time.
Eastern Region 8
Lake Ontario
Chinook salmon are being caught 60 to 70 feet down over 120 to 140 feet of water on flashers & flies with glow baits working well. Brown trout fishing has slowed, but a few fish are still being caught in about 30 feet of water on spoons. Smallmouth bass are being taken in 10 to 20 feet of water by anglers trolling crankbaits. In the bays largemouth bass are hitting great on topwater baits, Senko's (rigged whacky style) and flipping jigs. Yellow perch are scattered along the shore and when anglers find them some good catches are being made. Fishing small minnows on drop shot rigs with the bait 18-24 inches off bottom will help reduce the number of hits from bait stealing gobies
Genesee River
Channel catfish are hitting on nightcrawlers and cut-bait.
Sodus Bay
Bass fishing was good for the opening of bass on June 20th. Bass are scattered and hitting a variety of baits. Start shallow and work deeper until fish are found. Panfish are being taken along the shore and in 8 to 10 feet of water on worms and small minnows. Northern pike are hitting on stickbaits, spoons and live minnows.
Irondequoit Bay
Northern pike are hitting on minnows and spoons, either trolled or cast. Bass are hitting on spinnerbaits, topwaters and Senco's.
Seneca Lake
Lake trout fishing has been slow recently some fish are still being caught 75 to 85 down with spoons like Sutton 66's, 77's and 88's. Northern pike are hitting live sawbellies (alwives) and golden shiners fished off the Pier. Angler's fishing larger (bass size) minnows around Severne Point are getting some nice yellow perch.
Canandaigua Lake
Lake trout are being taken in the north end 50 to 60 feet down over 100 to 200 feet of water on spoons. Yellow perch are being taken in the north end in 30 to 35 feet of water on small fathead minnows.
Keuka Lake
Lake trout are being caught in 70 to 80 feet of water by anglers trolling spoons, Sutton 44's and 61's in copper & silver, and brass & silver. The Bluff area has been good. Spiny water fleas are making trolling more difficult.
Waneta Lake/Lamoka Lake
Large bluegills are hitting on ice fishing jigs tipped with wax worms. Good numbers of very large 10+ inch rock bass are also being taken. Crappie and yellow perch fishing has been slow.
Note- we are always looking for new participants in our Angler Diary Cooperator Program for our program on the Finger Lakes. Our numbers have dropped in recent years and we need new cooperators now more than ever. If you fish Cayuga Lake, Owasco Lake, Skaneateles Lake, Otisco Lake or any of their tributaries and want to learn more about this program and how to sign up please contact the Region 7 Fisheries office at (607) 753-3095 ext. 213 or on line at fwfish7@gw.dec.state.ny.us. If you fish Canadice Lake, Canandaigua Lake, Conesus Lake, Hemlock Lake, Honeoye Lake, Keuka Lake or Seneca Lake and want to learn more about this program and how to sign up please contact the Region 8 Fisheries office at (585) 226-5343 or on line at fwfish8@gw.dec.state.ny.us
If you would like to contribute to the fishing report or need more fishing information or have any fishing/fishing equipment related questions you can contact me at jfeverar@gw.dec.state.ny.us Good Luck Fishing.
The fishing line can also be heard at (607) 753-1551.
