Can't Crack Candlewood

[Kjruiz]

For the life of me, I cannot figure out Candlewood Lake. Over the last few years I have made Candlewood my primary fishing lake, but each year I seem to find fewer and fewer bites. I primarily fish out of the Echo Bay area, throwing everything from topwater to dropshots. I was thinking I need to head to the West of the lake given the season. Any thoughts? Not asking for honey spots, just what I should be looking for. Thanks!

[J Francho]

I only fished it once, years ago for a NYBASS/Lunkerville get together.  It sucked for us, too.  Sorry, I'm no help.

[Janderson45]

In my experience Candlewood is pretty feast or famine.  I've had one good day there, and numerous very bad days.  The fish there are heavily pressured pretty much all year.  My best day here was in the late fall, I haven't even attempted to fish it in the summer, can't imagine how insane it must get out there.   Some people seem to have them pretty dialed in year round though, hopefully someone like that will chime in. 

[Kjruiz]

Thanks for the reply gents, here’s to hoping for more feast than famine. 

[Mike D from Lunkerville]

I'e fished Candlewood many times with varied success... I advise going with anyone named Tomasini or Baksay... lol

[J Francho]

14 hours ago, Mike D from Lunkerville said:

I'e fished Candlewood many times with varied success... I advise going with anyone named Tomasini or Baksay... lol

Right?

[Kjruiz]

On 5/9/2018 at 6:22 PM, Mike D from Lunkerville said:

I'e fished Candlewood many times with varied success... I advise going with anyone named Tomasini or Baksay... lol

I didn’t realize you did a Candlewood episode, enjoyed your NYC episodes. I just watched your candlewood episode and was able to pick out a few new spots. 

[Kjruiz]

I printed out a topo map and highlighted submerged vegetation, humps, and where the underwater creeks intersect. I’m trying to learn more about the importance of structure while fishing, I usually focus exclusively on cover. @Catt articles and post have been a big help. I owe him. 

[Beetlebz]

Sorry I didn't see this thread sooner. I'm a local boy, 10 mins or so from candlewood. I used to live on the lake over by millstone ridge. Unless it's the absolute dead of Summer and you can find them on a dock bite the fish are all over the dam place. Get it? Because it has a dam? *ahem* anyway... I've always had a tough time finding a pattern. I had a buddy go out last year and caught a 7lb 7oz dragging a t-rig... that's literally the last good bite I've heard out of there. Way over pressured. When I had my own dock Outback I'd sit there all day on the dock, never once caught a single bass. Ever. Only crappie. I might try it again when I break down and finally buy a boat but I'm not going to go out there in my kayak anymore, too many full throttle jerks.

 

I do plan on hitting squantz in the yak though. That bite is supposedly more predictable. 

[Kjruiz]

Nice. Over the holiday weekend did a bit of fishing, caught a few perch and bluegills with crankbait but no luck on the bass front. They were feeding topside, but my bbz rat, wooper flooper and assorted top lures couldn’t entice them. Was in the echo Bay Area. I’m trying to better learn a jig so I got some practice in at least. 

[Kjruiz]

The trickworm has been hot for me. Rigged it wacky style, split shot about two feet above. First cast pulled this smallie in. About 4 feet of water. 

 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Most of my fishing there was early season before NY opened (Father's Day weekend). Shoreline cover and structure usually panned out. The anecdotal evidence points to docks of off shore structures with drop shot, shaky head, jigs, c rig etc. 

[Kjruiz]

Thanks @Delaware Valley Tackle! I’m actually using candlewood to better learn how to read structure. The hot weather up here has the bass hiding wherever they can find shadows. 

[PECo]

I fished Candlewood on May 28 and 31, and June 1. The water temp hung around 70 degrees and the bass were mostly post-spawn.

 

The most consistent bite I found was in Echo Bay. Weightless, wacky-rigged, five-inch Senkos tossed at shallow, non-floating docks and shallow rock piles produced the best. The bass were gently hoovering the Senkos off of the bottom. It was a really finicky bite.

 

On each of the three days, my partner and I got five-fish bags of 10+ pounds, 16+ pounds and 13+ pounds, mostly spawned-out male largemouth and some smallies. Our three-day lunker was only three pounds, seven ounces, though.

 

Our 13+ pound bag would have won our club tourney on June 1, but I inadvertently left my livewell pumps off and killed the fish. Yeap, that really hurt.

 

Here are some photos from those trips:

 

 

 

[Kjruiz]

Thanks @PECo

[PECo]

A buddy has been catching bass there recently with weightless flukes. Try a Lunker City 5.5-inch Albino Shad Freaky Fish.