SmallieFever Posted March 5, 2009 Author Posted March 5, 2009 Haha I hear ya there! I've never had the boat out this time of year...what kind of precautions do you have to take after being on the water to prevent your outboard from freezing and busting? Just curious because the side of my garage the boats in isn't heated...and I suppose it could freeze during transport for that matter.
Super User Paul Roberts Posted March 5, 2009 Super User Posted March 5, 2009 Tuckman, I just want to say welcome aboard again! If a reader was within distance of the FL, this thread would be a gold (bronze) mine.
Beardog Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 My family has had a place on Keuka for over a hundred years. I haven't fished there that long, but almost. Biggest Keuka LM, 7.1 lbs, SM, 6.2 lbs. There is sort of an unspoken rhythm in high summer at Keuka--mornings and evening are for fishermen, daytime is for skiers, boaters, and jetskis. This actually works well for the bass fishermen, as the bass move shallow to feed in the evening and night and move out deep in the heat of day. Yes, you can find them in the daytime, but it's hard work and often frustrating with the boat traffic, etc. Flipping shaded docks can find some LMs, but most docks tend to be occupied in the daytime and who wants that hassle. The previous advice on specifics is excellent--I'd add time of day. Get up early, throw topwaters and jerkbaits in the classic areas, drop plastics as the sun gets higher, then go nap, read, swim, or whatever until evening. My favorite time in July/August is around midnight. Topwaters and spinnerbaits can produce some monsters.
Super User Paul Roberts Posted March 6, 2009 Super User Posted March 6, 2009 Welcome Beardog. Thanks for piping in. Good stuff. Hey, do you have a "Newfie" (Beardog)?
SmallieFever Posted March 6, 2009 Author Posted March 6, 2009 Beardog- Thanks a bunch for the input. I know what you mean with all the boat traffic! It's hard to believe how little space people give you on the water. I'm looking forward VERY much to the night fishing on Keuka...but I'm also willing to brave the mid-day traffic to try some new things and locations. I'm quite stoked about it actually! ;D I may be getting on Keuka or Seneca this weekend if all goes well...they're calling for upper 50's-low 60's.
Tuckman Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 Beardog, I hear ya on the dock fishing hassel...When the sun gets high I like to go flip a dinger around the docks in front of the sorority houses at Keuka College...Geez you'd think those girls had never seen a yum dinger before... ;D ;D
Beardog Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 No Newfie, but I do have a half Lab half Chow who looks just like a black bear. I spent a fair bit of time at Keuka College chasing babes in my younger days (when I wasn't at the Switz). Never tried a Yumdinger on em though. I hope to get out there fr a week or so in early May. Let me know how they're hitting.
SmallieFever Posted March 7, 2009 Author Posted March 7, 2009 When the sun gets high I like to go flip a dinger around the docks in front of the sorority houses at Keuka College... -The conditions sound about right for the ol' Slug-go Well, it's confirmed. I'm off to Seneca bright and early in the A.M. to see what I can stir up. Just spooled a couple of my rods with fresh line and put the finishing touches on the rest....can't wait to get a line in the water!
Tuckman Posted March 7, 2009 Posted March 7, 2009 Let me kno how you do out there...If the fish are eatin' I might have to go down tmrw 8-) I drove over the canal in Watkins yesterday and it was open just about to the ramp, but not quite, so if your launching out of the canal I hope that the ice melted back about 30 yards overnight, lol. I was down at the Seneca Marine bait shop and they said that people are gettin smallies out in front of the canal on the first big drop, and off painted rock as well so I'd like to give those spots and the cargill plant a try if I get out there...The fish usually winter off the bluff at painted rock so If I cant catch em its not cuz' they aren't there. I bet that waters cold today
SmallieFever Posted March 7, 2009 Author Posted March 7, 2009 We put in at the canal and it was all open. First we hit Cargill discharge then worked our way out to the big concrete wall with no success. So we decided to go up to US Salt (great looking spot) and fished there for at least an hour. From there we went Glenora Point and found bait fish near the creek but found no bass. Then we crossed to the east side and down to Eldridge Point where I had one follow, in about 20ft on 2.5" tube. We continued to fish south on the drop the parallels the bank until it started pouring around 1pm. Back at the boat launch I talked to a guy that has been fishing perch the past couple weeks...he said he ended up with 20 nice smallies about a week ago on a grub. He was after perch in 20-25ft ...casting shallow and retrieving deep and the bass hit on beginning of the retrieve. Said he fished hard today and caught a few perch but zero bass...so I'm hoping it wasn't all me :-[ Hmm, where's painted rock? Good luck if you get out there!
Tuckman Posted March 7, 2009 Posted March 7, 2009 I'm surprised that there was not any largemouth at all in the warm water outlet, maybe it will take a few weeks for them to get out of their winter haunts. The earliest we have hit it is around march 20th and usually get a few. Painted rock is about a mile up the east side, its easy to see cuz' the entire bluff wall has "indian" gafitti on it for like a mile, but it drops of to 80-100ft about 30 yards from shore so they like to winter there. I put a charge on my boat today so if the weather clears I might have to go see whats goin on out there...BTW did you try any hair jigs or grubs today? At least you got out there 8-)
SmallieFever Posted March 8, 2009 Author Posted March 8, 2009 I used hair jigs with grub trailer and suspending Pin Minnow for around the outlets, then switched to 1/4oz. 2.5" pumpkin/purple flake tube for all the deeper water applications. Hope Painted Rock produces for ya!
keukaguy Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 I'm very familiar with Keuka lake. I have spent many summers there. Although I fish more seriously/frequently now, when I was younger I would pass the time snorkeling in the lake. I can say for a fact that LM are hanging out in shallow water - mostly under docks, even during the dog days of summer. SM are more elusive. Having said that I have found that SM can be located in all the traditional spots - sharp slopes and points being the most common. They are hitting all summer also - just be out there in the mornings and evenings. I was there this past weekend - it was rainy and cold, but I had to try some new gear. Did not bother pushing the boat off the beach; I will be making better efforts in the coming weeks. Keep me posted on your progress.
Super User J Francho Posted March 10, 2009 Super User Posted March 10, 2009 Keuka Lake? Smallies? They are there. I've only had success in spring and fall. Our club had a tournament there last summer, I couldn't buy a bass bite, LOL. I did catch several 4 lb.+ trophy pickerel.
Super User Paul Roberts Posted March 11, 2009 Super User Posted March 11, 2009 Welcome Keukaguy, great to have you on board.
keukaguy Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 Oh man, the chain pickerel in that lake are at plague level populations. Fortunately, I like catching them. I know many bass anglers do not.
SmallieFever Posted March 11, 2009 Author Posted March 11, 2009 I can say for a fact that LM are hanging out in shallow water - mostly under docks, even during the dog days of summer. I've seen 5-6lb Largies under our dock and boat lift in July. Every time I put the finesse worm under she just slides back a little farther til I can't see her anymore. I got this one on a shakey head in July...my best LM out of there. Note the old hook under the gill... I removed it; she seemed to be fine. I will be hitting it alot earlier and more frequently this year, so hopefully I'll pick up some better fish.
Tuckman Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 SmallieFever, I see in your pic that you are fishing out in front of the state park in branchport...now I know your hotspot
SmallieFever Posted March 11, 2009 Author Posted March 11, 2009 lol, have at it....that was all it produced besides a couple pickerel 8-) You make it out on the water yet?
keukaguy Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 My place is directly across the lake (west side) from the state park. I have yet to fish over there. Going to try it out soon.
Beardog Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 Some years ago I took my wife out with me for the evening's fishing trip. I gave her a spinning rod with a spinnerbait. Not long after she latched onto what turned out to be a 28 inch pickerel. I didn't weigh it, but it had to be 6 pounds or more. At first I thought it was a pike. She hasn't been fishing with me since. The picks are a lot smaller now, but more numerous. Anybody ever do any carp fishing at Keuka? Sometimes we'll throw some corn out around the dock, bait a few hooks, and sit there and drink beer until a herd of carp come by. A 20+ lb carp on light tackle is a lot of fun, at least until you have your picture taken with one.
Tuckman Posted March 12, 2009 Posted March 12, 2009 "A 20+ lb carp on light tackle is a lot of fun, at least until you have your picture taken with one." Hahahaha...I was throwin a rat-l-trap on a flat during prespawn on Keuka a few years ago and I felt a thump set the hook and thought I had hooked the mother of all smallies...Well at least it was brown!!!...If you look closely you can actually see the rat-l-trap hanging off her lower jaw...Even a carp deserves a hero shot ;D
SmallieFever Posted March 12, 2009 Author Posted March 12, 2009 Holy smokes! I've seen them in there like that but never caught one. Makes me want to take my bow out with me! I love wackin' carp with the ol' Grizzly
Beardog Posted March 12, 2009 Posted March 12, 2009 Yep, that's a gooden. I'm trying to place that area on the lake--seems to be morning on the east side, but I can't figger out where. Here's my next question. How many species of fish have you caught out of Keuka? I can come up with 13 off the top of my head.
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