At the end of August I'll be spending a few days on Lake Seneca in upstate NY. I'd be grateful for any ideas or advice about fishing the lake, or
fishing nearby, at that time of year. Thanks,
(t.o.) Martin
(t.o.) Martin
This forum began as Clark's Classic Bamboo Rod Forum, founded by Clark Davis for all who share a passion for classic rods. The forum is now owned by Whitefish Press aka Dr. Todd Larson - banjo.
For those who don't use English as their primary language we now have a translator for your language of choice hosted by Google.
0 Kudo
- Members Corner
- Forum Announcements
- Collecting Bamboo Fly Rods
- Fishing Bamboo Fly Rods
- Rod making, restoration, repairs and discussion on those related topics concerning bamboo rods.
- Rod and Reel Makers Forum
- Information About Makers & Manufacturers
- Taper Exchange
- Appraisals & Identification of Bamboo Fly Rods
- Ephemera, empherma and Ephemerella.....
- Book Talk
- Photos, paintings, written stories and talents.
- Classic Reels
- Collecting and Tying Classic Flies
- The Cooks Kitchen
- The Classic Fly Rod Classifieds
- Technical Support
Lake Seneca?
| Author | Comment | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 levertonhatches |
Lake Seneca? |
Lead | ||
|
Posts: 580 07/02/2009 13:23 |
|
|||
|
|
||||
|
spruce grouse |
#1 | |||
|
Posts: 1373 07/02/2009 13:43 |
Martin,
It's Seneca Lake. Actually, all the lakes in NY that come to mind are named xxxxx Lake. It's one of the Finger Lakes - long (35 miles), narrow (3.5 miles) and deep. Maybe not the best body of water for fly fishing although you could probably catch panfish and bass along the shoreline. There are lakers, browns and landlocks stocked and supposed to be naturally reproducing rainbows (catch and release only). I imagine you ususally have to go deep to get them. I know another Finger Lake gets a Brown Drake hatch so maybe they come up at times. As for stream fishing, it's a long lake, so it depends where you'll be. At the southern end Catherine Creek is supposed to be good. Depending on how far you want to go, there are a couple of nice spring creeks south of Rochester. |
|||
|
|
||||
|
JeffK.fiberglassflyro... |
#2 | |||
|
Posts: 24 07/02/2009 13:55 |
The big deal on Seneca Lake in August would be jigging for lakers in about 100' of water. It's a whole lot more interesting than trolling. A good
guide would be John Gaulke. Nearby Cayuga and Seneca Lakes will have similar laker fishing. Keuka is full of smaller wild lakers, Cayuga has well fed stocked
and and a few wild fish. You may tie into the odd landlocked salmon, brown, or rainbow, but the lakers provide the consistent fishing.
One thing John Gaulke can help you with in August is fly fishing for long nose gar in the North end of Cayuga Lake - it is something different. Inshore it will be largely panfish. The Seneca Lake yellow perch are some of the nicest you will ever see and 14" to 15" fat perch are common. Smallies sort of vanish into the huge lake in August and pike fishing is way, way down this year after a few years of hot fishing (reports of great pike fishing in Seneca are not current). Pickerel fishing can be hot on the shallow flats of Seneca and Cayuga. Figuring a bamboo guy would be a trout stream fan and that unfortunately will be slow in the Finger Lakes in August. Maybe upper reaches of the Cohocton R and its tribs around Atlanta? The tribs down to around Avoca will be full of small wild browns, but the streams are likely to be low and clear and tough. South of Rochester around Mumford are two limestone spring creeks - Oatka Creek and Spring Creek. Usual Eastern spring creek flies - tricos in the AM; scuds, midges, terrestrials the rest of the time. They will be cool in the summer, but bring your A game because the trout will be wary. However, you generally find targets. The less than a mile open section of Spring Creek (which provides most of the cool water for Oatka) comes out of the Caledonia hatchery, the first US commercial trout hatchery founded in the 1860's by Seth Green. I love the Finger Lakes. Be sure to take the walk through Watkins Glen and visit a few of the wineries. I like the East side of Seneca and West side of Keuka wineries. |
|||
|
|
||||
|
North country brookie |
#3 | |||
|
Posts: 91 07/02/2009 14:53 |
Spruce,
Lake Placid, Lake George, Lake Champlain ?  (Kidding)
Martin, I agree with what Spruce and Jeff K said. My experience fishing in that area is limited to the tribs of Cayuga Lake, but just to the east of Seneca Lake is the Finger Lakes National Forest. There are several small streams that run through the forest that probably have small brook trout in them. |
|||
|
|
||||
|
spruce grouse |
#4 | |||
|
Posts: 1374 07/02/2009 15:08 |
Duh. Guess I missed a few. Maybe those lakes named after people use the "Lake first" method. Samuel de Champlain, Boy George, Placido Domingo...
Oatka and Spring Creeks were the ones I was referring to. Caught my first trout in Oatka. There's plenty of non-fishing stuff to do around there. If you need a good place to skinny dip, let me know. |
|||
|
|
||||
|
North country brookie |
#5 | |||
|
Posts: 92 07/02/2009 15:22 |
Spruce,
I think you're on to something - Lake Bonaparte (named after the guy who invented boneless chicken wings) 
|
|||
|
|
||||
|
wiscoy |
the Finger Lakes | #6 | ||
|
Posts: 25 07/02/2009 21:23 |
Seneca Lake is a bit of territory, where would you be, do you know the nearest "town" or at least the side (east/west) and end(north/south)?
Catherine is more of a spring rainbow run stream, Cayuta Creek just up the hill to the east of Watkins Glen is a better bet in the summer, and there are a few around Ithaca and Freeville off the south end of Cayuga check out http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/44874.html and http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/44869.html for public fishing data or http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/info.asp?parkId=104 for a nice park the Cohocton is a ways west (check out Wayland and Avoca along interstate 390 on the map) and a long drive around less you figure your way over the hills. Oatka and Spring Brook are an hour and half west of the north end of Seneca, to the south and west of Rochester, very nice streams with good holdovers. Oatka is a freestone (spate) stream and quickly affected by rain, it was a bit high and colored tonight, Spring Brook is not, it's a limestone but a short one. |
|||
|
|
||||
|
Salvelinus fontinalis |
#7 | |||
|
Posts: 78 07/02/2009 21:46 |
I would second Cayuta Creek as well as Fall Creek near Freeville. Enjoy the wineries and, if you like good microbrews, try the Roosterfish (Wildflower Cafe -
good eats and brews) in Watkins Glen and Wagner Vineyard and Brewery on the east side of the lake.
Dan |
|||
|
|
||||
|
48x20 |
#8 | |||
|
Posts: 4 07/03/2009 15:10 |
If you can travel to the Rochester area, Oatka and Spring Creek would be good. Check out Carl Coleman www.colemansflyshop.com for tips on the area. If you can't travel that far, try the Cohocton- Park at Wentworth Rd.
by Wayland. That's a nice little stretch. About 3/4 mile south of that is the trophy section. You may have to ask directions, but its easy to get to.
Access is easy. Of course, this is all west of Seneca.
When will you be there, and where on Seneca? Wade |
|||
|
|
||||
|
levertonhatches |
#9 | |||
|
Posts: 582 07/03/2009 21:27 |
Thank you all for the excellent information, perfect.
Yes I am a small-river-fishing, cane-rod kinda guy, so this is a challenge. I did manage to catch a wonderful lake trout on my only previous visit to the Upstate, Lake George, quite a few years ago, by bouncing a lure along the bottom; not what I'm used to, but great eating. I've tried to find out the town to which I'll be nearest, but have received no replies. I do know that I'll be on the east side of the lake. I'll be there the weekend of Aug 28. Again, many thanks, you folks are great.
Last Edited By: levertonhatches 07/03/2009 21:31.
Edited 1 time.
|
|||
|
|
||||
|
Grandhogair |
#10 | |||
|
Posts: 85 07/07/2009 07:26 |
I grew up on the shore of Cayuga Lake, next lake to the east. I have no better suggestions for trout fishing, sorry. But if Seneca behaves like my lake, it
will normally be flat calm before 9am or so, and after 6pm. Bass will be looking for a meal and surface conditions are perfect. You will need to find some
structure, look to the points, most had steamship docks and the rock filled cribs are great attractors, now 2-3 feet below the surface. I used a small silver
Rapala and a Mitchell 308 so something similar in fur and feather should work. If you are at the north end of the lake and want to take a ride, or don't
have a boat, I suggest driving over to the Village of Cayuga on Cayuga Lake. Take a right at the traffic signal, park down by the lake and walk north up the
railroad tracks. You'll have access to open water, weed beds, lily pads your choice and bass, pickerel and northen pike are around. Enjoy the Finger
Lakes! Alan
|
|||
|
|
||||
- Members Corner
- Forum Announcements
- Collecting Bamboo Fly Rods
- Fishing Bamboo Fly Rods
- Rod making, restoration, repairs and discussion on those related topics concerning bamboo rods.
- Rod and Reel Makers Forum
- Information About Makers & Manufacturers
- Taper Exchange
- Appraisals & Identification of Bamboo Fly Rods
- Ephemera, empherma and Ephemerella.....
- Book Talk
- Photos, paintings, written stories and talents.
- Classic Reels
- Collecting and Tying Classic Flies
- The Cooks Kitchen
- The Classic Fly Rod Classifieds
- Technical Support
Quick Reply
The Orvis database by Greg Reynolds Finally available again!!
Check out the Paul Young Rod Co. database which is owned and maintained by member Robert Golder (quashnet).
Paul Young Rod Co. database by quashnet
DISCLAIMER:The views, and opinions, posted here are the sole responsibility of the poster. Negative comments, when directed at individuals, or other private concerns, will not be tolerated, posters should treat this media no differently than any other media source, in other words, if you would not submit what you are going to post in the newspaper, or a magazine, and sign your name as the author, kindly refrain from doing so here. The Classic Fly Rod Forum is not an open air forum for vendor/maker complaints. If you seek resolution, it is recommended you talk to the vendor/maker. If you seek an audience, it is recommended you go elsewhere. The admin and the Moderators reserve the right to remove any items deemed inappropriate according to the rules of conduct prominently displayed on each forum. If you have any questions or concerns you are free to email us at
send email to the Classic Fly Rod Forum
Posting to sell Domain names and the like, i.e. SPAM, is against YUKU Policy, if you post these types of posts here you will be banned from this board and YUKU will more than likely ban you from the site entirely. Thank you..........
The Fly Fishing Loop is sponsored by flydepot.com
[ Home Waters | Next | Random | List | Search ]
