Date: Channel: Pond: Water Temperature/Comments: 01/22/2020: no measurement: no measurement: Ice is not very good, Check with DEC The bite is slow with a lot of small perch for every keeper. Fishing tube baits or drop-shot rigs along shore out to 20 feet of water should produce some smallmouth bass (catch & release), rock bass and maybe some perch. Also, be prepared for sloppy conditions.New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced the dates and locations for the annual sampling of the rainbow trout run in Finger Lakes tributaries. The lakers caught were full of perch. This will not ruin ice fishing on waters with current, good ice but it does mandate additional caution be used. It needs more freezing time. Stocking information, fishing hotspots, contour lake map and more in this downloadable PDF version! You can also try jigging for lakers with a Swedish Pimple or a large spoon in the north portion of the lake, along the west side, off the points in 60 – 110 fow. Float fishing marabou jigs is an effective technique for catching trout along Lake Ontario tributaries especially in the spring.Remember the bridge to Leto Island is closed, and there are Mandatory Personal Flotation Device (PFD) zones on the Oswego River below the Varick Dam. Bright beads are also working. Try working flies 40 to 75 feet over 90 to 180 feet of water. A fair number of bonus king salmon were being caught as anglers drifted off the mouth of the river near the green buoy marker. All streams are running high and stained. Fatheads and plastics are working depending upon the day. For those shore fishing, when conditions permit, some trout and salmon are also available. (Lake Profile - Anglers are catching perch on the north end of the lake using fathead minnows and minnow-like, swimbaits. Anglers may still target bass by catch and release only, artificial lures only. As of Wednesday afternoon, anglers were having success on the north side of Bemus Point and Bemus Bay, targeting crappie and bluegills. The one thing that crankbaits have in common is that they catch a variety of fish year 'round, but they are particularly effective in the summer. For those shore fishing, when conditions permit, some trout and salmon are also available. To help "jumpstart" the aquatic vegetation a variety of plants were planted in the reservoir in 2009. The bait is the usual mix, nothing elaborate. Fatheads and plastics are working depending upon the day. Boating, plus the many other outstanding facilities of this beautiful waterside park, truly offer something for the entire family. Shore anglers were getting brown trout just before dark on live bait and also on stickbaits fished near the surface. This weekend it’s the Sixth Annual Conesus Lake Frostbite Ice Fishing Derby. There is ice on all the bays, however, it may not be safe. The trout are feeding heavily upon alewives. The splitshot rig is commonly used with lighter line or when a soft plastic lure requires some weight but not excess weight that would otherwise alter the action of the soft plastic, such as in flowing water.– A very simple method of hooking a soft plastic that is highly effective on bedding largemouth bass. Boat launches at Barcelona, Dunkirk, Cattaraugus Creek and Buffalo are open. Special guests include Greg Miller from the hit show In Pursuit Bwana Jim and his Wildlife Show, Jim Beverly Retriever Training, and Clint Taylor. When the creeks are back in fishable shape, the steelhead bite should be pretty good.
You can drop shot some egg sacs under a torpedo bobber. Western New York anglers have a variety of are available for many of the region's best trout streams. (A webcam of Conesus on east side, 2/3 of the way down the lake at Marks Leisure Time Marine - https://www.weatherbug.com/weather-camera/?cam=CNSSM ) (Become a DEC diary keeper for Hemlock – email fwfish8@dec.ny.gov.) The heavy snow cover will not improve conditions.
A reminder - the Upper Fly Section season closed November 30. - This is a modern approach to the traditional Texas Style Rig, in which a premade hook with a sinker molded to its shank is used in combination with the soft plastic lure. (Lake Profile - A report has the lake frozen over and some anglers have been out on the north end, but no ice thickness depths are reported. As the water has lowered, anglers can fish from the bank again. The show also offers daily seminars and demonstrations given by the pros and activities for the kids. (Lake Profile - ) (Become a DEC diary keeper for Skaneateles – email fwfish7@dec.ny.gov.) Anglers may still target bass by catch and release only, artificial lures only. Anglers trolling are doing better fishing the 75 to 100 foot level over a 150 to 300 foot bottom.