Syracuse.com - Sept. 16-18: Bass being caught all over on live crabs; Whitney Point Reservoir still flooded

[HuntingNY-News]

My bait store sources are telling me their customers are catching bass all over on live crayfish -- particularly in the Finger Lakes.

CNY FISHING FORECAST

Bait stores (list and map).

LAKE ONTARIO

Salmon are starting to stage around the mouth of tributaries. Many are still being taken in 60 to 100 feet of water. Good baits continue to be flashers and flies, cut bait, large spoons and J-plugs. Good colors have been green, chrome, white, glow green ladder back and gold.

SALMON RIVER

The river flow has remained steady (at a low flow rate) and some salmon continue to make their way upstream. It’s at a slow trickle at this point.

OWEGO RIVER

River level has been down a bit since last week. A few salmon in the river, but not many.

ONEIDA LAKE

Perch bite continues to be good, particularly in front of Cleveland. A lot of small perch are being caught in Big Bay. Anglers are getting them in the weedbeds in 10 to 20 feet of water, using small crayfish, a little piece of worm on a hook or tipping a small spinner with a piece of a worm or fathead minnow. Walleye bite is still slow but will probably change with cooler temperatures. Those being caught are being taken in deeper water or early in the morning. Evening bass bite is still strong. Try a topwater lure or spinnerbait.

CAYUGA LAKE

Lake trout, Atlantic salmon and brown trout are still hitting for angles trolling with spoons or flashers and flies off downriggers, Dipsey divers, lead core and copper. Fishing 70 to 90 feet down with riggers and running Dipseys back 200 to 300 feet, and running copper at 350 to 400 feet have been working. Good colors have been white, green, purple and blue. Vertical jigging with plastics continues to be good from 75 to 95 feet of water. Some nice brown trout are also being taken by anglers vertical jigging for lake trout. Lots of bass being taken on crayfish.

SENECA LAKE

Lake trout are being taken on spoons, and flashers and flies fished down 100 feet over 150 feet of water. Trolling very slowly, 1 mph with blue and silver colored baits, has been working well. Vertical jigging with chartreuse plastics has also been good for lake trout in 65 to 95 feet of water. Anglers trolling very close to bottom are also catching some large brown trout. Smallmouth bass and yellow perch are hitting on crayfish and minnows fished off the pier. Anglers fishing large minnows under bobbers are catching some northern pike around Sampson.

OWASCO LAKE

A few lake trout are being taken by anglers vertical jigging with plastics or spoons in 75 to 95 feet of water. Yellow perch are being caught on small minnows around the lake, and a lot of smallmouth bass on crayfish.

OTISCO LAKE

A few nice walleye, and a bonus tiger muskie, have been taken by anglers trolling 25 to 30 feet down over 45 to 60 feet of water.

SKANEATELES LAKE

Trolling 45 feet down with perch-colored spoons is producing lake trout and Atlantic salmon. Lake trout are also hitting 90 feet down over 140 feet of water. Smallmouth bass and some nice-sized rock bass are hitting along the shore out to about 40 feet of water for anglers fishing with tube baits, super flukes, drop-shot rigs and crayfish. Perch fishing is starting to pick up, and they are being taken on small minnows or crayfis.

SODUS BAY

Largemouth bass are still hitting Senko-style baits, and a few pike are being taken on large spoons

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SANDY POND Largemouth bass are still being taken by anglers using a variety of Texas-rigged plastic baits and topwater baits.

ST. LAWRENCE RIVER

Walleye and smallmouth bass bite continue to be good this week, as well as northern pike. Walleye bite has been good lately. No reports of muskie being caught lately. Perch have been spotty.

WHITNEY POINT RESERVOIR

Reservoir is flooded. Few if any anglers out this week. Spillway fishing below the lake is pretty good, though, for walleye and smallmouth bass.

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog