Finger Lakes/Southern Tier Fishing Report, September 7th, 2012

Cayuga Lake

Lake trout were hitting spoons, or flashers and flies, fished 80 to 90 feet down over 100 to 150 feet of water. Many methods were working to get lures down to depth such as copper, wire, lead core, Dipseys and downriggers. Running Dipseys 200 to 300 feet back, 10 colors of lead core, and copper at 400 feet back have been good starting lengths. Vertical jigging continued to produce lake trout in 95 feet of water.

Seneca Lake

Lake trout were hitting Spin Doctors and flies, and spoons fished 50 to 80 feet down over 120 feet of water. Vertical jigging with chartreuse plastics has also been yielding lake trout in 90 to 110 feet of water.

Keuka Lake

Anglers were catching lake trout 115 to 125 feet down over 140 to 160 feet of water. Trolling with spoons, or flashers and flies has been working well. Jigging around The Bluff in 105 and 115 feet of water is still a good option for lake trout.

Waneta and Lamoka lakes

Nothing to report.

Owasco Lake

Lake trout were being taken down 80 to 90 feet over 100 to 150 feet of water on spoons or flashers and flies.

Otisco Lake

Trolling with worm harnesses has been working for walleye. Bass are hitting wacky-rigged stickworms and plastic worms on drop-shot rigs in 10 feet of water along weed edges. Flipping tube baits and creature baits into the weed mats is also working for largemouth bass.

Canandaigua Lake

Lake trout and rainbow trout were being found 50 to 125 feet down, over 80 to 175 feet of water at last check. Spoons in shades of green have been working well.

Skaneateles Lake

Rainbow trout were hitting small spoons fished at 45 to 65 feet. Trout were feeding on small yellow perch, so good colors for the spoons have been perch colors. Glow baits were also working well. Bass fishing along the shore continued to be good in 25 to 30 feet of water with tube jigs and drop-shot rigs.

Susquehanna, Chenango, Tioughnioga and Unadilla rivers

Fishing early or late in the day has been better on the river given the low water and warm temperatures. Jigs tipped with nightcrawlers were working for the walleye and tube jigs, Senkos and topwaters for the bass.

Whitney Point Reservoir:

Anglers were catching bluegills by trolling and then anchoring and fishing with small jigs when fish are found. Walleye were being caught early or late in the day by anglers trolling with worm harness and nightcrawlers along the old river channel.