A tell tale sign salmon season has started is when you see the guys “fishing” from the route 3 bridge. They have been there for around a week now so you know it’s time.
The majority of the fish are still staging in the lake from the shore line to 100 feet of water. The lake fishing has been on fire most days. There are new fish entering the Salmon River each day and it won’t be long before the big pushes of fish start.
My salmon season is fully booked with the exception of a couple week days I could do evening trips. If you are looking for a week day trip from 4 to 10 give me a call and we will try to get you on the water. I do know a few guides who still have some day time trips available. I will gladly set you up with one of them if you would like.
Steelhead season is getting booked up quick so if you want a 2022 steelhead date you need to call as soon as possible.
I am starting to book ice fishing dates as well. I will be offering perch and pike trips as well as walleye trips this year. All equipment is provided.
I have been trying for a while to float this stream and make sure it was still a viable guiding option. The conditions were never right when I had the time. Today it all worked out.
There are a few new challenges but nothing myself and the raft couldn’t handle. My biggest concern on these floats is the customers don’t have to help get around obstacles. The fishing needs to be good as well.
The fishing was nothing short of fantastic with a combination of small mouth bass, brown trout and some big fall fish. One fall fish may very well have broken the state record. We had thoughts of filling the cooler with water and getting it weighed when we were done. The 90 degree heat and lack of scale on the raft to get an estimated weight ended those thoughts. It seemed like a lot of hassel for a maybe.
If you would like to book one of these trips give me a call to set it up. The cost is $400 for one or two anglers and can be fly or spin fishing.
As I was walking along the river this morning I starting thinking it’s not about the fish. I thought for me it is about seeing the sunrise and getting exercise in a way that I enjoy.
Then I thought, well that is a bunch of crap. You are only thinking that because the fishing is slow. I have had plenty of customers tell me the same thing. They tell me it’s not about catching fish it is about being outside or hanging out with friends or family. I have come to realize they were probably lying and didn’t even know it.
I have never thought or heard that on a good day. It is only the slow days or at the start of the day when we don’t yet know how the fishing will be. If the water had no fish would we still be there? The answer is likely no or at least not in the same capacity. I doubt many people would pay me to just drive them around the lake.
At the end of the day it really is about the fish. We go fishing to catch fish. Are we mad if we don’t? Probably not but we are no where near as happy as when we do catch fish. Enjoy your time on the water. Enjoy the beautiful places fishing can take you. Soak it all in. Just stop lying because at the end of the day we all are here because of the fish.
A new listed property on Kasog Lake is a fisherman’s dream. Kasog Lake is a semi private Lake as there is just one pay to launch site and no true public access.
The lake holds bass, pike and panfish above average size. It is also just minutes from the world famous Salmon River and some great trout fishing on the Tug Hill Plateau.
Fish fish fish. There are fish everywhere. With the massive amount of rain that has fallen the last two days this will include all the small streams.
Up until today the larger rivers held all the fish. That is unless you wanted to chase a few around with their backs out of the water. Some unethical anglers have been doing exactly that but they won’t be able to now. Every stream in the area is running at good levels to support fish and fishing.
This season has had its ups and downs but the cold rain over the last two days is exactly what we needed. The water temps should be dropping after a warmer than normal start to the season. This will get the kings snapping. It will also draw steelhead and brown trout in from the lake.
With good numbers of salmon still in the river there is plenty time to get in on the action. If you want to fish small streams now is the time. Dont miss out on fresh fish and good water.
If you are looking for steelhead I would concentrate on the lower half of the river. I do have steelhead dates open in December. December is my favorite month to fish for steelhead as the crowds finally start to thin.
If you follow this blog or my social media sites you know I am always fishing different bodies of water. This week is no exception.
Sunday I hauled the Lund down to Cayuga Lake to fish with my friends Mark and Jamie. While the fishing wasn’t what we had hoped for it was still good. Mark caught his first ever lake trout and reminded me that catching seven trout and missing a few others isn’t a bad day.
Today I had a charter on Oneida Lake. I was hoping to send Bob, Eric and John home with a limit of walleye but mother nature had other plans. After 2 passes trolling we had 7 in the boat and needed just 2 more. As we were setting the lines for the third pass we noticed a storm moving along the south shore. Checking the radar we realized we better keep a close eye on it. As we were discussing our plan the first bolts of lightening were seen and the scramble to pull lines and get to the launch begain. We made it back before the storm hit and it was very clear we made the right move. A big thanks to Mike from Full Tank Charters for backing my truck in and speeding up the take out process as everyone was trying to get off the water at the same time.
If you are looking to get out for trout, salmon, or walleye give me a call.
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The steelhead fishing on the Salmon River has been good. I have open dates in the next two months if anyone is looking to start off 2021 with a fun winter steelhead trip.
Salmon season has come to an end and what a season it was. With a horribly dry summer we found ourselves facing very low water conditions. How’s that old saying go? When life gives you lemons make bull frogs or something like that.
I have to give a huge thank you to all my awesome customers. You are the reason I do what I do. In less than ideal conditions everyone was more than willing to change things up which equalled smiling faces and fish in the net. Some days where better than others but everyone was happy.
Another thank you to those who have already booked next year’s trips or steelhead trips. It’s a great feeling having most of your next season booked as this season is ending. That being said if you want to salmon fish with me next year I wouldn’t wait too long to start planning.
With the low water I never fished the Salmon River this fall. I stayed on the lake as much as possible and fished other locations when I couldn’t get on the lake. Next weekend that changes and I will be steelheading on the Salmon River come hell or low water. The reservoir is slowly filling and I expect 335 cfs base flow to return in the near future as long as it keeps raining. My Smithfly raft floats no problem at 185 cfs so I am not concerned either way.
Steelhead season is looking like it is going to be a good one. Some very nice steelhead have been caught already along with some impressive brown trout. I do have a couple December dates open that I would like to fill if anyone is interested give me a call.
This weekend I had 3 trips on Cauyga lake. I decided I would camp near the lake rather then drive back and forth each day.
I stayed at Sned-Acres Family Campground. If you are looking for a campground in the Finger Lakes region I would recommend this one. It is a family run clean quiet campground. The owners are very nice and accommodating
The fishing was not easy this weekend. We had to work hard for what we got. The weather was not in our favor as it was far from stable. Friday I took Adam and Chrissy out for a four hour afternoon charter. We trolled a variety of depths and baits looking for silver fish. We no luck after 2 hours I switch baits around and we managed to land four lake trout before their trip was over.
Saturday morning Walt and Brooks joined me. We started where I had found the lakers the day before. Only to find they were not willing to bite. Weather was nasty at times but we fished through it trolling north. We found one good laker that wanted to play. They were fishing with me the next day and staying at the same campground so I offered to take a break and go back out in the afternoon. They decided that sounded like a good idea.
We headed back out in the afternoon and caught another laker and two rainbows in about 2 hours of fishing in some less than desirable weather. We probably could’ve caught more but the steaks back at the campground were calling our names.
Sunday morning the weather was supposed to be good and we found a good pile of fish and bait the night before. We were excited to get back out in the morning. Well the weather man was wrong and the fish had moved. We worked very hard fishing everywhere from 60 to 325 feet of water. We found 3 atlantics and one big lake trout that wanted to play before it was time to go.
This afternoon I had the pleasure of taking Ken and Gerry out on Onieda Lake walleye fishing. Ken won the trip I donated for the Redfield Fish and Game Club kids fishing derby raffle.
When we launched the boat it looked like it might be a little bumpy out in the deeper water. That turned out to be an understatement. When we got out to the area I wanted to fish we had 3 to 4 foot waves. We were there so we set up and trolled with them. I was hoping it was going to lay down but the waves coming over the back of the boat as we trolled didn’t give me much confidence. The marks on the fish finder gave me plenty of confidence we were going to catch fish though.
We finished one pass landing three keeper walleye. I gave them the choice of running back west and making another pass or giving it a try another afternoon. They decided it was time to head back to the dock and I didn’t blame them as the waves were not letting up and actually still building.
All things considered it was a good hour on Oneida Lake. Hopefully next time we will have calmer water. I have some date available for October walleye fishing before I put the boat away for the winter. Book them now as it’s also salmon season so dates are filling quickly.
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