Fishing Report For Cayuga Lake, NY

Current Fishing Report: Good

Bass fishing is currently experiencing major changes in the way anglers are approaching the sport. The expanded use of high-tech fish finders is giving anglers, who fish from a boat, a distinct advantage. The fishing hasn't really changed, but the catch rate has increased considerably. The advent of new lures and equipment has improved success for anglers fishing from the bank as well. Savvy anglers, who study bass patterns, continue to catch nice fish, with or without the new gadgets.

Largemouth bass here are fat, with a big girth for their length. They feed on bluegills, perch, crayfish, gobies, gizzard shad, smelt and alewives, so they have plenty of options.

WINTER. The cold of Winter has isolated largemouth around deeper structure, flats, points and creek channels. Water temperatures are currently in the mid 30's, and bass can be found from 10 to 30 feet deep, 6 to 12 feet deep on warm, sunny days. Often, some of the larger bass will isolate away from schools in 5 or so feet deeper water. They are currently being caught around Myers Point, on flats north of Long Point, and the mouths of small creeks and inlets. Here they hold, feeding less frequently, awaiting warmer water to return in Spring. Slow presentations with drop shots, jigs, finesse worms, or lipless crankbaits are often the key to getting bites. Soon the lake will freeze over, and bass become very dormant.

SPRING. Once water temperatures rise into the low 60's, largemouth will move from deep wintering holes, to shallower water near spawning areas. Anglers report good topwater action from mid Spring through Summer, especially early in the morning, and on cloudy days. Jerkbaits, crankbaits, worms and swimbaits are all catching bass, including smallmouth. The large flats around the town of Cayuga have produced good largemouth fishing for a number of years. At this time they will be feeding aggressively in about 5 to 12 feet of water, and preparing for the spawn. Once water warms into the mid to high 60's, they will move into 2 to 8 feet of water, and create nests, then lay their eggs. Immediately afterwards, females move to deeper water and males remain to guard the eggs, and then the fry. After a couple weeks, the males also move to slightly deeper water, around 10 to 20 feet deep. Deep-diving crankbaits, vibrating jigs, drop shots, plastic worms, jigs, spoons, and swimbaits catch bass during this period.

SUMMER. Water temperatures will warm considerably in Summer. Bass will feed shallow, early and late in the day, where they are typically caught in 2 to 10 feet of water, on topwater lures, square-bill crankbaits, spinnerbaits and a variety of other lures. During Summer, keep an eye on the thermocline to determine the maximum depth to fish, as there is very little oxygen below the thermocline. Largemouth bass here feed on shad, herring, small sunfish and crawfish. During the hotter parts of the day, they are being caught on points, channel edges, and ledges 15 to 30 feet deep. Wacky-rigged stick worms always catch finicky bass when the bite is slow. Some of the best reports typically come from anglers fishing around weed edges, shallow grass flats, docks and isolated structure in the north end.

FALL. When Fall arrives, bass here will follow schools of baitfish into coves and shallow bays where crankbaits, swimbaits, and slow-rolled spinnerbaits have been successful in prior years. In early Fall, anglers typically have success in 8 to 15 feet of water, around points and shallow flats leading to deeper water. As deeper water cools, bait and bass move out to ledges, channel edges, points and humps. Here flutter spoons are often the ideal bait in 15 to 25 feet of water, or deeper. Some of the larger bass will seclude themselves away from the school, often in slightly deeper water.

Current Fishing Report: Good To Very Good

A healthy, stable population of yellow perch reside in Cayuga Lake. They provide a steady food source for larger, predator fish, plus excellent fishing for anglers.The rest of the Winter is great for perch fishing. They can also be caught the rest of the year as well. Look for shallow weedy and rocky areas in winter, and around 15' to 20' once the water warms. Spoons, jigs, live shiners and nightcrawlers are all good choices here.

WINTER. The cold of winter drives perch deeper again in search of food and stable water conditions. Mid-depth flats are ideal Winter holding spots. Now, in early Winter, perch are being caught when they are feeding in weedy areas, in 15 to 20 of water. Later in Winter, as the lake freezes over they descend as deep as 40 feet. Ice fishing in the northern end of the lake in February, when there is safe ice, can be very good for perch. Plenty of yellow perch were caught last winter through the ice, and there's no reason to expect any different this year. Popular baits include small spoons, minnows, mealworms, maggots, and nightcrawlers.

SPRING. Perch spawn in Spring when the water temperature warms to the mid 50's and mid 60's. Anglers are beginning to catch them in 7 to 10 feet of water using spinners, small spinnerbaits, underspins, minnows, mealworms, maggots, and nightcrawlers. Docks, weed lines, drop offs all attract yellow perch searching for a meal. Later in Spring, they drop into 10 to 20 feet of water. Coves, shallow flats and shoals in the north end have historically delivered great stringers of perch.

SUMMER. Fat yellow perch here feed primarily on small fish and invertebrates. Spinners, underspins, small crankbaits, mealworms, nightcrawlers and maggots are catching perch in 5 to 10 feet of water. In early Summer, plus the first and last hours of the day, seek them out in feeding zones, 10 to 20 feet deep. Drop-offs, standing timber, lay-down trees, shallow weed lines, and in areas with submerged vegetation, are key feeding spots.

FALL. Early Fall finds yellow perch feeding in 8 to 12 feet of water. Later in the season, they begin to migrate deeper, toward Winter holding areas. Later in the Fall, they begin migrating toward Winter holding areas, 20 to 30 feet deep, around the edges of weedbeds, drop offs along flats, channel edges, rock piles and humps. Minnows, spinners, spoons and small crankbaits are ideal this time of year.

Current Fishing Report: Good To Very Good

The cold, deep waters of Cayuga Lake create an ideal habitat for lake trout. Add schools of alewives, their primary food source, and you have the excellent laker fishery for anglers. Food source and water temperature dictate where you'll find these big trout.

WINTER. Ice fishing for lakers was good last year with quite a few monsters caught. It should be just as good again this year. Favoring water temperatures in the 40's, lake trout are now finding areas to their liking in 60 to 200 feet of water. They will typically stay at these depths throughout the cold months. Learning these areas before the lake ices over can get you into some of the better area for ice fishing. Patient anglers willing to work slowly can catch some nice lake trout through the ice.

SPRING. After ice out, trolling with leaded line or downriggers, or vertical jigging with spoons and jigs, completes the cold-water season in 80 to 160 feet of water, or deeper. Spring weather finds lake trout, along with baitfish, into around 30 to 80 feet of water. Because they are shallow, Spring is an ideal time to catch big lakers. They are caught in areas of the lake which have deep water, next to shallower feeding spots. The drop offs at the edges of the north shoals are classic Spring hot spots. Jigs and heavy spoons are catching the majority of these big lakers. Slow trolling with leaded line or downriggers allows small crankbaits and spinners to be worked in deeper water, which also produces some nice fish. Later in Spring they typically drop into deeper water.

SUMMER. Summer heat drives lake trout to hold around the thermocline, generally in 60 to 200 feet deep. Early and late in the day, lakers may feed slightly shallower. Generally, they prefer to stay around the thermocline, throughout Summer. They look for depth variations like ditches, channels, humps, points and ledges, but are often caught in the deeper water around this structure. Heavy spoons and jigs, as well as very slow trolling, with leaded line or downriggers, produce many of the lakers being caught during Summer. In late summer concentrate on channel edges, troughs, and main lake humps.

FALL. Lake trout will be returning to relatively shallow water, as Fall weather cools the shallows first. They spawn in the Fall, and for a few weeks can typically be found 20 to 40 feet deep on points, flats and humps that have a rocky bottom. Lake trout feed on small fish, so lures imitating baitfish, sunfish, perch or small trout are good choices. Cloudy days, early mornings and early evenings are the best time to catch big lakers. Later in Fall they return to 60 to 100 feet deep, or deeper. Spoons, jigged vertically within the target depth can entice bites along depth changes. Trolling at a quick pace with spoons, brightly-colored jerkbaits, and spinners, with a variety of rigging methods to get these lures to run deep. For big lakers, use larger baits.