NY state Finger Lake jigging report...

[bulletbob]

Yeah its not NJ , I know, but I do know a a lot of guys in NJ like to jig for their fish.. Here in NY state, when people talk about "fishing", it means downrigger trolling and nothing else..
I am rare here in that I use jigs.. I only catch a fraction of what the trollers do with 8 rigger lines out stacked, cheater rigs, dipseys with wire and side planers.. blech.. Its like reeling in a waterlogged blanket as you MUST keep the boat moving at a good speed to prevent horrible rig tangles, and drag the fish right along the top at 3 knots.. not my bag.. anyway, here's my last NY state report with pics, just for a change of pace..




Location
Candor NY

Posted July 01, 2016 - 3:21 PM

I got out at dawn and fished HARD all morning.. Not a touch ..fished from Myers north to about 1 mile north of Taughannock on the east side, and about a mile north to a mile south on the west side.. Not even a touch from a laker.. Caught one perch about 9 inches on a big laker size jig... Disgusted, i was about to let my last drop down at about 11:15.. Was finishing up maybe 1/4 north of the park and was disgusted and ready to call it a day.. Saw a bait pod suspended maybe 30 feet down over 70.. Saw a nice arch above the bait and started reeling, not expecting anything.. Bang!.. nice 20+ inch rainbow surfaces... oops,, NO net.. Left it home like a jackass, something I haven't done in decades.. Sometimes idiots get lucky, and I hand boated it,,, Fished another 1/2 hour without a touch, and again was about to head for the ramp.. Now I was south of the park in about 75 fow, and again saw a few slashes,, Reeled straight up, and I got whacked hard.. Knew right away it was a really nice fish.. I got almost spooled a few times, as i had to give ground or that 8 pound test would have broken.. After what seemed like 20 minutes, I got her up, and I was sick over not having a net,, Big landlock , jumping, rolling, sounding right straight down every time I tried to hand boat her.. I got really lucky I guess, the hooks held, and after about 4 attempts, I had her exhausted and was able to grab her across the gills and get her in the boat.. 26 inches, big around as a football, and 8 pounds.. I haven't caught a keeper silver in several years while jigging lakers, most shorts, and follows ,,, i was positive I was destined to get the skunk, but as it turned out, I was happy with only 2 fish today... btw, I have eaten Cayuga rainbow trout several times, and always thought they were terrible.. Nasty, rotten, oily, soft and fishy.. This one was firm and very sweet to my surprise... It was as firm and mild as a perch... I wasn't expecting that..

Talked to other guys today and it was slow jigging for them as well..
. It was nice to pull a rabbit out of the hat for a change.. lately, i have not done well in Cayuga...bob