Southern Tier Fishing
Where to Go?

By Season

WINTER     January, February, and March

 

Brown trout, landlocked salmon

Salt Point, Watkins Glen Pier (Seneca Lake); Taughannock Park, Milliken Station (Cayuga Lake). Minnows on slip-bobbers; bucktails.

 

Steelhead (through May)

Salmon River, Pulaski NY. Nymphs, egg flies, egg sacks.

 

Perch, Pickerel, Sunfish

Lamoka, Waneta, Cayuta Lake, Park Station pond. Ice fishing. Pickerel closes March 15.

EARLY SPRING    April - May

 

Smelt (2 weeks before & after full moon in April)

Taughannock Creek, Salmon Creek (tributaries of Cayuga Lake); Peach Orchard Point and Valois creeks (Seneca Lake). Caught by dip netting in the creeks at night (9 PM-2 AM).

 

Rainbow Trout (early April)

Open's April 1. Catherine's Creek, Cayuga Inlet, Cold Brook, Naples Creek, other Finger Lakes tributaries. Single hook-point only.

 

Brown trout (stocked, streams)

Seasons opens April 1 in NYS. Try Cayuta, Newtown, Sing Sing, Meads, Post Creeks, Cohocton and Delaware Rivers. PA season opens April 15th. Try Pine Creek, Cedar Run, Schrader Creek.

 

Brown trout, landlocked salmon

Salt Point, Watkins Glen Pier (Seneca Lake); Taughannock Park, Milliken Station (Cayuga Lake). Minnows on slip-bobbers; bucktails.

LATE SPRING    June

 

Rainbow trout, landlocked salmon (Hexagenia mayfly hatch)

Skaneatles Lake (Auburn, NY), possibly other Finger Lakes. Fish dry flies and emergers at dusk. Canoe or boat desireable.

 

Lake trout, landlocked salmon

Taughannock Park, Cayuga Lake - alewives are spawning, fish are in close to shore.

 

Smallmouth & largemouth bass

Season opens in NYS on 3rd Saturday, in PA on June 14th. Rivers, lakes, ponds all fair game.

SUMMER    July - August

 

Trout and landlocked salmon

90-120 feet deep in the Finger Lakes. Downrigger time.

 

Huck Finn float-trip time!

Chemung or Susquehanna River. See access points.

 

White fly hatch

Chemung and Susquehanna River, mid to late August, evenings. Classic fly fishing for smallmouth.

 

Chinook (king) salmon

Start showing up in western Lake Ontario in August - charter boat action is hot now.

EARLY FALL    September - October

 

Chinook (king) salmon, and steelhead

Start running up Salmon River after large water discharges. Small nymphs, egg flies, egg sacks. Call Whitaker's or the DSR.

 

 Smallmouth bass

 Chemung & Susquehanna Rivers; Seneca & Cayuga Lakes

LATE FALL    November - December

 

Steelhead

Salmon River, Pulaski NY. Nymphs, egg flies, egg sacks.

 

 Walleye & musky

Chemung River, Waneta Lake (musky)

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Copyright 1997-2005 by John S. Lively. Unauthorized duplication or publication is prohibited.