Heading up to Lake Oneida for the first time ever next weekend. Would anyone like to share some tips on lures, techniques, locations to fish. May also stop at Cayuga on the way up. Thank you in advance for any tips.
Heading up to Lake Oneida for the first time ever next weekend. Would anyone like to share some tips on lures, techniques, locations to fish. May also stop at Cayuga on the way up. Thank you in advance for any tips.
Might want to post this in the NY Bass Club. You'll get a better and more detailed response.
Tons of shoals so make sure you have a good mapping card otherwise you might be in for an expensive trip. Just yesterday it was so rough during the Cashion one guy fell in and another bottomed in 5’ of water between waves.
as for locations the shoals and islands are a good place to start. Normal smallmouth baits like tubes jerkbaits and Crankbaits are good this time of year. They’ll be in spawn mode so expect them to be in all 3 stages. Be ready to do a lot of running cause they are nomadic here. For exact techniques lures and spots I don’t know of anyone that is willing to give out all their info on Oneida since it’s such a spot/location lake rather than a pattern lake. Guys spend years learning it and graphing so they won’t give it out to just anyone. Also it really depends on where you launch and the direction of the wind. Heck even some of my best friends don’t share spots with me and save them for tournament days.
also if you’re staying close to Oneida and want a close blow off lake, Onondaga is only 15 min away from Oneida shores. Normally a winning bag there is over 20lbs and a lot of 4-5lb fish class live there
1995 Ranger 481v
1995 Johnson Fast Strike 175hp
Thanks for the information. I have been looking at the charts and see all the shoals. Are the well marked? I do have a garmin GPS with the Lake Vu charts so should be good. I have spent a lot of time on the St. Lawrence, shoals and rocks there also.
St Lawrence shoals are much worse. These are marked and easily identifiable on your cgraph. Just take it easy at first. As long as it’s not windy, it’s an easy lake to navigate. Unlike the smallies in the st Lawrence, you can catch these very shallow. While the shoals always hold fish, this time of the year, you can crush a boat load of fish shallow. Spinnerbaits, squarebills, jerkbaits fished around grass, cabbage or, even better, rock piles can result in a broken arm. You gotta spend time to find the good rock piles. Those who know, do not share the locations.
Great tips from you both. Looking forward to a fun weekend with my sons. Been doing Memorial Day weekend fishing trips with them for 16 years, since they were 18 and we all look forward to it.
I was out today. I don't think there's a place on the lake or a bait you can throw that won't get bit. It's may. Have a great trip!
Love that place!
Smallmouth on topwater is AWESOME! Go up in that river and work a Gunfish down along the docks, the smallmouth will run out from under the dock and smash it! Lots of chain pickerel too that also flat out hammer a topwater.
Tubes on the shoals. Zoom Flukes as well. Crankbaits like a shad rap.
Take about 10-12 rods with any bait you think a smallie will hit and I bet you get bit on every one right now out there. Like many said get shallow on a shoreline this time of year and you will catch them. Me personally I wouldn't even bother fishing this time of year with all the fish up on the bank. Lake is easy to navigate if you pay attention to your gps. If it does get rough just watch out, those little pin buoys get lost easy in 3-4 footers.
I fish Oneida once or twice a year and still don’t know as much about that lake as the New York guys but one thing I have learned is that you don’t have to burn a lot of gas to catch fish. I often launch at Oneida Shores and spend the entire day between the I 81 bridge to the west and the two large islands to the east. In that small area you can catch a ton of fish. Another good thing about that area of the lake is that if the wind kicks up and makes the lake rough or a thunder storm rolls thru, your pretty close to the ramp.
if you show up to fish Oneida and the lake is to rough to launch, there is a marina located in the canal , just beyond the I 81 bridge, with a decent ramp and plenty of parking. There are plenty of fish that can be caught there if the main lake gets ugly.
The marina that n2bassn is talking about is the Brewerton Boat yard probably. It costs $10 per day. The ramp is really nice and you don’t have to worry about crowds especially on Memorial Day weekend. The only sucky part is they open at 9am, so if you plan on going out earlier than that might want to go and pick up a pass the day before so you can launch whenever you want
1995 Ranger 481v
1995 Johnson Fast Strike 175hp
U can't beat a Zara Spook for topwater and they will hit it in 12-15 water!
You can park there and pay on your way out. I did that a few weeks ago called the day before and they told me to go out for the day and pay when I get back. The river has been hit pretty hard the past few weeks. Still plenty of fish there but I think the first real big wave of fish has moved. Average size has gone down lately in the river but still plenty of action if you don't want to deal with a rough lake.Originally Posted by ECobb91
Once again, thank you to everyone for the tips and now I am really pumped for the weekend.
Fish open water shoals casting a wacky senko as shallow as you dare. Really all u need for this time of year
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