MyFishFinder Forum
MFF US Northeast => New York => Topic started by: PeterCos on May 20, 2021, 06:07 PM
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Keeping my new LUND boat on Saratoga Lake this year. Any info on walleye fishing would be greatly appreciated. Did not have my usual luck with crappie as the weather was not very cooperative.
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I prefer night fishing and throwing stick baits in the shallows 4- 10 fow . I have used crawler harnesses but find I get a lot of panfish pulling bait off. I quit by the end of June. The weeds, warm water and insane traffic keep me off and the fish head deeper. My favorite time is in November and December .I Plan to crappie fish it tomorrow as the water must be finally warming up and the giant gills may be more active also.
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Thanks Iceplank. I was thinking about harnesses and also use to have luck with Flatfish years age. I was just a kid with my dad and uncle.
Used to troll from Kaydeross to Mannings and then across to Snake Hill and Maple if I remember correctly. Still good spots or where else?
Good luck on the crappie, water temp was around 69 Thursday. I am retired so can mostly avoid the traffic by going midweek.
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I've been fishing "Toga for going on 40 years. I have yet to unravell the mystery surrounding walleyes in that water. Banner days have happened but most will not be so. The same conditions on another day will produce nothing. I've tried all hours of the day and night with the most success from first light for about 2 hrs. Then you may as well go get breakfast and get a few chores done. Also as odd as it sounds, those hot , nasty , muggy days are when I do best .
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Thanks 62 for the INFO
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Well my first walleye endeavor ended today with a skunk. Marked a lot of fish suspended over at 10 to 15 feet of water over 25 to 35 feet but do not not what they were or interested in. Any advice appreciated.
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I dont know that lake at all... but id be targetting these areas this time of the year..
Drop offs
Creek/river channels
Inside corners of contour change
Shallower Mud flats
Possibly try these areas?
(https://i.postimg.cc/8sxkHgXD/Screenshot-20210603-102928-Boating.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/8sxkHgXD)
(https://i.postimg.cc/BPPS0m6d/Screenshot-20210603-102949-Boating.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/BPPS0m6d)
(https://i.postimg.cc/TL4dFzRV/Screenshot-20210603-103100-Boating.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/TL4dFzRV)
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Only targeted them through the hardwater. Only walleye I’ve ever caught there was on a Senko during a bass tournament. Poor timing!
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Thanks guys
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On a different note anybody do much pike fishing on the lake? Supposed to be pretty good.
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Few and and far between. The other toothy critters get in the way of northern, walleye and bass fishing
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On a different note anybody do much pike fishing on the lake? Supposed to be pretty good.
The trophy pike that use to be semi-common in Toga are a thing of the past now unfortunately. Their numbers have decreased tremendously over the last decade or so.
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Thanks for the info guy. Were they over fished or what happened?
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Not sure for certain. Through talking to people, seems to be the consensus has been some combination of over harvesting of the large females, as well as the aggressive campaign by the SLA to control the weed population. The Milfoil x Zebra mussel combination really started choking the lake out weed wise a number of years ago. The zebra mussels improved water clarity, continued development around the lake increased the eutrophication of the lake, and then the milfoil exploded. That definitely helped the pike and bass populations as the weed base expanded tremendously across the lake. I dont know for certain, but if my memory is right, i know theyve done a few different chemical treatments to help control the milfoil as well as weed eaters every summer. That's helped keep the weeds at bay for recreation but definitely had a negative effect on the fishing. Some combination of the two would be my best bet for why the Toga Pike population took a dive. I tend to fish it often as its so close to my house, and have noticed a lot more pickerel being caught as compared to years past too. Not sure if anyone else seems to catch more slime darts now as oppose to years past.
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Not sure for certain. Through talking to people, seems to be the consensus has been some combination of over harvesting of the large females, as well as the aggressive campaign by the SLA to control the weed population. The Milfoil x Zebra mussel combination really started choking the lake out weed wise a number of years ago. The zebra mussels improved water clarity, continued development around the lake increased the eutrophication of the lake, and then the milfoil exploded. That definitely helped the pike and bass populations as the weed base expanded tremendously across the lake. I dont know for certain, but if my memory is right, i know theyve done a few different chemical treatments to help control the milfoil as well as weed eaters every summer. That's helped keep the weeds at bay for recreation but definitely had a negative effect on the fishing. Some combination of the two would be my best bet for why the Toga Pike population took a dive. I tend to fish it often as its so close to my house, and have noticed a lot more pickerel being caught as compared to years past too. Not sure if anyone else seems to catch more slime darts now as oppose to years past.
Slime darts have been on the increase the last 4-5 years, while walleye and pike have been on the decline. That’s my experience.
Hopefully the bass population isn’t next. SLA has indeed had a hand in the downturn of this wonderful fishery
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Thanks again for the information. Is the 8 million walleye fry stocking a reality and who handles it? I would be willing to give them a hand.
Also, I would have no problem targeting pickerel to weed them out, where would that be best accomplished?
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Apprx 1% of eye fry make it so 8 mil REALLY isnt alot at all....
They most likely will get stocked from a state boat.. take them for a ride in plastic bags filled with cold water and dump them here and there... fry are small so wouldnt really take them long to stock a lake
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Well even 1% would be 80,000 annually, plus any that still spawn in K creek makes me think they should be a little easier to catch than they are. Onieda, much larger lake with a high success rate has about 1 million adult walleye. With only 50,000 a year for a few years on Saratoga makes me think they should be fairly dense. Just makes me wonder a little.
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Did the math and for equal success on Oneida and Saratoga based just on size. Saratoga adult population would need to be around the magic number of 80,000, one good successful annual stocking.
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Was out today and marked tons of fish around Snake Hill and across to Mannings Cove on that basin. The fish were suspended over 30 to 35 feet of water at 15 to 20 feet. Were they walleye in a thermocline? Was running harnesses and not sure to stay near the bottom as usual or bring it up to that level.
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When I’m marking fish at two different levels try running rigs at both depths , as I have caught eyes 20 down over 40’
Besides eyes are comfy at 70*
Ive jigged eyes in warmer and shallower water in numbers
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Thanks Filet- The surface temp was 76.
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Peter.. remember one critical piece of information about walleye....
They WILL feed up and WILL NOT FEED DOWN!!!!
Youre better off to be 10 ft above them than 1 foot below
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That’s right John , all the more reason to stagger your baits when trolling, another thing I’ve noticed over the years hard or soft water walleyes are creature of habit , don’t over think , I have in the past it can drive you nuts , and never be afraid of thinking outside the box
We all have good and bad days but it’s more fun catching than fishing , according to my grandson walleye Watson 😉
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I have caught them on a worm harness dragging on the bottom.. Even drifting a night crawler right on the bottom… :-\
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Sorry Dom i forget sometimes as I haven’t dragged a worm in years , matter of fact haven’t tipped a jig with a worm in years either
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just food for thought: Yesterday I launched on Toga at 4:15 am By 5:00 I had two in the box Then came day-light For three hours I polished lures, including the ones that require a night crawler. After 8 I decided to finish off the day with a limit of nice gills. I've said it before and I'll say it again. If you want Saratoga eyes, you need to get up early. This same deal has played out about 6 times in the last few weeks. Next time, I launch at 3:00
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Thanks 62 I will try it.
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Went out yesterday, no choice but mid afternoon. Dragging a harness slow over 30-35ft. Dumped one walleye and had my share of big bluegills. May go to just crank baits to lower number of gills for now. They are fun but would rather find what Waldo is doing.
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Saratoga is like a pond compared to some lakes and gets beat down with noise
Try fishing at night they go nocturnal
You will eliminate some of the other fish
Night is when they feed there the most
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It is funny you mention that lowjack12. I fished the lake back in the 60's when I was just a kid with my uncle and father. The lake seemed big as things to when you are young. Left the area for long while, just got a new boat and living in Albany thought I would keep it at Saratoga.
It really hit me that the lake is really not very big. The amount of boats for its size seems out or proportion. Night fishing is mentioned earlier on this site and I guess I will have to go that way. Next year, although it is not as convenient I hope to try Sacandaga, a larger water. Wish we were closer to Oneida as I do like fishing for walleye.
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Went out yesterday, no choice but mid afternoon. Dragging a harness slow over 30-35ft. Dumped one walleye and had my share of big bluegills. May go to just crank baits to lower number of gills for now. They are fun but would rather find what Waldo is doing.
This is why LOVE chasing eyes... at times they can be so illusive, but when you figire them out it is SOOOOOO REWARDING
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There is an area about 250-300 yards off of Snake Hill that completely fills my finder with fish. Stacked from 15 t0 20 feet down over 30 feet.
What are they, do not think they would be walleye as they do not present themselves as overly large.
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Not uncommon for smaller gills to school up suspended over deep water during the summer, feeding on zooplankton & emerging insects.
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Thanks bluegill, pretty much what I thought too. I would get some gills if I was dragging a worm harness, pretty good size some of them.
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Yeah, the big guys go deep. The schooled up suspended ones usually don’t get much bigger than 5-6”.