Skaneateles Lake

**LorenWilliams** · 04-08-2008, 09:40 PM

Got the first Loch Style ("drifting boat") session of the year in on Skaneateles Lake today with a fellow competitor. Water temps ranged from 38 (clear water) to 43 degrees on the windblown shores where the water had some color. If you have never been to this lake, it is a finger lake-15 miles long and 300 feet deep. The water is gin clear with near 20-feet of vis. It has an abundance of wild and stocked rainbows. NO baitfish so these fish are insectivores save for fry in the fall.

11 to the net with the smallest at about 15" and most running in the 17-20 inch range. Insane fights!

Type 3 and Type 5's pulling nymphs in 5-10 feet of water. As the water warmed and the day progressed the midges were rising with the fish following them. Line changes and countdown changes kept us in the game. Tried various lures ("streamers") but only took one fish on a claret leech. Diawl Backs, PT's and baby damsels did the damage.

Davy: I used the TFO Pro 10' #6 and I am IN LOVE. I only dropped one fish and it was just after the hookset. Had a few good knocks but I can't fault the rod for missing them. Took two fish on the hang but the rest came on a steady 1-foot pull.

**Nymphmeister** · 04-08-2008, 09:51 PM

Loren-

That's good you are practicing lake fishing, I'm guessing that is the area where Europeans really have it over the Americans. And I agree, many of the TFO rods are really nice despite the low price tag. Sounds like you had some good fishing on Skaneateles Lake. I hear Skaneateles Creek (or is it River/Stream?) is a pretty good trout stream, what can you tell me about that?

**LorenWilliams** · 04-09-2008, 07:14 AM

Torrey,

I love training. This year, with Scotland the home of the 2009 WFFC and most likely 3 stillwater venues, my training will focus very hard at filling in gaps in my stillwater game. I was very pleased that on my initial visit of the year I was able to locate the fish in that massive expanse of water, and dial them in to the degree we did. Obviously having two guys fishing makes that job easier.

What stinks is the insane amount of boat traffic this lake will see after memorial day--making training there very unsafe during the summer. This is an issue for those of us on the team who live in the east. I think I have found some suitable back-ups for later in the year.

The UK guys are hands-down the best. But remember, they fish stillwaters like we fish rivers because that is the bulk of what they can access, especially in England. So, while fishing a river is second nature to us, fishing a stillwater is likewise to them. They fully grasp all the lines, their properties and when, why, and how to use them as well as how different casts if flies effect the lines. Add to that the complexity of retrieves, water temps, stocked versus wild, brown versus rainbow, boat versus bank and the game is far more involved than river fishing ever will be. My personal goal is to get that comfy on lakes...but without competition to gauge your success against it will be hard to tell how much progress I am really making.

Due to it's size and depth, this lake is a good practice lake for me as far as staying mentally in tact. It gives me great confidence to fish well here. It is very unlike actual competition venues due to it's size and the amount of motorboat traffic it sees.

The effluent stream is small with 10 miles of no kill arts. only regs. It has wild browns and rainbows, but the state of DEC always finds wisdom to stock over them. Ninemile is better, but Skaneateles Creek is not exactly poor. I fish them both hard and learn from both of them each time out.