Hi my wife and I are going to Paddlefest at Old Forge NY this year and she is in a Kayak Fishing Derby for Northern Pike. Was wondering if anybody had any top secret fishing spots they wanted to share!!!
they wouldn’t be secret then, would th
Maybe try the “fishing from kayaks and canoes” forum, three doors down.
Saw that one coming a mile away!
Thanks will post it there!
where is the start of the contest
how far does she want to paddle, and from where ? its a mile and a half out to first lake from the Old Forge Pond, another mile and a bit to second lake, another 3/4 mile maybe to 3rd lake
in the channel, throw your lures to the shade under the docks if no one is on them or swimming near by - there are a couple of narrow deep bays you could try also - the channel isn’t very deep anywhere, maybe 10’ at most
Northerns are a relatively new addition to fulton chain - not sure if they were illegally put in there of officially stocked - I never caught any years ago
in any case, out in first lake, I’d try the south shore side - that is shallow for a long ways after you leave the channel, with lots of logs and stumps under the water; couple of swampy bays from that side too
2nd lake has a swampy bay on the north side, back in where the old passenger or mail boat was grounded when it caught fire - the hull is still in there under water
second lake, when you pass the islands between first and second, on the south side of the big island its shallow there, then after a couple of hundred yards or so, it drops off fairly deep - used to catch bass there - beyond the dropoff, I used to catch trout - deeper there
third lake swamp (South shore), that whole bay is shallow and I’d think would hold northerns
Thank You! Appreciate the good tips
– Last Updated: May-15-14 2:29 PM EST –
My wife and I kayaked those areas last summer and know where they are... I think one of those islands we camped on.. Treasure Island the locals call it.. Thanks again! We are looking forward to some good weather? hopefully and good fishing! BTW I think the contest includes old forge pond and lakes 1-7.. She is most likely going to stay in the pond through fourth lake.
When it comes to giving secret advice,
we’re pikers.
So
how was it?Went to paddlefest last year but it really went down hill from earlier years.Hardly any kayaks/canoes to try so I blew it off even though it’s pretty close to where I live.I fished there a few times but never did that well.Got a few SMB’s around boulders but don’t recall ever catching a pike.
Only there once…
…but I saw a huge pike in 5th Lake, just in the lake from the channel coming from 4th Lake. It was big enough that I let out quite a few expletives, greatly amusing the 8 year olds on a boat in 5th Lake for Johnny’s birthday. Whoops. I had thought the pike was a log, and then it started swimming. I’d been looking for pickerel, not expecting a pike. Perfect weedy habitat.