Halfway through the year, and the spring LOC derby has come and gone. Time to practice for the fall deepwater challenge. The salmonoids will be starting their push towards deeper water. Start looking in 60’ to 100’ of water or shallower wind pending.

The best thing about June is that every type of fish, as of June 21^st, is legal and able to be kept with a New York fishing license. The opening day of bass fishing, being one of the most popular, draws more people to the water than any other type of fish. For largemouths, about any inland body of water, i.e., ponds, river, canal and bays all hold largemouth bass in some form or another, except for the private ponds on local golf courses and some private owner ponds. The Irondequoit and Braddock Bays have some of the large “hawg” style fish in Monroe County waters. Top water baits will work well at many ponds and bays in the early to late evenings. Spinner baits, fatraps and worms in the morning and afternoons will bring them to the boat. It’s all in the wrist and how thick the weeds are. Smallmouth bass also can be a lot of fun. Although their range is not as wide, their numbers are great. The Genesee River and the Erie Canal has a good population almost all summer, along with catfish, walleye and pike. The largest numbers of smallmouths are found in Lake Ontario anywhere east of the Genesee River all the way to Sodus Bay and still some. A south wind for more than 24 hours or more will bring the smallmouth’s into shallow water 8 – 22 feet deep. This is a very good opportunity for shore fishermen off the piers in Monroe County to score bit. Summerville, Charlotte, Webster Park and Russell Station are a few. Use of crawlers, crabs, shiners and tube baits work best. Boaters can drift from inshore to deep water, when you stop catching fish start the motor and move back to shallow water and start again. With a north wind shore fishermen are out of luck in the lake. Boaters start in 35 feet and drift in towards shore. Bring shiners along when fishing a north wind and crawlers or tube baits for late June to early July with a south wind. Either way, try to fish as close to the bottom as possible without losing all of your tackle.

If fishing bluegills and sunnies a small jig tipped with a waxworm or a spike should keep the buckets full. In June, the walleye fishing should have really started to pick up on Irondequoit Bay’s east shore on worm rigs and stick baits trolled in the evening. For canal walleyes a large jig head with a worm or crab on it. This method also works in the Genesee River and it keeps you from losing too much expensive tackle.

Bryce Marine located at 1682 Manitou Road, Rochester just about ¼ mile north of Ridge Road West is having a big Fishing Boat Sale and they are noted as the Bass Boat Headquarters. They sell Tracker and Nitro Boats complete with motor and trailers at great prices. Mercury Outboards are also on sale from 2.5 HP to 223HP. Stop in and look around, they have many new and used boats, demos & repos and some 2002 model blow-out specials.

Good luck and may your ears hear nothing but drag.  Courtesy of the Squidd Man