Tennity's Guide Service & Fishing Charters

We arrived back in Honeoye on April 27th, a moderate day with nice weather. After unloading the suburban and having the water meter installed, we found that none of our heat sources were functioning. We fired up a little electric heater which is the equivalent to striking a match in a windstorm. It wasn’t much, but we made it do. Melody and I went to work on the heat pump and repaired a bad wire in the unit. That fixed the problem, and the heat pump warmed us up into the mid sixties. Then we tackled the fireplace log set and the Vermont Casting stove. By Sunday afternoon we had the old place warmed up to 84 degrees, and we felt like we were back in Florida.

Several trips for groceries and supplies filled the cupboards and we were officially open. Now the real work started with the changing of boat covers, getting the lawn mowers running and putting the docks in for the season. I finished the docks yesterday, and now we will go through the Ranger and put her in the water for the summer.

Conesus Lake was very cold last Thursday. The water temp was 46.5 to 47.5 degrees and the fish were really turned off. I was quite surprised because when we installed the docks the day before on Honeoye Lake, the water was cool but not bone chilling cold like usual.

This brings us to the issue of safety. With this early season water so cold, remember to wear your life vest and maintain a proper lookout. Be safe and we will see you on the water.

I am sure many of you get a laugh out of my spelling Honeoye Lake wrong, so here goes the explanation, it is the spell check that corrects me for spelling my lake wrong. Very frustrating, but that does not have any detrimental action on the fishing. We have been in Florida about three months and have not been as active as usual. The weather has been marginal and I have done many jobs for people in the community.

The crappie bite is a little late but is very good. Most that were cleaned had no eggs so the spawn may be a little late. Bass on the other hand have been both good and lousy. When the hurricane came up through central Florida, she wreaked havoc on the existing weeds. Areas that we have been fishing for several years are now barren. The bass have not left the lake, but we have not adjusted to the changes as fast as I would have expected. As January comes to a close, some buck bass are moving into the bedding areas followed by a few sows. The next three months should be very very good. With less vegetation, it will concentrate them and make the bass easier to locate. One of the biggest problems with Florida bass fishing is so much of the cover looks like it should hold bass, and it doesn’t. When you do find them it could be a honey hole.

If you are thinking of coming to Florida, keep us in mind for a guided bass fishing trip. If you ice fish, be careful.

Frank

It is February 6th and the weather is improving each day. Water temperatures are on the rise which is having a positive effect for the bass angler. A trip to the Butler Chain in the Orlando area Saturday was windy and quite cool, slowing the bite down compared to the previous Thursday. The water stayed between 61 and 62 degrees so the bass were a little slow to bite. The following day on Toho, part of the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, conditions were better, but good shiners were not available.  Some bass got caught early and then the high winds put a damper on things.

Monday dawned with a slightly overcast sky and then sunshine later on. It was a nice warm day and not too hot. Water temperatures rose during the day and the bass at the Winter Haven Chain were on the bite. Customers boated 15 and lost or missed at least 8-10 bass. Several of the bass had big egg sacks but were not fully developed yet. For the next three months, February, March, and April, fishing will be the ideal time to catch a trophy bass. If you can’t make it to the Sunshine State this year, start planning ahead for a visit next winter.

Good fishing, be safe if you are on the ice back home, and if your fishing on open water, wear your life vest.

Check our blog for more reports.

Frank

Time is flying by so fast that we have not been able to accomplish all of our goals for this year. The good part is that we will have plenty to keep us busy when we return from Florida in the Spring.

A special thank you to all the folks that used our guide service this year. We hope you enjoyed your time spent with us, and please consider us, Tennity’s Guide Service & Fishing Charters, in your future fishing plans.

The last three trips on Honeoye Lake went quite well. We managed 33 bass on a Thursday, 48 bass on Friday and 25 on Saturday. All fish were released to bite again. Wacky rigs and Texas rigs both caught fish. The colors used depended on water clarity and whether it was sunny or overcast.

On Sunday I met a gentleman for a guide trip on Canandaigua Lake. Several bass in the 3 to 4.5 lb. class were caught, mostly on wacky rigs. The total number caught and released was 20 plus or minus one or two. We did not keep an accurate count, but it was a very productive day.

Remember to wear your life vest as the water temperature is dropping and hypothermia can happen quickly this time of year. Good fishing, and we will see you in the Spring.

Tom on Canandaigua

It is September 29th and the season is slowly coming to an end. Mixed weather has been a blessing or a curse, and at times make the bass a challenge to locate. Water temperatures drop and then we have several unseasonably warm days, pushing temperatures back up. Confusing conditions for both bass and angler.

A couple of days on Conesus produced a few bass and a few pike. Good days, but not up to my expectations. The weather was almost too nice for mid September.

Honeoye Lake has been under an algae bloom, but the bass fishing has been quite good. I found that by locating the clearest water, bass could find my offering much better. I also shake the bait, but do not move it horizontally. The vibrations from shaking bait helps a bass locate and strike your presentation. I use 8-10 pound test on spinning rods and 12  pound on bait casting rods. Texas rigged weights are 3/16 ounce, and I match hook size to the bait.

A trip to Canandaigua went very well with several nice bass being caught. The dependable wacky rig worked best. Patience was important. Very clear water and late September mean these bass have seen just about a tackle store full of baits. Since ice out, anglers have been trying to trick them into biting, so a small change in presentation or color can make a huge difference.

Baby brush hogs and trick worms worked at all three of the lakes. Zoom makes very good and affordable products. I use other products, but during the year spend several hundred dollars on these Zoom baits because they work.

Time is slipping by and soon we will pull the Ranger and docks. Winterize everything and make the long drive to Florida. If you are coming to the Sunshine state, consider a guide bass fishing trip with us in central Florida.

Good Fall fishing,

Wear your life vest and maintain a proper lookout.

Karl with a nice Honeoye Lake bass

It is early September and we have a major algae bloom in progress. Do the bass still bite? The answer is yes. The bloom creates a problem for the bass to eat by sight. It is not that bass are visually impaired, but water conditions limit their distance to see our offerings. I have learned that by shaking the bait in place and limiting the horizontal movement, bass have the ability to locate the bait. Use a bait that has some appendages and it will increase the vibrations, assisting both largemouth and smallmouth to lock in and attack your presentation.

Fall patterns are starting, with the bass scattering and some moving quite shallow. Meanwhile, the spinnerbait/buzzbait bite is picking up. Small square bill crank baits will also work again as fish move closer to shore.

Water temperatures have cooled to the high 60’s and with cooler weather, will drop more. Docks are being pulled so that pattern will be gone. By covering lots of water, you’ll be rewarded.

Good fishing, wear your life vest, maintain a proper lookout.

Frank

Time is passing us by fast this summer. It is August 8th and Fall is approaching quickly. The water temperature on Honeoye Lake has dropped 4 to 5 degrees in the past week and the bass have been affected. Last Monday the bite was good and my clients had a good time. Tuesday I went to Seneca Lake, and we fished for smallmouth and largemouth bass. We managed 1 nice smallmouth and missed at least 3, all on melon pepper tubes. Later when the lake got choppy, we returned to the canal and managed to hook up with several largemouths on Zoom wacky rigged trick worms in watermelon/red.

Forwarding to this week, the bass have slowed considerably on Honeoye Lake. Conditions have stabilized and the bite is picking back up. I moved into the heavier weeds and am using baby brush hogs, shaking them, stoping, then shaking some more. It helps the bass locate the bait. The wacky rig is also working, but you have to fish it slow. Red Bug trick worms worked yesterday and today on the rig. Green pumpkin baby brush hogs with a 3/16 ounce weight, Texas rigged was the best producer today.

A couple of points to help your success when you go fishing.

Learn to pitch, flip and cast. Practice in the yard for a few minutes each day and you will be rewarded.

Make every effort to learn how to use a bait casting  outfit and an open face spinning reel. These are like tools in a tool box. No one tool is good for all jobs, and neither is a single style of fishing outfit.

Good fishing,

Frank

Tucker with his walleye after a day of bass catching.