Honeoye Lake Report and Conditions
It has been a busy week for us on Honeoye Lake. On Friday, May 9th, with our neighbors help, our docks and hoist were installed. This is a big step toward opening for a busy season of guiding. Mounting the drive motor for the hoist and installing power came next. The cold weather and water led me to have customers wait to book trips until June. Today, May 16th, this has proven to be a wise decision.
Yesterday, with gale force winds, my neighbor and I secured a party barge that had come loose and was drifting north on Honeoye. A short time later, a PWC, was adrift and smashing into his dock. We managed to put the PWC onto the neighbors hoist. Rain on and off was gradually raising the lake level and with the overnight deluge, the lake has risen to the highest level in my 20 years as a cottage owner.
Outdoor writer, Will Elliott and I, spent the better part of Tuesday fishing on Honeoye. Our main quarry was panfish. The bite was slow. but we managed about 100 fish, with a few bass and pickerel mixed into the total. We kept 20 – 25 of the larger panfish. Most were caught on small jig spinners, similar to the Beetle Spin. I make up my own version and use a variety of trailers until the fish determine which one they prefer. The key to triggering a bite was to retrieve the bait very, very slow.
USE CAUTION WHEN BOATING. HIGH WATER LEVELS EXIST ON HONEOYE LAKE AND I AM SURE OTHER FINGER LAKES ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME CONDITIONS. IF YOU VENTURE OUT UNDER THESE CONDITIONS, REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE CAUSED BY YOUR BOAT WAKE.
Be careful, be courteous, watch for flotsam, and wear your life vest.
Frank