Anyone Fish Honeoye Creek?

[camper4lyfe]

I'm getting the open water fishing bug now that the hard water season is winding down (I'm a chicken when it comes to early and late season ice). I'm already eyeing April 1 for trout, but I'd like to try some other fishing around the area. I've been seeing Honeoye Creek mentioned as a place to target smallmouth, and I was wondering if anyone would be able to offer possible locations to look.

I'm currently looking at access points under 390, a little farther East around the Rochester junction of the Lehigh Valley trail, and down in Richmond at the Honeoye Creek WMA. Having never fished there, I'm wondering if I'm spinning my wheels trying those.

 

[Saltwater60]

Ice by me should be good through the weekend. I also have Monday planned and took a half day as my last outing planned for the season.

I just looked at an aerial view of the WMA and that looks promising for what you are talking about doing. I have no direct knowledge of the area and looks like lots of downed trees and cover so I would bring something that is fishable at multiple depths and not too expensive to replace if snagged up.
What I find works great in places like this is to bring live bait of say 2 dozen worms and just find crawfish on the go. I do this at a local stream and sight/brush fish walking up stream and I have hooked into some monsters that way. They love flipping a live crayfish in front of their face. Salted minnows on the larger side would likely work well too. A bit out of my area so that’s all I got, but good luck!!
Just watch the swamps and remember there is quick sand around here. Ask me how I know? I was balls deep in it at 16 in lechtworth state park at 16. It took 3 people to pull me out and I sincerely thought I was going to die. Thankfully it was one leg and not both. I stepped and sunk in so fast I couldn’t get my foot out and that happened immediately before I had a clue of what was happening. Be safe brother.

 

[camper4lyfe]

Ice by me should be good through the weekend. I also have Monday planned and took a half day as my last outing planned for the season.

I just looked at an aerial view of the WMA and that looks promising for what you are talking about doing. I have no direct knowledge of the area and looks like lots of downed trees and cover so I would bring something that is fishable at multiple depths and not too expensive to replace if snagged up.
What I find works great in places like this is to bring live bait of say 2 dozen worms and just find crawfish on the go. I do this at a local stream and sight/brush fish walking up stream and I have hooked into some monsters that way. They love flipping a live crayfish in front of their face. Salted minnows on the larger side would likely work well too. A bit out of my area so that’s all I got, but good luck!!

With the temps jumping around so much, I just don't feel comfortable on the ice. I'd really like to hit the south end of Conesus Lake, but I've heard of guys already going through. The ice is always a little sketchy there anyway, and it's the first to let go in the spring. It's a big spot for pike, which makes sense since they'll be heading up the inlet (at that end) in about a month to spawn. That'll have to wait until next year, though.

 

[Saltwater60]

With the temps jumping around so much, I just don't feel comfortable on the ice. I'd really like to hit the south end of Conesus Lake, but I've heard of guys already going through. The ice is always a little sketchy there anyway, and it's the first to let go in the spring. It's a big spot for pike, which makes sense since they'll be heading up the inlet (at that end) in about a month to spawn. That'll have to wait until next year, though.

For sure if there is a creek mouth or a spring there it gets sketchy a lot sooner. I fish harbors for perch with no inlet or outlet. Last week the ice was 14” still. I’ll still have some this weekend there.
I went to a not so protected harbor on Monday at the south end of grand island and it was only 6-8” and half the harbor was open water. I kept back 20’ from the open water. I ended up fishing in 4’ of water, but that’s life. I still caught tons of fish, mostly smalls, but a few keepers and quite a few that were close to keeper size, but I released them because I’m not starving.

 

[camper4lyfe]

For sure if there is a creek mouth or a spring there it gets sketchy a lot sooner. I fish harbors for perch with no inlet or outlet. Last week the ice was 14” still. I’ll still have some this weekend there.
I went to a not so protected harbor on Monday at the south end of grand island and it was only 6-8” and half the harbor was open water. I kept back 20’ from the open water. I ended up fishing in 4’ of water, but that’s life. I still caught tons of fish, mostly smalls, but a few keepers and quite a few that were close to keeper size, but I released them because I’m not starving.

14" makes my arm cry. Even 8" was a workout. I only have a hand auger right now. lol.

 

[S&W Fan]

14" makes my arm cry. Even 8" was a workout. I only have a hand auger right now. lol.

LoL, ain’t that the truth! I once hand augured a hole with a 4” panfish auger into 23” of ice at a derby up in Saranack Lake , on Colby lake. I thought that I was going to pass out after. Needless to say I grabbed the first guy out on the ice with a power auger and paid him $5 a hole to drill me 5 holes!

 

[Saltwater60]

14" makes my arm cry. Even 8" was a workout. I only have a hand auger right now. lol.

Me too and I drill 6-7 holes.
we each fish two rods so that’s 4 holes and I have two cameras so that’s 6 holes and one for my top up that’s 7. I’m converting to drill powered this next season.
Last couple times I was out it took the entire auger minus the last flight to get through the ice. Oh and last Saturday I moved my hit once so it was more like 12-13 holes and got one 7-8” perch.

 

[camper4lyfe]

Me too and I drill 6-7 holes.
we each fish two rods so that’s 4 holes and I have two cameras so that’s 6 holes and one for my top up that’s 7. I’m converting to drill powered this next season.
Last couple times I was out it took the entire auger minus the last flight to get through the ice. Oh and last Saturday I moved my hit once so it was more like 12-13 holes and got one 7-8” perch.

I've been debating a drill powered auger. I was thinking of just getting a Bauer drill from Harbor Freight in case anything happened to it/test it. If I wear it out I know I need to upgrade to something better.

 

[Saltwater60]

I've been debating a drill powered auger. I was thinking of just getting a Bauer drill from Harbor Freight in case anything happened to it/test it. If I wear it out I know I need to upgrade to something better.

I’ve got 4 dewalts so I’m covered. I just need my BIL to weld me some shit and I’m good.

 

[Acer-m14]

i never got the bug for fishing .. when i was a little one .. i caught more fish then my dad did .. with just a stick and line and hook and a cigarette butt filter on it .. seen dad get pissed while looking at his tackle box of lures and not catching anything ..

camp site .. stocked pond .. lol

i do like going to the stock pond here with my friends 5 yr old and watch ..

he loves fishing and the little guy hooked a big bass with a old hotdog for bait .. his biggest fish so far LOL ..

 

[Acer-m14]

why are you guys drilling ice .. you have a gun and can get tannerite .. make a hole .. BOOOM .. lol

 

[Saltwater60]

why are you guys drilling ice .. you have a gun and can get tannerite .. make a hole .. BOOOM .. lol

City limits for me is a factor. Not the last time, but the time before there were 150 people around where I was fishing.

 

[camper4lyfe]

why are you guys drilling ice .. you have a gun and can get tannerite .. make a hole .. BOOOM .. lol

Ammo’s too expensive and hard to find.