Oneida Lake
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Oneida Lake Fishing Reports
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Reports from all past years within a 60-day time frame
Species
Smallmouth Bass
Season
Spring (Pre-Spawn)
Technique
Soft Swimbaits (Sm/Md)
Structure
Boulders
Forage
Minnows
Water Temperature
51°
Species
Smallmouth Bass
Season
Spring (Pre-Spawn)
Technique
Soft Swimbaits (Sm/Md)
Structure
Rock Pile
Forage
Minnows
Water Temperature
48°
We found numerous smallies in rocky shallows near points (3-8') on the west end by hopping swimbaits along the bottom. Fish were also caught on a slow steady retrieve, and using a slow lift/drop cadence. Holding close to the bottom was difficult, but necessary as the wind grew over the course of the day, so the 3/4 oz was favorable to the 1/2 oz today.
Species
Chain Pickerel
Season
Spring (Pre-Spawn)
Technique
Soft Swimbaits (Sm/Md)
Structure
Submerged Vegetation
Forage
Minnows
Water Temperature
48°
Using a slow steady retrieve over earlier growing vegetation, pickerel were chasing almost every retrieve. Slight hesitations and quick pops and pauses could typically induce bites.
Species
Largemouth Bass
Season
Spring (Pre-Spawn)
Technique
Crankbaits 0-6'
Structure
Laydowns
Burning a squarebill up shallow and over any wood/brush you can find has been producing good numbers and size. They seem to be hitting it on the pause when I either kill the retrieve or when I pause after it deflects. Sometimes they pin it right to the wood so be prepared for that.
Species
Largemouth Bass
Season
Spring (Pre-Spawn)
Technique
Structure Jigs
Structure
Laydowns
Forage
Bluegill
Water Temperature
50°
On this particular day they were up super super shallow tucked into undercut banks in the wood. I would fish the swim jig with a sweeping motion as if I was dragging a football jig excessively fast. Sometimes they would short strike the swimjig or just flash and show themselves which is when I’d follow up with the jig. In the same area, if I had clouds and wind, a squarebill and a spinnerbait would be the deal.
Species
Smallmouth Bass
Season
Spring (Spawn)
Technique
Finesse Jigs
Structure
Rock Pile
Forage
Crawfish
Water Temperature
54°
Started out the day on shallow flats in 4-6ft of water with swimbaits looking for prespawners feeding up like we had found them the past few weeks. Found a few fish that way, but had our best success in about 9ft of water around rock. slowly working jigs and a ned rig. Not a ton of bass (8 total) but the right ones. Finished the day with a 20.1lb bag for the best 5 with everything over 3.2lbs.. After the sun came up we saw at least 15 fish on beds, but that is not my deal so we moved on.
Species
Smallmouth Bass
Season
Spring (Spawn)
Technique
Soft Swimbaits (Sm/Md)
Structure
Humps
Water Temperature
52°
Found several nice smallies on the top of humps at Shackleton Shoals - the biggest over 5lbs. The fish were not incredibly active, so a lift and drop alternated with a slow retrieve was most effective at enticing bites. Depths of 6-11' were most effective, especially where rocks were present.
Species
Smallmouth Bass
Season
Spring (Pre-Spawn)
Technique
Ned Rigs
Structure
Boulders
Forage
Crawfish
Water Temperature
50°
Couldnt buy a bite in the early morning, but once the sun started warming up the shallow rock and the surface temp climbed a degree or two the fish would move up into about 6ft of water all on rock. They werent super juiced as the jerkbait and screwhead would get an occasional fish, it still paid off best to be on the bottom crawling a ned rig around. A few fish had some fat bellys on them but I feel like we are still waiting for the switch to flip and them to start feeding aggressively mid column and maybe even try that first topwater bite. It is days away
Species
Largemouth Bass
Season
Spring (Pre-Spawn)
Technique
Texas Rigs (Worming)
Structure
Flooded Brush
Water Temperature
60°
Flipping lay downs, reeds, under cut banks out closer to the middle of a creek channel has produced great numbers and size.