Going to be fishing the lake next weekend...just wondering if someone could give me an idea of what to expect and maybe a couple of hints on baits/location/presentation.

Thanks...

Water temperatures have dropped abruptly in the past 10 days. Pigeon is now showing 55-57F surface temperatures. Fish still seem to be highly weed oriented, so casting will definitely pay dividends. Looks for larger weed beds with access to deeper water and with a very defined edge. Also, work the transition zones - areas where weed and rock or gravel meet. These will be hot. Spinnerbaits, surface baits, and jerkbaits will be good baits. Big plastics like a Bull Dawg may also trigger more neutral fish if the water goes flat and it's bright sunny weather.

Trolling is an unknown until you see where the baitfish are depthwise (they can move up or down 5 or 6 feet from day to day depending on conditions and boat traffic). Trolling steep breaking walls, especially if clumps of weeds are present may present you with a shot at a monster. The fish are very late moving up into the rocks to feed this year - but when they do, it will be fast action and big fish. You'll have to tailor your bait selection to the depth the fish are at... but the 10" Believer (jointed), 10" Jake, 8" Ernie, 9" Cisco Kid, and any of the big custom deep divers like a Depth Master, Dana or Wishmaster. A 13" Grandma may be worth a shot too. A 9" Sledge may work if the fish are up high in the water column. Keep your speed moderate - no more than 5 mph if you want a shot at a hawg... 3 to 4.5 is probably the ideal range.

Steve Wickens

Came back from fishing Pigeon and Chemong lakes last Saturday we were up there for 7 day we CPRed over 70 fish with only 3 under 30 inches and the biggest at 48" we trolled the whole time we were there. On Pigeon we trolled between Thorne Island and the gray barn up on the hill on the opposite side of the lake. Perch color Wiley’s and Depth Raiders worked the best 4 to 5 mph on gps the biggest fish there was 41" most of the fish we got were on Chemong from Kelly Island down to the causeway with most of the fish over 40 inches. Wiley and Depth raiders in perch color. Run your lines back as far as you can so your lures touch the tops of the weeds we put our rod tips high so we could get the lures farther back. You will do a lot of weed cleaning but it is worth it we ran 5.8 to 6 mph on the GPS here. Troll every were the weeds come up to 6 feet the 48 inch came in front of the Shell station on the opposite side of the lake. We also fished the south end of Chemong between Tindle bay and Horseshoe Island across the lake down Gifford Bay and back most of the fish we CPRed here were in the mid 30 with 1 at 46" Again the same baits and 5 .8 to 6 mph GPS It sounds like the water temp is down a few deg. But it is still worth the try GOOD FISHING R. Burke

You guys are gold...thanks alot, excellent info. I'll let you know how I do.

Hopefully Fishon!

Just another little hint concetrate on the north end of the lake if you are looking for the bigger fish!