Lake Oneida NY

[Tim_Kelly]

Going to Oneida for a few days at the end of June. Mainly going to be fishing for bass, but want to try and add a walleye or two and a sheepshead (perverse I know) into the bag. Any tips on suitable types of water and tactics for that time of year. Would prefer casting/jigging to trolling if possible.

[kevinpa]

most of my eyes came off Contender Spoons and hot n tots,usually trolled the 15 to 19 buoys and most action came in the late afternoon and evening. Really a nice lake and the people up there are first class, they go out of your way to help you,if you need more info let me know,also you can do a search on here

[WILLOW CREEKER]

Tim,

You should have no problem getting a few eye's casting or jigging along the weeds. You will probably catch some while you are targeting bass.

Last june I went out for a day before my event, and caught a limit of eye's plus a few pickerel casting Silver Buddies. We also caught a few casting Bucktails. This was the first time fishing this style in that area along the weeds. I also caught a few small mouths.

You will have a great time there.

I will be holding our Annual N.E.W.C. Walleye Tournament on Sunday, June27th.

Tom Means

[Tim_Kelly]

Thanks guys, I can't wait to go. I'm flying in from the UK on the Wednesday to Boston, driving up to Oneida and fishing on my own out of a rented 14 footer until Saturday, then a group of my friends from PA are driving up, picking me up an we're off to canada for 6 days fishing the bass opener up there at Sterling Lodge. Should be a blast. I expect I'll sleep well on the flight back home!

[Gilligan]

Tim...
if you want a sheepshead go to the mouth of Black River where it dumps into Lk Ontario, it's black with them but I never seen one on Oneida.

On Oneida...troll the deep water along channel markers from mid lake to east end with stickbaits. That water runs 30-40' work from bottom to 20 deep. Also another very effective walleye tactic there is to cast crawler harnesses weighted with bullet weights along weed edges and in weeds.

[Tim_Kelly]

Thanks Gilligan. Drum and sheepshead are the same thing I think? I've seen Drum in Oneida before just cruising around off one of the south shore launches. If they are different species, my bad. I meant to say Drum.

[biggeorge55]

At the end of June the walleyes should still be hitting jigs pretty well. I always use 1/2 oz black and purple with half a nightcrawler. Some guys have started "rip jigging" a sonar type lure and have had good luck. Between buoys 115 and 119 (green) from 20' - 35'. When I used to use live crawfish for bass, I couldn't keep the sheepshead off them. 10' - 20' was the best.

[Gilligan]

Sheepshead in Onedia? Funny we spent a week there for a tournament and didn't see any. Eyedoktr who was my torney partner back then can usually catch a couple dozen a day! :stirthepot:

Lake Ontario has huge ones. 10#ers are real common, state record of over 27# came near Black River there couple years ago.

[Tim_Kelly]

I'd heard they liked Crawfish. Do you think a tube or jig and trailer would catch them, or is live bait the only real way?

[walteye]

Casting to any of the shoals will get you bass-plus I have caught many more along the south shore than the north. Same as Fred said-I have never caught a sheepshead at Oneida but if you are lookin for the big'uns-Ontario is the place!
Walteye

[Goser]

Plenty of Sheepshead/Drum in Oneida. Not as big as Ontario, but we catch them almost every time out when jigging for Walleyes in deeper water. Use a black bucktail jig tipped with 1/2 of a crawler and your bound to find Drum mixed in with the eyes.

[Tim_Kelly]

Thanks for the tips. Fingers crossed for a good species count! Last time I was there (2006?) I caught LMB, Rockies, bowfin and a catfish. Any idea which species of cat it is?



Apologies for the white legs, we don't get as much sun as you guys in the UK!

[LUCKYHOOK]

If fishing for bass at end of June you should be picking up eyes as well in or near the grass beds which are all over the lake. That time of year many walleyes are also caught trolling stickbaits or spoons in the channel area say bouy 109 to 121. There are sheephead in the lake which I catch occasionally jigging but dont know any specific spots better than any other.

Good Luck
JIM