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Author Topic: SARATOGA LAKE BS THREAD  (Read 222916 times)

Offline Iceman12020

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Re: SARATOGA LAKE BS THREAD
« Reply #930 on: Feb 01, 2018, 09:48 AM »
Thanks for all the great info.  So best bet would be Browns beach?  If Fitch... Where do you park?

Offline chessieman

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Re: SARATOGA LAKE BS THREAD
« Reply #931 on: Feb 01, 2018, 09:54 AM »
I fish off Fitch, best bet for parking is on Fitch Rd opposite the lake, stay on the west side, with tires off the travel lane - Do Not park in the Pump Station, Brown's has plenty of parking in the public lot - get there early - favorable forecast will have 'em coming out in droves 

Offline delay18

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Re: SARATOGA LAKE BS THREAD
« Reply #932 on: Feb 01, 2018, 10:23 AM »
Ice off Fitch is solid 12+", the area just off the dirt ramp onto the ice however is treacherous - coming off last night I found a Gentleman - he was wearing a wool car coat, loafers, dress pants,... - with his Jeep nose down unable to move with his front wheels up to the axle - 4 of us with 2 pick-ups and a wheeler w/winch tired for the better part of an hour to get him out - no dice, ice was too slick - the Jeep had no tow-eye up front which would have made pulling him out easy. Left him for the tow truck.

Lesson, it's not the driving on ice that dangerous, it's the driving onto the ice that will get you - this is the 2nd one in two weeks at that spot.

Brown's - 12", below 9P bridge 7"-10", open water on west shore by the Kaydeross   


There was quite a few guys out this past weekend with trucks parking on the ice. With the rain and warm up I was waiting for someone to break through. At least it didn't go through completely. Alot of guys were driving down and parking on the ice lined up with the shoreline. Only a matter of time.


Edit: Last Saturday I parked at the waterfront park off crescent. Got on the ice there and walked over towards fitch road. It's a much longer walk but with no snow it wasn't bad at all. Best part is there was no chance of a ticket for being on Fitch.

Rob


Offline 62&done

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Re: SARATOGA LAKE BS THREAD
« Reply #933 on: Feb 01, 2018, 01:39 PM »
I'm going to have to look at that

Offline Crappie Killr

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Re: SARATOGA LAKE BS THREAD
« Reply #934 on: Feb 01, 2018, 01:50 PM »
Anybody have thought on ice thickness towards the center of the lake? I'd like to try a few of my summer spots by Mannings and Snake Hiil. I want to take my ATV or snowmobile due to the distance from Fitch. Ive seen some snowmobile tracks towards the center, but there's a big difference between a machine going 50mph and one that's stopped.

Offline 62&done

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Re: SARATOGA LAKE BS THREAD
« Reply #935 on: Feb 01, 2018, 02:01 PM »
I desperately want to cross that lake from fitch and hit a spot I all ways do well at in the summer. This past week has been excellent walking conditions but I just do not trust the center of that lake. It is very deep and the last to freeze. Last season it never completely froze. My advice is if you have a machine then launch at Browns and go up the west side. Please be careful and good luck.

Offline run320083

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Re: SARATOGA LAKE BS THREAD
« Reply #936 on: Feb 01, 2018, 04:00 PM »
I desperately want to cross that lake from fitch and hit a spot I all ways do well at in the summer. This past week has been excellent walking conditions but I just do not trust the center of that lake. It is very deep and the last to freeze. Last season it never completely froze. My advice is if you have a machine then launch at Browns and go up the west side. Please be careful and good luck.

I took the long walk twice this week no issues.  It was making ice this morning.

Offline Crappie Killr

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Re: SARATOGA LAKE BS THREAD
« Reply #937 on: Feb 01, 2018, 04:09 PM »
I will most likely go off fitch and hug the east shore where it’s shallow and then drill some test holes when I get closer to snake hill. Just too much unknown to chance a machine near Manning’s. I know there used to be an underwater Spring somewhere out off Manning’s and the the north towards kayadeross creek. I saw a couple guys out in the middle today and yesterday, but they walked, God bless them, that was a hike

Offline JiggnWithIt

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Re: SARATOGA LAKE BS THREAD
« Reply #938 on: Feb 01, 2018, 04:35 PM »
10-12" of ice by snake hill four-wheeler n sled tracks frozen frozen into ice as of wed

Offline Crappie Killr

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Re: SARATOGA LAKE BS THREAD
« Reply #939 on: Feb 01, 2018, 06:05 PM »
Thanks for the info. Knowing 10” at Snake makes me feel better

Offline Hobo Hilton

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Re: SARATOGA LAKE BS THREAD
« Reply #940 on: Feb 01, 2018, 07:00 PM »
I have been fishing Saratoga Lake since the early 70's and they were the Hay Days.  I hate to say this, but for Walleyes, I have moved to Oneida Lake.  It has everything a Walleye man wants, WALLEYES.  We limit out most of the time, but you have to learn the lake.  This lake has a walleye hatchery on it,

Offline basshunter12748

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Re: SARATOGA LAKE BS THREAD
« Reply #941 on: Feb 05, 2018, 01:42 PM »
back then how was the walleye fishing on Saratoga?  Better numbers? size? both?

Offline Ice Chipper

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Re: SARATOGA LAKE BS THREAD
« Reply #942 on: Feb 05, 2018, 04:03 PM »
Saratoga is going to be a dead lake! It all started a few years back when they decided to start killing the weeds with chemicals. Take a look at the cameras on the lake and nobody is out there! No shanty's nothing! I also don't believe those perch pics that were shown a little while back. Really hard to believe that there the only one's to find them! One lake and to much pressure ! Have you seen the hundreds of boats in the marinas in the summer,all the tournaments. Something is killing the fish!   >:(

Offline Bassmaster16

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Re: SARATOGA LAKE BS THREAD
« Reply #943 on: Feb 05, 2018, 04:58 PM »
Don't forget all the illegal walleye's caught and kept in the spring too.


Offline Loudmouth879

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Re: SARATOGA LAKE BS THREAD
« Reply #944 on: Feb 05, 2018, 05:42 PM »
I also don't believe those perch pics that were shown a little while back. Really hard to believe that there the only one's to find them!

These came out of toga last year...

Fished it only 4 or 5 times but each time had anywhere from 5-10 perch all that size and that was just me with tip-ups wasn't really moving. Didn't fish it this year as I'm not in the area anymore but I'm sure they're still in there you just need to find them. Not hard to get a bucket full if you move around and are able to stay on them. Also last year a couple spots were not accessible due to the bad ice

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Offline chicken shoot

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Re: SARATOGA LAKE BS THREAD
« Reply #945 on: Feb 12, 2018, 01:58 AM »
Saratoga is going to be a dead lake! It all started a few years back when they decided to start killing the weeds with chemicals. Take a look at the cameras on the lake and nobody is out there! No shanty's nothing! I also don't believe those perch pics that were shown a little while back. Really hard to believe that there the only one's to find them! One lake and to much pressure ! Have you seen the hundreds of boats in the marinas in the summer,all the tournaments. Something is killing the fish!   >:(


DEC put an end to that. The creel test they did showed that the herbicides killed most of environment the fish needed. No more chemicals in the lake and the fishing is coming back. The reason you're seeing less fishing on the lake is for various other reasons. One is the rowing going on and the FACT that the rowing association and the "schools" are shutting down the public boat launch  more and more. We can't get down the creek anymore either and the rowing association just purchased MORE land around the main body of the lake. They will be rowing in the middle of the lake as well now. Combine that with the fact that the lake is too busy for fishermen with all of the recreational boating happening thanks to Lake George issuing limited numbers of permits on top of the rowing and there's your reasons for seeing less fishing occurring. I have no idea what you're talking about as far as the ice fishing because the people I talk to day in and day out are heading to Saratoga and they show me the pics of their previous catches. The Tuesday Night Bass Challenge put on by Saratoga Tackle and Archery in the summer shows the bass fishermen are willing to fish Saratoga Lake. With an average of 34 boats last year, that's a big uptick in attendance. There are LOTS of people having great luck on Saratoga Lake this ice season. Yes ... the chemicals did affect the eco system BUT it's not the main reason for bass fisherman avoiding the lake in the summer. Oh ... and you do realize that Saratoga Boatworks closed in 2016 right? It has a new owner and there aren't as many people docking there which explains the appearance of less boats near the 9P bridge. Hopefully this gives you alittle insight as to what is REALLY going on with that lake. I'll tell you right now, if you're a fisherman, you had better start making a stand to save the lake or it will be turned into a reservoir and only rowing will be allowed. There is lots of money being dumped into this effort to end Saratoga Lake as we know it. Now, it's a political battle ground and something needs to be done to save it so we can keep enjoying the lake as anglers.  Get out there and enjoy the lake. I have NO problems catching perch and crappies that I'm targeting in the winter. If you'd like to go with me sometime, I'd love to have some company out there. :)

Offline buz23

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Re: SARATOGA LAKE BS THREAD
« Reply #946 on: Feb 12, 2018, 03:30 AM »
Do you have any reference to the DEC ending herbicide use on Saratoga?  It would be great news, but I can't find any information on the web. 

I have fished Saratoga for nearly 50 years.  My best fishing was in the early 1980's, when weed populations were at their most virulent.  I don't understand how the DEC ever allowed herbicide use in the first place.  The weed cutters kept things reasonably in control, and still left enough habitat for fish, particularly young fish, to relate to.  A couple of years ago they announced they were going to start removing mute swans because of their negative impact on the environment.  Nothing compared to herbicides, which they were sanctioning at the time. 


Offline basshunter12748

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Re: SARATOGA LAKE BS THREAD
« Reply #947 on: Feb 12, 2018, 10:43 AM »
I like hearing these takes,  I have only fished the lake since 2012 so long after the 'hayday'

What I have noticed is most of the bass are small and skinny, lots of just under 2lb fish and a lot look like they are starving.  The rare big fish i do get (4+lbs) usually seem pretty fat and healthy though.  It almost seems like there is just not a lot of food for those middle class high 2s and 3s to eat to get to that big size.  Im guessing the 4lbers are eating alot of gills.

The smallmouth fishing is similiar.   Extremely rare to ever get one over 3lbs although most of the ones i catch do seem healthier than the largemouth.

The eyes though difficult at times to catch have a pretty impressive avg size.  I wonder after the weeds went if there was just too many different predator populations to be sustained on the limited forage stunting the populations.

The pike seem to totally have disappeared.  I got one last summer.  Maybe 6 or 7 since 2012, two of which were good size

Offline SSmokinn SS

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Re: SARATOGA LAKE BS THREAD
« Reply #948 on: Feb 12, 2018, 12:35 PM »
The big pike are nearly gone on saratoga, and in the 90s it was well known for BIG pike. I grew up fishing there through the ice with my father and I refuse to bass fish there during the open water season. Mainly due to the traffic, and the depressing size of the fish. The lake is starting to come around, as I follow the weigh in weights there every year, but it has a long ways to go. In the late 80s and even to the late 90s the bass fishing there was comparable to that of The weights from lower Champlain (Ticonderoga). It would take 21-25lbs on average to win at Saratoga during its prime... now, most the time you can cash with 12-14lbs. Yes, there are big ones still there but the average quality is very low compared to every other lake around saratoga... but don’t even get me started on the recreational boaters there.

My club has 2 saratoga events scheduled this season. I would be there if I didn’t decide to take the year off from tournaments.

Offline fullThrottle

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Re: SARATOGA LAKE BS THREAD
« Reply #949 on: Feb 12, 2018, 04:36 PM »
It’s not hard people fish the lakes out. When everyone keeps what they catch fish population is going to go down. When people go to a lake weekend after weekend and limit out , that only lasts so long. When you remove more fish the the lake can replace your going to start killing the lake off . I wish NY has stricter fishing regulations. It would really help out the lakes fish populations.

Offline xxxbeer247

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Re: SARATOGA LAKE BS THREAD
« Reply #950 on: Feb 12, 2018, 07:42 PM »
Something else to consider is that it’s 2018. In the 1980’s there was no ice shanty social media, no flashers/cameras/graphs like the ones on the market today, no side by sides, portable lightweight shelters and heaters are available everywhere today as well as navionics etc.  all these things have to have some explanation as to why the fishing isn’t what it once was. People are catching and keeping more fish than ever before and the popular species arent growing to the sizes that we all desire.

Offline Bassmaster16

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Re: SARATOGA LAKE BS THREAD
« Reply #951 on: Feb 12, 2018, 08:40 PM »
all valid points. todays electronics and equipment do lead to more successful trips. toga aint what it was back even ten years ago. our bass tournaments use to take 20 lbs to just cash a check, now low teens cut money and win. A lot of chemical and sonaring of weeds hurt a lot of lakes around the area not just toga. the mohawk in the 90s. toga and cossayuna in the early 2000's. the grass wiped out led to no cover and the fish just gorged on everything until nothing was left. toga is starting to turn around the last few years. like anything else you gotta put your homework in and time on the ice. i've had four very successful trips this year to toga, after have 3 horrendous ones to start the season.


Offline SSmokinn SS

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Re: SARATOGA LAKE BS THREAD
« Reply #952 on: Feb 12, 2018, 09:37 PM »
Well the Mohawk bass fishing went downhill drastically after the hurricane flooded it. It is still recovering but it is not what it was prior to the hurricane.

Cossayuna, I haven’t fished there much. Actually only 3 times and one of those times were for a tournament last year and just under 18lbs won it... and the one other time I fished it for fun we boated a 6lber and ended up with just under 22lbs.

Offline nightrunner06

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Re: SARATOGA LAKE BS THREAD
« Reply #953 on: Feb 13, 2018, 08:44 PM »
Looking to head to toga this weekend for a day trip with the fellas. Were going to have 4 wheelers and all our gear. Best place to park? Not sure if were headed to north of snake hill or mannings.... Would we be ok with the 4 wheelers in the snow? Thanks
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Offline chicken shoot

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Re: SARATOGA LAKE BS THREAD
« Reply #954 on: Feb 13, 2018, 11:29 PM »
Do you have any reference to the DEC ending herbicide use on Saratoga?  It would be great news, but I can't find any information on the web. 

I have fished Saratoga for nearly 50 years.  My best fishing was in the early 1980's, when weed populations were at their most virulent.  I don't understand how the DEC ever allowed herbicide use in the first place.  The weed cutters kept things reasonably in control, and still left enough habitat for fish, particularly young fish, to relate to.  A couple of years ago they announced they were going to start removing mute swans because of their negative impact on the environment.  Nothing compared to herbicides, which they were sanctioning at the time.

I'll have to go through my emails and I will post it here about the creel test findings and DEC ending the use of chemicals for weed control in the lake. If you'd like to call the Saratoga Lake Association and ask them, they'll tell you DEC is no longer signing off on the chemicals used up until this last creel test. It was destroying the eco system in the lake and thankfully, DEC did their test and confirmed what you and I, and many others knew. :)  DEC was the agency responsible for allowing the chemicals to be used and signing off on "XXXX amount of gallons" of it to be released in the lake. I'm glad they at least recognized that they were wrong in allowing the use of the chemicals. It was more of a "we don't know what the long term affects will be" kind of thing but it's ended now. Thankfully. The below report is "sugar coating" the real findings by DEC. It still shows the damage done to the lake, but believe me, it's not even remotely close to the true findings of the damage done. This is why in 2016/2017 DEC ended the use of chemicals. I will of course still post up the email from DEC when I locate it. It's awful funny how the 2016 DEC Creel test is no longer available on their site while others are. There is ALOT of money being thrown around, by those that want the lake all to themselves, in an effort to block the public from accessing it.

 



Offline basshunter12748

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Re: SARATOGA LAKE BS THREAD
« Reply #955 on: Feb 14, 2018, 07:47 AM »
I was able to run a 4 wheeler after the snow storm without much issue (4 wheel drive)  3 days ago about 8 inches of snow 4 of wet slush.   Browns probably best launch point.

Offline IceNeck9292

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Re: SARATOGA LAKE BS THREAD
« Reply #956 on: Feb 14, 2018, 10:27 AM »
Saratoga is going to be a dead lake! It all started a few years back when they decided to start killing the weeds with chemicals. Take a look at the cameras on the lake and nobody is out there! No shanty's nothing! I also don't believe those perch pics that were shown a little while back. Really hard to believe that there the only one's to find them! One lake and to much pressure ! Have you seen the hundreds of boats in the marinas in the summer,all the tournaments. Something is killing the fish!   >:(

You can't go 100 yards off a public launch and expect to limit out. Do your home work and work the lake and for your information all them fish cam out of 3 holes. Believe it or not, doesn't make me loose sleep at night. Have been constantly catching 8 to 15 perch every time I have gone out. That day was just better then most.
Cacth them by day, fillet them by night.

Offline Ice Chipper

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Re: SARATOGA LAKE BS THREAD
« Reply #957 on: Feb 14, 2018, 08:01 PM »

You can't go 100 yards off a public launch and expect to limit out. Do your home work and work the lake and for your information all them fish cam out of 3 holes. Believe it or not, doesn't make me loose sleep at night. Have been constantly catching 8 to 15 perch every time I have gone out. That day was just better then most.
        I always wonder what somebody can possibly do with that many fish. They looked like a lot of big spawning females. I agree with Full Throttle that the limits should be lowered.

Offline Adironzach

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Re: SARATOGA LAKE BS THREAD
« Reply #958 on: Feb 15, 2018, 03:15 AM »
Looking to head to toga this weekend for a day trip with the fellas. Were going to have 4 wheelers and all our gear. Best place to park? Not sure if were headed to north of snake hill or mannings.... Would we be ok with the 4 wheelers in the snow? Thanks

Snow depth, as of Tuesday afternoon, was only 3-4" on the lake with an inch or so of slush in places, so you should be fine running your wheelers. Just make sure to avoid the kaydeross outflow hasn't really frozen over all year. I would try somewhere on the South end of the lake, heard of more success down there than in my normal honey holes on the northern end of the lake.

Offline Iceman12020

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Re: SARATOGA LAKE BS THREAD
« Reply #959 on: Feb 15, 2018, 04:40 AM »
Plan on going out on Saratoga from Browns beach this evening... Any places I should avoid besides the inlet of the kaydeross?  Think I'll be heading towards snake hill, thanks

 



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