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I haven't missed a late April/May early trolling trip in maybe 20 years! I have a 17' Whaler side console all tricked out for this fishery which I tow up to Sodus Bay...to do the damage. And I cannot wait to do it again. My radio handle (and boat name) on the Lake is: Cape Codder.
Good luck on your trip. I'm straight across the lake from Sodus Bay. The rainbows are in the river beside my place right now. What are you fishing for?
The early spring inshore fishing in this Sodus area is mostly brown trout, which is my favorite and what I target. However, becaause the Lake is cold, and the warmest water is literally right on the beach, I have taken just about every other species in the Lake (with the exception-- so far-- of a muskellunge): brown, lake, and steelhead trout, all three species of salmon...king, coho, and atlantics; and even an occasional 10-14 lb. walleye.
I have made my 17' Whaler really a useful tool in this fishery because it is a safe boat. I DID NOT say comfortable...I said safe. With a perfect running and reliable low (even underpowered) horsepower motor for slow speed trolling, I push this rig literally right into the beach and thread the rocks like dental floss. So, most of the time I'm fishing water frequently forfeited by larger boats and/or less aggressive fishermen.
So that's where the browns are. I don't hear much talk about them around here although I have caught them mid summer on the open lake.
A while back I did a lot of Musky fishing in the Ottawa, Cornwall and Brockville areas. I'm looking forward to picking that habit up again in this area. It can go from peaceful relaxing to knee shaking in a heart beat.
