Need Some Tips 4 LMB

[irontowers]

Wuuts up PPL, I am new to the reservoir and would like to know about some good spots to catch some real nice bass. My boat is kept near route 120 and we usually fish near the iron towers towards the middle. ive caught a few nice smallmouth including a 20 inch LMouth
but lately theres been nothing... there are alot of great coves but i havent been having great luck.. Im mainly freeelining shiners/sawbellies but im starting to feel like i need to change something.. ANy Ideas?

Also is it too late to be catching some good trout? i heard that the best time to catch trout is near the bridge around april/may, but i wanted to know if i could still pull some up..
                     Thanks Guys!!

[KenH]

>Also is it too late to be catching some good trout? i heard that the best time to catch trout is near the >bridge around april/may, but i wanted to know if i could still pull some up..

Yes you can catch trout all summer long but you have to use summer tactics, meaning you either bait fish or troll in the thermocline. To baitfish use an egg sinker 1/4 to 1/2 oz with a swivel and tie on a 2 ft leader. You can do it with spinning gear, in which case you have to "guess" the depth or use a conventional reel with a line counter. In either case set the reel up so the line feeds out if the bait gets picked up. For trolling you need either leadcore line or small portable downriggers, to get your bait/lure down to the thermocline with any accuracy. You can "guess" flatline trolling with keel weights as well but that's not as accurate.

I catch SMB all the time as a side-catch while looking for trout but that's not what you're after.
Without doubt Kensico has more SMB than LMB but the bass guys do catch some enormous LMB.
My guess would be to work the shoreline in the 20ft "bay" north of the towers or the again the shorelines
along the way to the bridge. There are a few LMB experts on this board so maybe they can help you
out.
 
Ken

[VinnyH]

Welcome,
My son and I named those old telegraph towers the "Two Towers" being LOTR fans. Our boat is up in Area 3 and we cruise down that way all the time.

We get lmb around that little island up in the north part of that area. Nothing big but they take our t-rigged worms usually. If you work the shoreline anywhere in that area you have a shot at a 3lber but there aren't many laydowns and structure spots to target. If you have a depthfinder it will help to find any humps rising out of the 25ft depths that may have some weeds and hold decent lmb at different times of the season.

Kensico is definitely becoming a haven for the smb. I've caught smb between those towers on a regular basis with crankbaits. They also seem to congregate down further where the peninsula ends by the Rye Bridge open area. If you look at a map I call the area between Area 3 and Area 2 boat launches a peninsula.

The key to all this is putting in the time and exploring the lake. A depthfinder helps a lot as well as some contour maps that you may get online or at the DEP site. None of the maps are magical but they do give you some help in finding dropoffs in depth and possible roadbeds, etc.

Best Always,
Vinny