Share your catch

Cayuga Lake Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

The Finger Lakes' complete fishery: lakers on the flats, bass on the shoals, salmon in the chill.

4/5
Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.
Flow
93 cfs
Air / High
78 / 78 F
Wind
NW 10 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 0423401815, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

4/5Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Cayuga Lake offers the kind of conditions this water was made for. The river is running 93 cfs, on the rise. Today brings cloud cover, wind NW around 10 mph, rising pressure near 1013 hPa and a high of 78. Water sits around 66 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

WalleyeExcellent

Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

Smallmouth bassExcellent

Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Northern pikeExcellent

Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

Yellow perchGood

Drifting flats and weed edges with small jigs tipped with bait.

Tomorrow: Cooler at 73 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from SALMON CREEK NEAR LUDLOWVILLE NY.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 0423401815.

7519832193 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp78 F
High / Low78 / 66 F
WindNW 10-15 mph
Pressure1012.8 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain100% cloud, 51%
Sunrise / Sunset06:35 / 19:36
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~66 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Rain, 78/66 F, wind 10 mph, rain 51%

Fair or better. Cloud and a rain chance can stretch the morning bite well past breakfast: keep moving baits tied on.

Species guide

The species that matter on Cayuga Lake: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Walleye illustration

Walleye

Best: May-Jun, Oct

The glass-eyed prize of northern lakes. Low light, wind-blown structure and live bait. Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

Smallmouth bass illustration

Smallmouth bass

Best: May-Oct

Current and rock. Finds gravel flats, boulders and drop-offs, and fights far above its weight. Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Northern pike illustration

Northern pike

Best: spring, early winter

The ambush predator of weedbeds and cabbage edges. Aggressive, big and always worth a wire leader. Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

Yellow perch illustration

Yellow perch

Good most of the year

The great lakes and northern panfish staple. Schools tight to bottom; where you catch one there are fifty. Drifting flats and weed edges with small jigs tipped with bait.

When to come: the Cayuga Lake calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Walleye
Smallmouth bass
Northern pike
Yellow perch
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 66 F (estimated, not a reading).

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~66 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Cayuga Lake today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Walleye led the card at excellent. High of 82 F, wind to 14 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Walleye led the card at good. High of 82 F, wind to 17 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

5/5 Excellent. Go now. Everything lines up: pressure, wind and light are in your favor. Walleye led the card at excellent. High of 82 F, wind to 8 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
Only used to send you this water's report each week. No spam, ever.

Before you go

License

New York requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Lake trout 3/day over 21 inches Finger Lakes rules: check NYSDEC.

Access

Taughannock Falls SP, Allan Treman (Ithaca), Long Point, Union Springs ramps.

About this water

42,900 acres, 435 ft deep, Cayuga/Seneca/Tompkins counties, NY. Longest Finger Lake.

Fishing Cayuga Lake: the full guide

Two stories, forty miles

Cayuga is the Finger Lakes' most complete water: lake trout so consistent that derby standings read like clockwork, landlocked salmon and browns in the spring shallows, and a smallmouth-largemouth mix on the north-end shoals that quietly wins tournaments. Jigging for suspended lakers has become the modern signature.

Finger Lakes lake trout

Cayuga carries the Finger Lakes' flagship laker program: fish at 80-150 ft year-round, jigged vertically with white tubes or trolled behind flashers. The AA-rated population averages 5-8 lb with steady 15s: winter derby weekends fill Taughannock's lot before dawn.

The weedline parade

The lake's shallow ends (Union Springs' flats north, the marsh channels south) run a totally different show: largemouth and pike in the milfoil, bluegill rafts, spring bullhead tradition. Mid-lake, landlocked salmon and browns patrol the 40-70 ft band: three fisheries stacked by depth.

Common questions

Ithaca is gorges: but where do I fish?

Treman marina's channel for pike and panfish, Taughannock point for salmonids from shore in cold months, the AES bar by boat. Fall salmon stage off tributary mouths.

The AES bar and the salt point

Cayuga's north-end anglers orbit two landmarks: the warm-water influence near the old AES plant (winter bait magnet) and the Union Springs flats where pike and largemouth patrol the weedlines all season. Mid-lake, the 'salt point' area's steep drops let shore casters reach lake-trout water in April and November: a Finger Lakes rarity where the 100-ft contour brushes the bank.

Are there landlocked salmon in Cayuga?

Yes: stocked Atlantics patrol the 40-70-ft band and hit streamers and spoons trolled off planers in spring and fall. The tributary mouths in October concentrate staging fish.

Is fishing good at Cayuga Lake right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Nearby waters

Seneca Lake12 miOwasco Lake14 miKeuka Lake24 miOtisco Lake26 miCanandaigua Lake31 miOneida Lake54 mi
Share your catch