Lake Placid

[gdn443]

I just got a free invite to fish Placid on Memorial day weekend. Will be taking up an 18' skeeter and sure would like some help on topo maps or and good spots to try out.
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[Troll]

Placid can be very finicky. First log on to the NYDEC website and look at the contour map of Placid.
The outlet of the lake is very rocky and holds a lot of SMB. The season is not open for them then.
The far end of the lake from the village has 2 distinct areas of interest. The first is a shallow stump filled bay that holds rainbows early in the morning. Try just off the drop off.
The other area is about 100' deep off of the islands. I have caught many lake trout in this area of the lake using live smelt as bait.

There are also many other oppertunities to fish in the lake placid area. The Saranac chain is about 1o miles from Placid. It has free public launching and a healthy population of Pike. It is where the ESPN outdoor compitition held the Bass fishing portion of the contest. There are two locks on the waterway, one into lower Saranac and another into middle Saranac.
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[gdn443]

Thanks Troll, thats what I was looking for. We did plan on trying another lake on our stay there if we had bad luck on Placid, so thanks for the advice. We C&R all bass, but I do keep the trout.
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[chiefpanfish]

Gregg are you going to be fishing for trout? I've had some good trips to placid for trout. Down riggers essential for them. Chief
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[gdn443]

No chief it's a bass outing. Trout are just an extra in the shallows.
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[Troll]

If you go to Google Map or another mapping website, when you look at LP there are 3 islands, 2 big and one very small. The area we fished for lakers was just south of the small island. It's about 90' deep in there.
For trout you can try some of the smaller lakes too, Colby, Clear, Rollins/Follensby and not small but also good is Upper Saranac.

If it is a Bass outing then make sure you spend a day on the Lake Flower to Middle Saranac chain. From Lake flower you first access Osheetah which is a vast shallow stump field with LMB and pike. Then on the right (facing upstream) is the small channel to Kiwassa, this is where the ESPN Bass compitition was won the first year. More smallies than LMB and huge pike off the North and west drop offs.
If you go through the lock it will put you in Lower Saranac, exit the channel and turn left, fish the far edge of the lake from the inlet, up to the inlet from Middle Saranac. There is also a public launch ramp off hwy 3 that accesses Lower with out locking thru.
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[gdn443]

You guys are awesome. I could never get this much intel on where to go from my local website.[unsure] Looks like we'll do one day on placid and they other two fishing some of these other lakes you mention. I'll post how we do when it's all over. Thanks again.
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[Troll]

Saranac/Placid area is an awesome region for just about any outdoor sport you could want to do. I was raised taking family vacations to the region and lived there as a NYS licenced guide for 10 years.
I'm not sure of the baitfish status at this point but you used to be able to get live bait at the Blue Line sport shop in Saranac.
If you do not have down riggers to troll for the lake trout with then you will want some live bait. Quick strike rig a smelt or sucker from 4 to 7" long on a 6' flourocarbon 12lb leader with a 1 oz egg sinker above a bearing swivel for rigging. Huck this rig as far from the boat as you can.
Another method is, with your most sensetive bass rod with the most sensetive braided line, tie on a 3/4 to 1.5 oz jig with a live smelt or sucker quick strike rigged and send it straight down. Follow it down to the bottom on the depth sounder and then zoom to bottom. You should see the lakers on the bottom as a seperate target from the bottom. Jiggle your jig for them to see if you can get a hook up. Finesse fishing in 90' of water. This is how we fish Macs in Flaming gorge UT for up to 30lb fish. (moved to UT 16 yrs ago)
For rainbows troll ultra slow with Lake clear Warbblers and a worm about 6' behind a bearing swivel with a keel sinker above from 1/8 up to 1oz. You are looking to put your lure in the 50 degree temp zone. If you put the smallest willow or colorado spinner just above the worm it increases the # of hits.
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[gdn443]

I do have planers to get deep. We sold the downrigger with the last Lund. Again thanks for all the tips. Jigging for lakers, who would have thought it would be like cod fishing.[]
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[gdn443]

We'll guys it seems I'm staying in Placid and fishing Champlain. [crazy] Not sure which side till we get there, but report when I get back. Troll thanks for all the tips.
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