MIKE COOPER Mike Cooper makes annual trips to the Adirondacks, using his canoe to reach out-of-the-way waterways. But he also enjoys the serenity of nearby Hemlock and Canadice lakes.

By Gary Fallesen
Democrat and Chronicle

(July 22, 2001) -- Canoe fisherman Mike Cooper and his brother Steve head for the foothills in the Adirondack Park -- "pole in one hand, boat in the other" -- to get to truly out-of-the-way
locations.

"There are places you can get to in a canoe that you can't in a (motor) boat," Mike Cooper says.

The pair will paddle until they have to portage, then paddle some more. They'll stop along the way to cast, to see if anything is biting -- other than mosquitoes and black flies.

Canoe fishing combines two of Mike Cooper's loves. He grew up in Mansfield, Pa., always eager to get his canoe and his fishing pole out on local ponds.

Now he does so in the Rochester area, and once or twice a year in the Adirondacks at places such as Lowes Lake on the Hamilton and St. Lawrence county line.

"Some of the best out-of-the-way canoe-fishing spots are in the Adirondacks," says Jack Watson, a fishery technician with the state's Department of Environmental Conservation.

"Locally, the two best canoe-fishing places I know of are Hemlock and Canadice lakes."

Cooper, 27, of Brighton, was canoeing on Hemlock Lake last week.

"You can sneak right up on the fish (in a canoe)," says Cooper, who is the waterways chair for the Genesee Valley Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club. "It's so quiet. You can almost reach out and touch them."

Hemlock Lake, located in southeast Livingston County about 25 miles from Rochester, is restricted to boats 16 feet and shorter and motors may not exceed 10 horsepower. Canadice Lake, in southwest Ontario County about 30 miles from Rochester, has the same regulations.

Because of those rules, Watson says, there are "no water skiers or speed boats to contend with. There's no swimming, camping or picnicking. Permits are required for boaters."

The shorelines of both lakes are virtually undeveloped so, Watson says, "you have the illusion that you are miles from civilization."

When Fairport's Glenn Batchelor was growing up in Canada he would often find himself many miles from the human race.

"We would go camping and portaging up in Algonquin," Batchelor says, referring to the vast wilderness park a three- to four-hour drive north of Toronto. "We'd go lake to lake camping and fishing."

Fishing was the highlight of those canoe camping trips.

Batchelor, 40, remembers once when he was a pre-teen: "I kept casting out and hitting good-size bass. I would catch one, reel it in, cast out again and catch another. I was casting into a school of bass.

"I must have caught a dozen in a row. That's still my record."

Batchelor passed his love of canoe fishing on to his son, Jason, a 15-year-old high school sophomore-to-be.

"Every chance he can get he wants to get me out there," Batchelor says.

The family acquired the Great Canadian canoe Katie Batchelor's parents kept on Cape Cod. For years, Katie and Glenn borrowed the 16-foot boat to paddle around Wiley Pond in Boothby, Mass. Now they use it in their own backyard.

Glenn and Jason have discovered the joy of paddling and fishing on the Erie Canal.

"It's great," Batchelor says. "There's no huge wakes to worry about. It's clear sailing.

"And there's all sorts of fish in that canal. Bullhead, catfish, carp, bass, perch. There's a little bit of everything."

There are a large number of places along the canal to launch a canoe and many stretches are secluded. A 10-mph speed limit exists so there is less wake danger and the water stays calmer than on the Finger Lakes.

"Many of our rivers also offer good canoeing and fishing opportunities," Watson says.

"Canoeing on rivers entails some risk from downed trees and unexpected rapids or even waterfalls, so people should scout out the sections they want to canoe on foot first and not take on waters that exceed their abilities."

One of the best places for river fishing in a canoe is on the Canisteo in Steuben County. But canoeists should be sure this river is not over their heads in terms of paddling
demands.

As with any other canoe trip, the angler should always be equipped with a personal floatation device.

Cooper suggests taking along a bailer as well.

"In the unfortunate event of rain or the boat tips over, you want to be able to bail the boat out," he says.

Of course, if the canoe takes on water, you can always pull in to shore and dump the water out. That's another advantage canoe anglers have over people in motor boats.

You can't portage a bass boat.

Cooper knows this is true because there have been times when he's been out on the water and "where the fish were jumping the (motor) boat couldn't get to them. I could."

Canoe tips Some canoeing tips from Mike Cooper, waterways chair for the Adirondack Mountain Club's Genesee Valley Chapter: Always have a personal flotation device in the boat with you. ''It's an absolute must.'' You might want to have a bailer tied to the boat in case of rain or if the boat gets tipped over. Keep all equipment -- tackle boxes and such -- closed. That will help keep equipment dry and, if the boat tips over, you won't lose all your tackle. Keep valuables -- wallet, cell phone, camera -- in a zip-lock bag or a dry bag. Big safety rule: Don't stand up in the canoe. ''It's a good way to tip over and require all the other safety precautions I just talked about.'' Fishing spots Some places for canoe anglers to go: Canadice Lake: A launch site is located on the lake's east side near the intersection of Canadice and Birch Hill roads in Canadice, Ontario County. Access is by permit, available at the launch. There are other informal access points along the eastern shore. Canandaigua Lake: Four launch sites: Routes 5 and 20 in Canandaigua; Route 21 three miles north of Naples, Ontario County; West Lake Road six miles south of Canandaigua, and Latting Road north of County Road 19. Tip: Stay close to the shore. Canandaigua Outlet: Put-ins at Route 96 in Manchester, Ontario County, and near the Erie Canal in Lyons, Wayne County. Access points along the way. Conesus Lake: Launch sites are found in the Conesus Inlet Wildlife Management Area at the south end of the lake off Route 256 in Conesus, Livingston County; on East Lake Road, and at the north end on Route 20A and Pebble Beach Road. Erie Canal: There are parks and locks across the area that can be used for access. Genesee River: Brown's Bridge on County Route 253 east of Scottsville and Route 251 southeast of Scottsville are among the launch sites. Hemlock Lake: Launch sites are located at the northeast corner of the lake off Rix Road and at the southeast corner off Route 15A. Access is by permit, available at the site. Honeoye Lake: East Lake Road south of Honeoye, Ontario County. Oatka Creek: There is a launch site at the intersection of Routes 36 and 383 in Mumford.