Cuba, Rushford lakes

fers ice fishing opportunities. Ice fishing is a popular way to catch both walleye and panfish. Access for ice fishing anglers is provided at the south end of the dam on South Shore Road.

For those out for just a boat ride, the Cuba Lake Yacht Club offers many opportunities. The club, founded in 1950, focuses on sail-only propulsion, offering sailing classes for kids and adults, racing opportunities and events through the summer. They can be reached at www. sailcubalake.com.

And for those seeking to grab a bite while relaxing on the water, boat over to Carpie’s Grill on the north side for either a sit-down or a boat-in, dockside meal.

Off-lake activities are also available.

An on-road portion of the Genesee Valley Greenway Trail runs near the lake at its eastern tip. The trail, the first state park in Allegany County, uses onand off-road trail sections to connect Rochester to Hinsdale. The trail generally follows the course of the Genesee Valley Canal, originally fed by the artificial lake. Officials plan to eventually complete the trail to the canal’s southern terminus at Olean.

A historic bike tour of Cuba Lake can be found online at https://cubany. us/cuba/biketour/ is a map of a historical bike tour of Cuba Lake. There are four stops where you can listen to historical narratives and browse old photos of the boat launch area, the dam and cemetery, the spillway and Oil Spring.

To better tell the stories continued from page 11 of the community, the Cuba Friends of Architecture announced this summer that the first of 13 high-pressure laminate signs describing historic places in Cuba have been installed thanks to a $20,000 grant from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Fund for Design and Access, and Allegany County Comprehensive Plan Implementation group to the Cuba Friends of Architecture Trail Town Committee.

The first of the 3-by-2.5foot signs were installed at the Liberty Pole, the Palmer Opera House and the Pa Ingalls sign near the Cuba Goddess, and other signs have been set up in the following days. The remaining signs that are up or ready to be placed include the Cuba Ice Cream Shop, Eldridge Block, McKinney Stable, Hotel Kinney, Olean Bath, St. James Hotel, Greenway

Trail, Cuba Cheese Shoppe, Kirkpatrick House Story Block Building and Willow Bank Park. The complete tour is available online at https://cubany.us/tour. Use the QR codes on the signs and a smartphone to access the tour online.

Rushford Lake

A short drive from Cuba Lake, Rushford Lake offers different challenges for anglers and more opportunities for recreational boaters.

The lake covers 585 acres and has a maximum depth of 115 feet. It was built by Rochester Gas and Electric in the 1920s to provide water flow control for the Genesee River for hydroelectric generating. It was sold to the Rushford Lake Recreation District in 1981.

The Balcom Beach area provides a trailered boat launch, ideal for recreational and fishing boats.

Officials also stock the lake with rainbow and brown trout. The lake is subject to heavy recreational boat traffic, so anglers usually head out early or late in the day.

Many areas of the lake have steep drop-offs — common areas to find smallmouth bass. Live baits imitating emerald shiners and crayfish are recommended. The deep waters of the lake provide cold, well-oxygenated water to support trout up to 2 feet long. Walleye were introduced in the late 1980s from an unknown source, and reach legal size by age 3. Panfish are not abundant and have slow growth rates, but can still be sought out. Ice fishing is prohibited.

Shore fishing is also available, at Balcom Beach and from the north side of the Caneadea Dam.