Greater Niagara Region
Western Lake Ontario and tributaries (Wilson/Olcott) – The Lake Ontario Trout and Salmon Association will be doing their part to educate and inform the angling public when they host their annual Lake Ontario Fishing Expo and Flea Market next Sunday, February 24 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The one day event will be held at Cornell Cooperative Extension Niagara, 4487 Lake Avenue (which is Route 78) in Lockport. Admission is nominal and all the proceeds will be earmarked for the salmon and trout pen-rearing project in Olcott. In addition there’s a host of lake and river charter captains available, and there will also be plenty of new and used fishing gear for sale. In addition, there are a few different educational sessions to teach new anglers the finer art of lake trolling, as well as a youth fishing education class to help create a better awareness for the quality of the fish resources we enjoy in the Greater Niagara area. Sign up for the special classes on the website at www.lotsa.org. In 18 Mile Creek, steelhead and brown trout are still being reported on a consistent basis with about a foot to a foot and a half visibility. Use chartreuse or orange egg sacks or jigs tipped with a wax worm and fished under a float to take your fish. Tributaries are eligible for the Niagara River Anglers’ steelhead contest. The Slippery Sinker is a registration point for the event. Tribs to the east like the Oak and Johnson Creek are holding trout, too. No ice fishing in the harbors except for the guys drilling holes near the docks and staying on a safe structure. That could change by the weekend. Be safe out there.
Lower Niagara River (Lewiston/Youngstown) – In the lower river, Mother Nature has been throwing anglers curve ball after curve ball – wind, warm weather, rain and snow. High winds earlier this week could have an impact on lower Niagara River conditions, and if that happens, it could seriously impact the Niagara River Anglers Association’s Roger Tobey Memorial Steelhead Contest on Saturday. Register at Creek Road Bait and Tackle in Lewiston or sign up at www.niagarariveranglers.com. Trout have been hitting in the lower river despite marginal conditions this week, with steelhead and lake trout hitting in the Devil’s Hole area and steelhead and browns hitting downriver from Artpark to Fort Niagara. Minnows and egg sacks worked best this week. Remember that fish can be caught from shore and if water conditions are marginal it could be the place to be for the contest.
Upper Niagara River (Grand Island/Niagara Falls) – Not too much to report with the stained water and wind causing problems for anglers. Trout are available in the traditional areas at the head of the river and above the rapids area near the Falls. For a copy of a free Greater Niagara Hotspot Fishing Map, contact www.niagara-usa.com or call 877-FALLS US
Fair Haven/Cayuga County
After the recent warm up winter is back upon us. There is safe ice on the bay, the park pond and Blind Sodus Bay. Anglers have been working hard for the bite, but as the spring thaw arrives the bite tends to improve.
Good news to Lake Ontario anglers as the water level slowly continues to rise. It is forecasted to be near long term averages by the start of April. If you’re heading out on the ice be cautious, be safe.
Wayne County
Streams – Maxwell and the other tribs in Wayne County have an excellent flow of water. The recent thaw was the perfect medicine to melt shoreline ice.
Steelies are hitting in their typical February fashion. Just throw out some egg sacs or anything with chartreuse and you’ll have action. The colors of these fish are very vivid.
The other smaller streams in the county are also flowing and anything that connects to Lake Ontario has fish.
Bays – The temps hit 45 degrees yesterday, which melted any snow cover on the bays. This gives the ice a chance to solidify.
The Sodus Bay anglers are catching perch on the east side of the bay. You can park your vehicle in some of the restaurant parking areas.
Perch are in ten feet of water and are hitting any teardrop jig. Make sure you tip any lure with spikes. The Forage Minnow has been a great jig for ice fishing.
Pike are hitting near LeRoy Island at the north end of Sodus Bay.
Port Bay has 5 to 8 inches of ice, although that is not a consistent thickness. Follow the crowds if you are not sure of ice conditions.
The bait shops in Wayne County have very consistent hours. If you need egg sacs, flies, jigs or spikes you’ll find everything you need. Check out the Wayne County Tourism web page for their locations. www.waynecountytourism.co
We have a brand new Wayne County Fishing Brochure. This publication features where to go, what to use, and what to catch. Call our office for a free fishing packet, including the new brochure. 1-800-527-6510.
Erie Canal – Anglers were fishing the Widewaters section of the canal last Sunday. This historic waterway has plenty of panfish
Trade Shows –Wayne County tourism staff will be attending the following sports shows. Stop by the Lake Ontario Sportfishing booth and find out the latest news.
Greater Philadelphia Show Feb.14-17th
Springfield, Mass “Big E’ Feb.21-24th
Chautauqua County
Lake Erie – Lake Erie tribs are changing with current weather conditions. Weekend rain has raised stream levels but the forecasted cold front this week will clear up and bring levels back down streams.
In cold water conditions it is best to keep drifted offerings slow and deep, as steelhead are lethargic and hugging the bottom. Egg sacs, egg pattern flies or small jigs tipped with a waxworm/spike are good bets.
Winter season steelhead angling on the Lake Erie tributaries can be a challenging and potentially hazardous outing, due the onset of ice and snow. Safety is of utmost importance. Some helpful items that you should consider include neoprene waders, ice cleats for boot soles, walking stick/pole and a fishing companion whenever possible.
Chautauqua Lake – Due to unsafe and unstable ice conditions New York State Pro Am Ice Tournament Series has to cancel tournament on Chautauqua Lake.
“After many lengthy discussions with the Chautauqua County Tourism office, Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau, and local law enforcement, we called a committee meeting last night to discuss the current ice situation on Chautauqua,” Tim Thomas New York State Pro Am Ice Tournament Series CEO. “After much discussion, it was a unanimous decision to cancel the Chautauqua Event. We need a solid 4 inches of safe ice across the entire waterway we are fishing, which is not found on Chautauqua Lake at this point.” Thomas shares. “There are fishable areas with up to 6 inches of ice, but it would be impossible for us to safely outline each area for our anglers. The current temperature forecast is also not conducive to enough ice building, and will likely just maintain the current ice in place. All registered teams will be contacted over the next day with registration options”, concludes Thomas.
For more information on the New York Ice Pro/Am Tournament Series trail, visit http://www.nysiceproam.com/Events.html
For area fishing and travel information, visit http://tourchautauqua.com/Fishing.aspx
Oswego County (report courtesy of the Oswego County Department of Community Development, Tourism and Planning)
Oswego River – According to Capt. Kevin Davis of Catch the Drift, over the weekend it was doubles and more doubles. Warmer temperatures and a good bite, it doesn’t get any better. This is some of the best February fishing I have seen in a long time. The wind was again an issue since Monday but conditions have settled down today. The warmer temperatures the last couple of days helped break up the ice along the river making driftboat fishing easier. Steelhead started responding as the temperature started rising. The longer the sun hit the water, the faster they were coming to the net. With the waterflow running at 10,000cfs, shore anglers have been trying their luck behind the hotels.
Salmon River – According to the Douglaston Salmon Run, every once in a while it all comes together. Phil, Charlie, and myself had been trying to go fishing for quite some time now but had just never been able to connect. Well we finally did; boy was it worth the wait! It was one of those days that seems like no matter what choice you make, it’s the right one. Steelhead fishing was as good as it gets and needless to say all three of us got spoiled on big fresh chrome. The majority of the fish we got into came on egg sacs and a handful on large steamers with white and pink being the color of choice for both flies and the eggs. The weather looks tolerable for the rest of week so let’s hope this fishing continues.
According to Whitaker’s Sport Shop & Motel, there has been a mixture of weather over the last few days with warmer temperatures, sunshine, rain and a few inches of heavy wet snow Monday night. There were more anglers on the water the last couple of days with the upper end of the river between Altmar and Pineville getting the most attention. Anglers in the mid to lower end of the river have been finding fish in the Sportsman Pool, Papermill, Town Pool, Longbridge/Staircase, and the Black Hole. Monday we managed to land some fresh fish while covering lots of water and finding fish holding in the deeper holes as well as the transition water.
Oneida Lake – Ice fishing was very popular on Oneida Lake over the weekend. Areas along the north shore including North Bay were very active and people were fishing the most popular areas all around the lake. Reports indicated a decent walleye and perch bite with minnows a good choice of bait. Approximately three inches of heavy wet snow fell Monday night in the Constantia area making conditions a bit more difficult. As always use caution and check the ice frequently as you venture out.
Sandy Pond – According to Dave Wood of Woody’s Tackle, the ice is holding up well on the pond. There is 6-10 inches in most areas depending on where you are. Overall the perch bite has been slow. Anglers are finding a decent pike bite especially near Green Point. Minnows are the choice of bait. The 38th Annual Sportsman’s Club Ice Fishing Derby will be held on Saturday and Sunday, February 16 and 17. Call 315-387-3610 for more information.