Greater Niagara Region (www.Niagara-USA.com)
By Bill Hilts Jr.
Lake Ontario and tributaries – One sure sign of spring is the fact that small boats are starting to pound the shoreline for brown trout. Wes Walker at The Slippery Sinker reports that several boats have been out pulling stickbaits and casting spoons in tight to the shoreline and off the pier heads to take trout. Some fish are also being caught off the piers and there are still fish up at Burt dam. Perch are just starting to hit in the harbors of Wilson and Olcott, along with a few other panfish. Many of the other tributaries are now and clear, but there are fish in the deeper holes if you want to try and target them. Use egg sacks, egg imitations or single egg presentations. Jean’s in Wilson is sponsoring a Spring Bullhead Contest April 5-6.
Lower Niagara River – Lower river action for trout continues to be consistent both from boat and shore, but you have to work for them. You do have some hurdles to overcome, such as wind and cold temperatures. Hopefully that will start to change soon with the arrival of spring. Minnows and Kwikfish-type baits will work for you, depending on wind direction. Boat control is a key to your success, paying attention to how three-way rigs work the bottom. Water color was starting to change on Thursday for the worse – probably due to winds – so be advised that this could hinder success rates. Shore fishermen casting spoons, spinners or jigs could have the advantage. Egg presentations fished under a float could also be successful.
Upper Niagara River – With the arrival of spring, look to places like Bird Island Pier, Broderick Park and the northern section of Squaw Island for taking trout. There has been some activity above the upper rapids in Niagara Falls, too. Use egg sacs or minnows under a float or cast hardware like spoons or spinners. Emerald shiners are the perfect bait for perch in the marinas this time of year throughout the upper river.
Fair Haven/Cayuga County (www.tourcayuga.com)
by Captain Werner Stenger
Some ice still floating around the bay and an uncooperative lake may put a hold on boating for another week. If you do wish to try it the state park is keeping one ramp in operation during repairs to the launch area. With the weather warming (some days) the creeks are starting to swell and that will draw the bullheads in to the mouths of feeder creeks in the bay and lake.
Crawlers and minnows will produce fished just off the bottom.
Chautauqua County (www.tourchautauqua.com/Fishing.aspx)
by Craig Robbins
Lake Erie – Early spring means that the steelhead run is on for trib anglers and this past week has seen anglers catching good numbers of steelhead, including some big fish. Chautauqua County’s Lake Erie tribs including Chautauqua, Canadaway, Cattaraugus, and Eighteenmile Creeks are in ideal shape. Egg sacs, egg pattern flies, trout beads and jigs with grubs work well in cold water conditions, drifted slow and deep. As we transition into spring, look for steelhead to hit additional baits such as stonefly imitations, streamer patterns, minnows and nightcrawlers.
Chautauqua Lake – Chautauqua Lake hard water anglers are currently finding about 6 inches of ice. Ice is thinner in some areas. Anglers should stay well away from inlets, outlets and open water pockets. Check ice thickness with a spud bar or auger when moving around. Catching yellow perch has been effortless this season. However, anglers have to weed through dozens of throw backs for every keeper over 7 inches. Jigs with grubs or vertical spoons/jigs with a small minnow are good bets. Anglers are reporting a good bluegill bite in the shallows off Mayville. Small jigs with spikes work best. Crappie are still being picked up off Mayville launch and recently have been showing up in Maple Spring. Salted minnows have been working best for crappie, on a 1/32 once black head jig head.
Oswego County (www.visitoswegocounty.com)
Report courtesy of the Oswego County Department of Community Development, Tourism and Planning
Oswego River – According to Capt. Kevin Davis of Catch the Drift, the action on the river continues with many double digit days. It has been all steelhead in the upper river recently until yesterday when a group of brown trout mixed in. We had a nice double with a spring lake brown and a hold over brown trout. Egg sacs are the choice of bait. The water level has dropped the last few days running at 6,870cfs this afternoon.
Salmon River – According to Whitaker’s Sport Shop & Motel, even though Wednesday was the first day of spring Pulaski was a winter wonderland and we picked up another 8 inches of lake effect snow making for well over a foot in the last 24 hours. In the morning slush ice was a factor in the lower end of the river, but in the afternoon the temperature did reach into the mid 30’s along with sunshine. The few anglers we spoke with reported having a slow day.Good baits continue to be egg sacs, beads, pink worms, and stonefly pattern flies all working.
According to Garrett Brancy of the Douglaston Salmon Run, fishing was tough again today with heavy lake effect snow in the morning and strong winds this afternoon. We did have another guest willing to brave the conditions this afternoon and he was rewarded with a handful of bright chrome steelies. The water was slightly off color so chartreuse egg sacs were the angler’s bait of choice. The forecast calls for more lake effect snow tonight then tapering off throughout the day tomorrow.
Oneida Lake – Although we have had some winter weather again, for safety reasons it is time to close the book on ice fishing for this season and look ahead to open water fishing in the weeks ahead. The extended forecast is showing temperatures in the upper 30s and low 40s from Saturday into next week. A reminder that walleye season has closed and will reopen the first Saturday in May.
Sandy Pond – According to Dave Wood of Woody’s Tackle, we are currently in the lull between ice fishing and open-water fishing. Lake effect snow hit the area yesterday and again today with several more inches expected. A reminder that walleye season has closed and will reopen the first Saturday in May.