Greater Niagara Fishing Report
by Bill Hilts, Jr.
Lake Ontario and tributaries – The Niagara County version of the Lake Ontario Pro-Am Salmon Team Tournament is next weekend out of the ports of Wilson and Olcott, June 1-2. The deadline is past for the Classic and Trophy Divisions and a chance for 100 percent cash payback. It will certainly be exciting for this 29th annual event. In the meantime, the Recreational Open Division, which has few rules and no observer, offers another skill set of anglers to compete in a tournament event, but only for three fish each day – Saturday and Sunday. The deadline is Monday, Memorial Day at 5 p.m. Drop your registration off at the Niagara Tourism Visitor Center at 10 Rainbow Blvd. in Niagara Falls or at The Slippery Sinker in Olcott. As a precursor to the Pro-Am weekend, the Don Johannes and Pete DeAngelo Memorial contests are set for May 31, a combined three-fish, one fish event that will have teams compete for the best three fish catch and the biggest fish overall – salmon and trout. Weigh in will take place at Clark’s Park in Wilson starting at 3 p.m. when all competitors must be in line. Sign up at The Slippery Sinker or the Boat Doctors in Olcott or the Gas Shack in Wilson by 7 a.m. on the morning of the event. You don’t have to be fishing the Pro-Am to compete in this fund contest. Fishing in the lake has been spotty and even if it was good, we wouldn’t hear about it from the captains fishing the Pro-Am tournament. This is when it really gets interesting. Lake Ontario Flipped over on Tuesday and cold water was everywhere. Seek out any place where there’s warm water … like the Niagara Bar where the warmer Lake Erie waters is flowing out of the Niagara River. Capt. Matt Yablonsky had four days of limit catches – primarily on spoons – before the lake flipped. Some days you can catch fish 40 feet down; other days you need to fish 140 feet down. The Burt Hotel will be holding an opening day Bass Contest – smallmouth and/or largemouth – on June 15 for interested bassers. Stop in to sign up.
Lower Niagara River – In the lower Niagara River, Don Dziedzina of Chicago came in and did a television show with Capt. Matt Yablonsky of Youngstown last Monday. It was an impressive day as they boated no less than six species of fish including lake trout, steelhead, smallmouth bass, channel catfish, sheepshead and silver bass. Dandy Don had one fish on for more than a half hour that we guessed was a big old sturgeon. Speaking of silver bass, quite a few were being caught off the NYPA Fishing Platform this week. Use jigs tipped with twister tails or an emerald shiner. Emerald shiners were working from boats fished off three-way rigs.
Upper Niagara River – Yellow and white perch continue to cooperate in places like Broderick Park, Squaw Island and Ontario Street. Some walleye are also being caught at Broderick Park. Use minnows on the bottom. Catch and release bass fishing is also taking place in many marinas, harbors and streams or creeks. Remember that you must use artificial baits. You will also catch a mix of panfish in those same areas on emerald shiners. Remember that the Wagon Wheel Restaurant will be holding their opening day smallmouth bass fishing contest on June 15 once again. Sign up at the Niagara Falls restaurant located on Niagara Falls Blvd.
Wayne County Fishing Report
Lake Ontario – Main Lake – Brown trout action has picked up and the bite is best in the early morning close to shore. By early morning, I mean you need to be on the water at 5 a.m. Fish stickbaits or spoons and search for the temperature breaks. West and east out of Sodus Bay has been very productive. Start in 8 to 10 feet of water and troll the shoreline. Look for the stained water. The browns have been anywhere from 4 to 12 pounds.
Later in the morning, you can head out to 100 to 150 feet of water. Fish 40 feet down for steelhead. The temperatures earlier this week were 50 degrees on the top and 44 degrees at the downrigger balls at 120 feet. Lakers are on the bottom in 110 to 150 and are hitting cowbells.
Lake Ontario Bays – Port Bay still has crappie action near the south end. They are suspended over 10 feet of water. Perch have entered Lake Ontario. Most of the perch from the bays enter Lake Ontario where you can find them in 10 feet of water. Pike can be caught near the weedlines. Use spinnerbaits or large spoons. Pike are also coming from Sodus Bay. They usually are roaming the shallow water between the islands at the north end of Sodus. Blind Sodus, the little bay on the east end of the county, has pike action on the eastern shoreline. This small bay also has an abundance of panfish.
Erie Canal – The canal fishing is excellent. You can fish near Palmyra or on the east end near the town of Clyde. The waterway has excellent cat fishing, pike, walleye and panfish. You can launch at Clyde, Lyons, Newark, or Palmyra. Or you can fish the shores of the canal along Rte. 31.
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.
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.
Chautauqua County Fishing Report
Lake Erie and Tributaries – Walleye anglers are picking up a fish or two per outing, but the nighttime walleye bonanza in the nearshore spawning areas has yet to start. Action will begin to pick up when temperatures climb to 53 to 55 degrees. While fishing for walleye at night, trolling with shallow diving stickbaits or worm harnesses in as shallow as 6 feet of water over rocky/rubble areas is a good bet. Good early-season locations (from west to east) include Shorehaven Reef, Bournes Beach, Green Hills, Van Buren Bay, Evans Bar, off Hoak’s Restaurant (Hamburg) and near the mouth of Smokes Creek.
Perch are likely now post-spawn and ready to feed. Good starting points for perch anglers is in 45-55 feet of water from Cattaraugus Creek to northeast of Sturgeon Point. Live shiners fished just off the bottom can’t be beat
Channel catfish have moved into the lower sections of the tributaries, settling into deeper holes. Fishing at night with nightcrawlers, raw shrimp, chicken livers or cut bait on the bottom could have you hooked into a huge catfish. The lower section of Cattaraugus Creek and near the mouth of Eighteenmile Creek are top locations. Shore anglers can also target catfish along the Lake Erie shoreline on calm nights, especially near stream inlets.
Chautauqua Lake – While crappie aren’t as easy to come by as early in the season, slab crappie are still being caught in and around Lakewood Bar. The early morning bite seems to be putting quality crappie in the live wells. Fishing the deeper end of the Bar in 10 feet of water, with a slip bobber over a 1/32-ounce jighead tipped off with a minnow is producing best.
The special early bass catch-and-release/artificial bait season has been picking up. Dock knockers are producing good numbers of both large and smallmouth bass, with the three-plus-pounders being caught off Warner Bar in 12 to 18 feet on 4-inch black/purple plastic worms.
Trolling for walleye seems to working better in the early evening and dust hours. Worm harnesses in orange and yellow are the best bet. Trolling baits just enough to keep your offering just over the tops of the weed edges in Burtis, Bemus and Dewittville bays.
For area fishing and travel information, visit http://tourchautauqua.com/Fishing.aspx
Fairhaven/Cayuga County Fishing Report
by Capt. Werner Stenger
www.popeyesportfishing.com
The bay waters at warming. Bass and rock bass are on their beds. Northern pike are roaming and will hit large stickbaits, spoons and spinners. Crappie are becoming scarce at times but still moving around the bay.
The lake Ontario bite has been slow. A lack of warm stained water makes brown trout fishing difficult. Off shore there are some salmon, lake trout, and steelhead from 80 to 220 feet of water. Large bait pods are gathering at 160. Wednesday’s heavy rains and a north blow forecasted for Friday should set the shoreline brown fishing back on track.
Oswego County Fishing Report
Courtesy of the Oswego County Department of Community Development, Tourism and Planning.
Oswego River – According to Larry Muroski of Larry’s Oswego Salmon Shop, the water flow rose to 6,000cfs yesterday but has dropped back to just over 3700cfs this morning.
Anglers are continuing to pick up walleye in the river along with sheepshead and catfish off the high wall. Suggested baits are worms, minnows, and crayfish. Remember the bridge to Leto Island is closed, and there are Mandatory Personal Flotation Device (PFD) zones on the Oswego River below the Varick Dam. For more information, view the Oswego County web site at www.visitoswegocounty.com and look for the fishing report under fishing and hunting.
Lake Ontario – According to Capt. Kevin Davis of Catch the Drift Fishing Charters, it was a good weekend on the lake. Saturday morning was a perfect one and very successful. Some bait had moved in and some very large brown trout followed. Sunday the bite was a bit tougher but some nice quality fish including browns, steelhead, lake trout and a king were coming to the net. Tuesday morning was quiet after the storms rolled through overnight but this morning has been good with the overcast conditions. Brown trout and lakers are responding to our bait.
Salmon River/Port Ontario – The river season is winding down but a handful of anglers have been getting a few fish dropping back into the lower end of the river. The water flow is up to 500cfs through Friday evening. Just a reminder that the Lower Fly Zone is now closed but the Upper Fly Zone is open.
According to Dave Wood of Woody’s Tackle, fishing on the lake in this area has been fair. The lake trout bite has been easy but brown trout not so much. Depending on the wind direction, the browns have not been holding in the same place for long. With the wind out of the west, the bite has been easier; out of the south makes it more difficult. Spoons have been the choice of bait.
Oneida Lake report – Anglers have been finding some activity on Oneida Lake. Water depths of 10-20 feet seem to be the most productive. Jigs and spinners along with worms are working well. Just a reminder that lake sturgeon are on the threatened fishes list and if you accidentally hook one, please do not fight it and release it quickly.
Sandy Pond – According to Dave Wood of Woody’s Tackle, there has been a decent walleye bite on the pond along with bluegill activity. Minnows, worms and jigs remain the suggested bait. A few of the estuaries are producing bullhead and perch with minnows and worms the choice of bait.