Niagara Region Fishing Report

by Bill Hilts Jr.

Lake Ontario and tributaries – It’s the final weekend for the Lake Ontario Counties Trout and Salmon Derby and there’s $15,000 on the line for the Grand Prize salmon. The biggest salmon, which is currently a 27 pound, 10 ounce king hauled in by Justin Monin of Lewiston, is currently leading the way for the big cash prize. Matt Yablonsky of Youngstown is tops in the lake trout division with a 27 pound, 13 ounce fish. Due to a rule change this year, the Grand Prize fish has to be a salmon. Yablonsky has won the spring derby with a lake trout before … but not this year. Top steelhead is a 14 pound, six ounces and top brown trout is a 14 pound, 15 ounce fish. Current walleye leader is 12 pounds, two ounces. It’s still not too late to register. Log on to www.loc.org for details. To help celebrate some of this great spring fishing going on around Western New York, some big name media are in town representing publications like In-Fisherman, Outdoor Life, Field and Stream, Bassmaster, On The Water and The Fisherman to name a few. There’s also some TV shows like Big Water Adventures, Mid-West Outdoors, and In-Fisherman that are on the water shooting shows for the future. Lake trout fishing has been very good on the Niagara Bar, but they are catching a few kings, cohos and a mix of other fish. Mark Davis of South Carolina had the big laker for Tuesday while doing some filming on the Bar, a 25 pound, 12 ounce lake trout. His highlight, though, was a 5-1/2 foot sturgeon that hit his bait. Jeff Pierce of Scottsville, National Sales manager with Mustad Hooks, also caught an early season bass off Fort Niagara on the Bar that tipped the seven pound mark a few weeks ago, too. In Wilson and Olcott harbors, bass, pike and panfish are all being caught along with the occasional trout according to Wes Walker at The Slippery Sinker. A few straggler trout have been reported at the dam, too, but that run is nearly over. Water temps were over 60 degrees. The deadline is fast approaching for the pro-am tournaments and this year there’s an extra $35,000 on the line if you fish the Classic Division in both the Niagara and Orleans events the first two weekends in June. Check it out at www.lakeontarioproam.net. The Wilson Harbor Invitational Tournament is this weekend on Saturday.

Lower Niagara River – Trout are still hanging on in the river, offering a mix of steelhead and lake trout with the occasional brown trout. Devil’s Hole and Artpark offer some of the best chances for trout from boat or shore. Minnows or Kwikfish are the best baits to use, fished off of three-way rigs if using a boat. Shoreline casters can use twister tails, spoons, spinners or egg sacs fished under a float. Warm water fish are starting to turn on, too, with bass, suckers and sheepshead all being caught with the trout. Niagara Bar action was good over the weekend for three generations of Fekete’s – Bill, Bill and Corey of Ransomville. Nine year old Corey caught his first lake trout and coho salmon while using black and silver spoons in 30-40 feet of water at the mouth of the river and in front of Fort Niagara.

Upper Niagara River – Decent yellow perch catches are still being reported around Broderick Park, Squaw Island and around the Ontario Street launch area, as well as around Grand Island. Panfish are also starting to turn on with the warming waters. Bass fishing is catch and release and both largemouth and smallmouth are available. You must use artificial baits to target bass. Some crappies have been reported where the Canal and Tonawanda Creek come together in Pendleton.

Chataqua County Fishing Report

by Craig Robbins

Lake Erie and Tributaries – The main spring steelhead run is pretty much done in all of the small and medium sized tributaries. Trib anglers will find Cattaraugus Creek in great shape and the best bet for any remaining steelhead action. Smallmouth bass have moved into the lower sections of the tributaries. Good spots to try include Cattaraugus Creek, Eighteen mile Creek and the Buffalo River (below Harlem Road). Fly anglers do well with woolly buggers and minnow imitation patterns. Spinning anglers do well with stick baits, crank baits and natural baits such as minnows, crayfish and worms.

Channel catfish have also started to move into the lower sections of the tributaries, settling into deeper holes. Fishing at night with night crawlers, 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 Eighteen mile Creek are top locations. Shore anglers can also target catfish along the Lake Erie shoreline on calm nights, especially near stream inlets.

The early season bass season is open on the Great Lake of Erie with anglers allowed to keep one bass per day and able to use natural live bait. While traditionally anglers have used 3 inch tubes and grubs with smoked and pumpkinseed being great colors to use during the early trophy season on Lake Erie.

Chataqua Lake – The special catch and release bass season has begun on inland bodies of water in Chautauqua County. During this special bass season, anglers must use artificial bait, and release all bass immediately after catching.

Good numbers of crappie are still being caught in the channels in Lakewood, Ashville and Burtis Bay. The better quality of crappie are being picked up in open water in Mayville and Bemus Bays in 6-10 feet on 1/32 or 1/64 ounce jig head with either one inch tubes or grubs dipped off with a minnow.

Chautauqua Lake walleye season is currently underway with anglers finding trolling the weed edges in Warner and Dewittville Bays working great during the early season. Worm harness and stick baits in perch colors- which matches prey for walleye on Chautauqua Lake-are angler go to baits for early season walleye.

For area fishing and travel information, visit http://tourchautauqua.com/Fishing.aspx.

Fair Haven / Cayuga County report

Some much needed rain coming this week should do nothing but improve the fishing. The bullhead bite in Little Sodus bay has been pretty good despite the lack of run off. I have not heard any reports of walleye fishing in the bay but they should be near the flats that are adjacent to drop offs like the vicinity of Grass Island and the north west end of the bay. Crappie are still holding in the bay and will succumb to jigs or minnows off floats. Brown trout fishing on Lake Ontario has been tough with the southerly winds pushing warm water off shore. There was, and should continue to be plenty of action off shore in the 100 to 200 foot of water range. The whole area is holding lakers, steelhead, and kings. We did well with everything from flatlines off boards with two heavy split shots ahead of the leader to riggers 30 – 100 ‘ down and dipseys in the 120-150’ of wire out. Most bites were on spoons and flies. Carmel dolphins, Diehard, and A-tom-Mik hammer flies all produced fish.

Oswego County Fishing Report

Oswego River – According to Larry Muroski of Larry’s Oswego Salmon Shop,
the water flow has been running under 3,000cfs for most of the last few days. However, yesterday it was up to about 4,000cfs and this morning at 4,800cfs. Anglers have been finding an awesome walleye bite in the river using stickbaits and nightcrawlers. 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 – Larry from Larry’s Oswego Salmon Shop also says the brown trout bite has been slow but a few have been caught first thing in the morning on spoons and stickbaits. Lake trout are active in 100-200 feet of water. A few nice salmon have been taken out in 200-350 feet of water on cut bait, finger lake spoons and trolling flies.

Salmon River/Port Ontario Report – According to Whitaker’s Sport Shop and Motel, the water level has dropped to 185cfs. With the recent mild weather and plenty of sunshine the water temperature has been going up and the fish are dropping back to Lake Ontario. With the low water and bright sunny conditions the fish have been holding in the deeper holes and fast water. We currently have dropbacks scattered throughout the river and anglers should focus on the deep holes and fast runs. Anglers who are fly fishing have done well on woolly buggers, egg sucking leeches and egg patterns. For those anglers who are bottom bouncing or float fishing, chartreuse egg sacs and pink worms have been working well.

According to Dave Wood of Woody’s Tackle, the lake brown trout fishing continues to be tough. The bite has been very sparse but there has been some salmon activity in 150 feet of water down about 50 feet. This action has been off of Oswego and Nine Mile Point. The lake trout bite has been active. Anglers are finding some good bullhead action in the estuaries with worms and leeches fished on the bottom working well. Some of the estuaries are also producing perch with minnows, jigs and small pieces of worm suggested bait.

Oneida Lake – The Oneida Lake walleye opening weekend produced a decent number of walleye along with some perch. Areas such as Lewis Point, Big Bay and near buoy 117 have been active spots. Finding the right water depth was important with about 12-14 feet of water producing results. Jigs were the suggested bait. Anglers are also finding crappie and bullhead in the Big Bay area.

Sandy Pond – According to Dave Wood of Woody’s Tackle, anglers did find some walleye activity over opening weekend but it was not exceptional. Also in the mix were some perch and bluegills. Minnows, worms and jigs were working well. The area estuaries are producing bullhead and perch with minnows and worms the choice of bait.