Greater Niagara Region Fishing Report
by Bill Hilts Jr
Lake Ontario and tributaries – Congratulations to Capt. Rick Hajecki and the Yankee Troller team from Rochester who won the 29th Annual Niagara County version of the Lake Ontario Pro-Am Salmon Team Tournament with a total score of 473.43 points. In addition, the team’s consistency paid off in the 5-fish Trophy Division to move up from second place after Day One to take over the lead with a total score of 262.28 points. The team collected $9,000 and $4,000 checks respectively for the two divisions. Based on his tournament cup points going into the Orleans tournament this weekend, they are the front runners for the $35,000 prize cup package that includes a check for $20,000 for being the most consistent team in the two Western Lake Ontario tournaments. In the Recreational Open Division for Saturday, allowing teams to bring in their best three fish for the morning, Jonathan Ross of Holley led the way with his Tomahawk team scoring 79.52 points. In the Recreational Open for Sunday, Salmon Boy, a team led by Joe Oakes of Ransomville, set the pace with a score of 82.50 points. Check the website out at www.lakeontarioproam.net for all the scoring updates. Last Friday, the Don Johannes and Pete DeAngelo Memorial Derbies were held and in the end it was the Hideout team led by Capt. Rob Taddeo of Hilton winning the Big Fish contest with a 26.46 pound king salmon. Best three-fish box was weighed in by the Vision Quest V team led by Pete Alex of Erie, PA with a score of 93.91 points. Not too much information was shared on the lake fishing because of the tournament this weekend out of the Oak. Some beautiful salmon and trout came to the scales at Krull Park, so fish are available for recreational boaters. Wes Walker at the Slippery Sinker in Olcott reported that trollers were doing okay for kings in 80 to 150 feet of water and cohos and steelies were hitting in the top 30 feet of water over 50 to 400 feet – but that will all change with the east wind that was blowing Wednesday. Fish were being caught on spoons, flasher-fly and cut bait. Browns could be found inside of 60 feet. Bass and perch are still being caught in the harbor along with pike and bowfins. Ditto for over in Wilson Harbor. Remember that the Burt Hotel will be sponsoring a bass contest on June 15 for smallmouth and largemouth. Stop in to the Route 78 location near Fisherman’s Park for details.
Lower Niagara River – Not too much changed for action in the lower river from last week, but the trout are continuing to move out of the system as the waters continue to warm. Steelhead and lake trout were being caught from Devil’s Hole down to the Stella Drift from boats, and along the shoreline in the gorge all the way up to the Whirlpool. Shore casters will use jigs, spoons, spinners and live bait. Boaters are using emerald shiners and Kwikfish lures. Bounce the bottom using three-way rigs. Remember that the bass and musky opener is next Saturday, June 15. Off the NYPA fish platform, silver bass action has been very good. Use small jigs and mister twister-type plastics or live bait.
Upper Niagara River – Nothing changed from last week other than the perch action has slowed off Ontario Street and you will have to weed through some smaller fish to get to the keepers. Perch are still hitting around the northern tip of Squaw Island just below the Black Rock Canal lock. Some walleye are being caught around Broderick Park. Bass are still hitting from the head of the river to Strawberry Island, catch and release only north of the Peace Bridge. That will change on June 15 with the opening of bass and musky seasons. Remember that the Wagon Wheel Restaurant in Niagara Falls will be holding its annual Opening Day Smallmouth Bass Contest on that day, starting at sunrise. You must be preregistered.
Chautauqua County Fishing Report
by Craig Robbins
Lake Erie and Tributaries – The evening bite for walleyes in the shallows has slowed down, with the deeper bite picking up. Deep water action in the 50 to 70 feet just west of Barcelona Harbor was hot over this past weekend. Trollers are catching walleye just off the bottom on worm harnesses and stick baits, including some limits.
During the last few days, yellow perch fishing has been excellent around Sturgeon Point, with anglers reporting thick schools of perch in 55- to 65-foot range. Anglers are also picking up decent perch catches east of Cattaraugus Creek in 50 to 65 feet of water and off the Dunkirk Harbor buoy in 50 to 55 feet of water. Live shiners fished just off the bottom are working best.
There are still plenty of smallmouth bass in and around the harbors of Dunkirk and Barcelona. Anglers also see good bass action along rocky areas close to shore and out to 20 feet of water. Anglers are catching many bass in the 3 to 4 pound range, with the occasional 5- to 6-pounder. Seneca Shoal, Myers Reef, Evans Bar and Van Buren Bay/Reef are good bets. The many smaller reefs, rock piles and humps along the Erie shoreline also hold good numbers of bass. Tube jigs, jigs with twister tails and deep diving stick baits.
Chautauqua Lake – Depending on wind direction, the bays in the northern end of Chautauqua Lake are still producing slap crappie. The key is finding a bay out of the wind and keeping your offering on the outside of weed lines. A slip bobber with 8-pound-test line, with a 1/32-ounce jig head topped off with one inch tube jig tipped off with a minnow is producing best.
Early season trollers for walleye are still finding the bite good from early evening into the dusk. Ashville, Burtis and Dewittville Bays have produced best this past weekend.
Due to the rising water temperatures, smallmouth have begun to stage off the deep drop offs in the northern basin. Bays like Sunset and upper Dewittville are seeing action with mid depth crank baits in perch and white colors.
Largemouth bass have been hanging around the docks on both the southern and northern basin. Four inch plastic worms and 3-inch tube baits are best around docks.
As a reminder, fishing for black bass in Chautauqua Lake is by catch and release only, using just artificial lures, until June 15th
For area fishing and travel information, visit http://tourchautauqua.com/Fishing.aspx
Fairhaven/Cayuga County
by Captain Werner Stenger
Fishing on lake Ontario has hit our June doldrums where most water is the same temperature with no predominate thermocline. Fish are scattered, making limit catches hard to come by. We should see a thermocline present itself shortly. In the interim there are a couple of options. Work any stained waters along the shoreline to 30 feet of water early, as browns are still present. Bait has moved in and with them some of the larger browns. The other option is to head offshore in search of surface thermal breaks or blooms. Look for debris or bug hatches and you will most likely find some active steelhead below.
Alewives have also moved into the bay. A great time can be had catching the season’s bait using a #10 sabiki rig cut to three hooks. Park over bait piles and drop them in. If they are slow at biting trim the wings on the hooks in half. The park pond is still active with crappie, and panfish.
Wayne County Fishing Report
by Christopher Kenyon
Lake Ontario – It was a slow bite this past weekend and the wind created havoc Sunday and Monday. There were browns caught close to shore just after sunrise. Bright colored stick baits for the trout.
A recent post on Lake Ontario United describes one person’s set-up:
Two riggers pulling a Sea Sick Waddler and on the other rigger a purple Die Hard. We pulled two dipsys with one pulling a chrome board green dots pulling an ultra green glow fly and the other dipsy pulling a white board green dots pulling a hypnotist fly.
On one board we pulled a 300-foot copper pulling a wonder bread spoon and on the other board a 8 color lead core with a hawg wild spoon.
The fish were in 80 to 120 feet of down 50 to 60 feet.
Bays – Bay action has been very productive. Fish the southern end of Sodus Bay for pike, and try for walleye near the northern end channel. Fish the walleyes at dusk.
Crappies have been suspended in water 26 feet at the south-eastern section of Port Bay.
All DEC docks are in and the water level is safe for launching.
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. For more information, visit www.waynecountytourism.com
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 south shoreline of The Erie Canal in the Widewaters. They were catching all species of panfish. The bass boats launched at the ramp, which is west of Newark.
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 has been running between 6,000-8,000cfs the last few days. This morning it is at 7,280cfs. This does make fishing along some areas of the river difficult. This level is less productive along the River Walk behind the YMCA but try moving north from the Rte. 104 bridge. Anglers are finding a variety of species including walleye, sheepshead, smallmouth bass, white perch, and an occasional brown trout. Worms, minnows and crayfish are working well. 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 out of Oswego, after a couple of windy days we were back on the lake on Wednesday. This has been the year of no two-year old brown trout. The size is great but the numbers are definitely down. It was a rather slow day for some wounded warriors from Maine but they were a great group. We found a couple of small kings, couple of nice bright chrome steelhead and a few lake trout.
Salmon River/Port Ontario – The river is fairly quiet this time of year. The water flow has jumped to 1800cfs through this evening and rain is in the forecast for today.
According to Dave Wood of Woody’s Tackle in Pulaski, there have not been a lot of reports with the windy conditions early in the week. Anglers reported a few salmon and some lake trout but very little brown trout activity. Overall the fishing has been tough.
Oneida Lake – When the wind is not a factor, the walleye fishing has been decent but you may need to move around to find active spots. Anglers have been finding some activity in 10-20 feet of water especially in the Big Bay area. Bucktail jigs tipped with a worm or blade baits have been working well. Shore anglers are taking some walleye with stickbaits or jigs just before or after dark. Reports are also indicating the perch bite may be picking up. Just a reminder that lake sturgeon are on the threatened fish list. If you accidentally hook one, please do not fight it and release it quickly.
Sandy Pond – According to Dave Wood of Woody’s Tackle, conditions on the pond are about the same. There is a decent walleye bite along with some northern pike and rockbass activity. There has been very little perch action. Minnows, worms and jigs remain the suggested bait.
Long Island and New York Fishing Report