Greater Niagara Fish Region

by Bill Hilts Jr.

Lake Ontario and tributaries – It’s a derby fest weekend for angling enthusiasts on Lake Ontario as three different fishing contests collide this weekend. The Orleans County Rotary Derby ends on Sunday, with plenty of room for improvement in the four species categories. The Fall Lake Ontario Counties Trout and Salmon Derby started up Friday, August 16 and continues through Labor Day; and the 37th Annual Greater Niagara Fish Odyssey begins on Saturday, Aug. 17 for nine days of fun filled action. The Orleans County event still has Foster Miller of Holley in the lead for the Grand Prize with a 34-pound, 13-ounce salmon. Top Rainbow/Steelhead is Dean Kapolka of Pennsylvania with a 13 pound, 10 ounce Olcott fish. Leading laker is an 18 pound, four ounce fork tail caught by Hunter Westcott of Hamlin. Georgia Barkdoll of Pennsylvania leads the brown trout division with a 15 ½-pound fish. For the Fall LOC competition, $25,000 is up for grabs for the largest salmon overall. Check out www.loc.org for details and to find out where the weigh stations and registration outlets are located. The Fall LOC Derby Newspaper is now out around the lake, too. The Greater Niagara Fish Odyssey Fall Classic Derby is not restricted to just Lake Ontario. You can also fish in the Niagara River, Lake Erie and any public waters within Niagara, Orleans and Erie counties. For all the information on this great family event, check out www.fishodyssey.net. Kids under 16 are able to register for free in a special Junior Division. Don’t be one of those anglers that catch a winning fish, but fail to register for the contest. In the meantime, action in the lake has been a bit inconsistent due to winds and other weather patterns. The most stable water has been out deep between the 30 and 32 bar for a mix of salmon and trout according to Capt. Bob Cinelli of Olcott. Scattered fish were also being reported in 80 to 150 feet of water, including some mature kings. Flasher-fly combos, cut bait and magnum spoons will all catch fish for you. With some nice weather in the forecast, you should do well this weekend in the same 200-300 foot depths that had been producing last week, targeting 65 to 80 feet down. The Niagara Bar was one of the best spots for mature kings this past week, at the drop or just off the ledge. That was before the winds blew. No report since then.

Lower Niagara River – Smallmouth bass are still your best bet for action but the first salmon of the year should be arriving soon with the NYPA fishing platform one of the best places to be to hook into the first river salmon. Bass are hitting live bait or tubes from Devil’s Hole to the Niagara bar. For walleye, action has been spotty. Remember that the Niagara River Anglers Association will be hosting its annual Lower River Walleye Contest on Saturday, Aug. 24. Weigh in will be at Lewiston Landing between 1-2 p.m. Best two fish combined weight wins the prizes. Register at Creek Road Bait and Tackle in Lewiston or register online at www.niagarariveranglers.com. Call 807-6111 for more info. And if you fish in the contest, make sure you are registered for the Fish Odyssey, too.

Upper Niagara River – Bass action continues to be hot around Strawberry Island and in the west river from Stahley’s reef to Navy Island. Much of that is Canadian waters so make sure you call in to Canada Border Services Agency at 888-226-7277. Worms, shiners and crabs will all catch fish, as will tubes and jerk baits. A few musky are being reported by casters with large tubes. Target outside the weed edges in 10-20 feet of water for bass; a bit deeper for musky. Perch and bass are hitting the shoreline areas off Buffalo such as off Broderick Park and the foot of Ontario Street launch.

Fairhaven/Cayuga County

by Captain Werner Stenger

Welcome to shark week on Lake Ontario in Fairhaven. We had some big seas on Saturday but the fish that moved in from that blow have loaded the area. Kings with a few cohos are located from 110 to 200 feet of water.

Most fish are from 80 feet to the bottom. The thermocline has been moving up and down thru out the day so a good temp probe is key to following the fish movements. 500 and 600 feet of coppers with cutbait behind flashers was my top producer, but flies off the riggers and dipseys also caught their fair share. Several fish over 30 pounds were taken in Fair Haven on Sunday with more to come. Browns have been in the 70- to 90-foot level. The time is now, don’t miss the next few weeks.

Chautauqua County

by Craig Robbins

Lake Erie – The best on the New York side of Lake Erie for walleye is now between Cattaraugus Creek and the Pennsylvania border near Barcelona. Dunkirk anglers are reporting decent walleye catches in 70-85 feet of water, on stick baits and worm harnesses run 55-70 feet down. Walleye are scattered off Dunkirk, so it may take a little searching. Fishing quality has been building over the past few days off Barcelona, and Trollers are now seeing good catches of walleye, including some limits. Walleye are widespread with anglers catching fish in 75-140 feet of water. Catches are concentrated around the thermocline (60-70 feet down), so stick baits and worm harnesses run between 55-75 feet down is a good bet. Barcelona Trollers also see the occasional steelhead, brown trout or lake trout mixed in with their walleye catches.

Anglers should not overlook the shallower reef areas when searching for walleye. Some walleye anglers do quite well around reefs by casting and retrieving weight forward spinners tipped with night crawlers or by bottom bouncing with worm harnesses along the deeper edges. Most of the reef walleye caught are from the 2010 year class (16″-18″), with the occasional larger fish mixed in.

While perch reports remain scarce. Some decent catches have been had lately, just west of Cattaraugus Creek in 50-60 feet of water. Emerald shiners are the best bait, if you can find them. There has not been much chatter about smallmouth bass either.

Chautauqua Lake – August on Chautauqua Lake means largemouth bass and bluegill action.

Quantity of largemouth are being found in and around shallow structure such as docks, lily pads and rock points. Tube and soft stick bait in perch and blue gill colors are working best.

For quality largemouth the deeper weed pockets off the Mayville launch, Warners Bar and Ashville Bay are working best. Jig and pig combinations are your best bet, with black/blue and crawfish colors getting the better bite.

The blue gill bite has taken off in the narrows between the bridge and Stow Ferry, right along the weed edge in 10-14 feet of water. Right around the corner in Bemus Bay, has been producing some great early evening action outside the weedline in 10 feet of water.

Cassadaga Lake – On Cassadaga Lake anglers are finding largemouth bass close to shore in the middle of the lake just off the State launch. Lily pads and submerged logs in the middle basin of Cassadaga have been seeing good numbers of bass caught the past couple weeks.

A few pike are being reported caught in the northern basin of Cassadaga Lake outside the weed edges of Lilly Dale and Jobs Crops. Bucktails and over size stick baits are working best during in the morning.

Oswego County

courtesy of the Oswego County Department of Community Development, Tourism and Planning.

Reminder: Fall LOC Derby – August 15 through September 1

Oswego River – According to Larry Muroski of Larry’s Oswego Salmon Shop, the water level has been running between 4,000-7,000cfs for the last few days. This afternoon the flow is 5,810cfs. There are a few salmon reported at the dam but no big run as yet. Anglers are finding smallmouth bass, panfish, catfish, sheephead and carp throughout the river along with an occasional walleye. Suggested baits include minnows, worms, crayfish and stickbaits. 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 Tourism web site at www.visitoswegocounty.com and look for the fishing report under fishing and hunting.

Lake Ontario – According to Capt. Mike Conroy of Proteus Fishing Charters, salmon are starting to show up and pre-stage off of Oswego. Fish were taken on Monday in 120-180 feet of water, down 90-120 feet. They are taking cutbait, echips, paddles and slashers. There were some reports of fly bites, mostly glow colors. Also 500 copper, dipsy divers and riggers are all working. Another weather front is passing through with wind and waves up to six feet on the lake. Conditions are expected to improve by the weekend.

According to Capt. Kevin Davis of Catch the Drift Fishing Charters, what a day Sunday was on the big lake- over 40 bites for the day with an easy four-man limit in the afternoon.

I think they may be here to stay!

Pulaski area/Salmon River – According to Dave Wood of Woody’s Tackle, early this week the salmon had moved into the bay from just off the mouth of the Salmon River up to Sandy Pond. They were active in 115-130 feet of water down near 115 feet from the surface. Later yesterday and today the wind again is a factor with conditions too rough to fish. The good news is that the forecast is calling for a stretch of beautiful weather with temperatures warming into the 80s and light winds from Friday into the beginning of next week.

According to Garrett Brancy of the Douglaston Salmon Run, Monday night’s rain seemed to get a few fish moving early yesterday. One nice silvery hen responded to a #6 chartreuse ripple crush egg. After a fast and furious battle she was landed, quickly revived and released to make her way upstream. Just before a front was going through things quickly cooled off but after a soaking thunderstorm passed with a gusty west wind, a guest and his sons had groups of 1-2 fish moving past them every 20 minutes or so.

Oneida Lake – Mother Nature’s wind machine has been operating again this week making fishing conditions difficult yesterday and today. Look for improving conditions toward the end of the week. Bass remain active in the Big Bay area however the walleye bite has been difficult to find. Black and purple bucktail jigs, worms, minnows and blade baits are working well. For the new downloadable Oneida Lake Association boating safety map, visit their web site at www.oneidalakeassociation.org.

Sandy Pond – According to Dave Wood of Woody’s Tackle, there is not a lot of action to report on the pond. The cooler temperatures this month and higher water have kept the weed growth down some making fishing a bit easier. Look for bass and pike activity early in the day and again toward evening.