Greater Niagara Region

by Bill Hilts, Jr.

Lake Ontario and tributaries – The Southern Zone regular big game season is here, opening on Nov. 16, and prospects are good this fall for both deer and bear in specified areas. If you are not a hunter, then this could be a great time to go fishing because there will be a lot less pressure in places like 18 Mile Creek and Burt Dam. Water flow is good and the water is stained so use brightly colored egg sacs or egg imitations to try and get salmon and trout to hit. Hopefully some fresh fish will be coming from the most recent rains. A few fresh salmon are still being seen along with a fair number of brown trout. Steelhead are starting to arrive in the scene in modest numbers. Johnson Creek to the east was offering some good action for Greg Stanley of All in the Same Boat Tackle Shop in Newfane – lots of fish and not many fishermen. Pier casting is another good option with spoons the number one hardware – off either Wilson or Olcott.

Lower Niagara River – In the Niagara River, the water is off color but it was not too stained to fish last weekend. Just ask Capt. Joe Marra of Lewiston who was fishing the Niagara Bar on Sunday with customers. Dr. Mark Nartatez from Pittsburgh, PA was the lucky angler reeling in a monster 45-inch lake trout that tipped the scales are nearly 40 pounds! It attacked a Kwikfish lure fished off of a three-way rig in 25 feet of water. Lake trout season is currently closed so it was released unharmed to fight another day. It was caught on 10 pound test line. Had they been using 8 pound test line, it would have been a catch-and-release line class record! Steelhead and lake trout were both hitting in the river, as well, with golden shiners and Kwikfish the top two enticements to get fish to hit from boats. Boat action seemed to be shut down during the week because of the stained water, but the weekend looks good for water to clear a bit – if the high winds on Thursday do not pose a problem. The hot spot from shore was Artpark, but getting down there is a bit tricky since they removed the stairs from there this week – be forewarned! Greg Stanley of All in the Same Boat Tackle Show in Newfane reports he did extremely well in a short amount of time there using white colored egg-pattern flies. Joe Yaeger of Amherst and Paul Yaeger of Grand Island worked trout beads to take a pile of fish. Joe managed to catch six lakers while Paul did better close to where the old stairs were on steelhead and browns. Bass and perch fishing should improve as the waters clear. Musky season in the lower river extends through Dec. 15. The regular bass season ends on Nov. 30, but the catch and release season takes over.

Upper Niagara River – Not much fishing from boats this week because of the off-color condition of the water. More wind was in the forecast on Thursday, from the southwest. With musky season closing on Nov. 30 (as well as the regular bass season), if the waters clear enough you’ll want to be on the water taking advantage of the situation. This is crunch time for musky fishermen. If you prefer live bait, large common shiners are one bait of choice. Artificial baits are large tubes or large body baits. With the poor water clarity, trout fishing was all but shut down for most. That should improve again this weekend if the winds aren’t too bad. Last weekend’s report was just prior to some strong winds arriving, messing up the fishing for some. Some panfish action was being reported from some of the traditional shore fishing spots up toward Buffalo.

Chautauqua County Fishing Report

by Craig Robbins

Lake Erie – Steelhead fishing on the tributaries that run off Lake Erie has been real good so far this season. With quality catches reported all Lake Erie tribs Chautauqua County tribs Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Eighteenmile have been producing extremely well. All of the creek levels are rising with this past weekends rain but the coming weeks weather is supposed to be clear and cool, perfect for Lake Erie tribs fishing.

Fishing with egg sacs and egg pattern flies are best bets for steelhead Lake Erie trib anglers. Light colored streamers and bugger patterns are good options in clear water conditions while darker patterns in black or purple work better in stained conditions. Worms are also a good bait when waters are riled.

When weather permits, there is still good opportunity to catch yellow perch on Lake Erie. Anglers report good catches off Cattaraugus Creek in 40-55 feet of water.

Chautauqua Lake – Fall is a good time to target muskellunge in Chautauqua Lake. Anglers have been catching musky by trolling large jointed stickbaits along weedlines in both the northern and southern basins. Working edges in the southern basin in Ashville and Bemus Bays, has producing some good catches. Northern basin troller’s are working deep weed edges off Warners Bar and the Bell Tower at Chautauqua Institution.

Yellow perch are readily taken on live bait outside weed edges, off Lakewood Bar and in the narrows between the bridge and ferry. With many keeper being caught anglers are having to weed through some throw-backs for each keeper. There has not been much chatter about walleye fishing lately.

While walleye anglers haven’t been talking about their catches so far this fall, traditionally vertical jigging around the outside sides of deeper holes in 25-45 feet of water in the northern basin off Dewittville Bay and Warners Bar. Swedish pimples and blade baits tipped with a minnow or jigging Rapalas are good bets

Wayne County Fishing Report

by Christopher Kenyon

Streams – Maxwell Creek had a nice flow of water yesterday. You can fish on both sides of Lake Road. The salmon run is just about over…some left-over’s are in Maxwell although not many.

Some browns and rainbows were caught and released near the mouth of the creek.

There were probably 10 vehicles in the parking lot.

Anglers were casting out in the Sodus Bay channel, however no word on what they were catching. They were probably after the browns.

You can also find the kings and browns at Hughes’ Marina. It’s located east of Pultneyville on Lake Road. There is a $5 permit fee to fish the small lagoon which is connected to Lake Ontario.

Anglers were still in Furnace Creek in Wolcott. Not much water in that small creek.

Bays – The perch are in Sodus Bay. The hearty anglers with boats were fishing the deep water off of the Sodus Point loop road.

Hopefully this winter will see consistent temperature for safe ice. The bays in Wayne County offer some great hard water fishing.

Sodus, the 2,000 acre bay, is the most popular. Anglers will try first ice near the east side of LeRoy Island. The early ice fishing bite is for pike.

Last year anglers were on the ice the second week in December. It’s a wait and see situation. We need cold temperatures and calm winds to make ice.

Currently, you can launch small boats for Sodus Bay at the Coast Guard Station and the site on Route 14 near Arney’s Marina.

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. 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 – The shore anglers were fishing near the Widewaters this past week. The bridge near Port Gibson has always produced pan fish. Other locations are available along Route 31.

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 level had dropped to 3,860cfs this morning but just as quickly is back up to 7,560cfs this afternoon. Fishing continues to be on fire along the river with steelhead, rainbows and browns. Places such as the wall, the outer platform near the dam and the Lock 7 side of the river (you must cross from the west side to this area when the water level permits) are seeing a good deal of action. Smack beads have been working very well along with pink, chartreuse and white egg sacs. Also working are white estaz flies and occasionally a pink worm has been getting their attention. Just remember that steelhead or rainbows must be 21 inches long and there is a one per day limit. 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.

According to Capt. Kevin Davis of Catch the Drift, “My back is so sore from netting way too many fish.” Clients of mine for 16 years have had the best two days ever for steelhead. Another reeled in a beautiful spawned out hen brown trout weighing over 15 pounds. Easy double digit days!

According to Capt. Andy Bliss of Chaisin’ Tail Adventures, after the deep freeze on Tuesday night the creeks were low and cold but we found some nice brown trout that wanted to play.

Pulaski area/Salmon River – According to Garrett Brancy of the Douglaston Salmon Run, fishing started out a little slower Wednesday morning, likely due to the cold temperatures overnight. However, once the sun got on the water, the action picked up. Our guests coming off the water in the afternoon all shared smiles and good reports. Clown eggs and orange glo-bugs #10-12 continue to produce a lot of strikes. Swinging intruders, leeches and other such patterns #6-8 were also effective again today. Of course natural colored beads like orange crush, rutt-roe, and cheese doodle #8-10mm all took fish including some good brown trout. Fish were also caught on egg sacs and spinners.

According to Whitaker’s Sport Shop & Motel, the recent high water brought fresh fish into the river and spread them out from top to bottom. The water flow has dropped to 500cfs, however, making for better fishing conditions. With the drop in water level the fish in the upper end of the river have been holding in and around the deep holes. In the lower end, fresh fish continue to enter the river on a daily basis and anglers have been doing well in the transition water. Those bottom bouncing or float fishing have done well with egg sacs and beads. The anglers who are fly fishing have done well with egg patterns, flesh fly and egg sucking leeches.

Oneida Lake – The night bite for walleye continues to improve with the colder temperatures we are experiencing. Blue/silver and black/silver are good color choices for casting stickbaits. Perch are still active in 10-20 feet of water taking minnows and worms when weather conditions are good for lake fishing.

Sandy Pond – According to Dave Wood of Woody’s Tackle, things are quiet on the pond this time of year until the cold weather sets.