Niagara Region Fishing Report

Lake Ontario and tributaries – Cold temperatures have created some shoreline ice for the tributary guys, but open water is still available – especially when we hit those warming trends like we did this week. Water flow has been decent and trout is the primary target – both browns and steelhead. Try using egg sacs or small jigs tipped with a wax worm and fished under a float. Chartreuse eggs were working for Greg Stanley of All in the Same Boat Tackle Shop in Newfane. Some perch were also being reported at both Wilson and Olcott. Irondequoit Bay perch fishing has been good the past couple of weeks. Look for structure in 20-40 feet of water, using minnows or shiners on the bottom. Johnson and Oak Orchard creeks to the east are also reporting decent fishing with medium flow and good conditions.

Lower Niagara River – Fishing in the lower Niagara River has been very good for trout this week. The Artpark area is loaded with steelhead according to Capt. Chris Cinelli of Grand Island, along with lake trout and a few browns. At the mouth of the river near Fort Niagara on the Niagara Bar, trout action has been outstanding there, too – when northernly winds don’t make it too uncomfortable for boaters. Best bait to use has been minnows or Kwikfish on the Niagara Bar; egg sacks and Kwikfish in the river. Shoreline casters are doing well with spoons, spinners and egg sacs. If you do venture down into the gorge, wear the right gear. Sneakers are not the shoe of choice and one angler found out the hard way this week when he slipped and broke his ankle. Musky season is still open until Dec. 15 in the lower river and in the John Henning Memorial Tournament held last Sunday, Frank Alcorn earned top honors by catching and releasing a 45.5 inch musky. Second place was John Pensyl with a 44 inch fish. Third place was Cullen Vieders with a 39 inch fish. Capt. Larry Jones of Buffalo sends word that lower river musky fishing was best by either jigging Red October tubes along the bottom or trolling Legend Perchbaits. This is the last weekend for the NYPA fishing platform … if the weather cooperates. Even though the platform – and the Upper Mountain Road reservoir access – was supposed to be closed on Nov. 1, NYPA has kept the platform and reservoir open for an extended period due to the decent weather. For status updates on the pier, call 796-0135 Ext. 45.

Upper Niagara River – Musky season is over now for the upper river and Lake Erie, but there is one more item to report – results of the Tim Wittek Memorial Tournament conducted by the Niagara Musky Assn. First place angler was John Pensyl who measured a 45 inch fish before it was released last Saturday. Cory Krawczyk was second with a 40.5 inch musky and third place was a 39 incher reeled in by Adam Kazmark. The final part of the season proved productive for Capt. Larry Jones by drifting Red October tubes near Strawberry Island. Right now casters and drifters can still target trout, bass and perch. Bass fishermen must use artificial baits during this catch-and-release season. Trout casters off Broderick Park or Squaw Island can do well by tossing spoons, spinners or egg sacks. The same will work at the head of the rapids near Niagara Falls.

Chautauqua County Fishing Report

by Craig Robbins

Lake Erie – Anglers have enjoyed good steelhead action this fall, and the late fall run of steelhead is arriving right on time for the post holiday week. Anglers have reported fresh runs of steelhead in the streams over past few days. Many streams are fishing well for a mix of fresh silvery steel and more colorful earlier run fish. The small to medium sized streams are in good shape with moderate to slightly lower flows. Chautauqua, South Branch Cattaraugus and Eighteenmile are all producing good catches. Cattaraugus Creek currently has near ideal conditions and a flow of about 415 cubic feet per second. Anglers should expect slush in the mornings, especially later this week when nighttime temps dip into the teens.

Fishing with egg sacs and egg pattern flies are good bets for steelhead. 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.

Chautauqua Lake – The regular muskie and bass season has closed for the 2013 season but a special catch and release/ artificial bait season begins on December 1. The special season this season runs from December 1 till June 20th, the special bass season allows anglers to use artificial baits and immediately release bass back into the Chautauqua Lake.

As of Monday December 2nd, the majority of southern basin of Chautauqua Lake had started to ice over. With the sections of the of the northern basin seeing some ice. But by no means is there enough ice to make the lake safe for ice fishing.

Wayne County Fishing Report

by Christopher Kenyon

Streams – The streams in Wayne County have an excellent flow and there has been some brown trout action in Maxwell Creek. Anglers are also catching steelhead in Maxwell. Most of the snow has melted and there is no shoreline ice build-up on any of the streams.
The parking areas are clear.

Some were casting off the Sodus Pier where the ice has melted. The fish do come from the channels leading into the bays.

Egg sacs…of course…and artificial lures will catch the trout.

Bays– So much for the early ice fishing!!! The temps today are in the 40’s and any ice that was just starting is now finishing. But, you can fish open water in the bays. We fished some Port Bay perch last year on Christmas Eve.

Don’t forget the New York State law that you need to wear a PFD from November 1st until May 1st on any New York State waters. This is one of the better regulations.

Try for the perch off of the loop at Sodus Point. You’ll see the boats. Launch at the Coast Guard Station. Currently, there is no ice at that launch site.

Check out the Wayne County Tourism web page for the locations and hours of local bait and tackle shops. 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. We also have a new publication on Great Lakes fishing.

Erie Canal – No one was on the canal. That waterway had a skim of ice Sunday , however that will be gone by tomorrow.