Niagara Fishing Report
by Bill Hilts, Jr.
Lake Ontario and tributaries – It’s the final weekend of the Summer edition of the Lake Ontario Counties Trout and Salmon Derby and all the species categories are still up for grabs. There were some new leaders this past week and Stephanie Brace of Oswego took over the Grand Prize with a 31 pound, 11 ounce catch. In the Brown Trout division, Capt. Roger Young of Connecticut vaulted into the lead with a 21 pound, four ounce fish caught out of Olcott. Steve Klejdys of North Tonawanda is still holding on with his 22 pound, six ounce Niagara Bar fish – just five ounces in front of Greg Wiacek of Lockport. There’s a new rainbow/steelhead leaders, too. Michael Sabo of New Jersey weighed in a 16 pound, 8 ounce fish to take over the lead while fishing out of Sodus. The contest extends to Sunday at 1 pm and then all the leaders (Grand Prize, first and second place fish) must show up at Captain Jack’s in Sodus Bay by 4 pm for photos and interviews. Meanwhile, fishing has been pretty good on the lake as things have slowly started to turn around. In the Lake Ontario Trout and Salmon Association’s King Salmon Tournament and Curt Meddaugh Memorial event last weekend, most of the boats headed out to over 400 feet of water to set up their programs. While spoons caught a large percentage of the fishing, flasher-fly also started to produce fish consistently. According to Kyle Hovak, they kept their downriggers from 40 to 80 feet down and had some decent luck. Dipsy divers were anywhere from 150 to 250 feet back and some of their bigger fish came at 180 feet back on a No. 3 setting. They used a Capt. Volume spin doctor with a green hammer fly to take some nice fish, including a 21 pound king that placed second in the Meddaugh event. For that one, Matt Dunn and the Slammin’ Salmon team out of Wilson took top honors with a 23.62 pound king salmon. He was running meat rigs off the downriggers out deep. In the Saturday LOTSA salmon three-fish event, Alan Sauerland and Team Instigator out of Olcott set the pace with a three-fish total of 71.31 pounds. They beat out Frank Schmidhamer and Team Reel Scream from Pennsylvania by nearly nine pounds. Instigator was using Bob Fuller spoons down 70-80 out deep and also managed some fish on flasher-fly. Third place was David Peterson’s Hotline squad, also out of Pennsylvania. Peterson’s son Hunter caught the fish of the tournament, a 28 pound, 15 ounce king that is currently second on the LOC contest and first place for the youth award. All the fish caught were donated to the Food Bank of WNY, a nice gesture by the fishing club. Next derby on the angling calendar is the Orleans County Derby set to kick off August 2. The Slippery Sinker in Olcott is both a weigh station and a registration outlet.
Lower Niagara River – The Niagara River Anglers Association is getting ready to hold its annual bass contest and timing looks to be about perfect. Joe Oliverio of Lewiston was out targeting bass in some of the lower river sections using golden shiners off three-way rigs. It’s still not too late to enter the contest and you can even sign up the same day at Fort Niagara between 5:30 am and 8 am according to contest organizer Capt. Steve Drabczyk of Lewiston. Once again this is a 100 percent payback contest with all the food afterwards being donated on the lower river charter captains. Drabczyk also noted that he targeted walleye on the Niagara Bar earlier this week and did very well on walleye using worm harnesses. He actually caught five nice fish using three-way rigs. While he was catching walleye, though, he also managed to catch a dozen bass as incidental catches. Remember that the NRAA contest is restricted to the Lower Niagara River and Lake Ontario. If you have any questions give Drabczyk a call at 807-6248.
Upper Niagara River – With the moss gone, action in the upper river has turned on for smallmouth bass according to Mike George of Niagara Falls. Using shiners fished off three-way rigs, George was fishing with Roy Larson of North Tonawanda fish just three hours to catch more than a dozen fish in the 18-19 inch range while drifting the west river. Some walleye are available around Strawberry Island at the head of the river in the Emerald channel. Musky action has been around weed edges and drop offs with large tubes or body baits. Shore anglers have been picking up white bass and white perch off Broderick Park area on shiners. Some yellow perch, bass and walleye have also been caught by shore casters. Don’t forget that the Greater Niagara Fish Odyssey Derby is just around the corner, set for August 16-24. Check out www.fishodyssey.net for details.
Fair Haven / Cayuga County Fishing Report
by Werner Stenger
Salmon are still to be had while fishing Lake Ontario out of the port of Fair Haven. Fish are in the 120- 230′ of water level. Most of the action this past week has been occurring 90-100 ‘ down. Every presentation has had its turn at bat while flasher flies seem to be the most consistent for us. Some days the fishing has been slower picking one here and one there, while other days have been on fire.
There have been browns, atlantics, steelhead and lakers mixed in with these fish. Shortly we should see the arrival of cohos as well.
Chautauqua County Fishing Report
by Craig Robbins
Lake Erie and Tribs – Walleye fishing has transitioned to deeper waters where trollers target suspended fish between 15-45 feet below the surface. The key to better walleye catches is to locate bait schools on the graph, and run lures at those depths. Anglers also concentrate efforts in progressively deeper waters as you move west. Action has been in 50 plus feet of water out of Dunkirk and Barcelona Harbors. From Cattaraugus Creek west to the State Line, the best bite is found outside 70 feet of water. Dunkirk and Barcelona trollers have located limits in 80-100 feet of water. Three to six colors of lead core with stickbaits or worm harnesses have worked well for walleye.
Deeper has also been better for yellow perch. Anglers have produced decent catches in 45-65 feet of water between off Cattaraugus Creek. Large perch schools have been tough to locate. Rather, catches come in flurries from small schools on the move. Live emerald shiners fished just off the bottom work best for perch. If emeralds are scarce, try other small minnows/shiners or salted minnows.
Smallmouth bass action has been good in 25-45 feet of water. Key on structures such as reefs, rock piles and drop-offs. Drop-shot rigs combined with crayfish, minnows, tube jigs or other plastic baits works well.
July and August are traditionally the best months to target lake trout in Lake Erie. Head for prime depths of over 90 feet deep, northwest of Dunkirk to the PA line. Downriggers with spoons run near the bottom is a productive method, although lakers may also be suspended in the water column.
Chautauqua Lake – While walleye fishing has been slow, anglers are still picking up a few along weed edges in both basins. Target walleye by trolling with jointed stickbaits and worm harnesses or by drifting and jigging with blaqk hair jigs tipped off the a jigs with nightcrawlers or leeches.
Muskie anglers are finding toothie critters either trolling or casting over rocky points and weed beds. Some anglers are trolling weed edges, targeting musky that are waiting to ambush preyfish. Others troll in deeper water of 25-30 feet of water, targeting large musky that are suspended. Good trolling lures include perch pattern crankbaits, large jointed stick baits and bucktail trolling spinners. Largemouth and smallmouth bass fishing has been good along weed edges, around docks and in open pockets within weed beds. Top water lures, weedless rigged power worms and wacky rigged senkos work well.
Oswego County Fishing Report
this report courtesy of the Oswego County Department of Community Development, Tourism and Planning
Oswego River/Lake Ontario – According to Larry Muroski of Larry’s Oswego Salmon Shop, the river flow has been low, between 1,000-2,000cfs, for the last couple of days. This afternoon it is running at 1600cfs. The construction is completed and the walkway to the dam is open. Anglers are finding sheepshead, some walleye and both catfish and smallmouth bass galore. Crayfish, nightcrawlers and minnows continue to be the baits of choice. 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 Larry Muroski of Larry’s Oswego Salmon Shop, the lake fishing has been decent. Anglers are finding some salmon although they are spotty. Look in 200-300 feet of water down 40-50 feet from the surface early in the day. Later in the day, go down deep. Anglers are finding a few lake trout and a brown trout bite early in the morning. Flies and cutbait are working along with spoons.
According to the Harry Powers of Salmon Heaven Lodge, we are in the salmon transition where they are around but not in great numbers just yet. Some days we have really good days and other days we get a few. There is still a decent brown trout bite so we can target them as well.
Salmon River/ Pulaski Area – Activity on the river is usually quiet this time of year.
Pulaski Area report – According to Dave Wood of Woody’s Tackle, there has been a fairly steady bite on the lake although the salmon are scattered. Look in 150 feet of water, down 80-110 feet from the surface, off Nine Mile Point. Flies and flashers are the choice of bait although spoons are working too. There is a good brown trout bite in 80 feet of water on spoons off Catfish. Lake trout have been active from the Salmon River north with cowbells and peanuts working well. The bass fishing continues to be a little slow in Mexico Bay. Minnows, crawfish and nightcrawlers are suggested bait.
Oneida Lake – According to Dave Wood of Woody’s Tackle, reports are indicating that there is a steady walleye bite on jigs or worm harnesses pulled through the weeds along the shoreline. The deeper water, 30 foot range, is also producing some walleye with worm harnesses off bottom bouncers. Anglers are finding a few bass along the weed edges.
Sandy Pond report – According to Dave Wood of Woody’s Tackle, with the weed growth, activity on the pond is slow. Anglers are finding an occasional bass or northern pike but overall the pond is quiet this time of year.
Wayne County Fishing Report
by Christopher Kenyon
Lake Ontario – The salmon were are little more scattered this past weekend, however the 30 pounders are still roaming the deep waters. Fish 150 to 300 feet. They have been hitting cut-bait and flasher flies.
Browns are in 70 to 90 feet and hitting Michigan Stingers, NK’s, and other spoons. Any color works.
A nice 31 pound king leads in the summer LOC Derby. The fish was hooked in Wayne County during Big Fish Friday, the beginning of the Sodus Point Pro-Am.
Winners of the Pro-Am are: the Screamer A-Tom-Mik Team for Pros and 5 More Minutes for the Ams. Hats off to all the teams that competed.
Bays Plenty of Largemouth bass action in all the bays. Fish the weedlines. Some pike are still being hooked near the islands of Sodus Bay.
Pan fish action is everywhere. This is a great opportunity to involve youngsters to the sport of fishing.
Don’t forget the Wayne County 5-Grandslam and Merchants Challenge Youth Derby which is happening right now. Click on Grand slam for more information. The youngsters are starting to catch fish. Don’t miss this great contest.
Check out the rest of 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 – There was a bass tournament at Widewaters on Saturday and the teams found the largemouths near Port Gibson. The fishing has been hot this past week.