Niagara Fishing Report
Lake Ontario and tributaries – Hopefully cooler temperatures and forecasted rains will bring some more salmon into places like 18 Mile Creek. Pier action has been spotty for salmon, although there have been some success stories like 14 year old Sarah Syracuse of Newfane reeling in her first salmon earlier this week using a green glow Little Cleo in the early evening with her father, John and sister Sidney. She ended up out-fighting a 25 pound salmon for 20 minutes and successfully bringing in the bruiser to the Olcott pier – all on 8 pound test line. As far as the action, some nights are better than others. According to Karen Evarts at The Boat Doctors, there are some trout at the dam – browns and steelhead – but the salmon are still in the lower stretches with fish jumping in the harbor. A good rain will change that. Try trolling the harbor with large J-13 Rapalas. If you fish early morning or its overcast, try using treated egg skein under a float in some of the holes of the creek. When the weather cooperates, you can still troll the pier heads with all your traditional fall baits early morning or just before dark. Daytime trollers can also pick up the occasional mature king or head out deeper for trout or immature salmon. Remember that lake trout season in Lake Ontario is now closed. The smaller creeks could use a good rain to get things flowing and pull fish in.
Lower Niagara River – After a beautiful week of fall weather, river anglers could use some cold temperatures and rain to trigger a fresh run of fish. Early morning is still the best time to target kings in the river, using treated egg skein off three-way rigs if you are drifting in a boat. However, there are usually a couple of other times that fish will hit like mid-morning and around lunch time so you have to pay attention and capitalize on fish hits when they happen. That can make a difference on some days. Shore anglers are still catching kings off the NYPA fish platform, utilizing the free shuttle service that the power company is providing from Lot C at the Visitors Center from 7 am to 5 pm each day. Remember that the Artpark Stairs are open again, too, but this is better for the trout fishermen. Bass is still an option, especially down river around Fort Niagara and the green buoy marker at the bar. Tubes, spinnerbaits and live bait like shiners and crabs will catch fish for you.
Upper Niagara River – As water temperatures start to cool, musky fishing should start to pick up around the river and Buffalo Harbor areas. Some musky are being caught around Strawberry Island, the Huntley Power Station and outside weed bed edges with large tubes, body baits or spinnerbaits. Using a three-way rig with live bait (large chubs or something similar) can also work along certain drifts as fish start to move into the river system. Bass action is still strong around Strawberry and the head of the river on shiners, crabs and tubes.
Chautauqua County Fishing Report
Lake Erie and Tribs – As reported earlier, it has been great September for Lake Erie yellow perch anglers. The best action has been in the Chautauqua County waters of Lake Erie in Sunset Bay in 55-70 feet of water. However, being in the right general location does not guarantee good catches. Anglers should try to locate perch schools on the bottom with electronics before dropping anchor. Also, the right perch rig and bait can be the difference between a cooler full of fish in one boat and only a few caught in a boat just yards away. Many successful Lake Erie perch anglers employ a fluorocarbon rig, as opposed to flashier offerings like a spreader rig. Here is a brief explanation of a Double Fluorocarbon Perch Rig: Tie a 6 foot section of 6 pound fluorocarbon line onto the main line using a surgeon’s knot. Slide a #6 Aberdeen hook onto fluorocarbon line to 3 foot from end, and tie a double overhand knot, leaving a 1.5 inch loop with hook attached. Slide a second hook onto the line to 12-15 inches below the first hook and secure same as first hook. Attach a 1 or 2 ounce sinker, 12-15 inches below the bottom hook.
The walleye fishing has been winding down and no new information was available this week. Previously, trollers were still catching some walleye between Cattaraugus Creek and Dunkirk in 70-80 feet of water on gear run 50-55 feet down. From Dunkirk to the PA line, anglers were targeting walleye over depths of 80-110 feet with gear run 60-80 feet down. Worm harnesses have been the top producer, but stickbaits are a good option when pesky white bass are around.
Steelhead are scattered in Cattaraugus Creek. Caught fish have averaged around 24 inches. The other tributaries remain very low and clear, with only a few steelhead holding in the deep pools of the lowest sections.
With cooler temperatures and rain in the radar other streams will start seeing fish once they get some flow working through.
Chautauqua Lake – Chautauqua anglers are still catching some muskellunge. Better catches have been in shallow zones along weed edges in Ashville and Bemus Bays. Trollers are doing well with suspended musky being caught over depths of 25-35 feet in the northern basin of Chautauqua Lake. Trolling with large, 5 to 8 inch minnow-type stickbaits is a good bet. Some walleye have been caught in the deeper holes of the northern basin off Warners Bar. Vertical jigging programs with spoons, jigging Rapalas or medium sized shiners are good bets for walleye.
With the water temperatures continuing to drop, smallmouth bass have moved into the areas like deep rocky points with shallow rocky shoreline structure close by.
Shallow areas and around docks are still top spots for largemouth bass. Try live shiners, tube jigs, power worms, senkos or topwater lures. Slightly deeper areas of 10-15 feet off weedlines are better for smallmouth bass. A drop-shot rig with a minnow or crayfish is a good bet. Weedy areas in Bemus and Ashville Bays in 6-10 feet of water are good spots for bluegill.
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, we had a nice run of salmon come through yesterday but the bite has been tough. The water flow this afternoon is 2,390cfs with the likelihood of some rain over the weekend along with cooler temperatures. Hopefully this will spark some action. Skein under a float, Hot-N-Tots and deep-diving Jr. Thundersticks are suggested bait. 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, they are not jumping in the boat, but we definitely had our shots at them yesterday morning. We netted some and lost some too. Pautzke cured skein remains the only ticket lately. All released to fight another day. This morning we had our limit in 47 minutes. I see rain in the forecast – LOCKEDSTRONG with the rain dance.
According to Capt. Andy Bliss of Chasin’ Tail Adventures, lake fishing is all but done. But for those looking to do a little more trolling offshore is the place to go. 250-450′. Spoons have been the bait of choice. The Oswego River has seen a decent run of fish – not huge numbers but enough to make the poles bend.
Salmon River – According to Garrett Brancy of the Douglaston Salmon Run, most clients and guides reported seeing more fish yesterday with greater hook-ups than any prior day. The week long trend seems to be increasing numbers of fish in the river. So the trickle of small pods of salmon entering the river may finally be building up to our much anticipated (and long overdue) run. Other clients reported seeing only a few fish with no particular area of the river out producing any other. First light and the early evening bite are the most productive.
According to Whitaker’s Sport Shop & Motel, the daytime fish movement remains slow so the deep holes continue to produce the most action during the day. Anglers staying in the motel have reported getting into some kings, cohos and trout in the Upper and Lower Fly Zone. Those stopping into the shop have reported action in the Town, Sportsman and Trestle Pools, along with the estuary, Black Hole, Ellis Cove and Schoolhouse.
According to Dave Wood of Woody’s Tackle, the fishing in the river was a little better the last couple of days but still not up to par with no big run to report. There is a good number of fish in the estuary with floating egg sacs and light tackle working well. The forecast is calling for a change in the weather pattern which may help to move them around.
Oneida Lake – The pattern for walleye is about the same. The daytime water depth to target is about 30 feet. With rain and cooler temperatures coming for the weekend, the night bite activity should pick up. Fishing from shore just before and after dark can be very productive in the fall. Bass are active one day and quiet the next with crankbaits and stickbaits working well. Anglers are finding a more consistent perch bite in up to 15 feet of water.
Sandy Pond – According to Dave Wood of Woody’s Tackle, the activity on the pond is quiet this time of year.
Chautauqua County
Lake Erie and Tribs – Barcelona trollers were still catching some walleye this week in 80-102 feet of water. Worm harnesses or stickbaits run 50-80 feet down are good bets. Boaters were also catching some steelhead and brown trout off the mouth of Chautauqua Creek.
Lake trout are still available at depths over 80 feet, from Dunkirk to the PA line. Trolling with spoons run near the bottom is a good bet for lakers averaging 8-12 pounds, with the occasional lunker over 20 pounds! Steelhead are staging off tributary streams in preparation for their fall run. Boaters can target steelhead around stream mouths and out to depths of 70 feet by trolling flashy spoons between 2 and 2.5 mph.
Cattaraugus Creek remained the only productive steelhead tributary this week. Steelhead are scattered all the way up to the dam in Springville. However, the best numbers remain down low, with most catches coming from the lower reservation and below the Route 5&20 bridge. The other tributaries remain very low and clear, with only a few tight-lipped steelhead holding in the deep pools of the lowest sections. Fortunately, the weekend’s forecast calls for rain, with the possibility of some heavy localized rain. Lake Erie steelhead commonly hit natural baits like egg sacs or worms, flies such as egg imitations, streamers and bugger patters, and lures like minnow-type stickbaits and in-line spinners. Anglers can also target steelhead from the Cattaraugus Creek breakwall or off creek mouths by casting spoons, spinners and stickbaits.
Chautauqua Lake – Anglers are starting to pick up good walleye catches in the deep holes of the north basin, off Long Point State and Upper Dewittville Bay. Vertical jigging programs with spoons, jigging Rapalas or medium sized shiners are good bets for walleye. Chautauqua anglers are still catching some muskellunge. Better catches have been in shallow zones along weed edges, but some suspended musky have been caught over depths of 25-35 feet. Trolling with large, 51/2 to 8 inch minnow-type stickbaits is a good bet.
With the water temperatures continuing to drop, smallmouth bass have moved into the areas like deep rocky points with shallow rocky shoreline structure close by.
Shallow areas and around docks are still top spots for largemouth bass. Try live shiners, tube jigs, power worms, senkos or topwater lures. Slightly deeper areas of 10-15 feet off weedlines are better for smallmouth bass. A drop-shot rig with a minnow or crayfish is a good bet. Weedy areas in Bemus and Ashville Bays in 6-10 feet of water are good spots for bluegill.
Fair Haven / Cayuga County
Well salmon have finally moved into the estuaries from the lake. Steelhead and brown should not be far behind. Bites are being had in Sterling Creek at the State park pool and above. Some have shown at the far southern end of the bay so the bay should have fish throughout. Casting plugs and deep diving cranks off the walls will produce the best bites at first and last light. Perch should also be appearing in numbers as the water cools.