Greater Niagara Region
Bill Hilts, Jr.
Lake Ontario and tributaries – There is a little open water in 18 Mile Creek near Burt Dam and anglers that are braving the cold use minnows or jigs tipped with a wax worm and fished under a float to take steelies. Remember that tributaries off Lake Ontario are fair game for the Niagara River Anglers steelhead contest on Feb. 7. Ice fishing in Wilson Harbor has been a bit slow but some perch and panfish are being caught near the boat launch at Wilson Tuscarora. The occasional trout or pike is also caught by hard water anglers. There have been some ice fishermen on Olcott Harbor, too, but no reports on success.
Lower Niagara River – One of the keynote speakers of last weekend’s Greater Niagara Expo – Matt Straw, editor of In Fisherman Magazine from Minnesota – was impressed with the event and couldn’t believe it was in its second year. He then took to the water Monday to fish with Capt. Frank Campbell in the lower Niagara River and enjoyed some good success drifting for steelhead with his wife, Mary, and Mike Smith from Clam Outdoors. They caught a dozen trout on pink egg sacks in the Devil’s Hole area each day, despite cold temperatures that hovered in the teens. Fishing should be good for the Niagara River Anglers steelhead contest set for Feb. 7 in the lower river and Lake Ontario tributaries. The Roger Tobey Memorial Steelhead Contest is a popular winter competition for this hearty bunch. There is also a brown trout prize for the biggest fish caught. Check out www.niagarariveranglers.com for details. Shore fishermen can do well if you can find a spot that gives you safe and decent access to the water. Casting spoons, spinners or marabou jigs will catch fish. If you missed the Greater Niagara Fishing and Outdoor Expo last weekend at the Conference and Event Center Niagara Falls, then you really missed a good one. With over 120 seminars and over 100 exhibitors, it was an excellent second year to an event that is growing leaps and bounds. Dates are already set for next year, Jan. 22-24, 2016.
Upper Niagara River – Extreme cold is creating problems for any open water anglers. Ice is the way to go such as in the Small Boat Harbor. Up to 9 inches of ice is being reported and jiggers are picking up panfish and perch. Tip-ups rigged with a big minnow is producing some pike. Beaver Island Marina is another good spot for perch, but you will need to be in the right place at the right time to do well.
Wayne County Fishing
Christopher Kenyon
The tourism booth will be at the New York Sportsmen’s Expo in Syracuse this weekend. Hope to see you there!
Streams – The creeks in Wayne County are frozen and Maxwell only has a few open spots to fish. We have the smaller tribs so this is not unusual, however a thaw will open them up for steelhead fishing.
Pier fishing is not an option because of the ice build-up but that can change very fast with a warm-up.
Bays – The ice is safe with a solid 8 to 10 inches on all the bays. There is little snow on top so the ice will continue to thicken. That’s good news for skaters but the fishing has been tough.
The perch are scattered and they small if you find them around Sodus Bay.
Port Bay has seen some larger fish however they are also scattered. You will be digging a few holes before you catch any quantity.
The fish are full of alewives, so the trick is to be creative and get them to strike something they are not used to. Use a different color jig.
We have the ice…now we need the fish.
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 – A few shanties were on the Widewaters section of the canal this past weekend. The anglers were catching bluegills and perch.
Oswego County
Oswego River: According to Capt. Kevin Davis of Catch the Drift, although we haven’t had much snow, the cold has stayed with us. Our clients have braved the temperatures and were rewarded with constant action the entire trip. Steelhead, rainbows and brown trout were all active this week. Easy Catch the Drift Double Digit Days plus. The water flow has been up and down some the last few days running as high as 5,500cfs and as low as 2,800cfs. This afternoon it is running at 3,620cfs.
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. The Oswego Fire Department offers loaner life jackets at no charge through its “Loaner For Life” program. For more information contact the fire station, 35 E. Cayuga St., at 315-343-2161.
Salmon River: According to Whitaker’s Sport Shop & Motel, Over the last couple of days very few anglers have been fishing and most people seem to be waiting for a break in the weather. When the temperature is in the teens and single digits, slush ice becomes a factor in the lower end of the river, but will clear if it gets warm enough. The upper end of the river in Altmar has not been getting slush ice and is where most anglers are fishing on a daily basis. With the recent cold temperatures most anglers have been fishing late morning through early afternoon which has been the warmest part of the day.
Oneida Lake: We are expecting a few inches of snow Thursday evening into Friday but the cold temperatures along with 15-20 mph winds this weekend will make for tough conditions. Reports have indicated some action in about 28-32 feet of water. A good number of perch and some walleye were taken. Some short walleye were reported but a few nice keepers were in the mix.
Sandy Pond: With daytime temperatures in the teens and low 20s for the next several days, we should add to the ice depth. Indications this week are that the action has been slow. Anglers are finding some small ones but there are some decent catches in the mix. Suggested baits are small minnows, spikes and wax worms on a jig for panfish and large shiners on a tip-up for northern pike.