Greater Niagara Region
Bill Hilts, Jr.
Lake Ontario And Tributaries
Fishing continues to be very good out in Lake Ontario off the shores of Niagara County for both salmon and trout. According to Capt. Dan Evans of Wilson, fish can be found in the 60 to 140 foot range from 30 Mile Point to the Niagara Bar. While spoons are the primary lure being used, a fair number of fish are also being taken on flasher-fly rigs. Find the river current and locate baitfish to find active fish. Some trout are still available in 18 Mile Creek below Burt Dam, but warm water fish like pike, bass and perch are starting to trun on, too. The ½ inch of rain earlier in the week helped conditions a little bit. For the fishing trio of Mike Hay of Lake Luzerne, Scott Keeler of Lake Luzerne and Randy Savage of Queensbury, going to school proved to be the ticket to success as they combined to collect the $15,000 Grand Prize check in the spring Lake Ontario Counties Trout and Salmon Derby held May 1-10 by weighing in a 24 pound, nine ounce salmon at Wilson after catching the fish on the Niagara Bar. Hay was the angler reeling in the fish and he was the one who collected the check at the awards ceremony at Sodus Bay last Sunday, but it will be split three ways in the end. As far as credit, they pointed a finger at the Lake Ontario Trout and Salmon Association’s Salmon School held during the Greater Niagara Fishing and Outdoor Expo last January. They attended the school and were so impressed with the area that they decided to fish on the Niagara Bar and give it a go. The rest is history. First place in the salmon division was Lee Beaton of Clifton Springs with a 24 pound Niagara Bar king. First place lake trout was Casey Prisco of Matamoras, Pennsylvania with a 24 pound, one ounce fork tail taken out in front of Wilson. Big brown trout was a 16 pound, 10 ounce fish taken by Mike Wichtowski of Rochester taken near Devil’s Nose east of Sandy Creek. Big walleye was hauled in by Travis Parker of Glen Park, a 12 pound, 13 ounce fish taken near Point Peninsula near the Black River. A total of 17 of the top 21 salmon were taken from Niagara USA waters and 19 of the top 20 lake trout were from these productive waters, too. Two of the top brown trout were Niagara fish, as well. For a complete leaderboard list check out www.loc.org. In the Wilson Harbor Invitational Tournament last Saturday, it was the Oh Baby team led by Matt LeClair of Plattsburgh that won the $25,000 check by catching a six fish limit to earn a total score of 152.02 points based on 10 points per fish and a point per pound. Less than 10 points separated the top six teams for the one day contest. Next big fishing contest will be the Lake Ontario Pro-Am Salmon Team Tournaments May 30-31 and June 6-7 out of Wilson and Olcott. Deadline for registering for the Trophy and Classic divisions online is midnight on May 18. For the recreational open division, deadline is 14 days prior to each event – all one day contests for a total of four. Go to www.lakeontarioproam.net for all the details or for registering.
Lower Niagara River
Steelhead are still available throughout the system but the best spot has been in Devil’s Hole according to Capt. John DeLorenzo of Niagara Falls. Fishing three-way rigs with a small minnow or small egg sac has been the most productive method. A small yellow float in the sac is working, like an Oregon cheese color. That same color has been working with small pieces of yarn. A few lake trout have been found throughout the river, but the majority of them have been stacked up at the mouth. Loads of bass around Fort Niagara, too. Jeff Samsel, a writer from Georgia who was in town last week to sample the fishing, had this to say about the area’s fishing action: “I fished three days, and each was a bit different. Day one was on Ontario, just off the bar, and the lake trout bite was crazy good, with the fish hitting crankbaits presented on three-way rigs. I believe our most productive depth range was 50-70 feet, but that was changing daily. Day two we mostly fished at the mouth of the river, where big smallmouths were plentiful and seemingly quite fond of Strike King Gobylicious tubes. We also caught some Coho salmon on tubes. On day three, I fished Buffalo out of Erie, and the bite was a bit off. Of course, “off” for there means about 20 smallmouths up to 5 pounds. The top bait was a bright-colored Yo-Zuri crankbait, but we caught a fish or two on several different things, including tubes, minnows, a drop shot, a jerkbait and a Rat-L-Trap.” The area makes us look good to outdoor media.
Upper Niagara River
Waters in the upper river are finally starting to heat up enough to turn on some warm water fishing like perch and crappies. Small tubes, minnows or plastic shadpoles will catch fish for you in any of the bays that offer a bit warmer temperatures from the main river. Excitement is running high with the new proposed muskellunge season in New York. Inland waters musky will open up on the last Saturday in May (May 30 this year), with a minimum size of 40 inches and a limit of one fish if you wanted to keep one. However, this new season does NOT include the Niagara River (upper or lower), Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. Great Lakes regulations will continue to be an opening day of the third Saturday in June (June 20 this year). In addition, the minimum musky size for all Great Lakes waters will be 54 inches in length with a daily limit of one. Scott McKee, president of the Niagara Musky Association, was worried over the possible confusion and asked that we emphasize this a few times in our reports so that anglers better understand the changes. The DEC press release was not clear on the Niagara River. For a greater understanding about musky fishing in general, check out the excellent article in the new Freshwater Fishing Regulations Guide for 2015-16 written by McKee and Tony Scime.
Oswego County
Mary Ellen Barbeau
Oswego River
According to Larry Muroski of Larry’s Oswego Salmon Shop:
With the rain this week, the water level has risen to 10,900cfs as of this afternoon. This makes some areas along the river difficult to fish. The first week of walleye season found some decent action from the railroad bridge north to the area behind St. Luke Apartments. Nightcrawlers, leeches and stickbaits are suggested baits. Anglers may find a few steelhead or brown trout but as the water warms, they will move out to the lake. Bullhead are hitting worms and leeches at Ox Creek and 3-Mile Creek.
Lake Ontario
According to Capt. Andy Bliss of Chasin’ Tail Adventures:
Earlier this week we had our first two kings on followed by laker madness. The brown trout bite has been very quiet but with the big blow mid-week, we should see excellent brown trout fishing and hopefully a few more kings showing up.
According to Capt. Kevin Davis of Catch the Drift:
Finally some rain and heavy west winds which means great fishing coming up. We have had a good brown trout bite plus a good lake trout bite the last couple days. The rain and wind made some pockets of fish throughout the shoreline. You would go with nothing and then you would have five on at a time. The laker fishing has just been crazy lately; some big fish around including one 37 inch, 25 pound giant laker.
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.
Pulaski Area/Salmon River
According to Woody’s Tackle:
The bite this week has been about the same. Lake trout have been very active with a steady bite. The brown trout action has been slow but with the weather change over the last day or so, we will have to see if this activity picks up. As the fish transition to deeper water, downriggers are the suggested application.
According to Whitaker’s Sport Shop & Motel:
We still have a few drop backs scattered throughout the river and the few anglers who have been fishing are doing so mostly in the lower end of the river. Anglers have been fishing the Papermill, 81 Hole, Town Pool, Longbridge/Staircase, and Black Hole. Fish have been holding in the head of the deeper holes and faster water. If you plan on fishing the Upper or Lower Fly Zones be aware of the regulation changes that started on May 1st. For those anglers who are fly fishing, swinging streamers has produced the best results. For the anglers who are bottom bouncing or float fishing, blue egg sacs, pink worms and steelhead beads have all produced results.
According to Douglaston Salmon Run:
The water flow in the river is running at 185cfs. One angler we spoke with yesterday had hooked several steelhead using stoneflies in natural colors.
Oneida Lake
Since the season opener, the walleye bite has been spotty. The shore night bite has been decent casting stickbaits and anglers boat fishing are using jigs tipped with a nightcrawler. Bullhead are active along the shoreline with nightcrawlers and leeches suggested bait.
Sandy Pond
According to Dave Wood of Woody’s Tackle:
There isn’t a lot of activity this time of year on the pond but anglers are finding a crappie bite with small minnows under a float.
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Lake Ontario
It’s been a very slow week. Cold, clear water is not the best environment for brown trout. The BT’s are searching for stained water with temperature breaks and so far that hasn’t been the case for Wayne County waters.
All along the southern shore it’s been hit and miss. It could very well be that the fishing is one month behind schedule because of the cold winter. The Finger Lakes are experiencing the same late season start because of frigid water temperatures.
Today…after a night of t storms…the wind is a strong Northwest which might push some temperature breaks towards the shore.
If you are fishing for browns, start early before the sun shuts them down. Charter captains have been catching some kings and the lake trout are hitting in 60 feet of water.
Bays
The bullhead fishing has been good along the south end of Sodus Bay. Anglers are also catching pike near the islands on the north end of Sodus.
Port Bay anglers are still catching crappies near the south end of the bay. You can launch at the DEC ramp.
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.
The Wayne County Youth Fishing Derby starts in June with a brand new exciting division for youngsters 4-7 years of age. All the info is on our web page.
Erie Canal
Kayak anglers were fishing near the Clyde ramp. They are catching blue gills and sunnies. Fishing from the smaller water crafts is becoming very popular.