Greater Niagara Region
Bill Hilts, Jr.
Lake Ontario And Tributaries
Like the saying goes, wind from the east … fishing is least. More east wind was in the forecast this week and action on the lake has been slow for salmon and trout. It’s going to be a hit or miss proposition in the big lake, evidenced by the leaderboard of the Lake Ontario Counties Summer Derby going on right now. As of this writing there still wasn’t a salmon on the board yet. In the Oak Orchard/Orleans County Open Tournament last weekend, it was the Yankee Troller team led by Capt. Rickard Hajecki of Rochester who won the contest – for the second year in a row. In the uniquely formatted event, they caught five salmon and five trout for the tournament limit on day one. They came up two short in the trout division for day two – good enough for their second consecutive title. Top salmon was caught by Vision Quest, a 17.19 pound king. Top trout was a 20.84 pound lake trout reeled in by the Free Spirit team. According to Hajecki, they fished inside of 200 feet for their salmon each morning right out front of the Oak. On Saturday it was a Familiar Bite Whip Flash with Familiar Bite Herring strips doing the best on their divers back 130-150 feet. On Sunday the best salmon set-up was Dreamweaver Sea Sick Waddlers on the riggers. Both days they headed down to Devil’s Nose to catch their lake trout, and they were taken on Hammerhead Cow-Bells and A-Tom-Mik flies. The steelhead posed the biggest headache. On Saturday they were lucky enough to score one on the inside while salmon fishing. The second one took a Dreamweaver Blue Bubble offshore in 350 feet of water. Sunday they just couldn’t find a steelhead, and they fished for them for three hours. While targeting steelhead offshore on Sunday they upgraded their salmon three times. They found Salmon in the top 30 feet over 350-500 feet of water. It was mostly a spoon bite off their Cannon downriggers. This weekend is for the kids, with the Wilson Conservation Club holding their annual youth derby in all waters within Niagara County from 8 a.m. to noon. The awards will take place at 1 p.m. at their club house located on Route 425. For more info call 930-7500. If you are looking the take the kids fishing next weekend, the Olcott Lions Club will be sponsoring a kids outing at the Town of Newfane Marina starting at 8 am on Saturday, June 27. Just show up.
Lower Niagara River
With the opening of bass and musky seasons on Saturday, June 20th, fishing action should start to improve a bit. A few trout are still hanging around the river system, but they seem to be reducing in numbers on a daily basis. It’s definitely a mixed bag of fish that also includes bass, silver bass, sheepshead, carp and walleye in addition to steelhead and lake trout. Moss is still a nuisance, but it’s still fishable and not a complete turn off so far. Shore fishermen have been taking catch-and-release bass and silver bass from the NYPA fishing platform and along the shoreline in Devil’s Hole. Boat fishermen are doing the same in the Hole and further down the river. Bass are spawning right now so try not to pull fish off the beds – even if it is legal come Saturday. Kelly’s Korners in Niagara Falls has an opening day bass contest from 5 am to 4 pm that day. You must be signed up by June 19. Best two fish total weight wins the prize money. For more information call 283-2040.
Upper Niagara River
Musky and bass seasons will be the focus this weekend with the openers taking place on June 20. The big event will be Saturday when the City of Tonawanda will be holding its 20th Annual Kids Fishing Derby for junior anglers up to age 16 at Niawanda Park from 9 a.m. to noon. Registration at 8 am at the Band Shell on River Road, Tonawanda. Over $8,000 in prizes. For more info call John or Kate White at 692-6306. In addition to the fishing derby, there will be numerous educational stations set up including the Niagara River Anglers Association’s trout pond, a casting contest and more. The Fifth Annual Hooked on the Tonawandas Fishing Derby set for June 27-28 out of Gateway Harbor in North Tonawanda. If those dates sound familiar it’s because those are the state’s Free Fishing Weekend dates, a time when no fishing license is required to take advantage of New York’s excellent natural resources as they pertain to fish and fishing. That’s the reason that the contest organizers picked the dates that they did. Species categories for this event are smallmouth and largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, carp, perch and bullhead. Channel catfish also has special recognition. A registration fee of $15 is for adults and junior anglers have the option of registering as an adult or fish in a free kids division. The eligible waters are in the cities of Tonawanda and North Tonawanda and you can fish from shore or boat. For more information check out their website at www.fishgatewayharbor.net. The grandfather of all Canal derbies, though, is the 25th Annual Erie Canal Fishing Derby, an event that has spanned a quarter of a century. Steve and Lynn Harrington of Gasport will be running the show from July 1 to 12, offering participants over $20,000 in cash and prizes across the board. Bass, walleye, bullhead, northern pike, carp, sheepshead and catfish are all species categories and the size of previous winners is impressive. The Grand Prize is a boat, motor and trailer, with the big winner determined through a drawing on awards night of all first place winners. There are $10,000 worth of tagged fish put into the canal, too. Eligible waters for this derby are from Albion in Orleans County to the Niagara River in Erie and Niagara counties. For more information, visit the contest website at www.eriecanalderby.com.
Oswego County
Mary Ellen Barbeau
Oswego River/Lake Ontario report
According to Larry Muroski of Larry’s Oswego Salmon Shop:
The recent rainfall is affecting the water flow with the river running at 19,300cfs this afternoon. There is an area behind the powerhouse that was recently opened up to fishing. Anglers will find walleye, sheepshead, smallmouth, catfish, rockbass and long-nosed gar in this spot. The remaining areas of the river are quiet. Bass season opens on Saturday, June 20. Minnows, crayfish, worms, and leeches are the baits of choice. Rock bass are in near Wright’s Landing.
Lake Ontario
According to Capt. Kevin Davis of Catch the Drift:
The waters outside of the Oswego are starting to go into the June transition period. Brown trout can still be found in 20-50 feet of water but they are very spread out. Best tactic is to spread your baits out within the water column from the surface to the bottom. Leadcore has been very effective. Spoons in natural colors have been best for me. Stingers and stingray sizes have been good in UV tux, black wiggler, emerald shiner and when the sun is up brighter patterns. An offshore bite is beginning to start. Lakers, with a few steelhead kings and browns mixed in. In the 80-350 foot range there is no real concentration.
According to Larry Muroski of Larry’s Oswego Salmon Shop:
The lake fishing for brown trout has been good this week early in the morning. Anglers have found a good bite east of the harbor in 10-40 feet of water with spoons and stickbaits working well. There is very little salmon action at this point but hopefully that will change over the next couple of weeks.
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
Salmon River:
The river level remains at 750cfs making for better conditions although things are fairly quiet along the river this time of year.
According to Dave Wood of Woody’s Tackle:
Conditions are about the same. Brown trout remain active off the Salmon River down to Selkirk Shores State Park. Look in 30-50 feet of water Stickbaits are working well. Anglers are finding a few lake trout in 90-100 feet of water off the high rocks near Nine Mile Point. There has been very little salmon activity.
Oneida Lake
According to Dave Wood of Woody’s Tackle:
The activity has not changed much on Oneida Lake. The cloudy, rainy weather is holding the water temperature down a bit. Anglers are finding a good walleye bite near the drop offs using worm harnesses and shad raps. Bass are on a catch and release basis until the season opens on Saturday, June 20.
Sandy Pond report
According to Dave Wood of Woody’s Tackle:
Not having had a great deal of hot weather as yet, the weed growth is not as issue on the pond. The walleye bite has been good using Rapalas on top. Anglers are also finding some bluegills near the weed beds.
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Lake Ontario
Bays
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 20th with a brand new exciting division for youngsters 4-7 years of age. All the info is on our web page.
Erie Canal
Fair Haven / Cayuga county
Captain Werner Stenger
Fishing Lake Ontario out of Fair Haven for trout and salmon is still tough on days. Browns mostly in the 20-60′ the rest are on the move and can be anywhere from 100-500 on any given day. The good news is Bass opener this weekend. Smallmouth are abundant in the shallow waters under the bluffs and largemouths are just coming off their nests in the bay. Our favorite trip of the year coming this Saturday. 15 boats out of Fair Haven taking 42 soldiers fishing in cooperation with the Wounded Warrior Program.