Greater Niagara Region
Bill Hilts, Jr.
Lake Ontario and tributaries
Action in the big lake has been hot and cold as far as fishing catching … even though the weather has been HOT! Joe Yaeger of E. Amherst and president of LOTSA noted that the best king fishing has been in 100 to 250 feet of water with flasher and fly combos off Olcott. While a fair number of boats were out at mid-week off Olcott between the port and the power plant, fish were being caught out to 400 foot depths and magnum spoons were doing well for Capt. Bob Cinelli of Newfane. Outdoor scribe Will Elliott of Pavilion and Christian Hilts of Grand Island traded some nice catches back and forth on Tuesday with spoons – NBK and Wonder Bread. Elliott caught several off a 350 foot copper line including a 10-plus pound steelhead; Hilts caught kings up to 20 pounds for the day. Fish were found in the top 70 feet of water. Look for bait with decent water temperatures. The day before Cinelli hit three kings over 20 pounds – a nice catch that was part of his customer’s limit for the day. The next day it took them a while to wait for salmon and trout to start hitting. Be patient! The Lake Ontario Counties Trout and Salmon Summer Derby is now over and it was a team of three veteran anglers – literally – that produced the Grand Prize catch while fishing out of Olcott two weekends ago. John Monroe of Rochester was fishing with Mark Eisenbach of Victor and Al Fernaays of Fairport during the Curt Meddaugh memorial fishing contest being run by the Lake Ontario Trout and Salmon Assn. on July 17. Using a spin doctor and fly 80 feet down over 170 feet of water, the fish hit was not much – until it decided to take off nearly 400 feet without stopping. Twenty five minutes later Monroe was holding his biggest salmon ever, a 28 pound, 8 ounce fish – earning $11,500 in the process. In the Salmon Division it was Dave Colvin of Springwater fishing out of the Oak to win the category with a 28 pound, 5 ounce king. Top steelhead was caught by Brian Gregson of Gasport with a 16 pound, 9 ounce fish he caught while fishing the LOTSA King Salmon Club Tournament on July 18 40 feet down over 368 feet of water with a Sting Ray NBK spoon. First place brown trout was a 20 pound, four ounce fish caught by Tom Duyssen of Ontario, NY while fishing east of Pultneyville with a black and purple stinger spoon. First place lake trout was John Stanton III of Rochester with a 23 pound, 14 ounce fish caught east of Sandy Creek. He was using a Hammerhead attractor with a homemade spin-n-glo. Next up on the derby calendar is the Orleans County Rotary Derby set for August 1-16. The only Niagara County weigh station is the Slippery Sinker in Olcott. Call 778-0713 for more info. The Fall LOC derby is August 21 to Sept. 7 and the Greater Niagara Fall Classic Derby is August 22-30. Tip of the week comes from Roy Letcher of Olcott: If your downrigger cable starts getting a kink in it, you can straighten it out by leaving the downrigger ball in the water when you take off after fishing.
Lower Niagara River
Best action the past week has been for walleye according to Capt. Steve Drabczyk of Lewiston. The walleye bite was good for them three days in a row at the mouth of the river where it empties into Lake Ontario. Joe Wisenbaler of Morgantown, West Virginia was fishing with his son Tyler earlier this week and managed to catch his first walleye ever – an 11 pound, 9 ounce monster that hit a charteuse worm harness with six beads and a No. 3.5 silver willow blade. According to Drabczyk, the leader material was Stay Straight and it’s been working great. The fish came from 25 feet of water and it wasn’t the only walleye they caught. The lunker has already been taken to Nature’s Way Taxidermy for a fish mount. Later that same day, Drabczyk went out with Joe Oliverio and Cal Neff, both of Lewiston, that they continued catching ‘eyes – including a 12-plus pounder that was released unharmed. Stay inside of 30 feet in the lake. As soon as you hit 30 feet, you will have problems with silver bass. Bass fishing in the river has been tough. Artificials seem to be out-producing live bait right now. The Cystic Fibrosis Lower River Fishing Challenge is set for Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning next week. We wish the event much luck. Last year they raised more than $170,000 for the CF cause.
Upper Niagara River
Bass, musky, walleye and perch are all available throughout the river system. You do have to work for them, with bass and walleye coming with the least amount of effort. One of the best spots has been the head of the river. Also around Strawberry and Motor islands. It’s important to emphasize that the Canadians have been enforcing live bait regulations and writing tickets to fishermen who are using minnows, shiners, crayfish and leeches that have not been purchase in Canada. It is illegal to dip bait in Canadian waters if you are a non-resident. It is also illegal to use nightcrawlers that is in dirt, but bedding is okay. In the Erie Canal, there will be a kids fishing derby in Lockport out of Widewaters Marina on August 8. Lockport Moose Lodge #617 will be taking over the White Family event this year and it will be held from 8 am to 11 am. For more info call Mark West at 940-1244.
Oswego County
Mary Ellen Barbeau
Oswego River/Lake Ontario report:
According to Larry Muroski of Larry’s Oswego Salmon Shop:
The river level has been all over the chart over the last couple of days running from 8,000cfs to below 1,000cfs. This afternoon it is flowing at 3,960cfs. The activity in the river remains about the same. The dam is producing smallmouth bass, sheepshead and panfish. Worms, crayfish and minnows are working well. The area near the powerhouse continues to see activity with walleye, sheepshead, smallmouth, catfish and rockbass. Minnows, crayfish, worms and leeches are suggested baits.
Lake Ontario report:
According to Capt. Andy Bliss of Chasin’ Tail Adventures:
Salmon fishing has really picked up the last week. Salmon can be found from 120-450 feet of water. Most fish are being caught from 60-120 feet down. Coppers in 350-600 feet have been the most productive presentation.
Flasher fly combos in chrome or white trailing A-TOM-MIK flies in hammer, glo green, and mirage variations are working well. Meat rigs have also been productive; white attractors have been the best. Spoons have also been good in a variety of colors.
According to Capt. Mike Conroy of Proteus Fishing Charters:
The salmon action has been good in the deep water from 200-500 off of Oswego. The charter fleet has taken nice catches of king salmon from 70-110 down on echips, spin doctors, and stingray stingers; off of riggers, wire divers and copper rigs. Charter boats figured out the strong currents produced the best. Try to stay away from boats, look for bait and cover water for the best action. Recently caught king salmon were the largest of the season so far.
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 report
According to Dave Wood of Woody’s Tackle:
The salmon fishing continues to be good in the 100-120 foot range down about 100 feet from the surface.
Flashers and flies along with cut bait and spoons are working well with some nice size fish being taken. Lake trout could be found in 100-120 feet of water fishing along the bottom using cowbells and peanuts. Brown trout can be found in more shallow water in the 70-foot range. Bass fishing has been very good in 15-20 feet of water with worms, minnows and crayfish.
Salmon River:
The water is continuing to run at 185cfs. Activity is fairly quiet on the river at this time of year however a few brown trout have been caught.
Oneida Lake
The action on the lake has slowed down some. With the very warm weather the water temperature has risen dropping the oxygen levels and typically this makes the fish a bit sluggish. Anglers are finding a few walleye in the 30-40 foot water depth. Worm harnesses and jigs tipped with nightcrawlers are suggested bait. Look for smallmouth bass near the shoals with crankbaits and tube jigs.
Sandy Pond report
According to Dave Wood of Woody’s Tackle:
The warm temperatures have produced some thick weed growth and as usual for this time of year there is not much activity on the pond.
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Lake Ontario
Some kings are showing up near the Ginna power plant. They are being marked down 80 feet of water over 150. A few 20 pounders were caught on flasher flies.
With this hot weather and no wind maybe we will see a consistent temp break.
Some browns are still on the early bite close to shore in 40 feet of water.
Bays
There have been a few bass tourneys at Sodus and Port Bay. Fish the weedlines. The water temp in Port Bay is 75 degrees.
Sodus Bay action has been the usual mix of summer fish. Largemouth bass have been hitting rubber and plastic baits.
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 Derby awards are this Sunday at 11 am. The Sodus Point Fire Hall is where the action will be. We had 75 young anglers fishing Wayne County waters this summer.
Erie Canal
The cats are hitting near Palmyra. Use cut bait or doughballs. Cut shrimp also works if you have lots of spare change devoted to fishing.
Salmon River
Michael De Rosa – Zero Limit Adventures – Tailwater Lodge
This week on the Salmon Rive the water levels remained just about 200 CFS and there have been a few reports of Atlantics around the Altmar Bridge and and even a few fished hooked this past weekend.
Fishing at the lower end of the river at the Douglaston Salmon Run continues to yield healthy small mouth bass and plenty of brown trout action around the Wall Hole and the Flats.
This weekend will be a release weekend so expect flows around 800 CFS and plenty of kayaks, rafts and tubes joining us on the river. Please use caution when wading with the increased flows and a wadding staff is always a great idea!