Greater Niagara Region
Bill Hilts, Jr.
Lake Ontario and tributaries
Some mature kings have been coming in the 60 to 100 foot range in front of Olcott and to the west according to Wes Walker at The Slippery Sinker. Cutbait, flasher-fly, magnum spoons and, to coincide with the time of year, J-plugs. Plugs took three fish for one Michigan boat on Tuesday, mature kings between 24 and 26 pounds. Tom Yarger of Lockport had his first 25 pound king of the year this week, straight out from Olcott at the 26-27 GPS line. Some boats have been heading to the 28-30 GPS line for fish, but each day makes a difference as to where the active fish are. Its derby time on Lake Ontario and the Orleans County Rotary Derby is now history, ending last Sunday. Georgia Barkdoll of Pennsylvania was the Grand Prize winner with a 29 pound salmon caught off the Point. Top steelhead was a 12 pound, 14 ounce fish reeled in by Mike Ayotte of Florida. Big brown was a 14 pound, 5 ounce fish hauled in by Chad Kennedy of Massachusetts and the leading lake trout overall was a 17 pound, 12 ounce fish weighed in by Mike Engle of Hamlin. Next up on the derby calendar is the Fall Lake Ontario Counties Trout and Salmon Derby, kicking off on Friday, August 21st and continuing through Labor Day. Grand prize salmon is worth $25,000! Check out www.loc.org for more information. On Saturday, August 22, the 39th Annual Greater Niagara Fish Odyssey Derby will be starting up and running through August 30th. Six different species categories will be up for grabs including salmon, trout, walleye, carp and smallmouth bass. There are also six different catego-ries for the kids division and entry into the youth division is free! Stop in at a registra-tion outlet or sign up online at www.fishodyssey.net. This derby is open to a wide ar-ea, including public waters of Niagara, Erie and Orleans counties, as well as large por-tions of Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. Get those kids signed up today! Lots of great priz-es are available for the winners. The best thing about the Odyssey is that everyone in the adult division has a chance to win the Grand Prize of $2,500. All first place win-ners are put into a hat during the awards ceremony in Newfane at 4 pm.
Lower Niagara River
Contrary to recent announcements, there will not be a Niagara River An-glers Assn. walleye contest in the lower river this year – even though walleye fishing has been pretty darn good. No one has stepped up to the plate to run a one-day event so local anglers looking for a little competition will have to settle for the Walleye Division of the Greater Niagara Fish Odyssey Derby that runs from August 22-30. Worm harnesses are the best approach for boaters, drifting the bottom with three-way rigs in the river or on the Niag-ara Bar. Power trolling on the bar is another tactic that can produce some nice ‘eyes, using worm harnesses or stickbaits. Kwikfish are taking some fish off three-way rigs, too. Bass con-tinue to be pretty finicky but fish are available from the Bar to Devil’s Hole. Bass fishing has been hot and cold and Capt. Frank Campbell gives a good example of what it can be like. On one day in particular, they boated bass in three hours. In the next 40 minutes they caught 11 bass. Best baits have been minnows, crayfish, tubes and Kwikfish. There is a Bass Division in the Odyssey, too. Check out www.fishodyssey.net for details.
Upper Niagara River
Action in the upper river has been a bit more difficult this week with the scorching temperatures – bothering the fishermen more than the fish. Bass and walleye are still options in the hole in front of Strawberry Island and at the head of the river. Worm harnesses or crayfish are good bets. Thompson’s Hole is always a favorite for the Fish Odyssey, but with the live bait options no longer available for boaters coming over from New York, this popular spot will prob-ably be for artificials only. Don’t forget the Erie Canal as an angling option, especially for carp or to get the kids out fishing in the derby. Yes, it’s free for the kids to compete in the derby! Go to www.fishodyssey.net for details.
Oswego County
Mary Ellen Barbeau
Oswego River/Lake Ontario report:
According to Larry Muroski of Larry’s Oswego Salmon Shop:
After dropping to 800cfs yesterday the river has risen to 4,060 this morning. Anglers are finding bass, sheepshead, catfish and a few walleye all on crayfish and minnows. There are no salmon to report as yet.
Lake Ontario report:
According to Capt. Mike Conroy of Proteus Fishing Charters:
Salmon fishing in Oswego has been very quiet for over a week. Bait fish is mostly non-existent along the eastern basin. Hopefully things will change. The best catches of King salmon have been taken over 600 feet of water by a few boats. Some nice catches of brown trout have been taken between Four Mile Point and Bayshore on small spoons, down 70-85 feet over 100-110 feet of water. Cover water and keep the water fleas off your lines.
According to Capt. Kevin Davis of Catch the Drift:
The tough fishing has continued the last few days. Only so many bites a trip and you hope they stay on. We are starting to see some stagers showing up so hopefully better days are ahead.
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:
After several days of very warm and humid weather it seems a change is on its way. Once storms pass through later today which are expected to produce heavy rainfall, the temperatures for the area will be in low to upper 70s over the next several days. Up to this point, the salmon have been scattered in deep water but there appears to be a good number of them. Hopefully this weather change will prompt some good fishing action. Anglers are finding a brown trout bite in 80-90 feet of water over toward Nine Mile Point.
Salmon River:
According to the Douglaston Salmon Run:
In terms of the weather, it has been a hot week. Good fishing – not so much. The anglers that fished the run on Wednesday had limited success and there were no fish (salmon, that is) spotted on the run. Low water levels and high water temperatures did not lend themselves to ideal fishing conditions. Water flow is still 185 at the powerhouse and 245 at Pineville but that could change with the heavy rain predicted for later today.
Oneida Lake
The lake has seen a major algal bloom over the last few days. The walleye bite continues to be slow but a few are being taken in that 30-40 foot water depth. Look for smallmouth bass near the shoals and there has been some schooling activity in the deeper water. Tube jigs and stickbaits are working well.
Sandy Pond report
According to Dave Wood of Woody’s Tackle:
As is typical this time of year, the activity on the pond is fairly quiet.
Fair Haven / Cayuga county
Captain Werner Stenger
Salmon River
Michael De Rosa – Zero Limit Adventures – Tailwater Lodge
With a few more fisherman in the river this week a handful and I mean very few salmon were spotted, a couple alive and in the fish ladders at the hatchery and a few that had expired likely due to the warm river temps pushing the low seventies.
There are still some stocked browns to be had around Pineville that will sure keep you busy. The Lower Fly Zone remains closed until September 15th and the Upper Fly Zone is open and still no weighted flies or lines. Be sure to check the Special Salmon River Regulations when heading out.
The Douglaston Salmon Run is still fishing well for the stocked brown trout and small mouth bass. It wont be long now for the beginning of the 2015 fall run and keep your eyes on that weather, look for periods of rain to bring in those first fall run fish.