Greater Niagara Region
Bill Hilts, Jr.
Lake Ontario And Tributaries
Action off the lake into the tributaries has picked up slightly but not what it should be at this time. We need rain! Conditions are most streams are low and clear with the best spot to be being 18 Mile Creek and Burt Dam. Conditions there are low and clear but there is water flow. Salmon, brown trout and the occasional steelhead are being reported. It seems like the areas with the most fish are at the dam itself as well as downriver closer to the harbor area. Trolling or casting spoons, large stickbaits like J-13 Rapalas or other body baits will get you some fish, but drifting treated egg skein under a float is probably the most popular way to be successful – in the harbor, up the creek in the deeper holes or off the piers when you can get out there. The winds have been a little crazy. Wilson harbor is reporting a few salmon, but mostly trout, bass and pike. Perch are also being caught with regularity. No report of anything happening in the lake. Mark your calendar for Jan. 23 is you want to attend the
Lake Ontario Trout and Salmon Association’s Salmon School, to be held in conjunction with the Greater Niagara Fishing and Outdoor Expo Jan. 22-24 at the Conference and Event Center Niagara Falls. The Salmon School will be featuring Capt. Pete Alex from Erie, PA , Capt. Pete Lahosky from Oswego and Capt. George Freeman from Michigan. Sign up at www.lotsa.org.
Lower Niagara River
Fish are spread throughout the river system, but nothing is hot and heavy right now. Salmon fishing in Devil’s Hole has been slow the past week with boaters picking up a couple fish a trip. Some trout have arrived on the scene – steelhead and lake trout. Remember that lake trout season is closed until the end of the year and must be released immediately. Best bait has been all silver or all gold Kwikfish according to Capt. Frank Campbell of Niagara Falls. He’s been picking up a mixed bag of fish, but he has to run and gun to various sections of the river, including the mouth of the river on the Niagara Bar when the winds aren’t too bad. Last weekend action was slower due to the turbid water conditions resulting from the high winds on Lake Erie. Mark your calendars for Feb. 6, 2016. That’s the date for the Niagara River Anglers Association’s Roger Tobey memorial steelhead contest just confirmed by president Paul Jackson. Follow details at www.niagarariveranglers.com.
Upper Niagara River
Bass fishing is continuing to be productive throughout the river system, from the head of the river to the safety zone area. Fishing live bait or tubes will work for you. Some musky are starting to show up. Reverend Dave “Captain” Emmons of Newfane did well on bass this past week using an umbrella rig with white twistertails, but also reeled in a 40 inch musky fishing the Strawberry Island area on a Savage Gear Real Eel. His fishingh partner Nate Hlad took a 5 pound bass on a red spinner. Spinnerbaits are also a favorite lure. Water temperatures have dropped into the mid-50s and that should help with musky fishing moving into the final month of the season.
Oswego County
Mary Ellen Barbeau
Oswego River report:
The river flow has been fairly consistent between 3,000-4,000cfs over the last couple of days. This afternoon it is running at 3,960cfs. Anglers are finding a variety of fish in the river. There are some salmon with increasing numbers of rainbows, steelhead and some nice size brown trout. From the Utica St. bridge to the dam they are active taking skein, stickbaits and egg sacs.
According to Capt. Andy Bliss of Chasin’ Tail Adventures:
We had a good king bite earlier in the week but a number of trout have moved in over the last couple of days.
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 along the top bar on the home page. 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 Report
According to the Douglaston Salmon Run:
Overall it was a slow day on the run Tuesday. While our anglers did manage to bring some steelhead to hand, the numbers were not what we were hoping for. The encouraging news is that there seemed to be some fresh kings and Cohos showing up on the run. Not a great many, but some and enough to be encouraging for the days ahead. We’re hoping that now that the weather has settled back into being more typical temperatures, the fishing will return to more typical levels for this time of year. Yesterday there was a little more action in the morning than the rest of the day and a little more at the end as well. Anglers reported seeing fish, however they were sitting in pools and not too interested in biting. We have reports of a fair amount of steelhead in the estuary however they seem to be content to stay there for now.
According to Whitaker’s Sport Shop and Motel:
The anglers we spoke with who fished the lower end of the river said they fished hard and covered lots of water but managed to get into a few steelhead while fly fishing with single egg patterns or bottom bouncing with egg sacs. For those anglers still looking for salmon, your best bet is in the mid to upper section of river around the gravel areas, such as Upper Sportsman, Refrigerator, Upper Trestle, Bovines, Ellis Cove, Frazier’s Run and Wire Hole.
Oneida Lake
The night bite for walleye is beginning to pick up. Anglers casting stickbaits just before and after dark are seeing some activity.
Sandy Pond report
There is nothing new to report from the pond. There is very little activity this time of year.
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Streams
Maxwell Creek has a better flow of water this week. Not the best, however it is moving. Fish both sides of Lake Road. The slower water is on the north side and you can fish the Lake Ontario shoreline at the mouth. Some salmon are porpoising and the browns should be following them upstream.
If you need to cast out, use Cleos, or go with the usual egg sac.
You can also catch some steelhead in the Sodus channel.
As every angler is aware it has been tough finding the kings…both on the lake and in the streams. However, the word from the Salmon River guides has been good. The run started last week, so the Wayne County streams should start producing.
It takes more water flow for our small streams but they are less crowded than the larger tribes. So, if you enjoy less crowds fish Maxwell.
Bays
The perch have entered the bays and although they really haven’t set-up a pattern they can be located off of the points.
At Port Bay they are at the north end and Sodus Bay has seen perch action near the buoys at the channel.
Pike are also hitting near the islands in Sodus Bay.
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
Canal fishing is still very productive with largemouth bass everywhere. This is the best time to fish. Just ask any bass tournament angler.
Orleans County
Orleans County Tourism
The up and down temperatures and occasional rain over the next week are not helping for a good strong salmon run.
If we get enough rain to increase water flow on our tributaries, that may spread the fish out throughout the system.
Right now they are still taking fish at the point off the jetties, even on the Lake Ontario sides.
There is also plenty of fish at the Waterport Dam area and then smaller pods scattered throughout the system.
The area around the St. Mary’s Archers Club and north around the bend is showing signs of Chinooks, Cohoes, Brown trout with an occasional Atlantic salmon and Steelhead trout thrown into the mix.
Just like last week, Johnson, Marsh and Sandy Creeks are experiencing low water but still hold fish in some of the deeper pools.
Crappie and Bluegill fishing seems to have dropped off on Lake Alice but Bass fishing is still fairly consistent.
You have about another month before the Erie Canal gets shut down for the winter so enjoy it while you can.
Surprisingly Perch fishing on the lower portions of the “Oak” still remains fairly strong, which is another sign that the trout and salmon run is not that strong yet.
Salmon River
Michael De Rosa – Zero Limit Adventures – Tailwater Lodge
The Douglaston Salmon Run has seen fresh fish throughout the week. With the harsh weather we experienced over the weekend, more fish are making their way into the estuary and beginning their run up the river. The river has only been running at 466 CFS for the past few weeks which may be keeping the large schools of fish from leaving the estuary. Many reports have came from guys spotting large schools of Steelhead and some Salmon lurking around in the estuary.
This week it has been a moderate run of Steelhead with a few fresh Salmon. The majority of Steelhead making their run have hot and acrobatic to say the least. Giving many anglers a lot of entertainment when they break the the water surface and show off how many flips they can do. We also have been seeing sporadic Brown Trout and at least two Landlock Atlantic Salmon dropping back from the headwaters after spawning. The DEC has reported a number of Landlocks reaching the hatchery, including an estimated 14 pound Atlantic. This is promising news for the Landlock Restoration Program here at the Salmon River.drift boats on the upper section of the river are reporting great action with plenty of Kings and Steelhead. The major pools and both fly zones are fishing well keeping anglers happy. It is still to be determined how last year’s B-1 Deficiency in Adult Steelhead with an undetermined mortality rate will affect this year’s Steelhead Fishery.