Greater Niagara Region
Bill Hilts, Jr.
Lake Ontario And Tributaries
With the advent of the regular big game season on the horizon, that’s good news for fishermen who will be getting a little more elbow room in their favorite areas. In the streams, more rain this week should be just what the doctor ordered for casters to reel in salmon and trout out of Wilson and Olcott. Fish will be available in the harbors, off the piers – if the winds cooperate – and up the streams. Speaking of wind, there were high wind warnings for Thursday and Friday. The rain should really turn things on again. More water could be added with the dewatering of the Erie Canal next week. If you missed the Free Fishing Day that was held on Veterans Day, we received the DEC announcement on Tuesday, the day before – sorry. Thank you to the veterans for your service!
Lower Niagara River
In the Niagara River, trout fishing has improved – from both boat and shore. Shore anglers were doing well last weekend and Chuck Booker’s homemade spinners worked magic on trout along the Artpark area. If you hook into a lake trout, remember that season is closed until the end of the year. Steelhead and brown trout are still available, as well. Spoons and eggs – real or imitation – will also catch you fish if you are casting from shore. In boats, the best artificial lures you can use are silver or gold Kwikfish or Mag Lip lure fished off a three-way rig. With a high wind warning in the forecast, you may need a little luck to get out this Friday the 13th. And you better check to see what the water conditions are before heading down. They are predicting winds in excess of 50 mph and that could rile Lake Erie up and send muddy water down the river. When that happens, shore fishermen just need to find some cleaner water some place and use baits that are more visible like chartreuse, pink or orange colorations. Things that make some noise or give a vibration will also help you catch fish.
Upper Niagara River
High winds could create turbidity problems in the upper river but we won’t know the effects until later on Friday. The wind will definitely keep people off the water. Trout are still being reported off the Bird Island Pier and off Broderick Park. Cast spoons, spinners or eggs. Bass are still bulking up for the winter and can be caught from head to the upper reef at the intakes. The Erie Canal will be closing up shop next week so dewatering will take place soon from Feigel Road in Pendleton to the east.
Oswego County
Mary Ellen Barbeau
Oswego River Report:
According to Larry’s Oswego Salmon Shop:
The water level jumped to about 5,000cfs yesterday but is back down to 3,170cfs this morning. Trout, including steelhead, rainbows, and browns, are active throughout the river. The low water has slowed the action down but hopefully the cooler temperatures over the weekend will help. Smack beads and skein are working well.
According to Capt. Kevin Davis of Catch the Drift:
The fishing remains good although they are not coming easily. It’s another year of no water. The average flow for this time is 7000cfs – we have been at or below 3,000cfs (except for a quick spike yesterday) for the last few days. My rain dance fails again. Oh well, our clients are still happy in the double digits. All released to fight another day.
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:
The improvement in steelhead fishing continues with some clients reporting several hook ups and others reporting at least one or two. The middle section of the river continues to produce better than the lower with the upper section the second best producer. Blue egg sacs appear to the bait of choice with a frosted tangerine 10mm bead attractor pegged 12 to 18 inches above the hook, all under a float.
According to Whitaker’s Sport Shop and Motel:
The majority of anglers we have staying in the motel have been fishing the upper end of the river between Altmar and Pineville and getting into fish. Anglers having the most success are getting on the water early, changing flies often so the fish continue to get a different look and adjusting your tippet based on fishing pressure. The lower end of the river is getting the least amount of fishing pressure. For those anglers who are fly fishing, single egg patterns under a strike indicator or streamers on the swing have both produced results. For those anglers who are bottom bouncing or float fishing, egg sacs, steelhead beads or pink worms have all produced results.
Oneida Lake Report
Conditions are about the same on the lake. The wind will be an issue for the next day or two with cooler temperatures coming for the weekend. The extended forecast again has temperatures into the 60s for the upcoming mid-week. Anglers are still finding some perch and the walleye night bite has continued.
Casting stickbaits and blade baits is working well. A reminder that from November 1 to May 1, all persons regardless of age, aboard a pleasure vessel less than 21 feet, must wear a Personal Floatation Device while underway.
Sandy Pond report
The pond is quiet this time of year.
Orleans County
Orleans County Tourism
The rain that is forecast thru Friday should help to get water levels on our smaller tributaries within Orleans County at a more comfortable level.
Water temperatures are still slightly high for this time of year but be dropping to more seasonable levels over the next week.
Add to all of this the fact that the Erie Canal closes next week, November 18th, and dewatering should start shortly after that, conditions should continue to improve.
On the “Oak” fishing around the Archers Club area has been hit and miss for a few days with more steady action occurring between the southern border of the club and the area just before the Waterport Dam area.
Action has been mostly a few spawned out Chinook salmon with a green one thrown in every once in a while, an occasional Atlantic salmon, a good number of Brown trout and an increasing number of Steelhead.
The Sandy Creek area has been very slow mostly due to a lack of water but again that may all change over the next day or two.
I have not had any reports from either the Marsh Creek or Johnson Creek areas but I’m quite sure that they are following the same scenario that Sandy Creek is experiencing.
On the lower portion of the “Oak” Perch fishing is slow at best.
On Lake Alice some Bluegills are being taken off the Kenyonville Bridge, very little action from the Waterport Bridge area and Smallmouth bass throughout the Lake Alice system.
Salmon River
Michael De Rosa – Zero Limit Adventures – Tailwater Lodge
Fishing conditions are continuing to be challenging lately here on the Salmon River. But that is why it’s called fishing; not catching. For this time of year, the fishing is still considered to be slow to moderate compared to what we have seen over recent years. Spots of the rivers are full with anglers up and down throwing a mix bag of flies, looking for that one or two Steelhead. The crowd size is what we typically expect during the main run of the Salmon season. Anglers throughout the river system are reporting a few hook-ups throughout the day, but they have been spending a lot of time walking the river trying to find fish. We have seen a few Steelhead making their initial push through the Douglaston Salmon Run throughout the week, but just small groups of two or three. These Steelhead and some Browns are being caught at the DSR. The King Salmon numbers are dwindling as the days go on.
Fishing the upper section of the river is still a game of chance. Holes from the Upper Fly and down seem to be holding fish one day, but then are dry the next. Anglers fishing the upper part of the river system have been reporting hook-ups of Steelhead, Brown Trout, Cohos, and a few Kings that are still hanging in. Fish in the upper section of the river are becoming line shy with the number of anglers they are passing as they move through Altmar. This will always make fishing tough and anglers go very light on tackle.
Mother Nature has been trying to help us over the past week with our low water level situation. The reservoir levels are still low and slowly on the rise. The low level is preventing an increase in the river’s flow, which is required to help bring in staged fish that would like to enter the water system. Forecast calls for sun and clouds with temperatures in the 40-50s. The current Salmon River conditions in Pineville, NY are 460 CFS and 48 degrees.