Greater Niagara Region
Bill Hilts, Jr.
Lake Ontario And Tributaries
It’s prime time in the deer wood as the breeding phase is in full swing.
As a result, there are more deer hunters in the woods … and less fishermen on the water. All the streams reported good flow of water for a few days after the rain last week, but there was no more rain to be had after that, smaller streams are now reporting both trout and salmon stranded in some of the deeper holes. Talk about fish in a barrel! The rain brought in both salmon and trout and the best spot to be is still 18 Mile Creek and Burt Dam. Wes Walker at The Slippery Sinker reported a major uptick in fishing activity and the action has been good for a mixed bag of fish – at the dam, downstream to the harbor and off the piers. The rain expected this weekend could help things out again. Best baits have been eggs or egg imitations in the creek. Trollers and casters are using stickbaits and spoons. Wilson Harbor has a mix of trout, pike and bass to report. In the harbor and off the piers. Up the creek, too, but water levels are down again.
Lower Niagara River
A few salmon are still hanging around, but most of the activity has been for trout, bass and walleye. Water was muddy last weekend after the story but fishable by early in the week. Fish can be found from the gorge all the way to the Niagara Bar and the top catch right now is probably lake trout according to Capt. Frank Campbell of Niagara Falls. Remember, lake trout season is closed but they can be found in the same drifts where you are targeting other species like steelhead, browns, bass and walleye. The Coast Guard station area was producing a mix of walleye and bass. Worm harnesses or jigs will both work for you, as will Kwikfish lures if you get the right wind direction. On the Niagara Bar, some big walleye were caught this week – up to 12 pounds according to Campbell. Silver Kwikfish did the trick. At the Power Authority Fishing Platform, work is underway to replace the elevator so that part of the platform is closed until July. The rest of the platform is open until Dec. 1 or whenever winter arrives – whatever is first. At the new access area at the Schoellkopf site near the Discovery Center, limited access will end on Nov. 8 when the Maid of the Mist boats will begin to go through their winterization process. It will reopen in the spring of 2016 when the boats will begin operating again.
Upper Niagara River
The water was muddy for the weekend with the recent storms. Things are back to normal with mild temperatures doing nothing for the musky fishery. Some reports of fish in Buffalo Harbor, though, on large body baits. Large tubes will take musky outside weed edges in the river. If you want to find out about musky fishing, tune in to the Outdoor Beat on Nov. 18 (Channel 22, LCTV; www.lctv.net) when John Jarosz from the Niagara Musky Association will be the featured guest to talk about area action, as well as the NMA habitat work being conducted. Bass are continuing on their fall feeding frenzy and best baits have been tubes, shiners and crankbaits – but any bass bait will work for you. Some trout were caught recently on Bird Island Pier and Broderick Island casting spoons and spinners. More wind is in the forecast so we’ll have to see how it shakes out.
Oswego County
Mary Ellen Barbeau
Notice: This year Veteran’s Day, November 11, has been declared a free fishing day. Anyone can fish the fresh or marine waters of New York State and no license is required.
Oswego River report:
According to Larry’s Oswego Salmon Shop:
The water level has been dropping over the last couple of days. This morning it is flowing at 2,640cfs. The trout bite continues in the river with a number of steelhead and rainbows along with a few brown trout. Remember trout and salmon are 3 per day in any combination not to include more than 1 rainbow or steelhead. Rainbows/steelhead must be 21 inches with brown trout 15 inches. Smack beads have produced some nice catches and skein is still working well.
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.
According to the Douglaston Salmon Run:
The last couple of days have been difficult on the run. Beautiful, bright skies and warm temperatures with few fish sighted and/or brought to hand. The fish in the estuary on Tuesday meandered up and turned around before entering the run. Yesterday most anglers reported hooking a fish or two at most. With some clouds today and occasional rain over the next day or two, we are hoping things will pick up. The water flow remains at 350cfs from the powerhouse and 483cfs at Pineville.
According to Whitaker’s Sport Shop and Motel:
The warm weather conditions will be with us for another day or so and cooler weather is expected for the upcoming weekend. The anglers we spoke with who fished the lower end of the river reported having another slow day. The upper end of the river between Altmar and Pineville is producing the most action on a daily basis, but is also getting the most fishing pressure. For those anglers who are fly fishing egg patterns continue to produce steady results as well as streamers in non-leaf colors. For those anglers who are bottom bouncing or float fishing blue, pink or chartreuse egg sacs have been working.
Oneida Lake
For any anglers taking advantage of the almost summerlike weather we have had this week, there has been some perch activity. There has also been a decent night bite for walleye just before and after dark. 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.
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Streams
Maxwell Creek has a decent flow of water on both sides of Lake Road. Anglers are catching browns and kings; however the bite seems to change on an hourly basis.
Use egg sacs and any type of rod will work on this smaller stream. On the north side you can throw out any egg imitation under a bobber. You can also cast out into the lake on the mouth of the creek.
Hughes’s Marina is another option for browns. It’s not a stream. They have small ponds that are connected to Lake Ontario. Any where there is water flowing in and out of the lake will hold fish.
With that in mind, try pier fishing. Port Bay has an outlet and the Sodus Bay pier has produced some nice steelhead, browns, cohos, and a few kings. Just cast out spoons like the Little Cleo.
Erie Canal
Port Bay has produced some rock bass, smallmouths and blue gills, however the perch were hiding. It could be a late arrival from Lake Ontario, where they spend the summer.
Sodus Bay has some perch action near the channel, but like the other bays the fishing has been slow.
Pike were being caught in Sodus near the islands, especially Leroy Island on the east side of the bay.
Remember, you need to wear your flotation device at all times starting November 1st. It has to be worn, not just sitting somewhere in the boat. This is a New York State law for all waterways.
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
Widewaters has action and you’ll find a nice boat launch west of Newark. Fish for bass. You have until the last day of November to keep bass.
Orleans County
Orleans County Tourism
Near record high temperatures today and tomorrow will give away to more seasonable weather by the weekend with the chance of some rain.
Water levels on all of the tributaries within Orleans County have dropped back again and mostly clear conditions exist.
Even with that there are still fish scattered throughout the system and with rain this weekend those fish should again be on the move.
On the “Oak” there is a fair number of Chinook salmon in the overflow channel due to the turbines being down over the weekend.
Fishing for Brown tout is on the upswing and surprisingly the number of Atlantic salmon being seen is much stronger than last year.
On the lower reaches of the “Oak” some Perch and Northern pike are being taken but no great numbers yet.
Lake Alice is still giving up Bass but not much else.
Just a reminder that the Erie Canal closes on November 18th this year so, depending on any work to be completed, dewatering should commence shortly after that.
Salmon River
Michael De Rosa – Zero Limit Adventures – Tailwater Lodge
Fishing conditions have been challenging lately here on the Salmon River. For this time of the year, it is slow to moderate for the amount of action. Anglers throughout the river system are reporting very few hook ups throughout the day, and they have been spending a lot of time walking the river trying to find fish. Many people have reported that they have seen fish staged ether in the estuary or river mouth. These Steelhead seem to be wanting to make their runs in the river, but due to the the lack of water, they haven’t. We have seen a few Steelhead making their initial push through the Douglaston Salmon Run, but not the large pods we are custom to seeing. Fresh-run Steelhead and some Browns are being caught at the DSR with a trickle of fresh King Salmon reported earlier in the week. Fishing upriver can be described as “right time, right place” at the major pools with some good activity below the Altmar Bridge. The Lower Fly Zone has fished well at times while the Upper Fly Zone has been more sporadic. Drift Boats continue to report some steelhead from Altmar through Pineville to the 2A Bridge
The reservoir levels are currently low with the lack of rain we experienced this season. The low level is preventing an increase in the river’s flow, which is required to help bring in staged fish. As of right now, there isn’t much rain in the near forecast to help increase the water flow. Forecast calls for sun and clouds with temperatures in the 60s. The current Salmon River conditions in Pineville, NY are 500 CFS and 50 degrees.