Greater Niagara Region
Bill Hilts, Jr.
Lake Ontario And Tributaries
With the roller coaster weather that has been going on, anglers will have to pick and choose which days to head out on the water or along the shoreline. A little bit of everything is going on right now. Out in the lake, with water temperatures hovering around the 40 degree mark, shoreline trolling is producing a mix of trout and Coho salmon. Capt. Joe Czyrny of Pendleton has been producing double-digit catches by working the waters in less than 15 feet, especially around creek mouths or muddy water. His tip is to keep an eye on the water temperature. A small increase of a degree or two can make a huge difference. His best baits, fished off in-line boards, has been Challenger Junior stickbaits in hot tiger, fluorescent orange, metallic trout, froggy glow or brown trout color patterns. He’s run the baits 100 to 125 feet back behind the boards. Bob Fronczak of Ransomville was fishing with his dad, Bob, out of Wilson and picked up trout between the breakwalls and the west section of creek in a small, clear pocket of water using purple stickbaits. They also had one fish that straightened out the hooks! When the northeast wind started blowing, though, it forced them off the water.In the creeks, water flow was good and the waters were clear, but that was before the rain hit on Wednesday. That could change everything. Steelheads are still skeined up according to Wes Walker at The Slippery Sinker so the run is still happening. When the water is clear in the harbors, some perch can be caught. Piers can also see some action, depending on the wind direction. Don’t forget that the Wilson Conservation Club will be sponsoring a Niagara County bullhead contest again April 8 starting at 5 pm and running it through April 10 at 1 pm. Weigh in will be from 9 am to 1 pm on Sunday. Any Niagara County waters are eligible. Online registration is available. Go to the tournament’s Facebook page for more details. Contact Eric at 628-6078 if you have questions.
Lower Niagara River
Trout fishing has been decent in the lower river, but you do have to work for them. Outdoor writer Freddie McNight of Pennsylvania brought in a group of Keystone State anglers and they did well on a mix of steelhead, lake trout and browns on Monday. Included in their catch was a 16-plus pound steelhead. Minnows were the best bait, especially baits that have been colored up green using the Pautzke Fire Dye. The Niagara Bar can be good if you can get on the lake based on wind direction and how strong those winds are. No reports on smelt yet. April 1 is also usually when the New York Power Authority opens up the Reservoir and the fishing platform to the public, as well as the stairs to the Devil’s Hole shoreline. This comes at a good time because work on the Whirlpool State Park gorge trail stairs will be started this coming week and that access point will be shut down to July. The lower trail could be impacted during the week below the Whirlpool stairs from Tuesday to Thursday to allow for protection from falling debris. Repairs to the stairs are necessary for safety reasons. Hikers and anglers can still use the stairs at Devil’s Hole and at the NYPA access road. Remember that the Aquarium of Niagara will be hosting a Fish Forum with the Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper in March 31 starting at 6:30 pm. Contact Jarrett Steffen at 852-7483 to register. It is near a sell-out right now. April 2 is another About Boating Safety Course with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary at the Officer’s Club of Fort Niagara State Park from 9 am to 5 pm. Call Bob Hasse at 954-3453 to reserve your spot in advance. This is a required course for anyone who wants to operate a jet ski or anyone who wants to operate a boat that was born after 1996.
Upper Niagara River
Waters have cleared and they are catching some fish from shore at Broderick Park and the Bird Island Pier. For trout, use minnows, egg sacs or spinners and spoons. Some perch at the foot of Ontario and Ferry streets. Waters are slowly starting to warm. The stockings of trout in Hyde Park Lake, Oppenheim Park Pond and Gill Creek will probably take place the second week of April like previous years. No announcement has been made yet.
Oswego County
Mary Ellen Barbeau
Oswego River Report:
With the snow in the area melted and little precipitation over the last few days, the river level is running at 8,390cfs as of this morning. This makes all areas along the river fishable. There have been reports of some rainbow trout, steelhead and a few brown trout. Jigs and pink worms have been successful. Just a reminder that walleye season is closed and will reopen on May 7. It is bullhead time at Wright’s Landing. Worms and minnows are the suggested baits. When conditions allow, anglers are finding brown trout trolling along the shoreline of the lake.
According to Larry’s Oswego Salmon Shop:
We had a couple of chilly but beautiful mornings on the river earlier this week. It hasn’t been wild and crazy but we are getting some fish. 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:
A half dozen or so anglers fished the run yesterday with most reporting seeing fish movement and some getting a tug or two on the line. Tonight we will have a mix of rain/snow showers with 1-3 inches of snow possible. Temperatures are expected to warm up today with rain showers, a little cooler tomorrow but a nice weekend with temperatures in the 50s in the forecast.
According to Whitaker’s Sport Shop & Motel:
We currently have a mix of fish that are trying to spawn or have already completed the spawning process. The majority of fish being caught are drop backs and the anglers having the most success are covering lots of water. If you’re fly fishing, woolly buggers and egg sucking leeches generally produce results. For those anglers with spin gear bottom bouncing with egg sacs has been productive. For those anglers who are float fishing beads, pink worms and egg sacs have also produced results.
Oneida Lake Report
As the open water fishing season begins, perch are active in the bays and anglers have been finding crappies in the Toad Harbor area. Remember that the walleye season closed on March 15 and will reopen on May 7.
Sandy Pond report
Things are rather quiet on the pond as we transition to spring open water angling. Just a reminder that walleye and northern pike seasons closed on March 15. They will reopen on May 7.
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Streams
We are still doing some stream fishing, although the warmer precipitation will turn the steelhead into lake fish. They are hitting in the north end of Maxwell Creek with the best lure, the typical egg sac.
You can also use some bright beads. Try the north end of Maxwell near the mouth and you can also cast out into the lake for close-to-shore browns.
Lake Ontario
The browns are hitting close to shore in less than 20 feet of water. Try near the Ginna Plant near Bear Creek. Troll the mudlines using stickbaits and look for any temperature breaks….even if it’s a couple of degrees.
You should also fish the mudlines where the browns like to hide.
You can also drag your stickbaits in front of the Sodus channel or the Port Bay outlet. The browns have been a mixed bag with some nice 8 to 10 pounders caught.
Bays
You can find the crappies suspended near the south end of Port Bay. The perch are still scattered just like occurred all winter. Of course the 2016 ice season was non-existent.
You can also catch hold-over browns in Sodus Bay or fish the channel for the spring run.
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
Some bass boats were fishing the canal this weekend. They were targeting pan fish and probably going for the crappies under the Port Gibson Bridge.
Remember…you still need to wear your PFD. It has to be worn, not sitting in your boat.
Orleans County
Orleans County Tourism
Up and down temperatures accompanied by on and off precipitation over the next week or so should keep the flows in all of the tributaries within Orleans County manageable levels.
This is the time of year there is a great mix of fishing opportunities both in the tributaries and also on Lake Ontario.
When wind conditions are good, those in smaller boats are doing well catching both Brown trout and Steelhead right along the shoreline of Lake Ontario.
The best conditions are presented near the discharges of the tributaries feeding the lake where warmer water temperatures and stained water conditions exist.
Chartreuse or orange color patterns on either flutter spoons or stick baits seem to be the high producers for these conditions.
On the tributaries long drifts over varying water conditions are creating a good number of hookups on mostly Steelheads but also that occasional Brown trout.
The tributaries are also active with good catches of both Suckers and Bullhead with the existing water conditions.
Lake Alice is slowly coming alive with some great fishing for Crappie, Bluegills, Bass, Perch and other species as conditions continue to improve.
Word from the D.E.C. is that we will be getting our pen reared fish during the first full week of April.
With that in mind we will be assembling the pens on April 2nd at Ernst’s Lake Breeze Marina beginning at 9AM.
This project is of vital importance to our continued great fishery so please come and lend a helping hand.
Salmon River
Michael De Rosa – Zero Limit Adventures – Tailwater Lodge
Water releases has been at 750 cfs for several days, the snow pack on Tug Hill is gone and the small tributaries to the Salmon River are back to normal levels. The River is slowly warming and the Steelhead are spawning. The Altmar, NY Hatchery began taking eggs last week, a sure sign that steelhead in a post-spawn condition are dropping back to the lake.
Douglaston Salmon Run has reported steelhead caught by anglers moved to find them. With the weather and water conditions improving we are seeing a few more fishermen upriver. They report a pick-up of activity at the major pools with some good activity below the Altmar Bridge. The Lower Fly Zone is fishing well. Drift Boat Captains are reporting increased success.