Greater Niagara Region
Bill Hilts, Jr.
Lake Ontario And Tributaries
Fishing in Lake O. continues to be as hot as the weather – really! Capt. Dan Evans of Lone Wolf Charters in Wilson reports fishing was great earlier in the week – lots of kings and steelhead from 120 to 350 feet of water. He found good temperature from 60 to 75 feet down so he was setting riggers at 45-60-75 feet using spoons in black and glo, green and glo down deeper; orange and silver up higher. Off the divers, he was running green dot spin doctors and hammer flies or white glo spinnies and hammer flies. He’ll also run copper, using spoons to entice the fish to hit way back behind the boat. He will run lures back from 200 to 350 feet with copper. Over in Olcott, mature kings have been inside of 200 foot depths according to Wes Walker with The Slippery Sinker. Good mix of steelhead and salmon are being reported. You can also head out deeper to 350-450 feet of water with steelhead and cohos in the top 50 feet; the bigger kings below 60 foot depths with spoons or flasher-fly. Smallmouth bass, perch, rockbass and pike are all being caught in the harbors. The Lake Ontario Counties Trout and Salmon Summer Derby is producing some nice fish, many from right here in Niagara County. While it’s still early in the game for a contest that runs through the 31st, Niagara County has jumped out of the starting gates after the first week to lead every single category. Based on the new structure for the summer competition, every one of the current leaders has already earned some early cash. Larry Wills of Lewiston won $1,000 for the biggest salmon during the first week of action with his grand prize-leading 30 pound, 15 ounce king out of Wilson. Other species categories earning $250 each were steelhead, led by Wade Winch of North Tonawanda, with a 17 pound, 10 ounce fish; Bob Turton of Sanborn with a 23 pound, 7 ounce lake trout; and Tom Gies of Ann Arbor, Michigan with a 17 pound, 6 ounce brown trout – all caught out of Niagara waters. Of course, it’s a new week and new anglers can try to cash in. Check out the leaderboard at loc.org. You have to be in it to win it! That’s a hard lesson to learn and we hear it every derby. This time it was customers of Capt. Paul Czarnecki of Tri-State Charters who caught a 32 pound salmon. They weren’t it. This weekend is the LOTSA In-Club Tournament (July 16) and the Curt Meddaugh Memorial event (July 15). Check out lotsa1.org for details.
Lower Niagara River
Moss is still an issue for anglers casting and drifting the section of water below Niagara Falls. Hopefully it will be gone by the time the Niagara River Anglers Association’s smallmouth bass contest is here, set for July 23. Don’t have any of the details yet so your best bet is to contact tournament coordinator Ed Garcia at 870-5318 for more info.
Upper Niagara River-Erie Canal
Bass are your best option still and moss seems to be getting better. Just in time for some unique fishing to take place. The Bassmaster Bracket Tournament is July 19-22 on the upper river between the north Grand Island Bridge and the Peace Bridge – no Canadian waters. It should be interesting. Weigh in will take place in live time right on the boats, of which there will only be eight. Check out the website at bassmaster.com. Another big contest going on right now is the 26th Annual Erie Canal Fishing Derby, ending on Sunday, July 17th. Like with all of these contests, some really nice fish are being caught and the leaderboard can change overnight. Here’s some of the leaders so far: Ron Robel of Wheatfield with a 8.4 sheepshead; Craig Udell of Gasport with a 20 pound carp; Patty Young of Kent with a 9-plus pound catfish; Albert Whaley of North Tonawanda with a 7.9 pound pike; Phyllis Whaley of North Tonawanda with a 2.5 pound walleye; Joe Cwiklinski of Depew with a 2.9 pound bullhead; and John Justice of North Tonawanda with a 3.8 pound bass. The derby ends Sunday night at 9 pm. The website is eriecanalderby.com
Oswego County
Mary Ellen Barbeau
Lake Ontario report
According to Capt. Kevin Davis of Catch the Drift:
Fishing remains good the last few days. Not wild and crazy but usually a good bite for a couple hours. Kings of all sizes, browns, lakers, steelhead and a bunch of Atlantics around also. Hot weather and bright sun are definitely slowing the bite down later in the day. Some real good fishing coming our way soon, when the bait starts moving off shore.
According to Capt. Troy Creasy of High Adventure Sportfishing Charters:
What a switch from the weekend. Winds went away, the lake was flat and they wanted to play! 15 bites to land 11 including 4 skippys of which 3 we were able to return unharmed. Two really nice Atlantics, one brown and some nice Chinooks. Big fin glo, glo green flies and spoons on NBK, Mongoose, Hawg wild, yellow killer and a few others did the deed. If the weather would only hold, we are on for a great 8 to 10 weeks of trolling.
Oswego River Report
The water level has been up and down the last two days running between 600 – 3300cfs. This morning the flow is 1,050cfs. Fishing is about the same on the river. Walleye are responding to stickbaits particularly after dark. Anglers are finding a few catfish and smallmouth bass. Cut bait and nightcrawlers are 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.
Pulaski Area/Salmon River Report
The fishing has been decent this week. Anglers are finding a mixed bag of fish including salmon, brown trout, and steelhead. Flies and flashers along with spoons are working well. There has been a bass bite in Mexico Bay in 28-40 feet of water using soft shell crabs, minnows, and nightcrawlers.
Salmon River report
There has not been much to report from the river. Typically this time of year is quiet with a little smallmouth bass activity and the occasional brown trout. The water temperature is in the 70s with the flow at 185cfs at the dam.
Oneida Lake Report
The walleye bite has been spotty with blade baits in 20-25 feet of water producing a few. Stickbaits are working in just a bit deeper water. Bass are being taken in shallow water along the weedbeds and around the shoals.
Sandy Pond report
According to Woody’s Tackle:
The pond is heavily weeded with little fishing taking place.
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Lake Ontario
The Sodus Point Pro-Am is this week with all the action starting tomorrow with special promotions during the week. Then there is Captain Jacks Big Fish Friday where anyone can fish for money. The actual Pro-Am happens on Saturday and Sunday, so it will be a busy time at Sodus Point this week.
Check out the schedule on the web sodusproam.com
I guess it doesn’t surprise me that the charter guys are not saying where the fish are, however you could try in 150 to 250 feet of water, down 60 to 70 for BT’s and run copper back 300 feet for kings.
The salmon were hitting green-glow spin doctors with flies. Some are using cut bait, but like I said…they’re not talking with me. The fishing update guy could be the enemy.
Bays
The warmer water in Sodus Bay has turned-on the fishing with plenty of largemouth bass hitting around the weed beds. Use just about anything. Just make sure you are rigged with some hefty mono or braided line.
This seems to be the vacation week so be careful especially if you are taking out the youngsters. Keep it safe.
If you need to rent a boat they are available at Davenports, Bay Bridge Sport Shop, and Warren’s Hook, Line &Sinker at Sodus Point.
Check out our Facebook page for the latest catch in our Wayne County Youth Derby.
The event for the youngsters started June 11th and runs until July 24th. All the info is on the front of our county web page.
Catching a fish is something that is remembered forever so sign-up today.
Check out the rest of the Wayne County Tourism web page for the locations and hours of local bait and tackle shops. 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
Hot action all along the canal. You can catch catfish, panfish, largemouth bass, crappies and walleye in the Erie Canal waters. There are numerous places to launch a boat or you can fish along the shoreline next to the locks.