Greater Niagara Region
Bill Hilts, Jr.
There are many fishing activities going on right now so you will have to pick and choose what you want to do. For example, salmon fishing is good in Olcott right now at 18 Mile Creek and the lower Niagara River still has a mix of king salmon, Coho salmon and steelhead. If you want trout, you can catch them wherever there is good water flow. The most popular areas are the Niagara River and 18 Mile Creek, but you can do well after a rain in some of the smaller streams, too. Fishermen were picking up some trout in places like Keg and 12 Mile Creeks last week. Anglers are getting a few perch on Lake Erie and there are some bass around as well. There are lots of fish to cast for if you so choose.
Wilson and Olcott
The piers in Wilson and Olcott are both good spots with spoons or spinners. The talk of Olcott this past week was the huge musky that was caught off the Olcott pier by a fisherman using a homemade spinner. According to reports, the fish was over 60-inches long, which would put it into a 50 pound class of fish. Huge! It was released to fight another day. The same angler did manage to catch a nice brown trout for the smoker later in the day. In the harbor and up the creek, some nice salmon and trout are being caught by casters and drifters. One salmon caught by John Miller of Pa. stretched 45 inches long! At Burt Dam and Fisherman’s Park, there have been lots of fish … but also lots of fishermen. Mostly salmon right now, but steelhead and browns are both being taken as well.
Lower Niagara River
Lower Niagara River action for salmon has been slowing down for boat drifters in the Devil’s Hole area. A few kings are still being caught, but Coho salmon have arrived, as well as a few trout. Steelhead and browns are both possible catches. Lake trout season is closed, but you may start to catch a few when the water temperatures finally drop below 60 degrees – probably this weekend. Shore casters are still doing well in the gorge on salmon, but it is starting to slow a little bit. Spoons and spinners with glow in the dark tape is one approach; treated egg skein under a float is another option. Downriver, boat drifters are started to target steelhead along Artpark. Capt. Joe Marra of Lewiston even managed to pick up a few salmon there while targeting trout. Ethan Brolinski, a 7 year old fisherman from Lewiston, was casting around the launch ramp in Lewiston this past week when local captain Frank Campbell of Niagara Falls tossed him a “lucky” fishing lure to use. Before Ethan’s day was up he managed to catch 3 Coho salmon from the docks.
Oswego County
Mary Ellen Barbeau
Oswego River Report
The water flow has seen a significant rise since Tuesday with it running at 5,780cfs this morning. Driftboats are enjoying the increased water flow. Anglers are finding a few salmon with a number of trout showing up. Floating skein, smack beads, egg sacs or throwing stickbaits are working. The area creeks are active with a number of fish.
Notice: The bridge to Leto Island is closed, and there are mandatory personal flotation device (PFD) zones on the river. For more information, visit our website at www.visitoswegocounty.com and click on the Fishing Report along the top bar on the home page.
Salmon River Report:
According to the Douglaston Salmon Run:
I guess I would call yesterday a “hit or miss” kind of day. Some anglers that I spoke with had a very good day on the run, including a few fresh kings, while other anglers struggled. Cover water, fish the fast water, and change up frequently. Leaves have gotten a little worse but most anglers indicated that they didn’t have any trouble fishing around them. The water flow remains at 335cfs.
According to Whitaker’s Sport Shop & Motel:
If you are still looking for salmon, the upper end of the river between Altmar and Pineville is your best bet. Over the last couple of days anglers staying in the motel have reported getting into some steelhead in the Lower Fly Zone with egg patterns and flesh flies producing the best results. Anglers in the Upper Fly Zone have been getting a mix of kings and steelhead with egg patterns, flesh flies, egg sucking leeches and woolly buggers producing the best results. In the mid to lower end of the river the majority of anglers are now targeting steelhead and a variety of techniques have been productive. For those who are fly fishing, egg patterns under a strike indicator or swinging streamers with sinking leaders has been productive. For those anglers who are bottom bouncing or float fishing, blue or pink egg sacs and trout beads have produced steady results.
Oneida Lake Report:
The weather has been fluctuating back and forth between warmer and cooler temperatures. This will continue into the weekend but it appears that a change in the pattern will begin on Sunday. Some rain and cooler temperatures are forecasted throughout much of next week. This should spark a good walleye night bite. Casting stickbaits from shore just before and after dark is a good application at this time of year.
Sandy Pond report:
There is very little activity to report at this time.
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Lake Ontario
You can still catch some salmon close to shore near Maxwell Creek and the channel at Sodus Point. Most charter captains have wrapped-up their season for trout and salmon, however some of the smaller boats are still fishing the lake.
They are catching some silver fish out in 300 feet of water.
Streams
A brief rainfall last night has put some more water in Maxwell. Anglers are catching salmon and browns on both sides of Lake Road. The browns are on the north side where the current is slower.
Egg sacs, beads, flies and small spoons all have caught fish. Fishing during mid-week is always less crowded.
You can also fish the piers with Sodus Point producing some nice kings. Hughes’ Marina is another option for trout and salmon. The marina is located one mile east of Pultneyville on Lake Road. You’ll see the signs on the road.
Bays
Bay fishing has been the best in years with action on Port, Sodus, and Blind Sodus Bays. The perch are everywhere, and crappies and blue gills are also hitting. You can use minnows or artificial bait tipped with spikes.
Surface water temps are in the high 50’s which is a little warm for late October fishing.
Look for the drop-offs and move around if you are catching smaller fish. The perch and crappies have been mixed ages with plenty year-of-class, which is always a good sign for future catches.
Don’t forget you need to wear a PFD the end of this month.
Check out the rest of the Wayne County Tourism web page for the locations and hours of local bait and tackle shops. waynecountytourism.com.
Erie Canal
Largemouth bass are hitting near Port Gibson and near Lyons anglers are catching bluegills.
Orleans County
Orleans County Tourism
The temperature yo-yo continues with the temperatures looking more like late September than late October.
Runs of all of the cold-water species are on again and off again on all of the tributaries within Orleans County.
That’s not to say that there is any shortage of any of the cold-water species in our tributaries, they are not the bigger runs that one would normally see this time of year.
Temperatures will be above average into late next week and beyond.
What this means to me and others is that the tributary season will be extended this year and that is great news.
Another positive part of this whole weather thing is that people with boats still in the water have been having great success in the near shore waters of Lake Ontario off Orleans County.
All of the inland stream and lakes have been fairly quiet right now but bass fishing is still doing well, especially on the upper reaches of Lake Alice.
Please don’t forget that bass season closes on November 3oth this year so bass catch and release starts on December 1st.
Perch are being caught on the lower Stretches of the “Oak”.
The Catch and Release Fly Fishing Derby at the St. Mary’s Archers Club was once again a great success with some fantastic fish being weighed in, some great food being served, some great prizes being awarded and some great new friends being made.