Pictured above: Mike Rzucidlo of Niagara Falls is still doing well off the New York Power Authority fishing platform to catch walleye, trout and the occasional Coho salmon.
Greater Niagara Region
Bill Hilts, Jr.
There’s another storm blowing in this weekend but Niagara County could luck out on some of the rain and white stuff should it arrive. Keep your fingers crossed! This just in from state parks: The stairs into the Niagara Gorge at Devil’s Hole State Park will be reopened on Saturday, November 18 after having been closed all summer so that they could be rebuilt. The stairs had been expected to be closed until Spring 2018. This is great news for shore fishermen who like to cast for trout in the Devil’s Hole area.
Upper Niagara River
Upper Niagara River musky fishing was good the past week according to Capt. Chris Cinelli of Grand Island. He caught three on Monday using large common shiners. In the Niagara Musky Association’s Tim Wittek Memorial Musky Tournament last Sunday, a total of 28 anglers competed – catching 16 fish for the day. Top fish was a 50 and a half inch fish caught by Jeremy Schneider of Stratford, Ontario using a homemade body bait. Second place was John Pensyl of Lockport with a 48-inch fish jigged a Red October Tube. Third place was Stratford with a 46-inch ‘lunge jigging a Red October Tube. All the fish were released unharmed to fight another day. Other notable catches included a 46-inch musky reeled in by Daniel Lacko of Kenmore, a 43-inch fish hauled in by Andrew Lacko of Kenmore (Dan’s father) and Andrew Porzio of East Aurora with a 40-inch ‘lunge. The season closes on Nov. 30 in the upper river and around the state – except in the lower river and Lake Ontario. That season closes on Dec. 15.
Lower Niagara River
Lower river trout fishing has been good from both boat and shore. We will have to wait and see what the storm blows in for water clarity. Rain and wind in Lake Erie can sometimes impact the river fishing. Conditions were near perfect the past week and steelhead are cooperating nicely along the Artpark shoreline. Boaters were bouncing egg sacs off three-way rigs to take some nice steelhead. Of course, you will catch some lake trout along the way. Be careful with them and release the fish immediately. Lake trout season is closed until Jan. 1 in New York waters, Dec. 1 in Canadian waters. Other baits that you should try if the egg sacs don’t work for you include plugs like MagLips and Kwikfish. Minnows will also catch you a fish or two, as will egg imitations like yarn flies. From shore, any egg or egg imitation will catch fish as will spoons, spinners and jigs. Mike Rzucidlo of Niagara Falls is still doing well off the New York Power Authority fishing platform to catch walleye, trout and the occasional Coho salmon. This week he was using homemade jigs.
Lake Ontario tributaries like 18 Mile Creek
The Lake Ontario tributaries like 18 Mile Creek are still muddy but not high. Some salmon are still struggling to swim around as the browns and steelhead are taking over. While eggs and egg imitations are still good baits to use, the past week seemed to switch over to more of a live bait presentation like crawlers, wax worms and spikes according to Karen Evarts at The Boat Doctors.
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Streams
Water levels are now perfect for some stream fishing. The flow on Maxwell Creek is perfect. Both parking lots were packed last week. Maxwell is small so the best time to fish is during the week.
Browns were hitting egg sacs and beads on the north side of Lake Road. The salmon run is over, however there are still fish porpoising the flat water on the north side.
Some steelhead were in Salmon Creek in Pultneyville and you can try the launch site at Bear Creek in Ontario.
Pier fishing is an option if you want less crowded conditions. Casting spoons off the Sodus Bay pier has produced some nice browns. Just use caution because the current and cold water temps are very dangerous. You do not want to slip and fall in the channel.
Bays
We are experiencing some of the best perch fishing in years. And that’s on all the Wayne County bays. If we have a cold winter the ice fishing will be fantastic.
The perch are all over Sodus Bay…near the outlet, and the south end, and over on the east side. They are usually schooling on drop-offs.
It’s the same situation on Port Bay and there are also lots of crappies. The perch have been hitting artificial minnow two or three inches. Put five spikes on the end and use a number 4 hook.
Don’t forget you need to wear your PFD until May.
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
They are starting to drain the canal, especially in Orleans County. The water level at Widewaters is not lowered so you can fish that region the entire year.
The bass season is finished November 30 and some of the best times to catch smallies is late autumn.