Upstate New York Fishing Report – November 23, 2017

Greater Niagara Region

Bill Hilts, Jr.

Niagara River

The water in the Niagara River is still in bad shape according to many of the local charter captains looking to target musky in the upper river or trout in the lower river. It could be fishable by the weekend. Shore fishermen have a bit of an advantage over the boaters when the water turns muddy. Find some clean water and you should catch fish. One spot that is still available is the New York Power Authority fishing platform. The announcement just came through today that (weather permitting) the final day for fishing will be Dec. 3. Mike Rzucidlo of Niagara Falls has been casting his homemade ¼ ounce jigs to take some more walleye and even a nice brown trout the past week off the platform. Downriver along Artpark, chartreuse trout beads and egg sacs fished under a float was the ticket for trout. While the water was off color a bit earlier in the week, the scent emitted by the sac helped the trout to locate the bait. Spoons and spinners still work as well. Remember that lake trout season is closed in New York until the end of the year but the season opens Dec. 1 in the Province of Ontario waters. If you do catch a lake trout incidentally, release it quickly and unharmed. If you take a photo, make sure it’s a quick one.

Lake Ontario Tributaries

In the Lake Ontario tributaries, there have been good numbers of fish and not too many fishermen at Burt Dam and the Fisherman’s Park area of 18 Mile Creek. The final day of charging at the park will be today. Good numbers of fresh Coho salmon are still working their way up to the dam with eggs, egg imitations (like trout beads), and jigs tipped with wax worms all working under a float. Live bait could catch some fish, too. Move around to find the active fish. Four mile and 12 Mile were both high and muddy on Tuesday. No report out of Keg Creek but that had fish last week. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

Wayne County Fishing Update

Chris Kenyon

Streams

Maxwell Creek has a great water flow and the browns are still hitting on the north side of Lake Road. Use egg sacs and beads under a torpedo bobber for the trout.

Some steelhead are being caught at Maxwell and Bear Creek in Ontario. The salmon run is over so use your eggs for the trout.

There was also a report of some browns coming from Hughes’ Marina, just east of Pultneyville.

Don’t forget fishing the Sodus pier can produce some nice trout. That’s if there is no ice on the pier.

Bays

The perch fishing continues to be hot on Port Bay and Sodus. Sodus is the big bay while Port Bay is 500 acres. Launch sites are available on both bays.

Use artificial or real minnows on a number 4 hook with a sinker on the bottom. Or the perch will also hit small jigs tipped with spikes. The water levels are perfect for launching a boat. Be cautious as the bays are running high 40’s for surface temps.

Don’t forget you need to wear your PFD until May.

The crappies are still hitting for Port Bay anglers. They are usually suspended over 10 to 15 feet of water. The perch limit is 50 and crappies are 25 fish per angler.

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

The bass are still hitting on the canal and that season closes November 30th. After that date you can fish and release one bass.

The Widewaters is still your most convenient place to launch on the canal.

Orleans County

Orleans County Tourism
Milder weather seems to be the rule over the next week or two with only a slight chance of snow in the forecast.

Although this is a great forecast for tributary fishermen, I’m sure that the hunters would prefer to have at least some snow to help with tracking their game.

All of the tributaries within Orleans County are offering very fishable conditions for brown trout, steelhead/rainbow trout and even some fresh salmon yet.

On the lower stretches of the “Oak”, Perch fishing has slowed a bit, Northern pike are spotty and bass are still fairly active.

Speaking of bass, the season ends November 30th so as of December 1st it’s catch and release until the 3rd Saturday of June next year.

On Lake Alice fishing for all of the species has slowed slightly.

The Erie Canal has been partially de-watered but from what I have been told, will be refilled to check on some work that is being done.

This means that when they do the final dewatering for the year, it will provide water for our tributaries well into December this year.

I hope that you all have a happy and safe Thanksgiving this year.