Upstate New York Fishing Report – February 15, 2018

Greater Niagara Region

Bill Hilts, Jr.

With Lake Erie some 90 percent ice covered, the Niagara River is becoming very clear, making things a bit more difficult to be consistent on the water. One tip is to downsize your presentation with slightly smaller baits like egg sacs or smaller MagLips in 2.5 or Kwikfish in K8. A silver-green Kwikfish was the hot lure on Wednesday as Terry Belke from WGRZ did some filming for Channel 2 out of Buffalo, fishing with Capt. Frank Campbell of Niagara Region Charters. Wobbling baits fished off three-way rigs were the most effective enticements due to a southwest wind that was blowing in some warmer temperatures.

It is supposed to be 50 degrees here today, drop into the 20s and 30s over the weekend, but shoot back up into the 50’s early next week – bring some rain along the way.

That rain, along with melting snow and runoff, should add a little stain to the river water. Earlier in the week, Capt. Chris Cinelli and Capt. Ted Kessler, both of Grand Island, did very well using pink egg sacs to pull in some nice steelhead. Browns and lake trout are also available. Fish can be found from Devil’s Hole to the Niagara Bar. Walleye can also be caught and the daily limit is only one until March 15 when the season closes.

The warming weather should open up more water at places like 18 Mile Creek and Burt Dam, too. Jigs fished with a wax worm and under a float is one approach. Egg sacs and egg imitations are another. Water flow has been good according to Wes Walker at The Slippery Sinker in Olcott. Water clarity is also good right now. Both browns and steelhead are being reported.

Over in Wilson Harbor, roughly 10 inches of ice was being reported. Pike, steelhead, perch and panfish are all being caught. Nearby Lake Erie walleye action has been good to very good on the hard stuff. Fish up to 15-pounds have reported the last week off Hamburg with 10 to 12 inches of ice as far as thickness. Top baits have been Jigging Raps and minnows.

Oswego County

Mary Ellen Barbeau

Oswego River Report

The water flow has been running 11,000-13,000cfs for the last couple of days. This afternoon it is flowing at 11,100cfs. There has not been much activity on the river. The temperature reached 50 degrees today but will be in the 30s over the weekend with a return to warmer temperatures early next week.

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 Whitaker’s Sport Shop & Motel:
Yesterday was a beautiful day and it is no surprise the fishing pressure picked up. In the lower end of the river, anglers reported getting into fresh chrome while bottom bouncing with egg sacs or float fishing with pink worms and egg sacs. The majority of mixed reports came from the upper end of the river between Altmar and Pineville. A few groups reported having a good day in the Lower Fly Zone with nymphs producing the best results.

According to the Douglaston Salmon Run:
On Sunday not a one of our 12 clients were skunked. “It seemed that everything we threw at them worked” was often heard which meant that swinging flies matched results with drifting baits and beads under bobbers. Several steelhead and a nice chunky rainbow in full color were reported. A few anglers managed to get out on the water yesterday to enjoy the day. Each angler reported at least one fish with one reported going 3 for 5 including one small chrome steelie and one rainbow.

Oneida Lake Report:

There continues to be good ice on the pond. The ice thickness ranges from 10-15 inches in many areas. Yesterday and today were warmer but temperatures are expected to be cooler for the weekend. However, we do have some warmer days coming up so be cautious as you venture out. Anglers are reporting some perch and walleye but have been working for them at times.

Sandy Pond report:

Anglers have continued to take advantage of good ice conditions with 10-14 inches on the pond. Although we have had a couple of warmer days, Friday through the weekend will be in the lower 30s with nighttime temperatures dropping into the 20s. Anglers have been finding a perch bite with some walleye and Northern pike.

Wayne County Fishing Update

Chris Kenyon

Streams

The steelhead are hitting in Maxwell Creek. The creek is open, however, there is shoreline ice. Maxwell is only a two-mile stream and not as wide as the Salmon River…so it does freeze over.

Steelhead are hitting egg sacs and beads. Use anything that’s bright.

Bays

Bay fishing continues to be hot with 12 to 14-inch perch coming through the holes in Port and Sodus Bays.
Beware of open water near the Sodus Point loop and anywhere close to the channel. Solid ice is running 10 to 12 inches thick at the south end of the bay, over on the east side and straight-out from Oak Park Marina.

The perch are eating eyes on jigs or if they slow down on that presentation, use spikes on small jigs. Tip-downs with minnows is also catching the larger fish.

You can park on Shaker Heights Road near Third Creek or if you fish the south end of the bay, park at Bay Bridge Sport Shop or Davenport’s Marina.

The south DEC Road to Port Bay is still open and if you have four-wheel drive you can get to the north end of the bay. Perch fishing has picked-up from last week with some nice catches off the points in 20 feet of water.

Remember, as ice anglers, you are visiting the bays, so don’t trespass on land where you don’t have permission to park. And don’t leave stuff on the ice, like propane tanks. Make sure you respect where you are because the hospitality given to ice anglers can end quickly.

Wayne County has an ice fishing guide which gives you the basics of fishing on our bays. Contact the tourism office if you wish the brochure.

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

Ice anglers were fishing the Widewaters on Sunday. Not sure what they were catching, however, the canal is loaded with bluegills, sunnies, and perch.

Orleans County

Orleans County Tourism and Ron Bierstine at Oak Orchard Tackle & Lodge

Thanks to warm temperatures yesterday and today melting snow, all the tributary flows are on the rise. The forecast is for above freezing temperatures thru tonight and some tomorrow with the chance of rain or showers later Friday. The weekend’s forecast is seasonal around 30° F and then another warm up next week.

For now, flows in the Oak are slightly high with still mostly clear water color of 3 feet of visibility. Flows consist of just turbine water. Flows are likely to stay up and get dirtier or go higher by turbine flows and/or overflow especially by next week if the forecast is realized. Anglers are on the Oak today with good fishing conditions with reports of hook-ups on the cusp of the rising flows.

A prolonged good head of high water could draw in some fresh steelhead migrations-the calendar is about ideal. The other smaller tributaries are high and dirty and likely headed to blown and dirty if not sooner, or by next week if the forecast is realized. Most of the winter ice and debris should be moving out, but there could be some ice jams and backed up flows in spots.