Pictured above: Mike Rzucidlo of Niagara Falls has been hitting his salmon using a No. 4 spinner.
Greater Niagara Region
Bill Hilts, Jr.
After a week of muddy water in the Niagara River, the fishing is slowly starting to improve to the delight of boaters and shore anglers. Mike Rzucidlo of Niagara Falls saw a slight green tint show up in the lower river on Tuesday and he grabbed his gear to head down to the New York Power Authority (NYPA) fishing platform in the gorge. Using a pearl zoom swimtail, he took a couple of walleyes. He switched to a No. 4 spinner and caught a couple of late-run king salmon. When he switched to a jig he managed to catch a small rainbow trout. The fishing platform is normally shut down for the winter on Dec. 1, unless we see some ice. If we do, the platform will be shut down early. Keep that in mind. A couple of boats hit the lower river yesterday under marginal conditions and the fish were hungry. Gold 3.0 MagLips worked off three-way rigs, as did beads and egg sacs. They caught a mixed bag of fish that included steelhead, brown trout and lake trout. Remember that lake trout season is closed so be sure to release those fish quickly and unharmed. Bass are still available in the lower river, too. If you want to try and target smallmouth, head down river from Lewiston and bounce swim baits off the bottom.
With the start of the Southern Zone regular big game season on Saturday, Nov. 17, look for fishing pressure in the Lake Ontario tributaries to lessen considerable. Burt Dam and 18 Mile Creek, as well as 12 Mile Creek in Wilson have both been good for trout fishing the past week according to Karen Evarts at The Boat Doctors. There have been quite a few brown trout hanging around, some late-run salmon and a few steelhead. Eggs, jigs tipped with wax worms and spikes, crystal meth and sucker spawn, beads and more beads are all catching fish. Colors seem to be changing every day. White woolly buggers, pink and orange eggs, egg sacs with a white bead – plenty of options to use and many (if not all) seem to be working.
Oswego County
Mary Ellen Barbeau of the Oswego County Department of Community Development, Tourism and Planning.
Oswego River Report
The river level has been running between 11,000cfs and 14,000cfs. The flow this morning is 13,500cfs. This level does make fishing from shore difficult in some places but anglers are finding success. Even with the cold weather driftboats are enjoying some really good trout fishing with nice steelhead, browns and a few rainbows coming to the net.
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 visitoswegocounty.com and click on 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.
Salmon River Report:
According to the Douglaston Salmon Run:
Most of the anglers that joined us Tuesday were able to get into a few fish, similar to the past few days. “Spotty” seems to sum it up. But if you were in the right spot and stood your ground there were plenty of steelhead making their way through. Yesterday was a bit quieter. The release at the dam is posted at 750cfs with a reported flow of 1050 cfs at the Pineville gauge. Snow is predicted in the area overnight with several inches expected.
According to Capt. Troy Creasy of High Adventure Sportfishing:
It’s beginning to look a lot like winter steelhead season. Wet snow fell on and off throughout the day on Tuesday but the fish didn’t seem to mind. As the water temperature is dropping the fish are moving from the head and the tail out in the faster runs into their winter haunts. Looks like winter is here to stay but there is plenty of fish to go around.
Oneida Lake report:
The shore night bite has been decent for walleye casting stickbaits just before and after dark. Several inches of snow are predicted for the area overnight through tomorrow morning.
Sandy Pond report:
There has been no activity reported from the pond. There likely won’t be much until the beginning of the ice fishing season.
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Streams
The streams are flowing; however, the salmon run is slowing down… not completely over yet. There have been some browns coming out of Maxwell and Salmon Creek in Pultneyville. They are hitting egg sacs and green beads.
Some browns hit Cleos off the Port Bay pier and channel, however, the 40-mph northwest wind from the weekend could have closed the channel opening.
Sodus Bay pier fishing has also been impossible with the constant wind. Predicted snowfall and cold temperatures will be an end to casting off the pier. If it doesn’t ice-up, try your luck casting out for browns and possibly some steelhead.
Bays
Starting November 1s you need to be wearing a PFD while in your boat. You need to wear it…not just have it on your boat.
Perch fishing has been excellent in Port and Sodus Bays. There are still the hardy anglers fishing from boats. The launch sites can be tricky with any ice, but there are places to put-in. Bay Bridge Sport Shop has a protected launch site and you can put a boat-in at the ramp on Route 14 next to Arney’s Marina.
Port Bay has ramps at the south and north end of the bay. (West Port Bay Rd.)
The perch are off the points in 20 feet of water and are hitting small jigs or rubber minnows tipped with spikes.
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
Canal waters are still high in sections that were not drawn-down. The safest place to launch a boat is Widewaters…west of Newark. Bass season closes in three weeks, November 30, 2018.
Orleans County
Orleans County Tourism and Bierstine of Oak Orchard Tackle and Lodge
Some cool, fall weather is hanging in with slightly colder temps forecast through the mid week and a chance for snow or rain showers. No significant lake effect snow is expected here on the immediate WNY big Lake O Plain. The greatest impact is forecast for mostly south of the area. Flows in the Oak are still real good by typical fall standards – slightly high and slightly stained. These higher then average fall flows are no doubt in large part responsible for drawing in the good mixed bag action that has been going on in the Oak. Kings are fading some now with the occasional greener fish, but its mostly older and zombie fish. Browns are spread out and well upstream with what’s been plenty of quality fish hooked up. Good to see plenty of those fish released. It’s been mostly males but just lately some more females. There should be plenty of good action ahead if there is reasonable flows and weather.
Steelhead are a little less common now then earlier. It could be less over all fish (a good case for a more early season catch and release) or they could be in tight at the dam. Monday’s reports were generally good for most guys having good or better action on the Oak and other area smaller tributaries. Smaller tributaries are now back on the drop and clearing to about moderate flows and mostly clear water color. Although fishing pressure is still up there, it is lessening and more manageable now with the chance to fish some different spots through the day as guys move out or around. All that water can, for the most part, handle the fishing pressure on the Oak. Look for continued lowering flows in the smaller waterways and the chance for sluggish fish with any more drop in water temps that could occur with some cold nights. The consistent Oak action should continue as long as there are no major or prolonged change in water flows.