Greater Niagara Region
Bill Hilts, Jr.
Sunday, November 11 – Veteran’s Day, is a free fishing day in New York State. Anyone can fish the fresh waters with no fishing license required. All other freshwater fishing regulations still apply.
Make sure you mark Nov. 11 on your calendar. That’s now a “free fishing day” in New York State. No license is required and it’s a great opportunity to reach out and take a vet fishing. Remember you do have to abide by the fishing regulations wherever you are going to wet a line.
Winds are continuing on the local front today which created a mess of the water conditions in the lower Niagara River. If the shore casters can locate a little clean water along the shoreline, you might have a chance at catching a trout. For sure the land-bound fishermen will be fishing before the boaters in the lower Niagara River. Just prior to the winds, action in the lower river was good for trout. Steelhead were hitting MagLips and beads for boaters and shoreline anglers were tossing spoons, spinners, jigs, eggs or egg imitations to take fish. Along Artpark, steelhead are available, but the lake trout have been very aggressive. Remember that lake trout season is closed and fish should be released quickly and unharmed. Downriver, bass are still hitting swimbaits on a consistent basis.
In the upper Niagara River, the muskellunge fishing action the past week improved for Capt. Chris Cinelli of Grand Island as he saw fish up to 51 inches come to his boat the last several days. The big one was caught by Ray Dietz of Youngstown. He also caught a 48-inch fish the same day. In the Tim Wittek Memorial Catch and Release Musky Tournament run by the Niagara Musky Association last Sunday, first place when to Anthony Scime of Tonawanda with a 46-inch fish that was caught on a Red October Baits tube. Second place went to John Miller of Lackawanna with a 42-inch fish, also caught on a Red October Baits tube. Third place went to Hans Mann of Alden with a 35.5-inch musky and caught on a Red October Baits tube for a sweep of the winners. A total of 19 anglers competed in the “iron man” contest. Musky fishing will stop for now until the water can clear.
In Lake Ontario, water was high and stained in many of the streams but that didn’t stop people from trying to catch both salmon and trout according to Karen Evarts at The Boat Doctors in Olcott. There were plenty of fish around. A fresh batch of silver kings came into Olcott and headed up to the dam and many of the smaller streams to the east and to the west are also holding fish because of the recent rains. We heard 12 Mile Creek had some fresh salmon in it. Egg sacs, beads, jigs tipped with wax worms or spikes were all catching salmon and trout. Bait or lure colors keep changing from day to day because of the unpredictable water conditions. Green and orange egg pattern flies have been taking some fish, too. Pier action has been spotty. If you see any illegal fishing activity going on, call the toll-free hotline at (844) DEC ECOS and report it with as much information as possible. You can remain anonymous.
The regular big game season opens in the Southern Zone next Saturday, Nov. 17. It might not be a bad idea to wear an orange hat when you go fishing. Pressure on the streams will probably be less due to the opener. Good luck out there and stay safe.
Oswego County
Mary Ellen Barbeau of the Oswego County Department of Community Development, Tourism and Planning.
Oswego River Report
The steady rain has become more scattered showers over the last couple of days and cooler temperatures are arriving for the weekend. This river level remains high with this morning’s flow at 12,080cfs. This flow makes some areas along the river difficult to fish but anglers are still finding some success. There are still a few salmon being taken but the waters are active with some nice steelhead, rainbows and a few brown trout.
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 yesterday during this high water were rewarded with a fish here and there but no significant numbers. On a brighter note, release schedules have been posted, good-bye high water! The dam release schedule indicates it will drop to 750cfs today and down to 500cfs tomorrow. The fish have had some time to settle in, now it’s game on!
According to Whitaker’s Sport Shop & Motel:
Over the last couple of days we got mixed reports from anglers but overall they are working hard for the fish. The high water will be dropping to very fishable flow by the weekend. Anglers reported that the water clarity was fine and leaves weren’t much of an issue. Anglers having the most success have been covering lots of water and having the most action in the transition water. The mid to upper end of the river has been producing the most action on a daily basis. The most productive patterns have been flesh flies, egg patterns and woolly buggers. Anglers who are bottom bouncing or float fishing have had success with pink or blue egg sacs.
Oneida Lake report:
Conditions are about the same on Oneida Lake. The shore night bite has increased for walleye. Casting stickbaits just before and after dark has been working well. Anglers have been finding a perch bite in 10-15 feet of water using minnows.
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 south side of Maxwell has an excellent flow and some stream anglers were catching salmon. There have also been browns caught on the slower section on the north side of Lake Road.
With rain predicted all week all the streams in the county will be flowing. They could end-up flowing a little too much, however we’ll take it. It’s much better than a month ago!
It’s been hit or miss from the Sodus Bay pier. The fish are in the channel; however, they are hitting sporadically. Use heavy spoons…especially the glow Cleos.
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.
The perch fishing continues to be excellent in Port and Sodus Bays. They are hitting near the islands in Sodus and off the points.
The 2 ½ inch-Berkley Power Bait shad (Black Ice) has been the favorite. Tie a number 4 hook 15 inches from some weight.
Or go with any other plastic or rubber and tip it with spikes.
The Port Bay channel has some nice perch; however, you’ll need to wait until the wind disappears. You can also fish the points where the schooling perch like the drop-offs.
Check out the rest of the Wayne County Tourism web page for the locations and hours of local bait and tackle shops at waynecountytourism.com.
Erie Canal
The canal waters are high because of the run-off. Not many boats are launching this week.
Orleans County
Orleans County Tourism and Bierstine of Oak Orchard Tackle and Lodge
We had a bit more rain last night and this morning that should maintain flows. Forecast is for any serious precipitation to have moved out of the area this morning and then followed by a wind advisory through tomorrow. Next chance at precipitation and colder temps is this weekend. Flows in the Oak are slightly high with slightly stained water color of about 2 ft of visibility. Flows consist of turbine water and fluctuating overflow levels thanks to hydro-power operations. During this leaf fall period and especially with wind and rain, look for at least daily water level fluctuations.
Some anglers remark that when flows temporarily go down, the numbers of fish revealed in the Oak is a little humbling! There are a lot of browns and some steelhead and of course still Kings. Plenty of greener Kings are still around, look for still some non-zombie Kings through November. Smaller tributaries, especially, will have Kings later in the fall since that salmon run really didn’t crank up for upstream gravel action until just last week. Fishing pressure is definitely intense at times, seems less now through this mid week period. Most all anglers report good action for mixed bag chances on browns and steelhead and Atlantics and Kings and cohos.
The Oak’s higher stained flows can at least help tolerate a bit more fishing pressure. Other area smaller tributaries perhaps stalled some now from dropping back down (thanks to that precipitation last night and today) for this mid week period. Look for medium – slightly high and stained flows in the tributaries to the west and quicker retreating med flows in the tributaries to the east. Green Kings and browns and steelhead are now spreading out upstream in those smaller waterways.
Eastern Finger Lakes / Central New York Fishing Report
Mike Crawford of upstateguideservice.com
November is the month that anglers enjoy here in Upstate New York! Weather can be challenging but fishing can be great for a variety of species.
Water temperature in the lakes is approaching 50 degrees and cooler and that has warm water fish like perch, walleye and smallmouth strapping on the food bag!
Lake run trout and steelhead fishing is at its peak on the Lake Ontario and Finger Lake tributaries while pike and Muskie anglers are enjoying decent open water lake angling in The North Country.
So get your Gore-Tex on and grab some handwarmers and get out on the water…You can’t catch fish from your couch!
Great report always on point