Greater Niagara Region
Bill Hilts, Jr.
The Lake Ontario Counties Trout and Salmon Derby is set for May 10-19 with a Grand Prize of $15,000 for the biggest salmon and a total prize structure of $45,000. Check out loc.org.
Boats are already starting to roll into town at Lewiston/Youngstown, Wilson and Olcott. Water levels are slowly starting to creep up in the lake and there could be some launching issues at Fort Niagara and Wilson-Tuscarora state parks but nothing that you can’t handle. Bring some boots.
All week long, there was a large contingent of outdoor media and corporate sponsors checking out our local waters. Despite cooler water temperatures and some unseasonable weather patterns, some nice fish were caught for the cameras. Lower Niagara River action was good for both trout and smallmouth bass. Capt. Ernie Calandrelli of Lewiston managed to have his media folks reel in a pile of steelies along with a few brown trout. People like Mitch Anderson with wired2fish.com, Gene Jensen with The Flukemaster on YouTube, Jon Storm with Bassmaster, and freelancer Hal Schramm to name but a few. There were over 15 different media guys representing publications like Bassmasters, Great Lakes Angler, In-Fisherman and more. TV shows like Big Water Adventure, Fishing 411 and Mid-West Outdoors, as well as numerous online sites like Point-Click-Fish. They were here because of corporate sponsors like Garmin, Lew’s, Strike King, Cuda Tool, Mammoth Coolers, Power Pole, Flambeau, Seaguar fishing line, Rapid Fishing Solutions, Lucas Oil, Mossy Oak and Jackson Kayak. Trout action focused on shiners off three-way rigs, but egg sacs and plugs like Kwikfish or MagLips caught fish. Bass casters were bouncing bottom with tubes and swim baits. Of course, they were using the Strike King variety and doing very well on smallies up to 6 pounds. The big one was caught by Bass Pro Billy McDonald with the FLW Tour from Indiana, one of the bass pro regulars in the Greater Niagara Fishing Expo.
For Lake Ontario and tributaries, Capt. Mike Johannes of Wilson was working the waters from his home port to 4 Mile Creek, starting in 80 to 90 feet of water and moving out to water as deep as 225 feet. Best spoons were Moonshine Carbon 14 and Michigan Stinger Frostbyte. He also caught salmon and lake trout on dark colored e-chip flashers and green flies. King salmon action was hot for a while, but it slowed a bit on Tuesday. Browns can still be found in tight to the shoreline. Jim DeGirolamo of Derby preferred to use small 6-inch dodgers in orange or pink with meat to take trout and kings. Dreamweaver spoons in purple and white produced some fish, trolling the same area. The red barn between Wilson and Olcott can be good, too. Some fish are still being caught off the piers at Wilson and Olcott. The tributaries have a mix of fish – trout and smallmouth bass primarily, but Karen Evarts at The Boat Doctors reports some panfish and pike, too.
The Wilson Harbor Invitational Tournament is May 18 and the Lake Ontario Pro-Am Salmon Team Tournament is May 31 and June 1. Check out lakeontarioproam.net for details. The Don Johannes/Pete DeAngelo 3-fish, big fish contest is May 30.
Oswego County
Mary Ellen Barbeau of the Oswego County Department of Community Development, Tourism and Planning.
Lake Ontario/Oswego River Report
According to Capt. Andy Bliss of Chasin’ Tail Adventures:
Fishing has been excellent out of Oswego. Anglers are finding brown trout, salmon and some nice lakers in the mix. UV tape Stingrays continue being our best lures. Many colors are working as long as they are UV.
According to Oz Angling Tackle:
It’s not typical to catch May chromers that haven’t spawned yet on the Oswego River. One beautiful fish came as a pleasant surprise after catching nothing but big smallmouth for a few hours. It looks like the trout will be in for a few more weeks before water temperatures increase and the flow drops. With the flow 10,700cfs, the lower river offers the most fishable water for shore anglers. Anglers who are interested in fishing the Oswego River for walleye should focus their efforts from the 104 Bridge to the mouth. If the walleye haven’t made a major push into the lower river yet, then they can be targeted in the harbor and along the lake shore.
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:
A soggy morning turned into a beautiful afternoon on Tuesday. As the weather improved, so did the fishing. We had excellent reports from most of our guests. Both steelhead and smallmouth bass were plentiful and eager to strike. Various colored wolly buggers were successful for smallmouth and steelhead. Swinging them worked for both species but stripping the streamer worked well on the smallies. We had a number of other reports of steelhead being taken swinging traditional trout/salmon patterns. However, float fishing beads or pink worms remains the top technique for the most bites.
According to Whitaker’s Sport Shop & Motel:
Over the last couple of days the best reports have come from the lower end of the river where anglers are getting into a mix of dropbacks and smallmouth bass. The dropbacks typically like the faster water and are generally suspended in the water column. They tend to hold in the head or tailouts of the deeper holes and larger runs. The smallmouth bass generally hold in the slow and softer water along the edges of the deeper holes and larger runs.
Oneida Lake Report:
The walleye season opened on Saturday and although there were some fish caught, overall reports indicate the action was a bit slow. Suggested areas for some activity are along the shoreline and in 25-30 feet of water. Bucktail jigs and trolling worm harnesses are suggested applications.
Sandy Pond Report:
Walleye and northern pike seasons are open. Anglers over the weekend found some activity but overall it was a bit slow.
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Lake Ontario
Some kings are showing-up in deeper water…25 to 40 feet. The browns are still close to shore in 10 feet; however, the kings are “luring” anglers fishing a deeper pattern with riggers.
The fog has been thick last week, but today is clearer. Winds have been from every direction but calm today.
Browns are hitting the usual presentations with black and silver and perch color stickbaits a good bet.
The kings have been hitting green spoons and goby Bay Rats.
The LOC Derby starts this Friday, May 10th. Make sure you sign-up for this iconic event.
Bays
Crappies are being caught at the south end of Port Bay in the narrows. They are suspended off the bottom, up a couple of feet. Use bright small jigs.
The pike opener was Saturday and a few fish were caught between LeRoy Island and the shore. Another good place for pike has been between the other islands on Sodus. Fish shallow water. Five fish and 18 inches are the regulations.
Walleye are also in season, although there have been no reports of fish caught in Sodus Bay. They are there…just not easy to catch.
Port Bay pike are at the south end of the bay. You can launch at the south DEC ramp off West Port Bay Road. Be careful of the high water at the ramp.
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
Launch sites for fishing the canal are at Lyons, Clyde, Macedon and Widewaters at Newark. The canal fishing has everything but trout and salmon, and there is no high water in the waterway.
Orleans County
Lake Fishing Report
Orleans County Tourism and Capt. John Oravec, Tight Lines Charters
Wow! The waters from 10 to 30 feet both east and west of the “Oak” are flush with quality fish! This quality “mixed bag” is dominated by king salmon and brown trout. The consensus is that a mix of downriggers, small spoons and board lines rigged with 3″ stickbaits was hard to beat all week.
Capt. Johnny O assists family from Cleveland catch this King with Mike Grager & Get Hooked Sportfishing this past week.
Yours truly teamed with Capt. Mike Grager on the 29 ft “Get Hooked” to satisfy my Cleveland Family (right) with big browns, a steelhead, 2 whopper lake trout and, oh yeah, 7 kings to 18 pounds! Many boats were reporting steady action from the Woods to the Flats. As mentioned last week the green water at 43.5° to 46°F continues to be the hot band.
Area tackle shops will help you with the boards and lure colors. There is plenty of lodging available, restaurants including Ernst’s Lake Breeze Marina’s Boone & Crockett’s Riverside Cafe which is now open daily from 5 AM to 4 PM.
The Spring LOC Derby starts this Friday, May 10th and warmer weather is anticipated. Get your fish team together and come on up!
For you local anglers: King Alert! The sharks are in the shallows! Orleans County is definitely “Home of the King” this season. I recently had the NYSDEC survey our catch and the biologist commented on the top quality and size of the fish caught already off Point Breeze.
A special note: Both State and County boat ramps are floating dock facilities, so should high lake levels persist, fishermen and recreational boaters will always have a safe, convenient launch onto Orleans County Waters. And several of our marinas are upgrading their docks to circumvent the high water situation anticipated this time of the year.