Greater Niagara Region
Bill Hilts, Jr.
It’s a free fishing weekend. Get out there and enjoy New York’s outstanding water resources. This Saturday and Sunday, residents and nonresidents alike have an opportunity to fish Empire State waters for free. It’s a great time to take a family member, old friend or the next generation on the water to make that important connection with nature. There are some special events to help encourage more people to pick up a fishing rod and give it a try, such as the Family Fishing Days that will take place on the Upper Niagara River at the foot of Ferry Street from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. For more information contact George Johnson at 818-3410.
Saturday June 29 is the start of the Lake Ontario Counties (LOC) Summer Trout and Salmon Derby (loc.org). We are also entering a transition time when fish become more scattered. There are plenty of fish available, but you may have to work for them. We have 2 different reports off Wilson. Capt. Taz Morrison of Appleton reports that he was targeting 200 to 350 foot of water, placing his baits in the top 100 feet. Also, Capt. Matt Yablonsky of Youngstown was marking bait in 80 to 120 feet of water. If you see fish around the bait, go after them. Magnum and super slim trolling spoons were the best lures. Yellows, greens, combos were the best colors. Some meat and flasher-fly but it was mostly a spoon bite. Pay attention to social media, too. Doug Morash of Grand Island and John Jarosz of Lakeview paid attention to lure details from Capt. Matt Yablonsky and Capt. Bob Songin. It allowed them to select a couple lures that produced 20 and 21-pound salmon while fishing off Wilson the past week. Off Olcott, Capt. Vince Pierleoni of Newfane noted that with the rapidly changing water temperatures, fish locations change not just by the day but by the hour. Good catches continue, but not without effort. He caught fish from 15 feet of 100 feet below the surface over 60 to 200 feet of water off Olcott with DW and Super Slim spoons, spin doctors and A-Tom-Mik flies, and cut bait to take salmon, steelhead and lake trout.
Niagara River
Moss is an issue in many stretches of the river, especially in the lower section. Lisa Drabczyk of Creek Road Bait and Tackle reports that the best area for bass has been along the clay banks, as well as in Youngstown. Both catfish and sheepshead are also showing up, but the moss is limiting your time in the water. The Erie Canal Fishing Derby is set to kick off July 3 and run through July 14 from the Upper Niagara River to Albion in the canal proper (no tributaries like Tonawanda Creek in Pendleton). Check out www.eriecanalderby.com for details. Upper river action has been best in the emerald channel for walleye according to Capt. Connor Cinelli of Grand Island (a new member of the local charter fleet). The Beaver Island area has been good for bass using tubes and swimbaits. However, the moss is impacting these areas, too.
Oswego County
Mary Ellen Barbeau of the Oswego County Department of Community Development, Tourism and Planning.
Notice: Due to high water levels, a local state of emergency order for a “No Wake Zone” has been established for boats 1,000 feet from the Lake Ontario shoreline and tributaries. All motorized boats within 1,000 feet of the shoreline and within these waterways must operate at idle speed.
Lake Ontario/Oswego River Report
According to Capt. Troy Creasy of High Adventure Sportfishing:
Mother nature has given Lake Ontario trollers every type of conditions imaginable in the past week. We have seen torrential rains, stiff winds, dense fog and dead flat beautiful sunny days. Just like the weather the catch has been from one extreme to the other. One trip the cooler is full, the next trip you were scratching your head wondering if you are on the same body of water you were yesterday.
According to Oz Angling Tackle:
After the heavy rainfall last Thursday, the water flow has been running between 16,000-18,000cfs. This morning it is flowing at 16,500cfs. This makes some areas along the river difficult to fish. When conditions allow there is a wide range of species in the Oswego River right now. Anglers are finding smallmouth bass, walleye, freshwater drum, rock bass, white perch, common carp, channel catfish and longnose gar. The lower half of the river has been producing mainly smallmouth bass and walleye. Anglers in the upper half of the river are catching a broader variety of fish. Worms and minnows seem to catch just about everything, while bass and sheepshead seem to prefer crayfish.
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 few anglers were able to make it onto the run yesterday. However they reported minimal activity with water levels still rather high. Some heavier rain moved through the area this morning. The water flow is scheduled to be at 1,200cfs through midnight tonight.
Oneida Lake Report:
Bass continue to provide action for anglers in a variety of depths ranging from shallow water out to 25 feet. Look for walleye in 10-25 FOW trolling with stickbaits along with jigs and blade baits are working well. Anglers are finding perch in 10-20 FOW across the lake and anglers are finding a pickerel bite in many areas.
Sandy Pond Report:
Conditions are about the same on the pond. Due to Lake Ontario’s high water level, the DEC North Sandy Pond boat launch is closed. With the high water we have not had many reports from the pond.
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Lake Ontario
The LOC Derby starts this Saturday, June 29 and will run until July 28th, which will give anglers plenty of time to catch the big ones. And the salmon fishing has been excellent.
The high water has made launching a challenge, however in Wayne County you can put in at Bay Bridge at the south end of Sodus and the town launch at Margaretta Road next to Arneys’ Marina.
Hughes’ Marina, one mile east of Pultneyville has an excellent ramp for launching.
At Port Bay you can put-in at the south DEC site off West Port Bay Road.
Currently the salmon have been in water 140 to 200 feet, down 60 to 70 feet. Most charters are running spoons off the wire and riggers. The average catch has been 10 to 25-pound kings. Steelhead have been hitting at 25 feet over 140.
Straight-out from Port Bay, Sodus and Hughes’ Marina have been the most popular trolling areas.
Bays
Wayne County still has a no-wake condition. The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office declared a State of Emergency on Sodus Bay, East Bay, Port Bay and Blind Sodus Bay effective 12:01 a.m. Saturday May 11.
SODUS BAY – IDLE SPEED ONLY CAUSING NO WAKE WITHIN 1000 FEET of shore.
PORT BAY, EAST BAY and BLIND SODUS BAY – IDLE SPEED ONLY CAUSING NO WAKE.
Bass season started last Saturday, the 15th of June. Sodus Bay has launch sites and although it’s a challenge, you can put-in at Route 14 near Arneys or Bay Bridge at the south end of the bay.
Bass fishing on Sodus Bay has been excellent with largemouths hitting off the points and near the weedlines at the south end of the bay.
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
Widewaters has been muddy and the current is strong. If we get a few dry days, you can throw-out jigs and swim baits on both sides of the canal.
DEC’s free fishing weekend is June 29-30th. No license is required for fishing in New York State. That’s this weekend, so grab a youngster and fish.
The limit for bass is five fish over 12 inches in length.