Greater Niagara Region
Bill Hilts, Jr.
Just a reminder: Free Fishing for Lake Ontario, the lower Niagara River and St. Lawrence River all the way through Labor Day! It’s the state’s way of trying to help out the businesses along the Lake Ontario shoreline that have suffered from the high water levels. Yes, Lake Ontario is open for business and fishing is great! In addition, it’s half-price for admission into some 30 state parks along the lake and rivers and half-price camping in those parks. Enjoy!
In the lower Niagara River, Mike Rzucidlo of Niagara Falls managed to climb around the gorge a bit this week and caught some nice smallmouth bass, walleye and silver bass from shore. Water is still high but fish are available. A No. 3 spinner did the trick on the 7 pound walleye and small tube jigs were working on the bass. Also, outdoor writer Bob Holzhei of St. Mary’s, Michigan was fishing with Capt. Joe Marra of Niagara Rainbow Charters on Sunday. They boated over a dozen walleyes using a worm harness off three-way rigs. Holzhei caught some bass using crabs, too. Action was decent throughout the morning. In the upper river, Jeff Pippard with Niagara Outdoors in North Tonawanda sends word that the bass fishing in the east river has been good along the shoreline. Time of day is key. Focus on early morning or later afternoon/early evening. Crabs and golden shiners are the best live baits for bass. Drag a worm harness and you can catch a walleye … or a sheepshead.
Karen Evarts at The Boat Doctors in Olcott reports that the king and steelhead action out deep has been good of late in Lake Ontario. Look for 350 to 400 foot depths and put your baits down 40 to 60 feet. Spoons and flasher-fly are working. Mirage and purple flies were the best colors. The inside waters of 120 to 220 feet was hot and cold. Try meat or flasher-fly for those waters. Terry Walker of Kennedy, NY had an early leader in the Orleans Co. Derby last weekend with a 25 pound king weighed in at Olcott, but it didn’t last long. The current salmon leader is a 27-1/2 pound king reeled in by Larry Duckworth of Corfu. Mary Duckworth is leading the steelhead division with a 13-pound, 3-ounce Point Breeze fish, the same spot and size for the top brown trout by Georgia Barkdoll of Pa. No lake trout have been weighed in yet. The derby runs through August 18. Niagara Bar action was picking back up for Scott Rohe of Cheektowaga over the weekend. One day he went 5 for 8 on kings, the biggest was about 19 pounds. Cut bait on copper was hot. Also flasher-fly was a good enticement for the salmon. The next day he reported going 9 for 13 on salmon. The biggest king was 26.41 pounds. They caught fish on everything – spoons, cut bait, and flasher-fly. Best area was just off the ledge in 90-220 feet of water. His 300 foot copper rod was hot, along with his rigger set at 60 feet. Dipsy divers set back at 120 and 160 feet were both working. Another good one was cut bait on a twinkie rig with a spin doctor. Rohe caught some fish on Pro Troll paddles and A-Tom-Mik flies. Meanwhile off Wilson, Capt. Mike Johannes of Ransomville reports that action was good in 300 to 350 feet of water, putting his baits 45 to 60 feet down on the riggers. Dark magnum spoons were his best. Carbon 14, Sea Sick Waddler, Road Toad and Frostbite patterns all worked. Divers were 110 to 150 feet back. All the fish were above the thermocline, which was down 80 feet. Johannes says that there has been a real strong current lately so you have to watch down speed and direction closely.
August is a celebration of fishing contests as we head into the final full month of Summer. The Greater Niagara Fish Odyssey Derby (www.fishodyssey.net) set for August 17-25 has registrations available online starting August 1 and in the shops by August 2. Kids 15 and under can fish for free. The Reelin’ for a Cure ladies tournament to help benefit cancer-related causes will be held out of Wilson and Olcott on August 16. Call Stephanie at 481-6388 for more info. That same day, the Fall Lake Ontario Counties Trout and Salmon Derby begins and runs through Labor Day, Sept. 2. Grand prize for the biggest salmon is $25,000. More info at www.loc.org. Good luck and good fishing!
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
According to Capt. Troy Creasy of High Adventure Sportfishing Charters:
We had to run deep to find them Tuesday but it didn’t take long and we were giving nine good ones a ride back to the marina! We even found one of the rare seldom seen Atlantic salmon this week.
According to Capt. Tom Burke of Cold Steel Sportfishing Charters:
Fishing has slowed slightly after the big northeast blow but plenty of fish are still finding their way to the cleaning table!
According to Oz Angling Tackle:
The lake fishing has been nothing short of amazing this summer. Many boats are having success early and often, “boxing out” just a few hours into trolling. The kings are biting voraciously on a number of different spoons, flies, meat rigs and flasher patterns. A lot of fish are being caught out beyond 300 feet of water, often suspending around 90-100 feet down. You can often expect them to be in a little shallower at sunrise and around sunset.
Oswego River Report
According to Oz Angling Tackle:
The river flow has been up and down constantly but running mostly between 2,000-3,000 cfs over the last few days. This morning it is flowing at 1,180 cfs. River fishing has been steady and predictable over the last couple of weeks. Anglers are primarily using live bait such as crayfish, night crawlers, and shiners to catch a number of different fresh water species like smallmouth bass, rock bass, sheepshead, bluegill, walleye, channel catfish, carp and gar.
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:
Two anglers enjoyed the run to themselves on Tuesday and reported landing a few smallmouth bass along with a few fallfish. No reports of salmon just yet. The morning water temperature was 68F but rose to 75F by midday. The water flow is expected to be at 185 cfs through midnight August 12.
Oneida Lake Report:
This week has been active weather wise with some storms moving through the last couple of days and more expected this afternoon. Wind could be an issue on Friday and Saturday with conditions settling down for Sunday. Walleye action has been good in shallow water and in the deeper depths. Worm harnesses, blade baits and trolling stickbaits are suggested applications. Some nice size bass have been reported near the weed beds.
Sandy Pond Report:
Activity is quiet on the pond.
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Lake Ontario
It’s summer fishing for the kings and the bite continues. Sunday it was a north-east blow which is never a good thing. The lake flipped with 48 degree temps at 50 feet.
But…the kings are still hitting.
Charters are trolling straight out of Sodus Bay and working water 100 to 80 feet down 50 feet. The salmon like the meat rigs and flasher flies.
Don’t forget the LOC fall Derby, where you can net a whooping $25,000 for a Grand Prize salmon. The derby runs August 16 through September 2nd. No NYS fishing license is needed for the Fall Derby.
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.
The docks at Margaretta Road launch are now finished. They are 60 X 60-foot poly deck dock.
Some smallmouth bass are being caught near the Sodus Bay channel and also out in Lake Ontario in 30 feet of water.
Bass tournaments are popular at Sodus Bay. The boat launch at Margaretta Road and the weigh ins for these local contests are usually at the parking lot.
The largemouths are everywhere in the bay and the hot lure is still the worm rigs.
To launch at Port Bay, use the south end DEC launch off West Port Bay Road. The north end is still closed, however might be opened in a few days.
If you need tackle Bay Bridge Sport Shop and Davenports at the south end of Sodus Bay are always opened.
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
Bass, catfish, crappies and blue gills are being caught in canal waters. You can launch small craft boats in Clyde, Lyons, Newark, Palmyra and Macedon.