Greater Niagara Region
Bill Hilts, Jr.
Remember that there are a few big events coming up this weekend, Sept. 28 and 29. On Sept. 28, NY will be offering another free fishing day around the state. It’s also National Hunting and Fishing Day and the NYPA Wildlife Festival will be held both Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 28 and 29 at the visitors center located at 5777 Lewiston Road, Lewiston next to Niagara University from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Lots to see and do for the whole family, and it’s free!
For Lake Ontario, action on the lake for salmon and trout has been spotty. Capt. Alan Sauerland of Newfane ran straight out of Wilson to deep water (he turned around at the Canadian border) and caught a mix of fish on spoons. There are some fish staging off Olcott, but numbers seem to be down. Salmon are jumping near the piers but not coming into the creek. If you can find a pocket of fish in the lake and stay on them, you can do well. Capt. Vince Pierleoni of Newfane found them in 100 feet of water one day and then they were gone the next. Pike fishing off the piers and in the harbors at Wilson and Olcott has been decent. A few browns and salmon are being caught. Try casting large J13 Rapalas or spinnerbaits, spoons or spinners. A couple salmon and steelhead have been reported at Burt Dam, but nothing of any significance. Perch and bass in the creeks according to Karen Evarts at The Boat Doctors in Olcott.
In the Niagara River, Mike Rzucidlo of Niagara Falls reports that it’s been a slow run on kings so far with the lack of rain and warm water temperatures. To make up for it he’s taken a few good-sized browns on artificial eggs. The water was clear and warm. Tuesday, he tried for walleyes in the gorge and stuck 4 nice ones on plugs. Bass fishing has been good to help make up for the lack of salmon. Mike McGrath and Brendan Walsh, both of Niagara Falls, won the Safe Harbor Open Bass Tournament recently with a 5-fish bag that totaled 25.31 pounds. It also included at 5.75 lunker for the contest. The amazing thing was that Lake Ontario was off limits and all the contestants were required to fish in the river due to high winds. When the winds cooperate, the Niagara Bar can be decent around the green buoy marker according to Capt. Ned Librock of Pendleton. He was fishing with Roy Larson of Wheatfield and Anthony Karam of West Seneca to take smallmouth bass to 5 pounds for a morning last Friday. Salmon fishing has been tough from boats in the river, too. Capt. Nick Calandrelli of Lewiston said it’s been a tough go in Devil’s Hole. A few fish have been caught. Local captains are starting to theorize that the high water of 2017 in the lake and terrible pen project production that year could be playing a negative role this year. In the upper Niagara River, Capt. Mike Capizzi of Niagara Falls used crayfish to take some big smallmouth (and some sheepshead) around Strawberry Island in 15 to 20 feet of water with Robbie Burgio of Pendleton.
If you are making plans for the winter, the Greater Niagara Fishing and Outdoor Expo is set for Jan. 17-19, 2020 at the Conference and Event Center Niagara Falls. In conjunction with that show, the Lake Ontario Trout and Salmon Association’s Salmon School set for Jan. 18 is now open for registrations at www.lotsa1.org. Last year it sold out just after Thanksgiving. Keynote speakers include Capt. Pete Alex, Capt. Matt Yablonsky and Capt. Andy Bliss with special talks from Capt. Lance Valentine and Canadian rec angler Karl Chmilnitzky. Another great one! Register early.
Oswego County
Mary Ellen Barbeau of the Oswego County Department of Community Development, Tourism and Planning.
Lake Ontario/Oswego River Report
As the lake fishing season winds down anglers are still reporting some good action off the harbor and in the harbor as the salmon begin to make their way up into the river. A cold front moved through yesterday with rain and cooler temperatures are expected for the next couple of days. This may spark a push of salmon up through the river.
Oswego River Report
Monday saw a sharp increase in the waterflow with the rain during the day. It reached almost 6,000 cfs but has settled back to 3,500 cfs as of this morning. Anglers have been finding salmon from the wall and at the dam. Hopefully the higher waterflow and cooler temperatures will produce increased action throughout the river. Thundersticks and beads are the choice of baits.
According to Capt. Andy Bliss of Chasin’ Tail Adventures:
The Oswego River is still hot but I mean water temperature – 69.8 degrees at 7 am. The kings aren’t too happy about it either but my clients worked hard and captured a few.
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:
Yesterday afternoon brought generally kings with spotting’s of a few steelhead, browns, and Cohos. There definitely is a better number of steelhead beginning to show up.
Our river patrol concluded that, overall throughout the run, there was good movement particularly in the afternoon. Kings moving in 1’s and 2’s with pockets of 5 and flurries of movement throughout the run of kings and Cohos. Around the midsection of the run in the late afternoon there were reports of consistent hookups. Up through the north channel there were quite a few fish jumping which leaves us hopeful that they will put their noses up into the run! The water flow out of Pineville is 419 cfs and from the dam 350 cfs.
According to Whitaker’s Sport Shop & Motel:
On Tuesday we had some cooler weather conditions with the temperature in the 60’s along with some scattered showers. The reports varied from the anglers we spoke with, but overall most anglers were able to find some fish and have a few hook ups. Areas of the lower end of the river producing some action were the Black Hole, Town Pool and Ballpark. In the upper end of the river anglers reported getting into fish at Pineville, Trestle Pool, Schoolhouse and both fly fishing areas. The most productive patterns were fish skull buggers, egg sucking leeches, conehead muddlers, beadhead zonkers, comets, glo-bugs, estaz eggs and sucker spawn.
Oneida Lake Report:
The weather was great over the weekend and anglers took advantage of it. The walleye bite has been a bit slower but anglers are still finding some action mainly in the deeper water. Anglers are finding some bass and perch have been reported along the north shore. Worm harnesses, blade baits and stick baits have been working well.
Sandy Pond Report:
Activity is quiet on the pond which is typical for this time of year.
Orleans County
Orleans County Tourism and Capt. John Oravec, Tight Lines Charters
Fish on, Fall Salmonid Anglers! Yes, king salmon and some brown trout have invaded the Orleans County Lake Ontario shallows and Oak Orchard River runs have begun. But the big news from this charter captain is there is another fabulous fishery set up on the 70 to 120 foot ledge featuring chrome “feeding” chinook up to 15#, 75 to 105 downrigger depths and steelhead at 40 to 50 feet down. Tactically it’s a basic spoon bite. Find the baitfish piles and action up! During last week, fishermen from 10 feet to 400 feet also hit a scattered “dark riverbound” king salmon so those fish will soon hit the Oak’s river mouth staging then running the Oak Orchard River. Cooler weather and fall rains will trigger more runs. Watch the weather, get rigged for more salmon.
What a season! This guide is readying my boats for St. Lawrence River musky action followed by a winter of Niagara River Drifts. It`s been my pleasure to help local and visiting anglers get on the fish, experiencing the challenges and thrills we share here in Orleans County out on the big lake. Pass the word: Orleans County is The Home of the King!