Greater Niagara Region
Bill Hilts, Jr.
The white stuff is starting to come down again. Depending on where you are in the county will determine how much snow we will be receiving before it’s over. Mark Romanack and his Fishing 411 TV crew came into town on Sunday and managed to get a couple of fishing days in, but the winds caused water conditions to progressively get worse until he left Tuesday afternoon. This is what he had to say upon returning home:
Making Lemonade out of Lemons
“When conditions are right, the lower Niagara River can be the hottest steelhead, brown trout and lake trout fishery in North America. When conditions are less than ideal, the fishing is routinely very good despite the conditions. However, when the Niagara River decides to shut down she protects her fish like no other. In our recent visit to the Niagara River we arrived Sunday afternoon in near ideal conditions and were treated to a couple hours of stellar fishing drifting 3.0 Mag Lip plugs on three way rigs. The next morning we also enjoyed great fishing with the help of Capt. Matt Yablonsky of Wet Net Charters drifting spawn sacs on three way rigs at the famed Devil’s Hole. By mid-morning on the second day the rains rolled in and fishing went from excellent to a slow tough grind. The third morning we hit the river hopeful with the rain passing, fishing would improve. Instead the river levels had risen several feet due to heavy winds pounding the shores of Lake Erie. The water color in the Niagara turned the color of chocolate milk. Despite our best efforts on day three it wasn’t meant to be. Fishing is like that sometimes.”
“I can honestly say I’ve seen the Niagara River at her best and worst. I wouldn’t have missed either experience, but I’m hoping next go around the river will treat us with a little more kindness or at least a little longer stretch of kindness. Merry Christmas everyone and I hope to see all our NY friends at the Greater Niagara Fishing Expo January 17-19 at the Conference and Event Center Niagara Falls.” – Mark Romanack, Fishing 411 TV
Despite the turbid conditions, shore anglers had been picking up some steelhead, brown trout and lake trout. Best baits are spinners, beads and sacs. Pink is a hot color right now. Sacs and live bait are working for brown trout around Fort Niagara according to Lisa Drabczyk with Creek Road Bait and Tackle.
Mike Rzucidlo of Niagara Falls has been hitting an occasional king along Artpark by tossing a No. 4 spinner. The fish he caught on Tuesday was 21-1/2 pounds and caught on 8-pound test line. You may have to wait a few days for waters to clear this time around. Remember that if you do catch a lake trout in New York waters, it should be released immediately. Lake trout season opens on Jan. 1 in New York waters. However, if you fish the Canadian side of the river, that season opened on Dec. 1. Muskellunge season remains open in the Lower Niagara River, Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River through Dec. 15.
In the upper Niagara River, Steve Brzuszkiewicz of Marilla launched his boat over the weekend and used emerald shiners to catch some nice walleye, as well as lake trout up to 30 inches long. It was the only bait he could get to work.
The deadline to comment on proposed regulations for the Niagara River and Lake Ontario is Dec. 14. Check them out at dec.ny.gov .
Oswego County
Mary Ellen Barbeau of the Oswego County Department of Community Development, Tourism and Planning.
Oswego River Report
According to Oz Angling Tackle:
The river flow is up to 11,600 CFS this morning which will make fishing somewhat challenging along the river. Yesterday one angler caught his personal best steelhead this season weighing in at 10.4 pounds on the digital scale. The high wall keeps producing some quality size trout. Beads and egg sacs along with jigs are working well.
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 handful of anglers battled the high water Tuesday. Seems like for most it took a while to find the fish. Those who were fortunate enough to stumble into some pods in the middle and lower sections fared pretty well. Yesterday was a quiet day on the run. Only a handful of anglers ventured out, despite the sunny start to the day. Those anglers were all able to get into a fish or two with several large steelhead reported.
According to Whitaker’s Sport Shop & Motel:
With the recent rain and melting snow it’s no surprise the water level was increased mid week. It has dropped to 750 CFS as of this morning. We got mixed reports from anglers, some groups got into fish, while others did not. Anglers who fished the mid to lower end of the river seemed to have the most success. The anglers who were bottom bouncing or float fishing had the most success with blue and pink egg sacs. The few anglers we spoke with who were fly fishing had the most success dead drifting with nymphs and egg patterns.
Oneida Lake Report:
Strong winds and some snow moved into the area late yesterday but did not amount to significant accumulation. Anglers taking advantage of decent conditions when we have them are finding some walleye casting stickbaits from shore just before and after dark.
Sandy Pond Report:
No new report.
Wayne County Fishing Report
Chris Kenyon
Streams
Maxwell and Salmon Creek in Pultneyville have seen steelhead action. Both have great water flow and no ice on the shore.
Egg sacs work and bright beads. Maxwell on the north side of Lake Road has slower moving water, so have your presentation bounce the bottom with a float or bobber.
Fish the pools on the south side of Lake Road.
The pier head at Sodus is not iced over near the Coast Guard Station, however a cold front is coming through today and high wind is expected. Currently it’s a balmy 44 degrees, but that will change tonight.
Bays
Some anglers were fishing from a boat over the weekend, but the predicted cold front will probably shut the door on any open water fishing. With high winds the ice making process will be difficult. We need no wind and cold temps.
The perch are in the bays. We just need safe ice.
Remember…if you can do any boat fishing, you need to wear your PFD. That regulation started the last day of October and is in effect until May1st. It must be worn…not thrown somewhere in your boat.
If you need tackle Bay Bridge Sport Shop and Davenports at the south end of Sodus Bay are always opened. They both have live bait if you like fishing with small minnows.
Check out the rest of the Wayne County Tourism web page for the locations and hours of local bait and tackle shops. www.waynecountytourism.com.
Erie Canal
There is still a coating of slush on canal waters. You can still shore fish and cast out near the locks in Newark and Lyons.
Orleans County
Orleans County Tourism and Capt. John Oravec, Tight Lines Charters
Today is the 3rd day of warm temperatures that have resulted in melting most all the area snow. There were some rain showers too, but the heavier steady rain was south of the area. The forecast is for dropping temps today and seasonably cold through the mid week with warmer temps again for the end of week and weekend and chance for more precipitation. Lake Effect Snow off Lake Erie is forecast Wednesday and may brush the area but no significant accumulations are expected.
Flows in all the tributaries are on the rise thanks to the latest melt off. Through yesterday, anglers found fishable flows before the later-in-the-day rising flows and scratched out some hook-ups on browns in the area smaller tributaries and some steelhead in the Oak.
Flows in the Oak on Monday were medium and clear. Look for rising flows below the Waterport Dam toward high, probably cresting in a couple of days. Water color should become more stained and with a look around today, it should be apparent if there is enough runoff to make for flows through the overflow channel.
The other area smaller tributaries through today are headed toward high and dirty. The quick return to colder temps tonight and the next couple of days should put those smaller waterways back on the drop by tomorrow and in a high and stained fishable shape by end of the week. Any earlier ice build up should be going away and fish should be redistributed through the waterways with the chance for some fresh fish migrations.
REMINDER: The DEC is proposing Great Lakes sportfishing regulation changes. The public comment period ends this Saturday, December 14, 2019. Read more at: http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/115977.html.