Greater Niagara Region
Bill Hilts, Jr.
Lower Niagara River trout action was getting back to good again and then for some reason the bottom fell out. Water clarity in the river was trashed on Wednesday for no apparent reason according to Capt. Chris Cinelli of Grand Island. Yesterday the action was almost back to normal with shore anglers tossing spinners, jigs or drifting eggs or egg imitations like beads to take steelhead and the occasional brown trout. Some lake trout are also being caught.
Lake trout season is closed in the lower Niagara River and Lake Ontario until Jan. 1 in New York. However, lake trout season on the Canadian side of the lower river opened on Dec. 1. If you would like to see this season changed, there is an opportunity to extend the New York season by a month. There is currently a proposal in place to open New York’s season on Dec. 1, the same as the Province of Ontario for the lower river and Lake Ontario. Consult the DEC website at www.dec.ny.gov for how you can comment. Deadline is Dec. 14, 2019. Lake trout season in the upper Niagara River and Lake Erie is open all year.
Boat fishermen in the lower Niagara are drifting MagLips or egg sacs to take steelhead with regularity. Kyle Kraft of Ohio was targeting bass earlier this week, using Rage swimbaits while fishing with Capt. Frank Campbell of Lewiston. They caught some nice ones.
Musky season is open in the lower river through Dec. 15. The John Henning Memorial Musky Tournament set for last Sunday was re-scheduled for Dec. 8 and it looks like a nice day at this point. All the NYPA fishing facilities such as the fishing platform and the access to the reservoir off Upper Mountain Road are now closed for the season. Let’s hope the water clears by Monday because Mark Romanack and Fishing 411 TV will be rolling into town to do a show next week.
Many of the tributaries off Lake Ontario have been fighting a little slush in the morning with the colder weather this week. If there is an issue, the streams have been opening a bit more by the afternoon when things warm up. Jim Evarts at The Boat Doctors in Olcott reports that there haven’t been too many people out the past week due to the cold and the fact that big game season is still going on. Jigs, flies, wax worms and eggs have been catching fish when the conditions are right. Scott Feltrinelli with Ontario Fly Outfitters has been picking up some browns and steelhead in the tributaries, bouncing around from stream to stream in order to locate active fish and open water. With the warm up this weekend, look for a mini ice out event to take place. Fish should be active.
If you are looking for a stocking stuffer, register someone for the Lake Ontario Counties Trout and Salmon Derbies for 2020. Sign up now at www.loc.org and receive $20 a season pass ($10 less than the normal price.
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 began dropping under 10,000 CFS on Sunday and is currently flowing at 7,510 CFS this morning. We have not received any snow since early in the week but it is a bit windy out there today. Anglers are continuing to find a number of trout in the river with some nice sized ones being reported. Beads, egg sacs, marabou jigs are working and a glow spoon took a nice steelhead last evening.
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:
Reports for Tuesday varied from ‘pretty darn good’ to ‘tough, no bites’. One angler reported going 5/6 for steelhead as well as a domestic. Several others reported getting a few tugs or just a nice day on the water. The sunny skies certainly helped boost the spirits after the snowstorm Monday. We had about a dozen anglers on the run yesterday and most folks were able to get a nibble or two. A handful of anglers brought at least one fish to hand, but most noted they had to work hard for each bite. We had one nice brown reported as well.
According to Whitaker’s Sport Shop & Motel:
Just a reminder that the Upper Fly Zone is now closed for the winter and will reopen on April 1st, but the Lower Fly Zone is currently open. Anglers have been getting into fish in the Lower Fly Zone, below the Altmar bridge, Schoolhouse Pool, Wire Hole, Trestle Pool, Pineville, Longbridge/Staircase, Black Hole and DSR. Anglers who were fly fishing had the most success dead drifting with nymphs or strike indicator fishing with single egg patterns. Anglers who were bottom bouncing with spinning gear or float fishing had the most success with blue and pink egg sacs or trout beads.
Oneida Lake Report:
The night bite activity has been a bit quiet with the colder weather. Some walleye are being taken by anglers braving the conditions casting stickbaits from shore just before and after dark.
Sandy Pond Report:
No new report.
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Streams
Fishing Maxwell has produced some browns and steelhead. Sunday’s storm left a coating off ice and snow on the banks; however, you can still walk the shore.
The water flow at the Beechwood Park area is excellent. There is a limited amount of shoreline to cast out, but it has been a hot spot, with some deeper pools. If you are wading, there will be no issues.
The trout are hitting egg sacs and beads. Drift the eggs under a torpedo bobber if you fish the north side of Lake Road where the current isn’t as strong.
Currently there is ice build-up on the Sodus Bay pier heads. Don’t even mess with that slippery surface.
Bays
Last week, when the temps were in the 50’s Port Bay was producing some nice perch along the east shoreline. Water temps were 37 degrees, so ice could form if we have some cold few weeks.
The perch were hitting Berkley Power Bait shad minnows, 2 inches. Put your sinker on the bottom with a number four hook 12 to 14 inches above. Spikes were not working as well as perch eyes for that important smell.
Sodus Bay also had perch action, however after Sunday’s storm the launch sites are slippery, and there is slush building-up on the bays. This might be the end of the open water fishing season.
Ice fishing could just around the corner…. hopefully.
Remember…if you are on a boat now, 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.
Erie Canal
Nothing occurring on canal waters. There is just slush…not ice.
Orleans County
Orleans County Tourism and Capt. John Oravec, Tight Lines Charters
There is another rise in flows in the Oak through today to something like medium or just slightly greater. Not sure where this water is coming from or how long it might hang in. For sure it’s a result of hydro power control and not necessarily expected with the latest snow and colder weather. There are real nice flows for drifting chances though. Water color is mostly clear. No icing conditions are in the Oak and the downstream frog water remains open. There was some sleet followed by snow through yesterday with 3 – 5 inches of accumulation. Temps are forecast highs in the 30’s °F and dropping back down at night. There’s a chance of Erie Lake Effect Snow brushing Orleans County through later tonight and tomorrow.
Fishing pressure is real light with only a handful of guys on the waterway. The slight perk up in the brown trout action should continue if matched to light fishing pressure especially as long as these good flows might hang on. There could be the chance for fresh fish migrations too. Anglers have reported a few steelhead and Atlantic hook ups but, over all, the reports average out to tougher action. The other area smaller tributaries have low to moderate and mostly clear flows. There will likely be some icing and slushing in some parts of those waterways and clearing out some on warmer and sunny days. Forecast ahead looks like more up and down temps with 40’s maybe by the later upcoming weekend. For now, if its gonna be cold it may as well snow as that means water ahead for steelhead migrations.