Greater Niagara Region
Bill Hilts, Jr.
The big news this week is not the fishing but what’s happening around the area. At the top of the list is the fact that the ice boom is coming out already. Removal started on Monday this week, the second earliest ever for this to take place. Spring can’t be far away. Also this week is the WNY Sport and Travel Expo at the Erie County Fairgrounds in Hamburg, from March 5th through the 8th. It opens at noon Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. on the weekend. Check out www.wnysportshow.com for details. A third thing this week is the announcement that there are going to be some new regulations in place for the Niagara River and Lake Ontario, as well as the tributaries as of April 1 this year. For the Niagara River and Lake Ontario, there will be an extra month added on to the lake trout season, giving anglers the month of December to pursue these fish. In Lake Ontario proper, the steelhead limit will be reduced from 3 to 2 fish as part of your overall 3-fish creel for salmon and trout. In the tributaries, the brown trout creel limit will drop from 3 to 1 fish. The steelhead limit will remain at 1, but the minimum size will increase from 21 inches to 25 inches. Check out the DEC website at www.dec.ny.gov for more information.
All of this extra information will probably tell you that fishing is a bit slow right now after the storms we experienced the end of last week that included wind and snow. That was followed up with rain this week and a bit more wind so fishing is tough in the river and in the streams off Lake Ontario.
Fishing was good in the river prior to the last storm according to Capt. Matt Yablonsky of Youngstown, but the water color changed and forced charter cancellations. Steelhead, lake trout and brown trout were all being caught when the conditions allowed for it. Some walleyes are still hanging around, too, but the season will be closing on March 15 (along with northern pike, pickerel and tiger musky). As of yesterday, visibility was about 1 foot according to Mike Rzucidlo of Niagara Falls, an avid shore fisherman. If we don’t see any more wind or heavy rain, we could have fishing pick back up by the weekend. Keep your fingers crossed. In the tributaries, the streams are all high and muddy right now. It could trigger some fresh fish to run, so when levels come down and waters clear, it could be a good time to hook up with a steelie or a brown. Remember it’s “spring ahead” this weekend.
Oswego County
Mary Ellen Barbeau of the Oswego County Department of Community Development, Tourism and Planning.
Oswego River Report
With the rain and snowmelt over the last few days the water flow is back up to 16,900 CFS. This flow makes many areas along the river difficult to fish. Behind the hotels is an area to try for steelhead and brown trout. When the weather improves look for steelhead and brown trout throughout the river. Beads, jigs, and egg sacs either fished under a float or bottom bouncing 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:
Angling was a bit tougher for our guests Tuesday compared to the past few days. Weather likely played the biggest role influencing the fishing conditions and their behavior. Those guests who were successful got their bites early in the morning and most of those fish were reported as fresh chromers. As they day wore on the snow runoff increased with the rising temperatures and then the rain started. Our guests were remarking that the water was coloring up with the increased runoff from the steady rain. This seemed to shut the bite down as all our anglers in the afternoon shared a lack of action. There was no action on the run yesterday. The water flow has jumped to 1500 CFS at the dam and 1930 CFS at Pineville.
Oneida Lake Report:
Conditions on the ice seem to be varying. With the warmer temperatures and rain, anglers are finding ponding water on the ice in some spots. Drilled holes are becoming larger and areas near running water are deteriorating.
The next couple of days will be cooler with highs in the 30s but then the thermometer reaches about 50 degrees on Sunday and Monday. With this weather pattern, use extreme caution and carry your safety equipment if you choose to venture out.
Sandy Pond Report:
According to Greene Point Marina:
With the warmer temperatures and the rain, the ice is not safe at this time.
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Streams
The streams are running with swift current and late season steelhead are still hitting. They will be in Maxwell until the end of this month. Some days it’s been hot and then it can be a struggle.
Use the bright beads and bounce the bottom. You will probably need some hefty weights at the end of your line because of the current.
Egg sacs and small spoons will also entice a strike from the steelies. Cast out red Little Cleos. They have the weight and that small spoon catches fish.
Bay Bridge Sport Shop at the south end of Sodus Bay has everything you need for stream angling.
Bays
The ice is white and slushy. There are some safe spots at the south end of Port and Sodus Bays.
With high temperatures and rain predicted this week, the ice fishing season is probably over.
Don’t take chances. White ice is never safe. Wait for ice-out and catch the perch from a boat.
The season for pike runs through March 15th. Length is 22 inches and the creel limit is five a day in Lake Ontario embayments.
If you need tackle and bait 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.
They also have plenty of fresh spikes.
Check out the rest of the Wayne County Tourism web page for the locations and hours of local bait and tackle shops.
Erie Canal
There is 8 inches of ice on the Widewaters section of the canal, however with temps in the high 40’s and rain predicted the rest of this week that ice will disappear fast.
Orleans County
Orleans County Tourism and Capt. John Oravec, Tight Lines Charters
There was rain last week before we got a little bit of Lake Effect Snow (LES). After this past weekend’s few inches of snow, there were warmer temps and some more rain through Monday. Rain or showers are in the forecast for later today/tonight and changing over to snow showers Wednesday. All and all though, the forecast temperatures are mostly mild right through the week and weekend. Flows in the Oak are high and dirty consisting of what looks like a full head of turbine water and some overflow water. Water color is not that bad yet and is about 1 foot of visibility so guys are able to get some drifts in the turbine channel. Flows in the turbine channel can only get so high and as long as the color does not get muddy anglers can still make some reasonably productive high water drifts. This is the best shot of high water we’ve had yet this season and the calendar timing is exactly right for some fresh steelhead migrations. Flows may go higher and dirtier yet with anymore precipitation through this week. There’s a good chance that flows ahead through March and April are more prone to higher and stained than lower and clearer so if you want to get some drifts in for fresh steelhead you’ll have to contend with the higher water. For now the other area smaller tributaries are high and dirty. Look for some lowering or clearing of flows if there is no more significant precipitation through the end of this week. The smallest tributaries that are “tribs of tribs” or smallest direct ditches to the Lake will offer driftable chances sooner.