Greater Niagara Region
Frank Campbell
Niagara Falls USA Fishing Forecast for Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023 from Destination Niagara USA
Fishing in the Niagara River is highly susceptible to almost any kind of winter weather, especially when wind is involved, and Lake Erie is not frozen over. That’s what happened last week when the river fishing turned on and prospects looked good. The next day, thanks to some wind and rain, the water changed quickly and the fishing shut down. Slowly, the water transitioned to more fishable conditions and by the weekend some people were catching fish.
Steelhead and lake trout were being reported by Lisa Drabczyk of Creek Road Bait and Tackle in Lewiston early in the week. Best spots were Devil’s Hole and Artpark due to some north wind action. The water was looking better, and as a result, the fishing was getting better, too. With some big wind in the forecast for mid-week and the end of the week, it will probably shut the fishing down again. Best baits were minnows for the boat fleet.
Shore fishing in the gorge was decent again according to Mike Ziehm of Niagara Falls. He witnessed the visibility go from 1 to 1-1/2 feet of clarity on Sunday to 3 to 4 feet above the power plant. Below the power plant, conditions were more stained. Conditions were a bit slow, but he did catch steelhead using a white/pink No. 5 spinner. He also reported large numbers of baitfish with trout cruising close to the shoreline. Things will be on hold for a few days after the strong winds hit us. A winter weather advisory was in place for Wednesday all day for Niagara County.
In the tributaries off Lake Ontario, places like 18 Mile Creek at Burt Dam is still your best bet for trout action. Fishing has been okay for Matt Vogt of Newfane and his past couple trips have been slow, but produced fish after some work. Some of the smaller tributaries may freeze later this week due to the low temperatures. He has been doing better on jigs. Burt was very muddy and high on his last trip out on Saturday.
The Greater Niagara Fishing and Outdoor Expo is finally back on the calendar after two years of cancellations due to Covid. Dates for this “teaching fishing” show at the Niagara Falls Convention Center are Feb. 16 to 19 and if you have any interest in fishing at all, this is a must attend event. A new Walleye Fishing School still has seats available. This is a full day of instruction featuring Professional Walleye anglers Craig Sleeman, Ali Shakoor, Lance Valentine, and Don Ruppert. Check out niagarafishingexpo.com for details. The Salmon School is sold out. There are over 200 seminars available for the cost of admission – $10 for one day and $20 for a four day pass. There are also beginner fishing schools for bass, trout and salmon, kayak fishing and more. A super kids fishing clinic is available for youngsters and adults, too. If you have any interest in fly fishing, there are beginner classes for learning the sport, as well as for casting and fly tying. There is even a fly fishing social on Friday, Feb. 18th with some of the biggest names in the business. Find out more at niagarafishingexpo.com.
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Streams
Maxwell Creek has busted through to the lake… which hopefully will bring in some trout. The fishing has been slow with only a few browns being caught. Of course, that could change now that the small channel is open.
For Maxwell look for the pools on the south side of Lake Road and “dangle” some fresh egg sacs in the water.
Salmon Creek is also running fast, however, the water is very dirty. We go from a drought to a flood within one week. The lake water level has increased by three or four inches which is a good thing.
Some smaller boats have been fishing the lake and catching browns. They are using the same set-up as spring fishing…hugging the shoreline using stick baits.
Lake Ontario tributary regulations:
Three fish in combination and not to include more than one Rainbow Trout (or Steelhead) and One Brown Trout.
Bays
It has been another no-ice week in Wayne County. The last time the bays remained open during the winter was 1998.
It doesn’t look good because of the constant wind. We need single-digit temps and no wind to make safe ice.
Some of the smaller ponds have ice, however, it’s still not safe.
If you do launch a boat to fish Sodus and Port Bays for perch use caution. Ramps are slippery and all the docks are out creating a possible dangerous situation.
From November 1st until May 1st New York’s law requires you to wear your PFD. That means it cannot be laying around your boat. It must be worn.
When we get solid ice, bait is available on the south end of Sodus at Davenports and Bay Bridge Sport Shop.
On Port Bay Jarvis Bait shop is open on Brown Road. The signs are on East Port Bay Road at the junction of Brown Road. In Ontario, Grantley’s Bait at 1864 Route 104 Ontario, NY.
Erie Canal
Widewaters has ice, however, it is not safe. At least the canal is protected from the relentless west wind. It might have a chance for some safe hard water.
Put Safety First When on the Ice
A minimum of four inches of clear ice is safe for Anglers on Foot. The NYS DEC is reminding ice anglers to use caution and common sense as ice fishing gets into high gear across much of New Yor State.
Four inches or more of solid ice is safe for anglers accessing ice on foot. Ice anglers should note that ice thickness can vary on every body of water and even on the same body of water.
Anglers should be particularly wary of areas of moving water and around boat docks and houses where bubblers may be installed to reduce ice buildup.
The presence of snowmobile tracks or footprints on the ice should not be considered as evidence of safe ice conditions. Individuals are strongly encouraged to check ice conditions and avoid situations that appear to present even a remote risk. Testing the thickness of ice can be done easily with an auger or ice spud at various spots.
“Ice fishing is a popular sport in New York and interest in it increases every year,” said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. “Safety is the first thing to consider when taking part in the sport, and we remind people to use good judgement when venturing onto the ice. Ice fishing is great for families looking to try something new, and parents can mix in skating, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, or other activities during ice fishing trips to keep everyone interested and happy.”
Feb. 19 and 120 have been designated as a free fishing weekend. The requirement for a fishing license is waived during this period. The free fishing weekend is a great opportunity to try ice fishing for the first time and for experienced anglers to introduce their friends to the sport.
Notable Freshwater Fishing Regulation Changes
The following list offers a summary of the most notable fishing regulation changes resulting from the adopted rulemakings described above.
- New statewide regulation for rainbow trout, brown trout, and splake in lakes and ponds. The season will now be open year-round, with a five-fish daily limit, any size, with a “no more than two longer than 12 inches” harvest rule.
- Statewide Atlantic salmon regulations will now allow for a year-round open season.
- Ice fishing is permitted on all waters in New York unless specifically prohibited with the exception of Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Lewis, St. Lawrence, Warren, and Washington counties where previous rules remain.
- New specific dates replaced floating dates for statewide season openers to include:
- May 1 – Walleye, Northern Pike, Pickerel, and Tiger Muskellunge.
- June 1 – Muskellunge. (Note that in 2022, DEC will allow for the fishing of muskellunge beginning the last Saturday in May to accommodate previously planned fishing trips);and
- June 15 – Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass.
- A five-fish daily walleye limit in Oneida Lake.
- A new regulation to limit the growth of the walleye population in Skaneateles Lake. No daily possession limit; 12-inch minimum size limit, open year-round.
- The statewide sunfish daily harvest limit has been reduced from 50 to 25 fish: and
- The statewide minimum size limit for crappie has been increased from nine inches to ten inches.
Orleans County
Orleans County Sportfishing Coordinator Ron Bierstine:
Flows in the Oak, and really all around, are looking pretty good by winter time steelhead standards. Read – slightly high and slightly stained with lots of good water cover for steelhead to be anywhere they want to be in the watercourses and good drifting chances. Flows in the Oak are slightly high with something now approaching 2 feet of viz. Flows in the other area smaller tribs should be around med and slightly stained. No major icing that we are aware of. Temps are forecast in the lower 30’s°F for highs and dropping back into the 20’s° at night with some colder temps in the upcoming forecast. Chance of mixed bag precipitation and snow thru tomorrow and early Thursday. No major accumulations beyond a few inches expected here on the WNY big Lake Ontario Plain. Look for flows all around to continue to drop and clear and we might begin to see some icing at least in the smaller waterways. Fishing pressure real light with only a handful of guys out on the Oak in the mid week period. Reports of some medium fresh steelhead and a few spirited chromers thrown in. Any given half day outing yielding something like a few hook ups.
Upcoming Sport Shows
Orleans County will be attending the following sport shows. Stop by and pick up our brochures, meet our reps and get excited about the trib fishing and upcoming open Lake fishing.
LOSPC Shows
- Jan. 27 – 29, 2023 – Fly Fishing Show, Edison NJ
- Feb. 16 – 19 , 2023 – Greater Niagara Fishing & Outdoor Expo, Niagara Falls, NY
- March 4 – 5, 2023 – West Virginia Fishing, Hunting & Outdoor Sports Show – Morgantown, WV (NEW for 2023)
- March 10 – 12, 2023 – WNY Sport Show – Hamburg, NY
Niagara Falls USA & Orleans County Shows:
- Feb. 3 – 5, 2023 – Canfield Sportsman’s Show – Canfield, OH (NEW for 2023)
Oswego County
- We expect the water levels on the Salmon River could drop soon.
- On the Oswego River, we recommend fishing the slow edges along the shore.
- Consider booking a guide. Click Here for our full list..
- Order a free fishing guide
Salmon River
Click Here of the 10 day Forecast
The water on the Salmon River has been high for the last week. But we expect it to drop soon. This will change where the steelhead will be holding. With the river temps hovering right at freezing, the decrease in flow will have the steelhead moving right to the holes. So, concentrate on the deepest and slowest holes and runs.
Egg sacs have been the primary bait of choice. White and blue being the most productive colors. Don’t be afraid to tie a purple and red this time of year, you’ll be happy with the results. Other good baits are pink worms, jigs, and the occasional bead. Fished under a float, these baits have been producing plenty of action.
Fly anglers have been finding success running stoneflies in a variety of colors, copper, blue and chartreuse. An egg sucking leech or woolly bugger in black, or olive is another “go-to.”
Oswego River
Click Here of the 10 day Forecast
The fishing on the Oswego remains challenging. The water is dirty and we’re experiencing high levels. But there have been a decent number of reports from anglers fishing up stream of the powerhouse on the west side.
Overall, we recommend that angler fish the slow edges along the shore with egg sacs and jigs. And take your time.
As the water rises the harbor fishing really takes off! Bucktail jigs and swim baits on jig heads are the best presentations. White and white chartreuse and natural color baits are typically best, along with swim baits and bladebaits. As the water “colors up” don’t be afraid to throw some brighter baits.
Steelhead Fishing on the Legendary Salmon River
Let this be your year to experience the legendary waters of the Salmon River, long regarded as one of North America’s premier steelhead destinations!
It only takes one light tackle hook-up for you to understand why they are called Steelhead. Anglers from around the world will tell you that these underwater lightning bolts do more than steal your bait. By the time they have had their way with you, they’ll have stolen your heart and soul. Whether heading upstream for a fall feeding frenzy or dropping back to Lake Ontario in the spring, these 5-10 lb. “chromers” will give you the freshwater fight that brings you back for more.
Free Oswego Fishing Guide
Click Here to Order a Free Guide
The 68-page guide includes a detailed overview of fishing opportunities on eastern Lake Ontario, Oneida Lake, the Oswego and Salmon rivers and a variety of other tributaries, as well as the more than 40,000 acres of public lands available for hunting.