Greater Niagara Region
Frank Campbell
The regular bass season opens tomorrow (June 15) across New York State and local anglers are looking forward to that because live bait can once again be used to target smallmouth bass in the Niagara River. During the catch-and-release season, only artificial baits can be used.
Bass fishing improved last week according to Capt. Frank Campbell of Lewiston. He filmed with Tim Andrus of Rush Outdoors and they did well on spinnerbaits. Fish up to five pounds were caught from Devil’s Hole all the way to the mouth of the Niagara. Other baits that produced bass were Ned Ocho’s, drop shotting Half Shells, and Mag Lips. Moss is starting to create more issues and will most likely get heavier from here.
Chris Trzaska of Buffalo reports continued success at the Beaver Island State Park Marina using Chuck Booker No. 3 red and white spinners. He caught smallmouth bass, northern pike, and white bass. He also caught some bass on Rat-L-Traps.
Out in Lake Ontario, fishing is good right now for a mixed bag of fish like salmon and trout according to Capt. Joe Oakes with Salmon Boy Charters out of Wilson. Fish are anywhere from 100 to 400 feet of water. Spoons, flashers/flies, and meat are all taking fish in the top 100 feet of water according to Oakes. The next big contest in the lake is the Summer Lake Ontario Counties Trout and Salmon Derby from July 1 to 30. Check out www.loc.org for details.
There are two kids fishing contests this coming weekend. On Saturday, the Wilson Conservation Club will be holding its 38th Annual Kids Fishing Derby from 8 a.m. to noon. Kids ages 3 to 14 may fish in any Niagara County waters. Organizers are asking that no trout, salmon, or bowfin be entered for this contest, which is based on length of the fish. You must be in line by noon at the Wilson Conservation Club, 2934 Wilson Cambria Road, Wilson. You do not need to pre-register. Call Gary at 585-767-5328 for more information.
On Sunday the Lock-City Moose Lodge No. 617 will be holding a Catch and Release Kids Fishing Derby for kids 15 years and under at Widewaters Marina, Lockport from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. It’s a great way to start your Father’s Day activities.
Remember that next weekend, June 24 and 25, is a Free Fishing Weekend in New York State. There are two kids contests that weekend, too. On June 24, there will be the Town of Newfane’s “Hooks for Harry” contest for kids 4 to 15 years of age. This is a memorial event remembering the late Harrison Hazlett of Olcott who passed away last year. It will be held at the Town of Newfane Marina and 18 Mile Creek up to Burt Dam from 8 a.m. to noon.
On June 25, the Niagara County Federation of Conservation Clubs and the Niagara River Anglers Association will be teaming up for a kids contest at the NRAA’s Wilderness Preserve on Balmer Road in Youngstown from 9 a.m. to noon. The contest is open for the first 40 kids and you can register by calling Paul Jackson at 998-8910.
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Lake Ontario
Fishing for salmon is starting to pick-up. Try straight out from Sodus Bay and head west towards Hughes’ Marina. Down 70 over 150 fow was working over the weekend. Kings and cohos were hitting off the riggers using UV watermelon spoons.
Some kings also were caught with flasher flies…again using bright green.
Don’t forget the LOC Summer Derby slated for July 1st through July 30th.
Bays
Bass season starts Thursday June 15th. Your best bet for lunkers is Sodus Bay. Fish the shoreline, especially the south end of the bay. Senko rigs seem to be the favorite. Five inch works the best.
The perch are still in the bays feeding on small alewife’s and shad. Fish off the points and the channel in Port Bay waters. For Sodus Bay anglers, try near the channel and the north end of the bay. You will also catch perch near the islands.
Port Bay launch sites are at the north end barrier bar and the south end ramp off West Port Bay Road.
Sodus Bay launch sites are at Bay Bridge Sport Shop and Margaretta Road.
Erie Canal
The recent rainfall (2inches) will produce a better current on the canal. Catfish will hold in stationary spots instead of searching for food. They prefer the food to come to them. Use worms or shrimp.
The best place for bass fishing in the entire county is Widewaters. Launch at the county park west of Newark and fish the south side of the canal. Lunker largemouths coming from Widewaters have been in the five-to-six-pound range.
Bait for fishing is available on the south end of Sodus at Davenports and Bay Bridge Sport Shop.
On Port Bay Jarvis Bait Farm is open on Brown Road. The signs are on East Port Bay Road at the junction of Brown Road.
Toadz Bait is near the end of West Port Bay Road.
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:
A busy past weekend at Point Breeze and the Oak Orchard for all the anglers, boats, teams and everyone helping out for the Oak Orchard Open and the King of the Oak! The Oak Orchard Open was held on Saturday/Sunday June 10-11 and the King of the Oak (KOTO) was Friday June 9. Good fishing days for all 3 days with the action getting better for most boats each day – ending with good action on Sunday. Things seemed to work out for good competition in the Oak Orchard Open non communication event with no observers and with teams able to weigh in their best 5 salmon/5 trout for Pro’s and best 3 salmon/3 trout for Am’s.
For the first leg of the KOTO on Friday there were 32 boats competing. Team Screamer Dave Antenori was 1st place, team Yankee Troller Captain Rick Hajecki was 2nd place and team U-Betcha Captain Chris Vogt was 3rd place. The next KOTO tourney will be July 15th so there’s all season ahead for more lead changes and competition!
For the Oak Orchard Open, 28 Pro teams and 11 Am teams competed for all cash in/out totaling over $21,000.00! Pro’s paid out 6 spots for $15,000.00 including big fish of the day. The Calcutta paid out 3 spots for $3,600.00. Am’s paid out 4 spots for $2,750 including big fish of the day. Fish USA, Shark USA and A-TOM-MIK also contributed gear and prizes for the derby. In the Pro’s team Screamer took 1st place, team Bite Me took 2nd place and team Yankee Troller took 3rd place. For the Am’s it was team Howl at the Sky in 1st place, team Roll with It in 2nd place and team Double AA in 3rd place.
Dave Antenori’s Screamer Pro team had the clean sweep for all 3 days! For this serious tourney competing team they’ll be heading back to home port in Oswego but they like to take advantage of the hot spring action on the west end out of Wilson and Oak Orchard. This is the third year out of 4 that they have competed and they haven’t placed lower then second place! They weighed in their 5 best salmon and trout both days for the Oak Orchard Open and made the run back west toward 30 Mile Point. They fished the same way points both Saturday and Sunday and pretty much found Kings and steelhead in the same water. They trolled over 400 – 500 fow and 80 – 100 feet down for Kings with the steelhead up higher at 50 feet. A NE/SW troll was the ticket for best lure action.
Chip Eaton’s Howl at the Sky Am team said the Oak Orchard Open is their favorite Pro/Am to fish because the fishing is always good. “All the people involved are real good and Ernst’s Lake Breeze Marina is top notch.” Sodus is their home port but they like the adventures of fishing up and down the Lake. On day one they were in third place and had a good showing on Sunday to make up about 8 pts to come in first place in the end.
Congrats to all teams and everyone involved and lets make the next KOTO and next year’s Oak Orchard Open even bigger and better!
The Orleans County Open fishing tournament is June 10th & 11th.
The rules for the PRO and AM divisions are posted on their Facebook Page.
Oswego County
Lake Ontario – Oswego
Click Here of the 10 day Forecast
Brown trout have been the fish of choice the last week in Oswego. The only bite has been 40-70’ of water. The best location has been by the buoy line with 2 to 8 color leadcores. Sliders have been good, and cheaters have also been productive.
Overall, we recommend dark and naturals early, and brighter colors in the high sun. Smaller size spoons have been working best, in colors such as Gold perch, Green Glo Alewife, Frostbite, and Pickleseed.
Meat rigs have been helping draw out the deep fish. And the kings have already started to find the river water. Hopefully this is the beginning of good things to come.
Lake Ontario – Mexico, NY
Click Here of the 10 day Forecast
Out of Mexico the fishing has also been tough. Browns are still being caught from 25-50’ of water from Catfish to the buoy line. They have been spread out from the surface to the bottom, so we recommend covering the entire water column to find groups of fish.
If you want to target lake trout, head north to Sandy Pond. Fish in the 135-160’ range and troll north. You should be able to find some good groups. Blue, Green and Chartreuse glow blades have been working best, pulling Spin ‘N Glow and ATOMMIK coho flies.
Tight Lines!
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.