Greater Niagara Region
Frank Campbell
The first smelt of the year have shown up for dippers according to Mike Fox of Lewiston. This is not that much of a surprise because many of the trout that are being caught have had bellies full of the tasty baitfish. Fishing action has been a bit finicky – kind of like the Western New York weather at times. If you are looking for a change, just wait five minutes!
Capt. Frank Campbell of Lewiston says that steelhead and lake trout are being caught in Devil’s Hole on minnows and beads. It’s been an on and off bite so the action will change throughout the day. April 1 marks the start of low water in the morning due to the NYPA intakes diverting waters to fill the reservoir. A good bite will normally accompany the water rising. Down river at Artpark, the steelhead have been in a similar on and off pattern. Eggs, minnows, and MagLips fished off three-way rigs will all take fish. The midsection of the river is giving up a mixed bag of trout with some smallmouth bass mixed in. Remember when targeting bass specifically you must use artificial baits.
The Niagara Bar area is still producing a mix of browns and lakers on minnows, jigs, and MagLips when the winds allow for it. Capt. Joe Srouji of Angler Edge Sportfishing had James Kelly of Elma and his son Aidan out over the weekend. Aidan broke his personal best steelhead with a 10.11-pound fish. Steelhead fishing has been consistent in the lower river for him, and fish are taking eggs, minnows, and plugs. Fishing on the Niagara Bar has also been good when winds allow according to Srouji.
As the lake temperature continues to warm, fishing action continues to pick up for shoreline trollers. Capt. Matt Bedient of 716 Sportfishing reported good fishing in the lake on Monday. His best baits were long shallow Bay Rats on in-line boards back 60, 80 and 100-foot per side. Bedient also had good success on Stinger sized spoons back 12 to 25-foot on small divers and on riggers down 5 to 10-foot. The best depths were 12 to 20 feet, a mile or so either side of Olcott. Work any mudline you might find. Jim Evarts at the Boat Doctors in Olcott reports that fishermen are catching some browns and steelhead at the dam. Some anglers are getting yellow perch in the harbor. Browns are also being caught off the pier, with a few out-of-season pike grabbing a lure on occasion.
Mike Rzucidlo of Niagara Falls was enjoying success in the tributaries using white, silver, or green jigs. His target was steelhead, but he did catch some pike. Look for tributaries to rise with the rain this week. The Tenth Annual Niagara County Bullhead Tournament is ready to begin next weekend, kicking off at 5 p.m. on April 12 and running through to 1 p.m. on April 14. Entry fee is $10 for anglers 13 years of age and older. Kids 12 and under are free. The best two fish in total weight will win cash prizes for the adults. It is open to all Niagara County waters. The weigh station will be open Sunday only from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Wilson Conservation Club on Route 425 in Wilson. Call Eric at 628-6078 for more info.
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Lake Ontario
Hats off to a group of charter captains who just finished assembling four new net pens. The pens are complete, and 90,000 king salmon are coming to their new home. The fingerlings will be arriving April 11th.
Besides organizing this important project, the captains are getting their vessels ready for some springtime trolling. The browns are close to shore and will be hitting stickbaits. Let’s hope the constant March wind has blown to another state.
Bays
Perch are biting in both Port and Sodus Bays. Fish the drop-offs and use any bait that looks like shad. Use 2- inch rubber tipped with spikes or perch eyes. Emerald shiners are also a hot bait. The perch are ready to spawn and after they leave the shallow water, they will be hungry.
Some crappies were caught at the south end of Sodus Bay. The bullheads haven’t really started to bite yet; however, it won’t be long now.
Docks for the launch sites will be scheduled to arrive sometime in April and before the May 1st walleye and pike opener.
Launch sites for Sodus: Next to the Coast Guard Station (till Memorial Day) and Bay Bridge Sport Shop. The water level in Sodus might make the Margarita dock an easier launch site. Check it out. It’s on your right on Route 14 just past Martin’s Marina.
Launch sites for Port Bay: Barrier bar road at the north end of West Port Bay Road and the south end DEC site.
Use caution at the Port Bay ramps because the docks have not arrived yet.
Erie Canal
Anglers were fishing from the canal path near the Port Gibson bridge. They were catching sunfish, bluegills, and crappies.
The bass season starts June 15th if you wish to keep your catch. Make sure the fish are 12 inches and the limit is five fish.
The official opening of the canal is May 17. 2024.
Anyone underway in a boat less than 21 feet in length anytime between November 1 and May 1 must wear a securely fastened life jacket.
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:
Ten thousand (10,000) steelhead and 138,210 chinooks were received from NYSDEC hatchery personnel for the Oak Orchard pen rearing project on April 2nd. The fish are placed in downstream pens and will be fed and cared for over the next 3 – 4 weeks before release. Salmon numbers are another increase after the 2023 increase and represent NYSDEC’s findings of greater preyfish numbers moving forward. These stocking numbers represent just some of the stocking allotment for Oak Orchard with more direct stocked steelhead, browns, lakers and Atlantics to follow. Many thanks to all involved including Ernst’s Lake Breeze Marina, NYSDEC, hatchery personnel, Orleans County Tourism, Seth Green Chapter TU, charter captains and all the volunteers. Efforts are underway here in all the Orleans County waters to secure a brighter and better fishy future!
Anglers, both trib and Lake, are into spring action. Think steelhead in the Oak and browns in the near shore Lake Ontario waters. Check out Lindsey’s nice steelhead above from the Oak just last week. This week’s so far cool weather is not causing any great warm up in trib water temps at least for now. And there is the chance for a good amount of precipitation thru this week’s forecast going over to snow chances for the end of week or weekend. So with the chance for rising and cool flows there could be the chance for fresh fish migrations that may well be some of the last push of steelhead this season.
For now flows are moderate and mostly clear in the Oak where there has been light fishing pressure. The other area smaller waterways have low and clear flows. With any significant precipitation there is the chance for trib flows going high and off color. Near shore cast or troll chances are yielding a good number of brown trout hook ups when anglers find agreeable water and wave action. Strong east winds thru the mid week period don’t look conducive for boating or near shore chances but on the backside of the weather when that semi stained green water hangs in there should be some eager brown trout biters!
Oswego County
Fishing has been great! Now that the weather has returned to more normal conditions the fishing has heated up.
Salmon River, Pulaski NY
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Fishing on the Salmon River remains great. Last week’s warm up got things back on track.
A good option this week have been eggs sacs in blue white and peach. But beads have been the most effective in sizes 8,10,12 mm. The classic pink worm has been working as well.
Fish are really spread out from top to bottom. Don’t be afraid to cover water. We have heard reports of a large group from 2a to the lake.
Oswego River, Oswego NY
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Water levels dropped off this week causing the fish that are spawned to head back to the lake.
The best bait remains beads in 8mm. Just cover water to find the hungry fish.
Fishing remains decent behind the hotels in the lower river for brown trout and smallmouth. Swim baits and blade baits fished close to the bottom have been taking bass and trout. White, silver, and gold are all good color choices. Don’t be afraid to throw a deep diving crank as well.
Lake Ontario – Lake Ontario – Oswego, Mexico, Port Ontario NY
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Another week and another blast of high winds! The weather has led to tougher fishing conditions. At the time of writing this report, we are getting gusts up to 50mph with high winds forecasted throughout the weekend. It should create some colored water to get the brown trout feeding.
There have been plenty of 2& 3yr old browns around. Stick baits in naturals work great in the clear water and bright baits in the dirty water. Spoons on short cores are also a great way to target shallow trout. Stickbaits in black silver are consistent producers. You can’t go wrong with a spoon that has a combination of black, green, glow and silver!
Free Oswego Fishing Guide
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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.
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