Greater Niagara Region
Frank Campbell
If the stifling heat was too much for fishing activities this week, think again. The big talk this week was on the monster king salmon caught out of Wilson. Joe Clark of London, Ohio was fishing with Capt. Joe Oakes of Salmonboy Sportfishing when a fish hit his magnum spoon down 70 feet over 120 feet of water. It came to the surface and Oakes thought it was a nice fish – until it screamed out 550 feet of additional line! When they finally got it to the boat, it didn’t fit in the net at 48 inches long. It weighed over 37 pounds. He had to haul the fish into the boat by hand! Clark is getting this trophy mounted.
As far as a fishing report, Oakes says that fishing is excellent now in the lake, from 100 to 300 feet of water. He is catching a mix of Coho and king salmon, as well as steelhead. Spoons, flasher-fly combos, and meat rigs are all catching fish, 40 to 80 feet down. The Summer Lake Ontario Counties Trout and Salmon Derby begins on June 29 and runs through July 28. The only requirement is that you are registered by 7 a.m. on the day you plan to fish. Everyone on the boat must be registered, but you can sign up for one day or the entire derby. Check out loc.org for details.
There will be a “Hooks for Harry” kids fishing contest at the Town of Newfane Marina on Saturday morning in memory of the late Harry Hazlett from 8 a.m. to noon. It is for kids ages 3 to 15. It’s free to participate and no registration is required in advance.
Moss is still an issue both above and below Niagara Falls, but Capt. Frank Campbell reports that it is starting to become more manageable. However, alewives are spawning in the lower stretch of river right now so the large amount of bait in the system is posing another problem for anglers. Some walleyes are being caught on worm harnesses. With the opening of the regular bass season last Saturday, fishermen can use live bait again like crabs and minnows. Capt. Ryan Shea of Brookdog Fishing Company says that if you can work a Ned rig along the bottom effectively, it can help suppress the moss issue a bit and lead to a better success rate for bass. The Great Lakes musky season opened last Saturday, too, and Louis Long of Buffalo scored on a beautiful 48-inch fish that is his second-biggest all-time in the river, also caught on opening day. Congrats on a nice fish!
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Lake Ontario
It continues to be fantastic salmon fishing in the lake. The bite is on!
This morning the catch has been between 100 and 300 fow down 90 in the deeper water.
Straight out from Sodus Bay has been the targeted area.
Use your favorite glow spoons, flasher flies and meat rigs. Everything is working.
Notable spoons are Carbon 14, Michigan Stingers, Moonshine RVs, and Dreamweaver Mags.
Don’t forget to sign-up for the LOC Summer Derby.
Bays
June 15th arrived and the boat trailers at Bay Bridge proved Sodus Bay is the place to catch bass.
Cast into the weeds north of the ramp, then head to the islands. Fish around Newark, Eagle, and LeRoy Islands.
Use bright spinner baits, Senko worm rigs, crank baits, or top water lures. Fish early and beat the recreational boat waves.
Opening day was slow for the bass, however that will change as our heatwave will warm the water.
The east side of LeRoy Island has some nice pike in 3 to 5 fow.
The water is warmer in Port Bay turning on the bluegills. Fish the points in the bay and don’t forget casting your chartreuse grub near the channel. The fish are scattered so use your “search mode.”
The Wayne County Youth Fishing Derby starts June 21st and runs until July 28. Check out the web for more information.
Limits for northern pike are 5 fish 18 inch minimum.
Limits for walleye are 5 fish 15 inch minimum.
Launch sites for Sodus: Bay Bridge Sport Shop. Launch at the Margaretta. 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. The north barrier bar road is very bumpy. Take it slow.
Erie Canal
The bass boats were fishing Widewaters Sunday. With no recreational boats, the anglers were casting-out on both sides of the canal.
The Erie also has bluegills, sunnies and crappies for the “panfishing” angler.
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:
Father’s Day weekend showcased some great fishing from the Point Breeze waters all the way east to Bald Eagle. Fathers and sons and daughters all got out and reeled in some big Kings! Salmon and some of the summer big fish are showing up in good numbers with expected bigger fish yet to come for the later trolling season! The previous weekend featured just some lite to medium E winds that the trolling fleet managed just fine. So far this week, we are into some serious heat forecasted to last through the week. Be sure to be wary of passing storms and heed the marine forecasts for winds and lightning. Winds should be more prevailing at southwesterly going forward. There’s been plenty of good action out of Oak Orchard but let’s highlight some of the other action taking place just east of Point Breeze in Kendall.
On Fathers Day, Captain Lou Borrelli of Get the Net Charters fished with the Kostek family. And he has the T-shirts from the kids to prove it! “Currents were tough today and getting the trolling speed dialed in was a challenge. We caught fish from 100 out to 300 fow. It was mostly a spoon bite and the right temp was not as deep as the past few days. Riggers were parked at 90 – 95 ft and divers were out 250 and 270. A Warrior blue green dolphin was the MVP.”
Captain Rob Westcott of Legacy Charters says the salmon bite continues to be on fire on the Orleans County shoreline. “Lots and lots of Kings around with a few Atlantics and steelhead in the mix too. Offshore has been the best for us and on Sunday the 200 – 350 fow range was best. Spoons and flasher flies put fish in the box for us, however cut bait has been the best producer of the biggest Kings.” Shawn and son Ryan and friend Dave swapped from their usual tributary pursuits for some trolling/boating action. They’ll be back for both I bet!
What’s your excuse for missing the good action so far?! Come on out if you can and make some summertime and family big fish memories soon!
Oswego County
Fishing is on fire right now in Oswego County; king salmon are here and feeding heavily!
Lake Ontario – Oswego
Click Here of the 10 day Forecast
Anglers have reported that salmon have been most active in 120-250 feet of water. Look for bait and you’ll find feeding salmon. Temperatures are starting to rebound, with old water working back up.
We recommend:
- Downriggers from 50-100’
- Divers 150-275’ out
- Coppers 250-450’
- Flashers and meat rigs have been taking the deeper fish. With spoons taking the higher fish. Mid-size and magnum spoons have been the best. Whites and chromes have been the best flasher colors, with blacks, green, glow and silvers combos the best spoon patterns.
Lake Ontario – Mexico
Click Here of the 10 day Forecast
The brown trout have started to set up in their summer homes, 45 to 70 feet in the bay.
We recommend:
- Downrigger’s utilizing fixed and free sliders
- Slide divers for shallow and wire divers for deep
- 5 to 10 color leadcores
- 200-300’ coppers
- Browns have been eating standard and stingray size spoons. Those looking to target Salmon are finding the best activity 120 to 300 feet of water from the center lineup and west. Overall, we recommend the same techniques as used in the Oswego area.
Oswego Pro-Am Tournament
Come challenge Great Lakes anglers from far and wide in the 27th annual Oswego Pro/Am. July 8th and 9th in the great city of Oswego, NY. Weigh-in for the tournament is held at Wright’s Marina, it offers a convenient location with beautiful views.
The Port of Oswego is known for world class salmon fishing on Lake Ontario. Oswego boasts beautiful summers with a lively and walkable downtown. Come compete with the best of the best and enjoy our city!
Free Oswego Fishing Guide
The updated Oswego County Fishing and Hunting Guide is now available online and in print. The guide features a new cover and an expanded listing of fishing guides and charters.
The 67-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.