Greater Niagara Region
Frank Campbell
Lake Up Niagara, a take-off of the WLVL morning show (1340 AM) Wake Up Niagara, was held out of Wilson last Tuesday and the three participating boats had an absolute blast on the water. Local captains Taz Morrison with West End Charters, Alan Sauerland with Instigator Charters, and Matt Yablonsky with Wet Net Charters guided contest winners, sponsors and radio personalities to a morning of great salmon and trout fishing. Fishing right now is off the charts from the Niagara Bar to beyond Olcott to the east. Salmon up to 38 inches in length were caught during the Lake Up Niagara event, in its fourth year. There were so many fish caught even morning show co-host Eric Koch caught fish!
Morrison, from Wilson, focused his attention a bit deeper, from 285 to 375 feet of water in the top 70 feet. His riggers were set at 40, 55, and 70 feet, running all spoons for king salmon. He also ran free floating sliders, as well as divers off the side from 110 to 180 feet back. Every spoon was black and silver. One Seasick Wobbler didn’t have any paint left on it. He also runs his 34-foot Cruisers a bit faster, keeping his speed from 2.8 mph to 3.2 mph.
In the Niagara River, moss is slowly becoming less of a factor in fishing in some areas of the river. Walleye and bass are cooperating early on the up-river drifts before the water rises and moss moves in. Down river bass are the most responsive species with fish hitting on crawfish fished on dropshots and Ned rigs dragged along the bottom in 10-25 feet of water.
This is perfect timing for the start of the Summer Lake Ontario Counties Trout and Salmon Derby that kicks off on June 29. Find out details at loc.org. Grand prize salmon is worth $10,000 in cash.
Remember that this weekend is a free fishing weekend in New York State. There’s also a kid’s derby June 29 at the Niagara River Anglers pond on Balmer Road in Youngstown from 9 a.m. to noon. Call Paul Jackson at 998-8910 to register.
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Lake Ontario
The “Lake is on Fire” would be the description of salmon fishing on the Great Lake.
The kings are hitting everything. The blow-off yesterday kept the charters at the dock, however today Ontario is calmer.
Fish from 85 to 200 fow west or east of Sodus Bay. Use your favorite set-up because the salmon are biting everything you put in front of their mouths.
Riggers down 40 to 60 fow are working and the dipsy’s are catching kings.
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.
With this fantastic fishing make sure you sign up for the summer LOC Summer Derby. It starts this Saturday, June 29th. Maybe we will see a 40-pounder weighed.
Bays
The largemouth bass fishing is hot at Sodus Bay. Launch your boat early and beat any recreational watercrafts. The boat waves from the larger boats make it difficult to fish. Especially on Sodus Bay.
Use Senko rigs, spinner baits, or top water weedless.
The east side of LeRoy Island has some nice pike in 3 to 5 fow.
Port Bay’s water is starting to get cloudy, so fish the bay now. Bluegills are off the points, and you can catch them with 2-inch rubber grubs under a bobber.
Some perch were being caught next to the channel., however they are very scattered.
The Wayne County Youth Fishing Derby starts June 21st and runs until July 28. Check out the web for more information.
The awards ceremony is August 4th at the Sodus Point Firehall. Stop by…it’s a lot of fun.
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
Largemouth bass are being caught at Widewaters. Launch at the county park just west of Newark. Historically, the bass have been 5 to 8 plus pounds.
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.
Oswego County
Salmon fishing along the entire southern shore of Lake Ontario has been good this year, but in Oswego County it’s been fantastic!
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!
Lake Ontario – Oswego
Click Here of the 10 day Forecast
Salmon have been most active in 120-350 feet of water.
Overall, the temperatures are very warm. With the cold water 100-150’ down. We recommend:
- Downriggers 105-160’ down
- Divers 270-315’ out
- Coppers 400-600’
- 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 best for patterns.
Lake Ontario – Mexico
Click Here of the 10 day Forecast
Most anglers fishing Mexico bay are heading offshore to target kings, or else heading north for lake trout. With large amounts of warm water, the brown fishing has been very tough.
- Lakers have been found on the bottom in 150-170’
- Salmon have been from 150-300’+
- Catfish to the high rocks have been holding plenty of salmon
- White and green oki slashers have been on fire!
Tight lines everyone!
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.