Greater Niagara Region
Frank Campbell
Another season will be closing at the end of the day on Dec. 15. NY’s Great Lakes musky season will be wrapping up for another season. If this kind of fishing intrigues you, you have a couple options to expand your fishing knowledge. One is to join the Niagara Musky Association. It would make a great stocking stuffer. Another is to hire a musky guide and learn firsthand how and where to fish for these fish of 10,000 casts. There are several quality captains right here in Western New York. It’s a good time to plan for 2025. Check out the charter captain listings at niagarafallsusa.com.
Outdoor media maven Joe Cermele, host of the “Cut and Retie” podcast and contributor to Outdoor Life Magazine online, was in town the past week collecting fodder for his media outlets. MagLips shined last week with steelhead cooperating in Devil’s Hole and Artpark, lake trout at Artpark and the Niagara Bar, and browns at Pine and the Coast Guard drifts. MagLips in silver with a chartreuse tip and gold with a chartreuse tip took most of the fish but several fish were fooled by swimbaits and crankbaits. Fish in the double-digit range of all three species made for some quality fish photos in addition to numbers of fish caught while he was here. Current conditions are marginal at best. You can probably catch fish, but more wind is in the forecast for Thursday that could negatively impact water clarity. Adam Raymond with The Wicked Worm in Youngstown reports that brown trout and lake trout are still active and hungry at the Coast Guard drift. Artpark is seeing steelhead, lake trout and brown trout with a few walleyes mixed in. Jigs, spoons, and spinners are all being used for a mixed bag.
Mike Ziehm of Niagara Falls hit the gorge area from shore Monday and Tuesday and caught fish both days. Monday it was only one foot of visibility. On Tuesday it had doubled (and more), and he saw a marked improvement in fish catching. White/chartreuse jigs did the trick for him and with water temperatures now in the low 40’s, look for more fresh fish to move into the river. Wade Winch of North Tonawanda has also been hitting the shoreline, using chartreuse and orange beads sizes 8mm to 10 mm to take steelhead and lake trout consistently. In the upper river, Steve Brzuszkiewicz of Marilla used a multi-colored jig to catch two walleyes and lost a third when his knot slipped while netting it. A lake trout was also caught from the same area.
The Lake Ontario tributaries are stained and flowing from the rain. Karen Evarts at The Boat Doctors and Tackle Barn in Olcott reports that brown trout are still the primary target for anglers fishing 18 Mile Creek around Fisherman’s Park/Burt Dam. Wax worms and jigs are at the top of the list of preferred baits. Remember that LOTSA will have its Christmas meeting Dec. 12 at the North Amherst Firehall at 7 p.m. with DEC officials to give an overview of the 2024 season and stocking numbers for 2025. It is open to the public.
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Lake Ontario and Streams
We begged for rain and now the streams are flowing with vengeance. Even the smaller creeks are pushing water into the lake.
Last week was a tough time to find browns or steelhead. A few browns came from the Port Bay channel, however that was about it.
Try the slow north side of Maxwell Creek, where you can toss out egg sacs under bobbers. The south side is roaring but remember there are some small pools where the steelhead will be. They are ready to spawn in January, so if they can make it in the streams…they will stay.
Use anything bright for the steelhead, however fresh egg sacs will be the best bait.
With our warmer temps this week you can now fish off the Sodus Bay pier without any ice build-up. Cast out with heavy bright spoons, and bring your long-handled net.
Bays
It is definitely transitioning time for the Wayne County bays. The larger perch are in the bays; however, they are scattered. Fish near the channel or between the islands on the east side of Sodus.
We did see some ice developing near the shoreline, however that has disappeared.
Currently, it is a balmy 50 degrees. Good for wearing shorts…not good for making ice.
Erie Canal
Today, Widewaters had a skim of ice and if the temperatures drop, that location will add thickness quicker than the wind-swept bays to the north.
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.
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:
The area received around 0.50 inch of rain plus a little bit of snowmelt thru yesterday. Temps are warm again today in the 40’s°F with chance of rain or showers of around another 0.25 inch tonight. Forecast is for a return to colder temps for the end of week and chance of minor lake effect snows for the WNY south shore of Lake Ontario. Greater accumulations expected as usual south and west of here off Lake Erie and the east end of Lake Ontario.
Courtesy Branden Stephens NYSLOG
Flows in all the area tribs are up some. Nothing looks too high or dirty to fish for now and all the waterways are moving out more earlier season weeds and debris. Flows in the Oak are high and slightly stained with 1 – 2 ft of visibility. Flows consist of a good head of turbine water and water color may continue to get a little more stained.
Flows in the the other area smaller tribs are slightly high and stained with about 1 foot of visibility. Smaller waterways are probably already on the drop by about today. Look for flows in the Oak to remain up likely thru the week. All the trib flows should be maintained somewhat from the precipitation and future precipitation at about the time the Canal winter drainage water is played out. That should be a good thing for fresh fish migrations or steelhead chances. Any more future significant precipitation could raise the trib flows up higher and dirtier.
Guys are out today on the Oak so far with unknown success. For the past weekend under light fishing pressure, when flows were a bit lower, anglers were getting a few brown trout hookups and decent steelhead action. These higher flows now should redistribute the browns and possibly move some steelhead farther up the Oak and entice lower river or rivermouth fish to migrate too. By December standards of a typical “in-between” trib fishing time, the conditions are pretty good and hopefully helping to ward off what was looking like a real low water period coming on. The weather giveth and taketh and for now its giving!
Oswego County
Big changes are coming to Oswego County waters. With the heavy rains, high temperatures and melting snow, water levels are on the rise. But how high will they go?
Request a Free Fishing Map for Salmon River!
Designed to slip into your pocket, this map covers popular public and private fishing locations, as well as boat launches. The best news: it’s completely free!
Contact the Oswego County Tourism Department:
Salmon River, Pulaski NY
• Click Here of the 10 day Forecast
• Click Here for the Current CFS at Pineville
The low water is finally gone. But the increase flows are made up of snow runoff, which is very cold so the bite has slowed. The heavy rains have also made the tributary to the Salmon River, Orwell, and Trout Brook very high, making the water below the two creeks dirty and debris filled. Until they recede, we recommend fishing above Trout Brook. With higher, and colored water, your best chance at hooking fish is using brighter colored baits and big egg sacs.
Oswego River, City of Oswego
Click Here of the 10 day Forecast
Oswego River has become very high and dirty. This limits angling opportunities. We recommend targeting trout near the corner of the powerhouse, the kitty Pool, and just above the powerhouse near the bank. If the water remains high, the fish in the harbor will usually push to the east side of the river, behind the hotels. If fishing down below, we recommend throwing jigs, blade baits, and swim baits to target post spawn brown trout.
Please Consider the Following Year-Round Notice: There are mandatory personal flotation device (PFD) zones on the river. The Oswego Fire Department offers loaner life jackets at no charge through its “Loaner for Life” program. For more information contact the fire station at 35 E. Cayuga St. by calling (315) 343.2161.
• Check the current water flow
And be sure to read the recent news release about fishing access on the West Riverwalk.
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.