Greater Niagara Region
Frank Campbell
The launch and access area at Lewiston was finally clear enough of ice to launch boats on Monday and Tuesday of this week. Fish cooperated nicely, responding to MagLip plugs and live bait for all three species of trout available in the Niagara River system. Due to strong winds, plugs were the most effective baits for anglers to use as they drifted with the river current. The best colors were silver/green and gold/chartreuse in the clear water conditions. The drifts were mostly ice free, allowing for proper presentation of baits and good action on the river overall as a result.
Alan Raymond with The Wicked Worm in Youngstown reports steelhead can still be caught along Artpark, with 3 to 4-inch white minnow imitation baits doing the trick. Julia Camidge of Youngstown was working at the shop and managed to catch a big brown trout by drop shotting a dead shiner from the shoreline.
Up in the gorge, shore anglers, led by Mike Ziehm of Niagara Falls, managed to land some trout recently despite the less-than-ideal conditions along the shoreline. Ziehm battled the wind and ice, but also fought some nice steelhead and lake trout on No. 4 pink spinners and white jigs. Water visibility was well over 12-foot. As a result, the fish have been out in deeper water with these clear water conditions. Ziehm found quite a few steelhead sitting in the rocky sections of the river. As of Monday, ice was down to a minimum but there is no telling how long that will last with this big warm up and rain expected this week. Ziehm points out that ice shelves along the shoreline are deteriorating so caution is advised. There is also concern over how the rain and warm temperatures will impact the ice bridge. Be careful.
Along Lake Ontario, Matt Vogt of Newfane reports that he fished in Wilson Harbor over the weekend. The ice had a couple inches of packed snow, and a good 7 to 8 inches of black ice underneath. The panfish bite was on and off throughout the day. He set one tip-up for pike. Switching out rods for a different bait seemed to help readjust the behavior of the fish. Jigs worked best. Using a spoon occasionally helped get the fish active again. Later in the day he managed to hook into a 10-pound pike.
Over at Burt Dam and 18 Mile Creek, Ken Jackson of Sanborn found open water. He caught 4 steelhead and 2 brown trout using wax worms, jigs, and an egg sac.
The Niagara River Anglers Association announced that they will be holding its annual Winter Steelhead Contest on March 29 for the lower Niagara River and Lake Ontario tributaries. Sign up at the Wicked Worm in Youngstown. For more information contact Capt. Richard Brant at (716) 783-1597.
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Bays
The recent thaw has not melted any ice on Wayne County bays. It’s a good 14 inches on Sodus and Port Bays. We might have ice fishing till the first week in April….maybe.
The slush is not too bad on Sodus Bay. Some ice anglers walked out from Davenport Marina this morning, and they didn’t sink. You can safely use your machines, just stay away from the shoreline.
Perch are hitting bright jigs with rubber tails. Tip your hook with 4 or 5 spikes.
The prediction for rain is not for any downpours, so grab your auger and drill.
The Port Bay perch are schooled so move around to locate the “thumpers.” Lots of silver bass are biting. Not the best for eating, however they give a nice fight on your jigging pole.
The following guide from DEC is the thickness needed for safety. This is an accurate guide for safety on ice.
| Ice Thickness | Permissible Load |
| 2 inches or less | Stay Off |
| 4 inches | Ice fishing or other activities on foot |
| 5 inches | Snowmobile or ATV |
| 8-12 inches | Car or small pickup |
| 12-15 inches | Medium truck |
Remember to stay away from tributaries and open water near docks that use bubblers.
Erie Canal
Widewaters had safe ice yesterday, however there are open water spots on the north side of the canal. The Widewaters has pike, perch, bluegills, and some crappies.
Remember when we used to call crappies strawberry bass?
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:
In somewhat fits and starts, it looks like we are breaking toward some milder weather. Not to be confused with an all-out warm-up, with blowout runoff and the opening of all waterways—just not yet, anyway! For now, we have a few days of warmer temperatures and some rain showers today. There’s also a chance of more rain around midweek, with above-freezing temperatures hanging on until about Thursday. Precipitation may only reach around 0.25 inches on the high end of the forecast.
Nighttime temperatures are dropping back just enough to slow the rate of melt-off, and later this week and into the weekend, those nighttime temperatures will drop further toward outright freezing. Flows in the Oak are up to about moderate from low and are still mostly clear. Flows will likely continue to rise in the Oak over the next couple of days as hydro managers make further adjustments, so expect something like medium or higher. The water color should also continue to get more stained.
Other area tributaries, even down to the smallest waterways like Marsh Creek size, are still iced in. They are definitely running somewhat higher and dirtier, but for now, those flows are mostly under ice, and all downstream estuary waters remain ice-covered. We’ll have to wait and see how much, if at all, the smaller waterways will continue to open up over the next few days of this warm-up.
The more agreeable weather and temperatures have brought a few more anglers out on the Oak, but fishing pressure remains light. Some of the dour winter fish that have been hiding around should be reinvigorated and redistributed thanks to the rising and off-color flows. There’s also a chance that any fresh steelhead holding in the lower river Oak waters could move upstream with any rising waters after such a long previous period of lower flows.
Oswego County
Finally a break in the snow! Temps in the 40’s made for a great week of fishing in Oswego County.
Salmon River, Pulaski NY
Water levels remain low and we don’t see that changing much this week.
With March peeping it’s head; the steelhead are getting closer to spawning. This is when anglers want to start concentrating on holding water closer to know spawning areas, especially when fishing the upper river. But from 2a to the DSR they are still being caught in the deeper pockets and holes.
Once the spawn has started, it’s time to switch back to beads. Lighter natural colors seem to do best for dropbacks. This is also the time of year that the pink worm really works its magic.
While targeting pre spawn fish, egg sacs, jigs, and PW jigs have all still been working. And reports from the fly zone have been very promising.
Oswego River, City of Oswego
The warm up has opened the harbor back up. This means that shore anglers have a shot at catching the trout and walleye that have been hiding under the ice for the last few weeks. Behind the hotels has been good. Anglers have been having success throwing jigs, blade baits and deep diving crank baits. Colors that imitate gobies or shad work best.
Upriver anglers are once again having success off the high wall. We recommend fishing jigs and beads under slip float.
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 [http://callto:+13153432161](315) 343.2161.
- Check the current water flow
- Read the recent news release about fishing access on the West Riverwalk.
Sandy Pond
This weekend there is the Taco Bob’s fishing Derby. Head right to Taco Bob’s in Mannsville for registration.
Currently there are 14-20” across the pond. Perch bite has picked up this week, with reports of some larger fish at 13”. The crappie bite has been good, especially at Greenpoint. Hot baits continue to be caty jigs in “nitro glow orange” and forage minnow jigs in “super glow red fish.” We also recommend Number 2 Swedish pimples.
Thanks to Woody’s tackle for help with this report. Be sure to check our Facebook page, or else call Woody’s tackle directly for info about the upcoming derbies.
The main points of ice access for Sandy Pond are: “The Elms,” Wigwam, and the DEC launch at Stanley Drive.
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:
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.