Greater Niagara Region
Frank Campbell
Niagara River Anglers Association’s winter steelhead contest is this Saturday. Sign up at The Wicked Worm in Youngstown, online or in person. You can also sign up at the Lewiston launch ramp the morning of the contest. Alan Raymond with The Wicked Worm reports that some breaks in the weather made for some decent fishing this week. A few guys did well on steelhead using spinners, minnows and egg sacs closer to Artpark in the gorge. Brown trout are still cooperating down towards the mouth of the river on medium-sized shiners. Natural presentations with soft plastics in white or clear-ish colors have been working.
Mike Ziehm of Niagara Falls hit the shoreline this past week and in two hours of fishing he lost two and landed two trout. He was casting his No. 4 homemade spinners. The water was clear and the bite was slow. Ziehm noted that we need some stain in the river and the water temperature to rise a few degrees. When that happens, the steelhead bite should turn on. The NYPA fishing platform and its other fishing-related facilities will open to the public this Saturday if the weather cooperates. You can check the status at 286-6662. Some ice has been making its way down the river corridor due to a break in the ice boom.
Capt. Tyler Siegmann of CGF Guide Service reports he fished the Niagara Bar, Fort Niagara, and several other drifts this week and he found a very picky bite going on. He still managed to catch brown trout on shiners and steelhead on chartreuse beads.
Matt Vogt of Newfane reports he hit the lake for a few hours out of Olcott Harbor. The water color was great for inshore fishing, and the brown trout cooperated nicely. He landed 6 browns out of 8 bites in a short period of time. The wind picked up so he just made the most of the time he had. Stickbaits and spoons both worked, and most of his hits were aggressive. The water is slowly starting to warm up.
Tanner Niezgoda of Newfane and his fiancé Becca Chaplin of Newfane hit 18 Mile Creek and they noted that there was a small run of fresh steelhead that they took advantage of. Beads were the best enticement. Karen Evarts at The Boat Doctors and Tackle Barn in Olcott reports some Coho salmon are being caught off the piers on spinners and spoons. In the harbor, panfish like crappies and yellow perch are being caught.
The 15th Annual Niagara County Bullhead Tournament is April 4-6, starting at 5 p.m. on Friday and ending at 1 p.m. on Sunday. Weigh-in will take place at the Wilson Conservation Club, Route 425, Wilson on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Total weight of 2 fish will determine the winners. Age 13 and over entry is $10. Age 12 and under is free for a special youth division. Call Eric at 628-6078 for information.
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Lake Ontario
Some browns were caught next to the Sodus Point pier and to the west. This happened on a calm day. Today we are having a gusty Northwest wind which doesn’t work for small boat fishing close to shore. Our dominating winds wouldn’t be safe for an aircraft carrier!
The charter captains are getting their “Big Boats” ready for the season. Most in Wayne County will be on the water by April 1st. A complete list of charters is on our web page.
The lake level today is 244.83 out of Rochester which is very low for this time of year.
Streams
There still are few steelhead in Maxwell and Salmon Creek in Pultneyville.
Bays
When Sodus Bay has three-to-four-foot waves, you know there has been no launching of boats. The roads to the barrier bar at Port Bay have been graded. And the south end of the bay road is in decent shape. So…when the wind stops, they are perfect places to launch.
You can try some shore fishing from the north end of Port Bay.
Erie Canal
Crappie fishing at Widewaters along the shoreline is usually very productive. There are some locations next to the Port Gibson Bridge. Cast out suspended small jigs under a bobber.
Keep in mind the pike season closed March 15, 2025, and will open on May 1st.
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:
Spring has come on with cool temps and not much precipitation lately. After the spate of water from the snowpack melt-off, it’s been relatively dry now for 2–3 weeks, so flows in all the tribs are dropping and clearing. Upstream supplies in the Oak are best comparatively for area tribs, so those flows are hanging on at mod to med and clear. Flows in the other area, smaller tribs are low to mod and clear.
Near-term forecast is showing breezy conditions continuing with snow showers for the midweek that could amount to an inch of accumulation. Warming toward the weekend with showers and a chance of soaking rains. Enough precipitation to bring flows back up with some color to the water would help the fishing action and more than likely bring on something like the last flush of steelhead in the Oak that weren’t part of earlier late winter migrations.
For now, there’s overall light to mod fishing pressure in the Oak with good action through the watercourse. Hook-ups might come harder because of lower and clearer flows, but anglers making a light line drift or swing are having action. More and more fish are headed to gravel, so there’s that fishing option, or you might choose to fish the holes adjacent to or at the dam. Nice, hard-fighting, bright fish are being landed like the netted and released steelhead below. Although things may have progressed through a lot of action already in the other area, smaller tribs, they could perk back up with a few fresh fish with another spate of water. And the Oak action should be hanging on through some part of Aprril thanks to the cool end of March weather.
Pen-reared steelhead (15,000) and King salmon (100,000+) are slated for delivery Apr 2 to the Oak by NYSDEC. Those numbers are just some of the total allotted trout and salmon stocking for the Oak. Another steelhead net pen has been added this year. That pen was welded expertly by TF Enterprise in Albion, NY, who donated shop help from their busy day. Steelhead pen rearing efforts are likewise expanding on the Genesee River and Sandy Creek.
Pen-reared fish are fed and cared for in a 3–4 week period, depending upon weather and flows. All the successful pen-rearing efforts like at the Oak, are a collaborative effort of fishery stakeholders, charter captains, tributary interests, Orleans County Tourism, NYSDEC, volunteers, and Ernst’s Lake Breeze Marina. The selfless help of all involved to enhance this amazing trout and salmon fishery is surely appreciated.
The nearshore big Lake trolling action is underway, too. Recent winds and that aforementioned cool weather might be making for some anxious trollers all too ready to hit it! But as the winds and waves allow, guys have been getting out. This early-season action can be productive with simple trolling spreads. Hungry and eager browns are the typical hookup, like in the pic below. And bigger fish are part of the mix too, like nice browns, early Kings, or Lakers. Captain J. Forder from Mister Sportfishing says, “shoreline fishing is at its best right now! Long lining shallow stickbaits in 5–15 fow has been great for browns!”
Oswego County
Fishing has been very unstable lately, just like the water levels. But better days are around the corner.
Salmon River, Pulaski NY
• Click Here of the 10 day Forecast
• Click Here for the Current CFS at Pineville
Fishing has been tough this past week following the big melt-off. The Salmon River Reservoir appears to have completely refilled, causing heavily colored water to flow downstream, making the fish uncomfortable.
As the fish settle in, they should become more active with the added ability to hide.
In these high, dirty conditions, try running bigger and brighter baits—beads in 12mm and even 14mm sizes—in bright orange, chartreuse, and especially UV. For egg sacs, pink, chartreuse, and peach have been producing well.
If you’re unsure of where to fish consider ordering a free fishing map from the tourism office by calling 1-800-248-4FUN(4386), or stop by any of the local tackle shops for a free printed copy.
Oswego River, City of Oswego
Click Here of the 10 day Forecast
At the beginning of the week, flows were over 12,000 CFS, but they have recently settled around 9,500. Wading is still treacherous, so be careful.
A few nice browns have been taken along the High Wall by the powerhouse. Other anglers report an on-again, off-again bite just above the powerhouse on the flats.
The Bridie Hole is typically a good producer this time of year. Many anglers are fishing the harbor, mostly behind the hotels, and are catching browns on diving crankbaits and swimbaits.
Chartreuse has been the hot color this week, along with Fire Tiger and chartreuse/silver.
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.
- Click here for the current water flow
- Read the recent news release about access on the West Riverwalk.
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.
Notable Freshwater Fishing Regulation Updates:
The following is a short list of some notable changes. To verify, or for specific questions, please consult the NYS DEC Regs. Book.
- A five-fish daily walleye limit in Oneida Lake.
- The statewide sunfish daily harvest limit has been reduced from 50 to 25 fish.
- The statewide minimum size limit for crappies has been increased from nine inches to ten inches.
- There are 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.
- New specific dates will replace 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.
- Also note the season closure for northern pike, pickerel, tiger musky and walleye (March 16).
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.