Greater Niagara Region
Frank Campbell
This weekend is a Free Fishing Weekend across New York state both Saturday and Sunday. No one needs a fishing license to fish in the Empire State, but you must abide by the fishing regulations where you are fishing.
Louis Long (pictured above) of Buffalo managed to catch a 49-inch musky casting a black Red October tube for his first fish of the year around Strawberry Island. He also caught a 36-inch fish using the same bait. Capt. Peter Goretti of One More Drift Fishing Adventures fished the upper Niagara River and found that, for the most part, bass have completed their spawning. They are eating minnows, swimbaits, and Ned rigs. However, moss is becoming more of an issue, but he found some areas were better than others.
Alan Raymond with The Wicked Worm in Youngstown reports moss is becoming more of a problem and it will probably be another 2-3 weeks before it starts clearing up. Live minnows (fatheads) have been doing best so far. Not too many boats have been willing to fight the green terror. Up in the gorge, Parker Cinelli of Grand Island has been hiking down into the Whirlpool and Devil’s Hole and finding lake trout and steelhead by casting spinners. Smallmouth bass are frequently ending up on the end of his line, too. Tommy Holycross of Wheatfield reports moss season in the lower Niagara River is here. Smallmouth bass are still hitting at the NYPA fishing platform. He is having success with paddletails with a bottom bouncer weight. Mornings and evenings are better. He also enjoyed some success at the NYPA reservoir on bass.
Capt. Joe Oakes of Salmonboy Charters reported action for Cohos remains good with a few steelhead starting to show up and the odd king mixed in. The best depths are 300 plus feet of water, working the top 70 feet of water with orange-colored spoons and flasher-fly combos. Karen Evarts of The Boat Doctors and Tackle Barn in Olcott reports that action picked up in the lake on Saturday for salmon out deep. According to Capt. Roy Letcher of Dirty Goose Sportfishing, the Coho salmon bite continues to be very good and kings in the 15-to-20-pound range were cooperating in 400-plus feet of water. Best baits were orange and red spin doctors with flies and DW Super Slim spoons in green and black. Olcott Harbor is loaded with a mix of largemouth, smallmouth, and rock bass/bluegills as was evident during the Hooks for Harry Memorial Kids Derby last weekend. A total of 160 kids were in attendance. The top prize went to Eden Dunkelberger of Newfane who won a lifetime fishing license from The Boat Doctors and Capt. Frank Campbell of Lewiston for her 12-inch largemouth bass. Biggest fish overall was a 19-3/4-inch smallmouth bass reeled in by 15-year-old Logan Wagner of Barker.
Remember that the Summer Lake Ontario Counties Trout and Salmon Derby starts Saturday so make sure you register at loc.org before you go fishing by 7 a.m. at any time during the derby. The Grand Prize is $15,000 for the largest salmon.
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Lake Ontario
The shorelines are littered with alewives, which were called “mooneyes” back in the 60’s. The salmon fishing is still a struggle with all the bait, and the relentless wind blowing from every direction. We need some consistent wind, and it must be a calm blow.
Some kings have come from the Port Bay- Fair Haven east side of the county. Try 200 to 400 fow putting out meat rigs or Michigan Stinger’s NBK UV spoons.
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Bays
Sodus Bay is the place to be for some exciting bass fishing. The largemouths have been caught with Senko rigs, spinner baits, tube jigs, and worms. Fish the weedlines and under docks. Be on the water early, as Sodus will be a difficult challenge for anglers once the recreational boats start zipping around.
Bluegills are also being caught as the water warms on Sodus.
The docks at Margaretta Road are high, however the ramps are in good shape. You can also launch at Bay Bridge Sport Shop at the south end of the bay.
The Port Bay channel area has a mix of fish, with some nice perch being caught. The Bay also has bass at the south end.
Both the south and north DEC launch sites from West Port Bay Road are in great shape for boats with enough parking for the trailers.
New York, the open season (harvest) for largemouth and smallmouth bass, collectively known as black bass, runs from June 15 to November 30, with a catch-and-release season from December 1 to June 14.
Sodus Bay will be the place to be when the bass season opens.
Erie Canal
Sunday, the kayak anglers were fishing Widewaters for crappies, blue gills, and sunfish. The Wayne County launch site at Widewaters has a great kayak launch and there is plenty of parking for boat trailers.
The largemouth bass are on the south side of the canal in the weedbeds.
Conditions permitting, all portions of the New York State Canal system are now open. This is the 201st consecutive year of travel along New York’s Canals and the 200th anniversary of the original Erie Canal’s completion on October 26, 1825.
There are no tolls or fees for recreational use of the Canal system this year.
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:
We asked for summer weather and warmer temps, and boy, are we getting it! The temps from the past weekend and through the beginning part of this week are in the 90s F with mostly prevailing westerly winds. About the mid part of this week and the end part of the week, there is a forecasted cool down to just seasonal summer temps and a chance of on-and-off rainstorms. For sure, this weather is warming up the big Lake temps, and it should be setting up a more traditional temp structure out there as we progress through the season.
Picture courtesy of Bob S.
Besides the regular charter activity, there’s still generally light rec boat trolling traffic out there. That activity may pick up as we move along through the summer. Fishing success and salmon action do seem to be picking up now that the weather and water temperatures are warming. There’s ground to be made up for sure, but expectations from the previous couple of years of exceptional fishing may be hard to beat.
Capt. Jon F from Mister Sportfishing says, “If you work hard, you will get your bites. We have found mixed Lakers and Kings on the inside waters 100 – 120 fow. Offshore we have been getting some King and steelhead bites. Sonar screens have been getting better daily this past week, and there should be more and more Kings in the near future. Cowbells for lake trout and flasher and flies have been best for salmon.”
Capt. Bob S from Sunrise II Sportfishing also says the fishing is not fast and furious, but ok, and that more salmon are showing up the last few days. “Mainly flashers and flies, as well as meat rigs, have been working better for us. Depths have been 175 out to 400 fow, so pick your area and work it.”
Oswego County
We are entering the transition phase of the lake season, which often brings shifting patterns and varied success.
Lake Ontario – Oswego County
Click Here of the 10 day Forecast
Brown trout remain the primary target for many anglers, though recent warming trends have required adjustments in approach. Most boats are fishing in 20 to 40 feet of water, running their presentations 10 to 25 feet below the surface. Early in the day, natural colors—especially black and silver—have produced well. As the sun rises and brightens, chartreuse patterns have taken over as the top producers.
Some anglers have shifted their focus to salmon, and while last weekend brought disappointing numbers, activity has picked up. Those targeting salmon are now finding multiple year classes mixed together. The consistent success among these anglers has come on a meat bite, with most of the action taking place in 100 to 250 feet of water.
Lake Ontario – Mexico
Click Here of the 10 day Forecast
Anglers launching from Mexico have been running west toward Nine Mile Point, where the buoy line has been especially productive. The early bite has been strong but tends to shut down quickly as the sun climbs. Some boats have also been heading north to focus on lake trout.