Greater Niagara Region
Frank Campbell
The Fall Lake Ontario Counties Trout and Salmon Derby is underway, offering a $20,000 grand prize for the largest salmon. The current leader is a 28-pound, 14-ounce fish reeled in by Tony Chatt of West Monroe. Top Brown Trout is a 15-pound 3-ounce fish hauled in by Bill Weber of Palmyra. Leading steelhead is a 15-pound, 4-ounce Olcott fish weighed in by Crystal Yescavage of Old Forge, Pa. and caught during the Reelin’ for a Cure event last Friday fishing with Capt. Roy Letcher. The LOC Derby continues through Labor Day. Winner of the Reelin’ ladies contest was the OBLBR team aboard Capt. Matt Yablonsky’s boat “Wet Net.” They totaled 157 points based on 10 points per fish and a point per pound for 6 fish – four mature kings and two big browns, all caught on the Niagara Bar in 70-75 feet of water with meat rigs, flasher-fly combos and one spoon. Team leader was Dr. Sara Sirkin of Tonawanda. Also underway is the Greater Niagara Fish Odyssey Derby that runs through August 24. Once again it is being run through the Fishing Chaos App on your smartphone. Kids 15 and under can register for free.
The Niagara County Sam Ferraro Memorial VIP Fishing Day was held last week, and fishing was enjoyed by our elected leaders, tourism professionals, and county department heads as they were able to experience firsthand what the sport fishery is all about. Big fish for the morning was a 22-pound salmon reeled in by Lewiston Town Supervisor Steve Broderick aboard On the Rocks boat out of Wilson with Capt. Mike Johannes.
King salmon have been showing up on the Niagara Bar in bigger size and numbers reports Capt. Dave Scipione of Scipione’s Fishing Charters. Recent outings have been producing consistently large chinooks from 24 pounds all the way up to 33 pounds, a fish that was his largest of the season. And, no, his customer was not in the LOC Derby. The most productive lures have been green glow alewife mag spoons from Warrior, Dream Weaver green jeans, and Northeast Troller’s 4.5-inch Confused Carlson spoons. Fishing for brown trout, with the occasional lake trout, has been good to very good on the Niagara Bar as well. Keep your speed about 2 mph in 60 to 80 feet of water and dragging bottom was most productive. Hot spoons in standard or magnum size both took fish. DW’s mixed veggie, green glow frog, and green alewife were hot colors according to Scipione. Over in Wilson, Capt. Joe Oakes of Salmonboy Sportfishing reports action was good before the recent high wind events. He was catching a mix of mature salmon with some brown trout between 75 and 180 feet of water. Offshore, he has been catching steelhead and smaller salmon from 350 feet of water to the international border. Spoons, flasher-fly combos, and J-plugs are producing fish in the top 80 feet of water, using riggers and 300-foot copper long lines to take fish. With three days of east wind, cold water is tight to shore. Chris Trzaska of Buffalo caught a lake trout off the Wilson pier on Tuesday using a Chuck Booker spinner with a blue blade. However, salmon and trout are still stacked on the Bar despite the wind. Yablonsky also found fish out deep off Wilson on Tuesday, working 350-to-450-foot depths, 35 to 65 feet down for immature salmon and steelhead with a mixed array of baits.
Julia Camidge with the Wicked Worm in Youngstown reports that walleyes have still hit pink and firetiger harnesses along the Stella drift. Crayfish are doing well for bowfin in the tributaries. The Bar is picking up big time producing multiple species. The weeds have improved greatly. Capt. Dave Scipione reports that walleye and bass continue to be productive in the lower Niagara River. All drifts have been producing good numbers of fish from Devil’s Hole all the way to the Niagara Bar when the winds will allow you to get out there at the mouth. Drifting a worm harness on 3-way rigs was the most effective method for walleye. For bass, try crayfish or shiners fished on a drop shot or 3-way rig. The key is to make sure you keep constant contact with the bottom while drifting according to Scipione.
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Lake Ontario
The kings are in 160 to 200 fow. They were 65 to 85 down. Make sure you get an early start. Summer light is now later…around 5:45 am. Spoons are the winners this past weekend. Black and white and orange have caught salmon.
Currently Tony Chatt has the largest king during the LOC Derby. Chatt, who is known on the leaderboards runs the “5 More Minutes.”Team. His fish weighed 28.14 pounds.
The Leading brown trout is a 15.03-pound fish coming from Wayne County. The fish caught during the LOC Fall Derby have been eating well this year.
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Bays
Sodus continues to be the hot spot for largemouth bass. Anglers are catching them near the weedbeds and between the islands. Fish early before the recreational boats ply the waters of the bay. Senko rigs are the dominate lure, however, topwater baits have been working outside of the weeds.
On Monday, they cut the weeds at the south end of the bay so give that region a day or two to calm down.
Right outside the channel of Port Bay some boats are trying to catch smallmouth bass. They are using grubs and worms.
At the south end of the bay and along the east side, they are catching bluegills and sunfish.
Sodus Bay boats can be launched at the Margaretta launch on the west side of the bay or Bay Bridge Sport Shop at the south end.
Port Bay has the south and north DEC launch sites from West Port Bay Road. Both 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.
Erie Canal
The largemouth bass are hitting on the south side of the Erie at Widewaters. Cast out near the weedbeds covering an area from Widewaters east to the Newark Lock. You can also fish Widewaters east towards Palmyra. Park at Widewaters County Park, which has a kayak and boat launch site.
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. On 1298 Route 104 is Ontario Country Max and 625 E Main St. is Palmyra Country Max.
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.
- 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 crappies has been increased from nine inches to ten inches.
Orleans County
Orleans County Sportfishing Coordinator Ron Bierstine:
Here we are in the late summer open Lake trolling season, and big Kings are being netted both offshore and near shore. The near-shore action does come and go somewhat as the easterly winds dictate, while the offshore action is more consistent for most boaters. It seems like when as many fish might get moved offshore from east winds, at least some are staying put or easing near shore. That seems like a sign of the summer season breaking toward early fall and staging or migration behavior. In fact, a few fish are beginning to show the telltale signs of darkening up and getting bigger kypes. Any trout or salmon finding what has been a good head of Oak Orchard River (must be Canal feed because of droughty conditions) is most likely going to be met with river temps too hot for successful migrations.
Capt. Chris V.)
Cooler seasonal conditions are no doubt on the way. Same more routine precip would be a good thing too, and there is the chance for showers or storms through this mid part of the week. We are once again following med–stiff NE and E winds for the end of the past weekend and the beginning of this week. Near-shore temps may have stalled just short of a full-blown cold water flip. The forecast ahead for the end of week and the upcoming weekend looks seasonal, with the next chance of precip by the end of the weekend.
Lately, Capt. Mike L. of Intimidator Charters says, “The fishing has been remarkable!” Capt. Mike G. of Get Hooked Charters says, “With east winds, things may change.” Capt. Chris V. from U-Betcha Charters says, “Fishing has been good for us. We fished the inside waters in 83 – 135 fow. Spoons on a 32 ft rigger and a super slim and a 48 ft rigger with a stingray frog were best. So far, it looks like the east winds might have just moved the good water out a touch.”
The big money and big fish final Fall LOC Derby is underway now until Labor Day. Whatever the weather brings, and as wind and waves allow, get out there in the Orleans County waters with what’s left of this trolling season for your next big hook-up or prize-winning fish!
Oswego County
The first kings have been spotted on the Salmon River this week. Lake fishing out of Oswego remains productive for those willing to make the long run offshore. Recent strong northeast and southeast winds flipped the lake, pushing cold water in toward shore.
Lake Ontario – Oswego County
Click Here of the 10 day Forecast
Anglers running 8–15 miles offshore are finding consistent action with kings, cohos, and steelhead. Spoons, flasher/flies, and meat rigs have all been effective presentations.
Lake Ontario – Mexico
Click Here of the 10 day Forecast
The DSR has reported the first salmon was hooked up by an angler on Tuesday this week! There was also a few other seen moving up river. More info here.
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.