Greater Niagara Region
Frank Campbell
The 54th Annual National Hunting and Fish Day celebration is this Saturday at the New York Power Authority’s 40th Annual Wildlife Festival from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission to the family festivities is free. It will be held at the Power Vista located at 5777 Lewiston Road, Lewiston. Also, in honor of NHF Day, Saturday is a Free Fishing Day in the state. No license is required to fish any place in the state. On to the fishing …
The crew from Point Click Fish came into town to sample the upper Niagara River with Capt. Frank Campbell and the smallmouth bass cooperated nicely as they fished crayfish off 3-way rigs drifting around Navy Island. The bass cooperated nicely for Jay Feimster and his son Banks as they caught and released up to 30 bass in 4 hours. Fish weighed up to 4 pounds, making for some great filming.
Salmon fishing is slowly starting to improve on the lower river as fish are being taken from both the shoreline and from boats. The NYPA fishing platform is seeing a steady increase in salmon activity with jigs, spoons, and spinners all taking fish. Drifting skein off 3-way rigs produced multiple hook ups for Captains Joe Marra of Niagara Rainbow Charters and Jim Gordon of Jim’s Charter Service over the weekend in the Devil’s Hole area. Between the two boats, eight kings were hooked and four came to the net. The numbers of kings will only increase in the next few weeks.
Capt. Dave Scipione of Scipione’s Fishing Charters fished the lower river a few times last weekend. Walleyes are still cooperating on the Bar, Stella Niagara, and Devil’s Hole drifts, but the bite gets tough when schools of kings start passing through. Fishing No. 5 gold blades with pink and orange beaded harnesses on 3-way rigs was key for a couple of limit catches over the weekend. Once he caught the walleye, they switched over to 3.5 MagLips and K11 Kwikfish in Devil’s Hole to try for salmon. Action for smallmouth bass was fast and furious near Fort Niagara at the Coast Guard drift. Crayfish and golden shiners fished on 3-way rigs were best, but they turned off like a light switch after about a half dozen passes according to Scipione.
Tommy Holycross of Wheatfield caught his first salmon of the year at the NYPA platform. It’s not a full run yet, but a few kings are being caught. Jigging spoons and egg skein fished near the bottom works best. Holycross also managed to catch a few smallmouth bass on paddletails fished off a bottom bouncer weight his last trip out. Anglers are still catching walleyes on jerk baits up at Artpark.
Shane Stark of Newfane reports he’s been doing real well on walleyes on the lower river at night. He’s been using glow Crackhead jigs, but many fish have been taken on stick baits. Rat-L-Traps traps will also take fish. His color choices are white swimbaits for the jigs and anything silvery and flashy for the stick baits but don’t rule out straight black or firetiger color patterns.
Despite poor water conditions along the lake, the water support from the canal should help trigger fish runs in the tributaries for those four streams for salmon and trout. The Erie Canal water release program is currently underway in four tributaries, including 18 Mile Creek, Johnson Creek, Oak Orchard River, and Sandy Creek as of the end of last week. If you are looking for Chinook salmon, your best bet will be 18 Mile Creek up to Burt Dam, one of the top salmon stocking locations in the state. Karen Evarts at The Boat Doctors and Tackle Barn in Olcott reports that a few salmon have made it up to the dam, but the bigger runs should arrive as soon as water flows become more consistent. There have been some salmon at the piers in Olcott, with evidence of jumping fish, but the bite has been tough. Casting the likes of spoons, spinners, J13 Rapalas, Rat-L-Traps and KO Wobblers should work. Anything that glows is usually a plus when there are low and no light conditions. Out in the lake, staging salmon is an option with plugs, spoons and meat. However, those fish can be finicky. Out in 70 to 180 feet of water, anglers have found teenager salmon and steelhead on spoons, but you must work for them. Both Wilson and Olcott harbors produce a mix of perch, pike, bass, and panfish. Live bait is the way to go.
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Lake Ontario
The majority of the charter boats have been pulled for the season. If you are fishing the lake, go deep for some two-year-old kings.
We did receive some rain; however, it wasn’t enough to make our tributaries push water out in the lake.
Maxwell Creek is still dry and needs heavy precipitation to bring any staging fish to the stream. It is the same with any pier fishing from the Sodus channel. We need rain!
Rochester water temperature is 67.5 degrees.
Bays
Some perch have been caught in both Port and Sodus Bays. Try to find them in deeper water…around 20 feet.
Use yellow and white 2-inch grubs with fresh spikes. Make sure your spikes are “Fresh.”
The largemouth are still hitting in Sodus Bay. Sodus has been really quiet with most recreational boats pulled until next year. Take advantage of the quiet water.
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.
Sodus Bay will be the place to be when the bass season opens.
Erie Canal
Kayak fishing has been very popular and the best place to cast from your paddle vessel is Widewaters. The calm water makes it a great experience.
Docks in Wayne County are usually pulled after Columbus Day, which is October 13, 2025.
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:
There’s still some nice summer-like weather hanging on even if it is the beginning of fall! Temps are warm and it’s even trying to rain, but so far only minimal precip. Next chance at showers is late Tue or early Wed and better chance at area wide rain on Thu. Somewhat of an in-between time frame for trout and salmon action here in Orleans County. You could choose end of the season open Lake trolling or upstream action in the tribs. Anglers on both fronts are scoring some action, with plenty of good tributary action yet ahead.
Small boat trollers and casters and jiggers in the Lake are working the 20 fow plus or minus range. Waves have been pretty agreeable lately although a little chop and color is almost always better then flat and clear. East winds have calmed lately. Look for more and more guys to be working those near shore waters now over the next month or so. Latest reports after the staging fish were fond of moving in and out is that they are back. Anglers report good sonar marks and crashing fish in the low light periods. Casters at Point Breeze are typically getting a few hook-ups at dawn or dusk. Young anglers can stay active by casting away and might have the biggest fish yet of their career on the end of their line with a salmon! Other trollers can still head off shore for trout action or immature Kings.
In the tribs we are lucky to have Erie Canal feed which is good for about 20 extra cfs in Oak and Sandy and almost 40 more cfs in Johnson. You can bet salmon especially and likely some browns or Atlantics are feeling that push of water and making some migrations. We did hear of some water level fluctuations at Waterport dam yesterday. More and more King numbers should be building in the Oak like at the dam and eventually holding in the downstream fast water stretches. Check out the big King from the Oak in the pic below. Anglers have seen a few browns already in the Oak and I’d bet money some of them are impersonating Atlantics! At the Bridges area on the Oak/Marsh there are crashing fish most evenings. Plenty of legit ways to get those crashing fish to bite, check out the Captains Cove, Oak Orchard Tackle & Lodge, Route 18 Tackle or Woody’s Bait for fishing advice!
The St. Mary’s Archers Club 2025 public access fall season parking will be from Oct. 10 through Nov. 11. Parking is $10, with gates opening at 4-5 a.m. and closing at 4 p.m. A lunch will also be served this year. For updates, visit the Sportsman’s Archery Club of St Mary’s Inc Facebook page.
Oswego County
Fishing has been productive for anglers who can locate the right spots.
Salmon River, Pulaski NY
• Click Here of the 10 day Forecast
In recent days, several small pushes of fresh fish have entered the river. However, with low water levels, these fish are not progressing quickly. The best opportunities are from town through the Route 81 stretch. Under low-water conditions, focus on choke points, deep slots, and the fastest runs, where fish tend to hold.
Lake Ontario – Oswego County
Click Here of the 10 day Forecast
Those extending their season on Lake Ontario are being rewarded with strong salmon action. Productive depths have been 20–60 feet of water, particularly outside the mouth of the Salmon River.
Oswego River, City of Oswego
Click Here of the 10 day Forecast
Water levels on the Oswego River continue to drop, which has restricted fish movement. A few fish are being seen at the dam, but shoreline anglers along the wall are encountering even fewer opportunities.
Please note that there is significant construction happening on the west side of the river (West 1st St.). Parking is limited.
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.
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.