Greater Niagara Region
Frank Campbell
As we head into this holiday season, we hoped we had a better fishing report for you. After a brief warmup, rain, snow and high winds, the Niagara River water conditions are terrible. There have been very few people fishing from a boat and shore fishermen have been hoping for just a little bit of water clarity. Shore fishermen can usually catch fish sooner than boat fishermen because the water along the shoreline clears first. Trout will be looking for water with the best light penetration. Spinners are good lures to use because of the vibration.
Those who are willing to face the weather impacts are catching some fish, reports Alan Raymond with The Wicked Worm in Youngstown. However, you really must work for them. Steelhead are being caught upriver at Artpark using beads, egg sacs, and marabou jigs. Above Artpark, in the more oxygenated waters in the gorge, is another good option from shore. Browns are still hanging around the Coast Guard station. Unfortunately, there is not much going on for boaters as the winds are not complying. When those waters finally clear, it should be lights-out throughout the river!
If you do go to the river, you may see a fair number of gizzard shad floating on the surface. These fish are very susceptible to temperature changes in the water. This is a normal die-off of these fish so don’t be alarmed.
It’s the same old story at Burt Dam and 18 Mile Creek with brown trout topping the list of fishing options. Wax worms and spikes are the top baits according to Karen Evarts with the Boat Doctors and Tackle Barn at Olcott. There are still a few old salmon swimming around, along with limited numbers of steelhead in the creek. Raymond at the Wicked Worm also reported that beads, egg sacs, and Marabou jigs are also working to take fish.
Matt Vogt of Newfane reports that the back bay in Wilson Harbor does not have safe ice after the recent warm up and that any ice that was forming in Olcott Harbor was blown out from the rain and warmer temperatures. Vogt hopes that the remaining ice can hold over into January thanks to some of the colder nights that we have been experiencing. His advice is to give the ice a little more time before gearing up to go.
Have a great – and safe – holiday season!
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Streams
Some of the streams have water flowing with a steady current. You can fish on the south side of Maxwell, trying for browns and steelhead.
Salmon Creek in Pultneyville is open to the lake, and Bear Creek in Ontario has a good flow, although that creek has limited places to cast.
If there is no ice on the Sodus Bay pier head, you can fish the channel. Make sure you are safe because the current in the channel is swift and cold. Next to the Coast Guard station is a good place to cast out some bright red heavy spoons.
Bays
A trip around the Wayne County bays this morning proved there is no safe ice today. The rain destroyed the thickness and now the north end of Sodus and Port Bay are open.
With colder temperatures there will be some safe ice, however later this week is expected to be a warm-up. And some rain melting what we have…so do not take chances.
And… that Santa Claus guy apologizes for the erratic temperatures.
When we start the safe season, you can park at Davenport’s Marina on the south end of Sodus. See Don at the bait shop for information.
Sodus Center pond had safe ice; however, the water flow underneath made it thinner. Parking is limited. Don’t fish next to the bridge. The pond has bluegills, and some crappies.
Erie Canal
Widewaters is frozen, however ice thickness varies. Make sure you “spud” your way to the center.
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.
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:
The previous bump up in flows from a little bit of snowmelt and some warmer temps was somewhat underwhelming! There was barely a bump up in flows and opening up from icing conditions in the smaller waterways, while the Oak showed little to no change.
Through last night there were light rain showers in the area and light snow accumulation south of the area. The near-term forecast looks up and down for temps with highs during the day above freezing and dropping back down at night. This may not change the existing conditions all that much. Next chance at precipitation is the end of the week, and the long-term forecast after that may be a return to colder, winter-like temps.
Flows in the Oak are low and clear. Despite the low and clear flows through yesterday, both drifters and swingers reported some action. Swingers found browns that wanted bigger fly patterns, while centerpin drifters did best on steelhead and light takes on jigs.
Downstream flat water areas are open for now. The other area smaller waterways east and west, had a small open water window in upstream reaches on the backside of the previous warm-up (and melt-off), with guys reporting some brown trout hook-ups. After that, one cold night seemed to make finding productive drifting water challenging.
As the weather and water flows go ahead, so will the chance for productive drifts in the smaller waterways. For now, look for slowly dropping flows in those smaller waterways with icy conditions and the low to mod flows in the Oak to hang in until the next major weather change.
Oswego County
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Steelhead fishing remains excellent. Anglers should expect increased crowds between Christmas and New Year’s.
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Salmon River, Pulaski NY
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Flows have increased slightly this week, which has helped stir fish up and often makes otherwise inactive fish more aggressive. Despite a few warmer days, fish are clearly settled into winter patterns. Focus on the deepest portions of each run, slow your presentation, and be willing to experiment with different baits. Changing bait size and color can make a significant difference.
Oswego River
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Water levels have dropped following last week’s heavy rain and warm-up, improving fishing conditions from the wall and upriver. Before ice sets in, anglers should also check behind the hotels, where brown trout have been very aggressive in the harbor.
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.
Additional Oswego County Locations
North Sandy Pond:
A few cars were spotted at fishing access paths, but there wasn’t much activity earlier in the week. The water level was low with little flow. As of today (Wednesday, 10/22), there’s been more activity, with anglers spotted under the Woodville bridge. There’s also an increased flow of water that seems closer to normal levels, but little angler success.
South Sandy Pond:
A few vehicles were parked at fishing access walk path locations, but no anglers were visible earlier in the week. Little to no flow. As of today (Wednesday, 10/22), many anglers were spotted upstream under the bridges at Ellisburg, Joslyn Rd, and Monitor Mills Rd. Water has also risen a little to a more normal level with decent flow. There have been a couple of kings caught.
Little Sandy Creek:
Water seems to be on the lower side. Some flow.
Grindstone:
There is some flow, but there have been no anglers spotted.
Little Salmon:
Water is on the lower side; some flow. There has been decent angler success at the Jellystone campground, all catching kings. Otherwise, it’s been slow.
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