Greater Niagara Region
Frank Campbell
It’s a homecoming of sorts in the lower Niagara River as the pen-reared and stocked Chinook salmon are making their way up the river with numbers of fish increasing daily. The best action was off the NYPA fishing platform with jigs, jigging spoons, and eggs. In Devil’s Hole, fish are moving around but the boats haven’t really started targeting them yet. Some cold nights or a good rain should draw in more kings, and it will be game on as large numbers of fish have been staging at the red can. Walleye and bass action has been good to very good all over the river and on the Niagara Bar. Walleye anglers are producing limits with worm harnesses and the best presentation for smallmouth has been live bait such as crawfish and shiners.
Salmon are trickling in reports Mike Ziehm of Niagara Falls. He finally made it out to kick off his fall/winter season journey and landed one and lost two the first day on chartreuse No. 4 spinners. He returned a few days later and again hooked up with another king salmon. The warm river water seems to have made these early kings reluctant to eat. You must work for them. We need cooler temperatures and a good east wind to get the salmon and trout heading up the river. The outlook is good for this fall with very good numbers of staging fish out front and to the east. Alan Raymond of The Wicked Worm in Youngstown says they are still seeing some bass being caught along the shoreline, but they are starting to slow down. Walleyes are being caught near Stella Niagara and on the Niagara Bar.
Out in the lake, the recent storm activity and the heavy northwest winds have fish a little scattered right now, but the salmon are still mostly in deep water (60 to 150 feet of water and still feeding) reports Capt. Vince Pierleoni of Thrillseeker Sportfishing. Because of the warm water, there are only occasional reports of fish being taken off the piers. Most of the fish caught by the trollers right now are being taken on meat rigs, flasher-fly combos, or spoons. On the Niagara Bar, things have set up with staging kings on the drop in 60 to 70 feet of water reports Capt. Joe Cinelli of Grand Island. Good water temperatures stretch all the way to 4 Mile Creek with white and green flashers and flies working best above the thermocline. Brown trout are available if you switch over to spoons in glow patterns.
Karen Evarts at The Boat Doctors and Tackle Barn in Olcott reports that some brown trout and a few salmon have made it up to Burt Dam. A few salmon and trout were also caught off the pier in Olcott, but it was very early in the morning between 3 and 5 a.m.
The New York Power Authority’s 41st Annual Wildlife Festival, the county’s National Hunting and Fishing Day celebration, is Sept. 26 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free. It will be held at the Power Vista located at 5777 Lewiston Road, Lewiston. The event is co-sponsored by the Niagara County Federation of Conservation Clubs.
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Lake Ontario
Early fall fishing for kings has been excellent this year. Charters still trolling for late staged fish are boxes out just like summer fishing.
East and west out of Sodus Bay try in 100 to 250 fow down 60 fow. Use UV spoons and meat rigs. Mostly off riggers. Green and white flashers.
Bays
On Sodus Bay some of the larger perch have been caught, however, be prepared to stay on the water longer. Minnows are working the best, and work the islands on the north of the bay.
Largemouth are still in Sodus. You catch them with your wacky rigs, using Senko worms.
Port Bay is loaded with bait fish (shad) so go with the live minnows to catch perch. You can also catch some bluegills on the northeast side of the bay.
Setting up near the channel was not working this week, however that changes day to day. The water level is still high enough to launch at the south DEC site.
Erie Canal
Bass anglers were fishing Widewaters on Sunday. The perfect launch site is the county park with space for trailers.
The calm water is a change from the windy bays to the north. Concentrate on the south shore for largemouth bass. You’ll have plenty of water between the east and west locks if you launch at Widewaters.
Fish species in Widewaters include largemouth bass, bluegills crappies, pike, and sunfish.
The Erie Canal is now open and will close on October 14th.
There is an excellent DEC site that lists all the boating launch areas in Wayne County: dec.ny.gov/things-to-do/boating/launch-sites/wayne-county
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.
Orleans County
Orleans County Sportfishing Coordinator Ron Bierstine:
Salmon numbers and the good King action in the open Lake remains strong in the Orleans County waters! The busiest charters are still out there while trolling recs get some of their last trolling passes in. Small craft boaters and kayakers are beginning to make the rounds for near shore trolling, casting and jigging action. Cooling weather, especially nights, is moving the cooler temp profile inshore while trib waters also begin the seasonal cool off.
There have been a few hook-ups on salmon off the Point Breeze piers. Fish numbers are building at the dam in Waterport under still high, slightly stained flows. Anglers utilizing primarily float techniques are hooking salmon and browns in the Oak mostly at the dam. There is still overflow water and there were more passing heavy thunderstorms for the end of the weekend which means more water for an already saturated Oak Orchard watershed. Other area smaller tribs have med – slightly high flows. Until we see a drying out period without precip, expect flows all around to stay up.
Anglers are reminded to act respectfully to other anglers and to the private property access like at Waterport or down stream leased lands.
We all want to keep fishing these waters!
There are staging salmon hanging close to the bottom as they do this time of the year off the Oak, to the east like on the “ledges” and off “the flats.” Seventy – 100 fow has been good to target and a few trollers have come near shore as close as 30 fow and just off the Point Breeze piers and wall. The river mouth staging action can turn to concentrated fish numbers or more of a continuous migration depending upon factors that maybe only the fish know! You gotta be there though when conditions are reasonable to intercept them for rod jarring strikes. Target lite to med NW winds and stained water and some chop in the low light or at night periods for best chances.
Capt Jon F. of Mister Sportfishing says “mature salmon are mixed in with a great class of brown trout in 70 – 100 fow. Its been a productive area. We’ve been running a mixed program of plugs and spoons and flasher/flies and flashers with meat.”
Staging Kings aren’t the easiest fish to fool to bite. But when they do, their ornery nature on being disturbed from migrations will lead to a solid strike and tussle on trolling, jigging and casting tackle alike!
Oswego County
• Signup To Receive Weekly Fishing Reports From Oswego County
Fishing remains great on the lake, while river fishing is starting to hit its stride.
Salmon River, Pulaski NY
• Click Here of the 10 day Forecast
The fish have been spread throughout the river instead of sticking to the lower stretches. With the lower water and warmer temperatures, focus efforts on the fastest water, transition spots, and travel corridors.
Use fresh, bright-colored baits early to get moving salmon’s attention. Once the sun comes up, switch to lighter colors later and fish darker or more natural-colored baits.
DEC ANNOUNCES ACTIONS TO PROTECT FISH POPULATIONS IN THE SALMON RIVER
Low Water Levels Prompt Delayed Opening of Salmon River Lower Fly Fishing Section
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced actions underway to mitigate impacts of low water flows along the Salmon River during the upcoming salmon run. These include modification of water releases and delayed opening of the river’s lower fly fishing section ahead of the annual run that attracts thousands of anglers every year. The lower fly fishing section runs upstream of the Route 52 bridge in Altmar up to the property boundary of the Salmon River Fish Hatchery.
The 16 miles of river downstream of the Route 52 bridge in Altmar and the upper fly fishing area upstream of the Salmon River Fish Hatchery will both remain open to anglers during this period.
Anglers and all fishing enthusiasts are encouraged to experience New York’s other exceptional Great Lakes tributary angling opportunities. Visit DEC’s ‘Tackle Box’ feature in the HuntFishNY App for waterbody-specific information on fishing regulations, stocking, and fishing/boating access sites. Additional information, including the I FISHNY Great Lakes Fishing Brochure, is available at DEC’s website.
Lake Ontario
Click Here of the 10 day Forecast
The best fishing right now has been in front of the Salmon River, from 50 to 90 feet of water, slightly south to 2–5 miles north.
Flashers and flies and plugs have been the best options. DW Captain Plugs and LJ J Plugs have been good in a variety of glow patterns.
Flashers with white blades have been best early, with chrome taking over when the sun gets high. B flies and studs have been best.
Oswego River Report
Click Here of the 10 day Forecast
REMINDER! The brown trout limit on the river is 1. The limit is 3 fish in combination, but only one brown trout and one steelhead/rainbow may be included in that total of 3.
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.
Cormorant Reporting
Courtesy of NYS Sea Grant
New York Sea Grant announces new survey tool to track birds’ populations and impact
In August, New York Sea Grant, a collaborative program of Cornell University and the State University of New York.
Read more about the project here
Request a Free Salmon River Fishing Map!
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
Click Here to Order a Free Guide
The 68-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.
Click Here to Order Free Information, or email tourism@oswegocountyny.gov