Greater Niagara Region
Frank Campbell
As predicted, the salmon run in the lower Niagara River is on. East and northeast winds on Lake Erie led to the lake flipping over, sending mid-50-degree temperatures down the river triggering a decent run of autumn kings. Boaters in Devil’s Hole have reported double digit hook ups drifting treated egg skein off 3-way rigs. Several fish have also been taken by casting deep diving stick baits. Shore anglers are also successfully casting spoons, spinners, and crank baits. Try to utilize bright colors or glow when casting from the bank. Walleye and bass fishing continues to be good throughout the river for both live bait drifters and those working artificial baits. The best option for live bait has been crayfish, but shiners should start to dominate as the preferred bait with cooler water temperatures.
Alan Raymond with The Wicked Worm reports that some guys are still catching smallmouth bass along the edges of the river, and he’s starting to see salmon more – mainly on jigging spoons and spinners. He’s anticipating more fresh salmon coming up this week as Lake Erie waters have flipped, bringing cold water through the river system.
Capt. Kyle Kokanovich of Rust Belt Sportfishing reports that the salmon fishing in Devil’s Hole has been getting a little better each day. On Sunday, he went four for five on mature king salmon using egg skein rigged on three-way set-ups, bouncing the bottom.
Mike Ziehm of Niagara Falls has been out this past week in the gorge and some more fish have moved up the river. He has seen several pods of salmon even though the water is super clear. Northeast winds cooled the lake down and Erie did a little magic of her own in the temperature department. Now the river is mid-50s degrees, which is a big help. He’s landed some kings and walleyes on No. 4 spinners in white and chartreuse. The fishing will only get better.
In the upper river, Jeff Pippard with Niagara Outdoors in North Tonawanda reports very good smallmouth bass fishing action as they start their fall feeding frenzy. Leeches and golden shiners are working, which will also produce the occasional walleye.
Karen Evarts of The Boat Doctors and Tackle Barn reports the piers in Olcott are rocking right now. The fish slowed up for a day, but the Northeast brought them back in big time. One hot spot has been the rocky beach area at the foot of Jackson Street in Olcott for kings and browns on spoons. Northern pike are also biting in Olcott Harbor. Burt Dam has kings, browns and steelhead, in part due to water releases from the Erie Canal that have started. King salmon have started moving around more and the run is starting. Quite a few hen salmon were reported on Sunday. At the dam, egg sacs, beads, jigs, and skein are working, in no particular color. It changes daily. On the piers, use J13 Rapalas or spoons in green or blue. Good perch fishing is being reported in Wilson Harbor.
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Lake Ontario
Autumn late-stage king angling is coming to a close. A few charters are still fishing straight out from Sodus Bay in 90 to 150 fow. Spoons like Wonderbread from Michigan Stinger have been productive for late season kings.
Maxwell Creek is dry and maybe this week’s rain will create some flow for the browns to enter.
Some browns and steelhead were caught at the Sodus Point pier. Cast out the favorite Little Cleo or Acme Kastmaster spoons. Use a long handle net, wear a life vest. Use caution as the channel has a strong current.
Yesterday the lake and bay were calm…a change from our relentless northeast wind. The pier was dry.
Bays
Bay fishing has been difficult. There is so much bait fish in Sodus and Port Bays it has been difficult competing with the natural food.
You could go with live minnows for perch near the north end of Sodus. Try between the islands.
Some bass anglers were catching largemouths casting close to shore on the east side of Sodus Bay.
Port Bay is another tough place to fish this autumn. There is so much bait fish in that bay. You should try next to the channel and on the east side of the bay. Use live minnows or go with a 2-inch grub. Keep it white with a yellow tail.
Blind Sodus Bay is on the east side of Wayne County. Fish on the east side of the bay for largemouths and panfish. You can launch at Holiday Harbor RV Park. Check at the office. This is a private resort.
Erie Canal
Widewaters is currently the best place to catch bass, crappies, and bluegills. The water was calm on Sunday, and the canal is not loaded with bait fish like our northern bays. Launch at the county park east of Newark.
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:
Looks like the area is returning to some prevailing winds and a nice stretch of early fall weather. All those N and NE winds of last week are going calm for now with likely a switch toward SW. Temps are forecast to moderate back into the 70’s F with just a chance of showers for Wed or Thu. Flows continue to drop slowly in the Oak to a nice fishable med or slightly high with a little color to the water. There is diminished overflow water. Flows in the other area tribs east at Sandy and west toward Johnson are in the moderate to medium range with what’s looking like a steady Canal water feed. Look for nice fishy, slightly stained flows encouraging some upstream movements of salmon and browns.
Fishing pressure looks like its backing off some for this mid week period after the initial excitement of the earlier September fish and flooding rains. Near shore big Lake temps have also moderated and hopefully that means any fish scattered from the recent past icy temps are easing back to their shallow water staging spots or committing back to upstream migrations. Over the past couple days guys have reported more boiling and crashing fish in downstream, estuary waters. The small craft and tin boat flotilla should find more hospitable and productive conditions once again. Likewise foot soldier casters on the O-dark thirty shift with glow hardware are into more action lately.
The nice salmon action at the dam continues with good numbers of browns reported too. A few more downstream, fast water fly, spin or drift anglers are plying waters below the dam and around the Archers Club area. Access for now still needs to be from the dam or the Park Ave Ext Fishing Trail. But once anglers are on the water form either of those spots bankside access and wading is available upstream and downstream. With the lowering, agreeable flows and any fish not on a kamikaze mission to get to the dam – the downstream fast water spawning areas should begin to hold more fish. Trib water temps will continue to drop as the calendar goes with more chances for steelhead, cohos and Atlantics ahead.
A few trollers are still out in the big Lake open waters. Rivermouth staging and the J-plug bite is there for those boaters keen on what’s evolved into that later in the season action. A few guys are still off shore targeting steelhead or immatures or west-east migrating fish.
Oswego County
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Fishing remains stellar overall. Lake fishing winds down as the Salmon River gears up.
Salmon River, Pulaski NY
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The Salmon River has been having steady pushes over the last few days. With kings right outside the river mouth in 15–30 feet of water and a big northwest blow coming in Friday, this weekend should bring a very big push of fish moving into the river.
As always, when you have fresh fish, concentrate from the DSR to 81.
From Altmar downstream, concentrate on the bigger holes, as that’s where the fish have settled in from earlier movement.
Oswego River Report
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There has been an increase in numbers in the river over the last week. Plenty of fish have made their way to the dam, as well as throughout the flats.
With the water still being slightly warm, the numbers in the channel haven’t been great. Activity off the walls has been slow. However, those willing to wade have been having good luck.
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.
Lake Ontario
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For those of you looking to troll at night, the bite has been off the charts in front of the Salmon River. Pulling glow spoons in the dark has been bringing plenty of kings to the boat. During the day, 10–30 feet has been the target depth.
Unfortunately, looking at the wind forecast, this might be the last of the good lake fishing for a while.
This will be our last fishing report for Lake Ontario for the season. Please check back with us in the spring when the ice melts and the brown trout fishing gets going.
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
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