Greater Niagara Region
Frank Campbell
As Columbus Day weekend approaches for local anglers, fishing action continues to improve – be it in the Niagara River, off the piers in Lake Ontario, in the harbors of Olcott and Wilson, or up the creeks if there is enough water flow. You may have to pick and choose.
In the lower Niagara River, Capt. Frank Campbell of Lewiston reports that there are decent numbers of salmon in Devil’s Hole right now. Most boats are averaging 3 to 5 salmon each trip out, with up to six being reported. Treated egg skein fished off three-way rigs and bouncing bottom in the gorge has been the most productive method from a boat.
From shore, Mike Ziehm of Niagara Falls sends word that water levels seem to be lower than normally, especially when there is an east or northeast wind. He has been catching both king salmon and walleyes using No. 4 and No. 5 spinners in chartreuse or holographic silver with a green bead. Water visibility has been 5 to 6 feet the past few days. To his surprise, a few rainbow trout have started showing up, too. There have been some salmon and walleyes caught off the NYPA fishing platform, too. Lisa Drabczyk with Creek Road Bait and Tackle in Lewiston insists that jigs, spinners, eggs, and jigging spoons are working there. A few trout are being caught here and there. Smallmouth bass are cooperating near Fort Niagara using swim baits, drop shot rigs, Ned Rigs and crayfish.
Some big bass have also been caught in the upper Niagara River on crayfish, but now that the waters have started to cool, Capt. Connor Cinelli of Grand Island reports that things are switching over to a shiner bite. Bass fishing has been good around the break walls, and outside Donnelly’s Wall according to Cinelli. Down in the river proper, it has been good around Strawberry Island and along the Tonawanda shoreline in the east river near Niawanda Park. Chris Trzaska of Buffalo hit the Bird Island Pier the past week and he picked up a pike and a rainbow trout using a Chuck Booker spinner.
For Lake Ontario, Karen Evarts at The Boat Doctors in Olcott reports that king salmon action improved following the northeast wind we experienced earlier in the week, especially off the piers and in the harbor at night. Very few fish have been sighted at Burt Dam, probably because of the lower water and flow. With more flow, there will be more fish. Casting glow spoons off the piers and from small boats will produce a few salmon. J13 Rapalas will also work trolling in the harbor at Olcott. For something different, try putting on a Kwikfish.
Oswego County
- Overall, salmon season is well underway! We have been seeing a slow trickle of fish into the SR since last week’s big run.
- The Oswego levels have dropped, leading to some great fishing opportunities!
- Watch “The Voice of the Salmon River” on Facebook or YouTube.
Salmon River
Click Here of the 10 day Forecast
Fish have been entering the river at a slower pace since the big run last week. But the big pushes of last week have helped to spread fish throughout the entire river.
The water is starting to cool down and fish have been starting to move into their spawning areas. We recommend concentrating efforts on the holes and gravel.
The best baits have been egg imitations in a variety of colors. Red, orange, chart and blue. Jensen eggs, Fire Balls and soft beads.
Popular flies include: glo bugs, comets and Eztaz. Cheese, orange, magenta and red are also popular.
Another common technique is to run plugs from shore. If you want to try, just remember the regulations, including one single hook only.
Oswego River
Click Here of the 10 day Forecast
Fishing on the Oswego has been trending upward. Many anglers we’ve spoken with are coming back from the dam area and have reported seeing lots of fish. Wall Anglers have been catching fish too, at a steady pace now.
The flows are at a low level, so it will be much easier to wade this holiday weekend.
When fishing shallow waters, popular baits are the same as those being used on the Salmon River.
When casting from the wall the best baits include deep diving thundersticks and Bay Rat in bright colors. Fire tiger, chrome chartreuse, and glow green.
Free Fishing Guide
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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.
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Lake Ontario
Some smaller craft have been trolling close to shore looking for browns. Start at Sodus Bay and move west to Hughes’ Marina.
Use Mag spoons UV bright colors.
Streams
Maxwell Creek has a little trickle…not enough to bring in salmon, browns, or steelhead.
The quiet side of Maxwell…the north side of Lake Road has water at the north end; however, rainfall is needed to get the creek moving.
Bear Creek as no flow as well has the other small tribs. Currently your best bet is to cast from the Sodus Bay pier. Some browns were caught throwing out Cleos and Kastmaster spoons. Make sure you use a long-handled net and beware of current in the channel.
Lake Ontario tributary regulations:
Three fish in combination and not to include more than one Rainbow Trout (or Steelhead) and One Brown Trout.
Bays
Perch are being caught in Port and Sodus Bays. They have been in 15 to 20 fow near drop offs. Fish the north end of Sodus near the breach and water between the Sodus Loop and Newark Island.
The best bait is anything white…resembling shad. Use 2-inch rubber and tip it with spikes.
The Port Bay perch are hitting on the northeast side of the bay in 20 fow. Use the north DEC ramp for launching.
Late season bass are caught in both bays. Use worm rigs or old fashion spinnerbaits.
Erie Canal
Section of the canal are being drained, however Widewaters has plenty of water. Fish for bass, crappies, and other panfish.
Kayak fishing is perfect in the Widewaters section.
More Info: canals.ny.gov/boating/hours.html
• Keep informed from the NYS Canal web for changes and restrictions with canal waters.
• Keep informed about 2022 canal hours.
• There are no tolls or fees for recreational use of the Canal system this year.
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
Ron Bierstine from Oak Orchard Tackle & Lodge brings us this Stream Fishing report:
Reports and observations of good numbers of Kings staged and boiling in the lower and mid river spots on the Oak. These fish have been staged up like at the Bridges, the last of the slow water areas and deep water spots in between since at least the past weekend. We might have expected to see those fish earlier in the “run,” but anyway they are there now and if they haven’t already they should be making a push upstream to fast water areas sooner rather then later. A few anglers are making drifts and casts and trolling passes to them yet for the general upstream wading angler these fish are somewhat under the radar.
Seasonable cool and dry weather is still hanging in with next chance of precipitation for end of the week. Flows in the Oak are close to med and mostly clear. Flows in Sandy are mod. For now these are the best trib flows in town thanks to the Erie Canal water feed and the other area smaller tribs are low. Fishing pressure has been spread out and should be picking up below the dam as more of those staged up fish push upstream.
Archer’s Club parking is set to open on Oct 8 and that should put more anglers on the waterway right before what’s typically a busy and productive time around Columbus Day weekend. Pier head casters are picking off a few, but haven’t really had ideal conditions to work with. At the dam there is that consistency of the end of the line for the fish, and anglers are getting hook ups. Check out the nice big King below landed there for this begin part of Oct. That’s a toad!