Upstate New York Fishing Report for July 9, 2015

Greater Niagara Region

Bill Hilts, Jr.

Lake Ontario And Tributaries

Action on the big lake has slowly been improving, with some bigger fish arriving on the angling scene for lake trollers looking for salmon and trout. In the Summer Lake Ontario Counties Trout and Salmon Derby, July 3 was the trigger for five fish to show up on the Salmon Division board, led by Michael Venti of Walworth with a 25 pound, 14 ounce fish. But like with most anything competitive, you have to be in it to win it. Joe Calvert of Oregon City, Oregon was trolling with Capt. Bob Cinelli of Newfane aboard the White Mule out of Olcott last Monday and he learned that lesson the hard way. He didn’t enter into the LOC contest and managed to reel in a 23-1/2 pound king while trolling between 150 and 210 feet of water with a spoon – his first salmon ever and it was first fish of the day. His wife Laurie caught the only lake trout and a small salmon. Joe’s brother and wife, Tom and Kathy Calvert from Lynchburg, Virginia, also caught some nice salmon and steelhead – their first trip on the Great Lake. Nine fish in four hours is a pretty good morning and they were impressed by what they experienced. With the exception of one salmon taken on a flasher and ITO fly, they were all enticed by trolling spoons in the top 70 feet of water. A second option in the lake right now is to head north 10 to 12 miles and target a mix of salmon and steelhead. The day before, Cinelli caught four Coho salmon as part of a mixed bag after heading out 11 miles. With an extra $1,750 per week riding on the biggest fish coming the scales, it’s worth the extra ducats to cash in with a big fish. Tom Calvert’s 10 pound steelhead would be on the board, too. Other leading LOC Derby fish include: A 23 pound, 14 ounce lake trout; a 14 pound steelhead; and a 15 pound 13 ounce brown trout. Check out www.loc.org for a current leaderboard. The Lake Ontario Trout and Salmon Association has a couple of events coming up for club members, including the Curt Meddaugh Memorial Derby on July 17 and the King Salmon Tournament set for July 18 with the club picnic to follow. Check out www.lotsa.org for details. The next LOTSA meeting is this coming Thursday (July 9) at the 4-H Building of Cornell Cooperative Extension Niagara, 4487 Lake Avenue, Lockport starting at 7 pm. Guest speaker will be Capt. Pete Kelly talking Lake Erie walleye fishing.

Lower Niagara River

Nothing changed too much from last week, although the moss really hasn’t been as much of an issue according to Capt. Joe Marra of Lewiston. Capt. Jake Joseph of Youngstown took contest winner James Findlay of Burlington, Wisconsin out recently. Using crayfish and shiners off three-way rigs, they produced 15 fish in quick order – mostly smallmouth bass, but including sheepshead and silver bass. Jim also brought his daughter Anne along and they had a grand time. Most of the fishing took place along the Coast Guard drift along Fort Niagara. According to Joseph, bass are stacking up in the river in 12 to 18 feet of water, which usually happens after a hard northeast blow. Keep that in mind the next time that happens on Lake Ontario. Best shore fishing spot has been the NYPA fishing platform where a mix of bass, sheepshead and silver bass are hitting live bait.

Upper Niagara River/Erie Canal

The 25th Annual Erie Canal Fishing Derby is more than half over. Anglers have until Sunday to weigh in fish in any one of seven fish categories. Leading the way at the time of this report was Corey House of Middleport with a 2.51 pound bass; Brandon McKenny of Lockport with a 2.02 pound walleye; Anthony Ravas of Lockport with a 5.30 pound Northern pike; Joshua Woods of Ransomville with a 1.45 pound bullhead; Carleen Beback of North Tonawanda with a 10.57 pound catfish; Joe Henneberger of Tonawanda with a 21.41 pound carp; and Holly Sewar of Lockport with a 16.51 pound sheepshead. Check out the website at www.eriecanalderby.com for a current leaderboard. Three different tagged fish have been caught already. In the upper Niagara River, bass action continues to be good according to Mike George. Live bait like shiners are the best baits to use for smallmouth bass in the west river and around Navy Island. Also around Strawberry Island, where some walleye are also being caught. The head of the river is another good bass or walleye option.

Oswego County

Mary Ellen Barbeau

Oswego River/Lake Ontario report

According to Larry Muroski of Larry’s Oswego Salmon Shop:
The water flow has dropped to 8,600cfs as of this morning. With not a lot of rain over the last few days, conditions are settling down. Anglers will find walleye, sheepshead, smallmouth, catfish, rockbass and long-nosed gar up near the powerhouse. The remaining areas of the river are quiet. Minnows, crayfish, worms, and leeches are the baits of choice. Rock bass are in near Wright’s Landing.

Lake Ontario

According to Capt. Kevin Davis of Catch the Drift:
It appears that the eastern end of Lake Ontario, off of Oswego, is starting to form a thermocline and attract some baitfish to the area. Charter boats can choose early morning brown trout in 30-60 feet of water, east and west of the harbor in water tempertures of 58-62 degrees. Using spoons on riggers and leadcore is working well. If you dedicate your first light fishing to King salmon, start out in 150 feet of water and troll north until you find baitfish. Divers set from 160-240, number two setting with e-chips, glow white and green with short flies, 21-22 inches have taken a few mature Kings. Cover water and look for bait. Let’s hope that the weather stays stable to attract more of the “big silvers.”

The bridge to Leto Island is closed, and there are Mandatory Personal Flotation Device (PFD) zones on the Oswego River below the Varick Dam. For more information, view the Oswego County Tourism web site at www.visitoswegocounty.com and look for the fishing report under fishing and hunting. The Oswego Fire Department offers loaner life jackets at no charge through its “Loaner For Life” program. For more information contact the fire station, 35 E. Cayuga St., at 315-343-2161.

Pulaski Area/Salmon River report

We are still waiting for a definite thermocline to set up to help concentrate the fish. There are some salmon and trout around but they are scattered. Bass fishing has been good in 10-12 feet of water. Live bait such as minnows and soft shelled crabs are working well.

Salmon River:

According to the Douglaston Salmon Run:
The water flow will be running at 500cfs through tomorrow evening. Anglers have reported a good smallmouth bass bite and some nice brown trout up to 16-18 inches.

Oneida Lake

Conditions on the lake are settling down some. It would be wise to use caution when boating with debris possible in the lake from the high water. Anglers are finding a good walleye bite in 30-40 feet of water with worm harnesses and jerking blade baits working well. Look for bass in up to 10 feet of water with crankbaits and tube jigs.

Sandy Pond report

According to Dave Wood of Woody’s Tackle:
There is a good deal of weed growth which is slowing the fishing on the pond. Anglers are finding a few walleye and smallmouth bass.

Fair Haven / Cayuga county

Captain Werner Stenger
Fishing out of Fair Haven on Lake Ontario is improving. Bass fishing is great with big numbers concentrating from 8-16 FOW under the bluffs. Big browns can be found from 30′ to 60′ of water. Kings are finally showing and are located around bait schools in 170-200 FOW.
Both fly and spoon patterns are producing fish.