Greater Niagara Region
Bill Hilts, Jr.
At the time of this report, it was starting to rain. After a very windy day yesterday, the wind and/or rain combo could negatively affect water clarity in places like the Niagara River or some of the smaller streams off Lake Ontario. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t catch fish. The lower Niagara River was stained yesterday but a few captains decided to give it a go since their customers were already in town. Capt. Vince Pierleoni of Newfane managed to hit double digit trout – half steelhead and half lake trout – using egg sacs off three-way rigs. Use bright colored baits when the water is stained. MagLips and Kwikfish in silver and chartreuse will also work when drifting from a boat. When the water is stained, though, there is no guarantee you can catch fish from a boat. Shore fishermen can actually do a little better than the boaters in that some cleaner water can sometimes be found closer to the shoreline. Egg sacs or egg imitations work well, as do spoons and spinners. You need something to get the attention of the fish. Today is the final day of the musky season in most of the state. However, the lower Niagara River and Lake Ontario are both open until Dec. 15. To take advantage of the extra couple of weeks of action, the Niagara Musky Association will be holding the John Henning Memorial Lower River Musky Tournament on Dec. 3 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. We’ll have to see if Mother Nature – and the fish – cooperate for the anglers. Dec. 1 is the opening of lake trout season in the lower river and Lake Ontario for the Province of Ontario. New York’s laker season opens on Jan. 1, 2018. If you do catch a lake trout, be sure to release it quickly and unharmed. The NYPA Fishing Platform, as well as the other NYPA fishing access points like the reservoir and water intakes, will be closing down for the season after Dec. 3. They will not re-open until the spring. Speaking of the platform, Mike Rzucidlo of Niagara Falls caught a 16 pound salmon on 8 pound test line earlier this week and it took him and hour and 20 minutes to reel in!
Burt Dam and 18 Mile Creek has been muddy and flow has been slow with around 80 to 100 cfs coming through Burt dam. Some fresh kings and cohos are still being reported, but the run is essentially over. Those are being replaced by steelhead and browns but not in huge numbers according to Wes Walker at The Slippery Sinker. Some big perch have been coming out of Wilson and Olcott harbors, as well as from the creeks in those locations. The piers have been productive when you can stand on them.
The Lake Ontario Counties Trout and Salmon Derbies are offing a Christmas deal right now. Check out loc.org. And make sure you mark Jan. 19-21, 2018 on your calendar for the 5th Annual Greater Niagara Fishing and Outdoor Expo at the Conference and Event Center Niagara Falls. It’s going to be a good one. Check out niagarafishingexpo.com. If you want to find out what else is happening around the Western New York area, be sure to check outbuffalonews.com/section/sports/outdoors/ and follow the outdoor section every Wednesday or Thursday. Another good stocking stuffer is the NYS Winter Classic, set for Jan. 1 to Feb. 28. Sign up at nyswinterclassic.com.
Oswego County
Mary Ellen Barbeau
Oswego River Report
The river flow has been running between 11,000-13,000 cfs over the last few days. This afternoon it has dropped to 9,860 cfs. Although it shows improvement, this level continues to make it difficult to fish in most areas along the river. Driftboat anglers have been finding good action with steelhead and rainbows but only the occasional brown trout. Temperatures are expected to reach into the 50s today, mid to upper 40s over the next few days.
Notice: The bridge to Leto Island is closed, and there are mandatory personal flotation device (PFD) zones on the river. For more information, visit our website at www.visitoswegocounty.com and click on the Fishing Report along the top bar on the home page.
Salmon River Report:
According to the Douglaston Salmon Run:
For this time of year one couldn’t ask for nicer weather. Morning clouds gave way to full sun yesterday afternoon with temperatures around the 50 degree mark. Mixed reports from the anglers that I have checked with. The consensus being that the fishing was a bit slower than it has been. Still, one pair of anglers fishing the mid section swinging flies reported having a very good day. Perhaps 10 fish landed between the two of them. That was clearly the best report of the day, although there were still some seasoned “pros” still down on the run late afternoon. Water will remain at 500 cfs through this evening from the dam and is currently 652 cfs at Pineville.
According to Whitaker’s Sport Shop & Motel:
On Tuesday we had cold conditions first thing in the morning with the temperature in the low 20’s, but with plenty of sunshine the temperature reached into the 50’s in the afternoon. We got mixed reports from anglers depending on experience level and where they fished. Anglers we have staying in the motel who fished the Upper & Lower Fly Zone reported getting into fish with nymphs and egg patterns producing the best results. Anglers fishing the upper end of the river between Altmar and Pinville got into fish with egg sacs and beads producing the best results. In the lower end of the river anglers who were fly fishing got into steelhead with egg patterns under a strike indicator producing the best results. Anglers who were bottom bouncing or float fishing had steady results with pink and blue egg sacs or trout beads.
Oneida Lake Report:
Anglers are finding some walleye action casting stickbaits from shore just before and after dark. Walleye are being taken by anglers casting stickbaits from shore just before and after dark. When conditions allow, daytime anglers are finding walleye in 10-15 feet of water using stickbaits. Smallmouth bass can be found in 10-20 feet of water.
Sandy Pond report:
There is very little activity to report at this time.
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Streams
Stream fishing has slowed; however, the rainbow will be hitting during the winter months. If Maxwell can stay open from ice the steelhead fishing is great.
There are some steelies being caught off the Sodus Pier. Anglers are casting out heavy spoons. The browns are still coming from Maxwell and Bear Creek in Ontario, however that fishing has slowed considerably.
Bays
Port Bay surface water temps are in the high 30’s. Maybe we can get some safe ice this season. The outside temperature now is 56 degrees, so that certainly is not good for ice.
The perch fishing in Sodus and Port Bays continues to be the best in years. They are hitting 2 or 3-inch minnows or jigs with spikes. They have been 8 to 10 inches, which makes for a nice fillet.
Crappies are still in Port Bay and the bite has been the south end of the bay. Again…this fall season has been great for perch and crappies.
A nice 5-pound smallmouth was released last week from Port Bay. That’s a big fish. Bass season closes this Thursday, November 30.
Check out the rest of the Wayne County Tourism web page for the locations and hours of local bait and tackle shops. waynecountytourism.com.
Erie Canal
You can still fish the Widewaters section of the canal or next to the locks near Lyons and Newark. Sections of the canal are drawn-down for the season, however Widewaters is not lowered.
Orleans County
Orleans County Tourism
Mild and pleasant weather conditions continue for our area well into the next week or so with just a slight chance of rain.
Fishing conditions on all of the tributaries within Orleans County are very good to great with good numbers of fish spread throughout all of the systems.
There are still some fresh salmon entering our waters which is a bit unusual for this time of year.
Water levels remain just slightly high with about 2 feet of visibility on most of the tributaries.
The Erie Canal is only partially dewatered while crews continue to work on the system.
When they have completed their work the canal should be filled again to check their work and then the final dewatering will be done.
What this means for out tributaries is extra water well into December this year.
I haven’t had any reports on the lower section of the “Oak” or on Lake Alice but December 1st is right around the corner which means to close of Bass season for keeping them and the opening of catch and release season.