Upstate New York Fishing Report – February 8, 2018

Greater Niagara Region

Bill Hilts, Jr.

Temperatures continue to put a damper on open water anglers in the Niagara River and in area tributaries. However, that’s going to change for the better this weekend as temperatures will shoot up into the 30s and it may even hit the 40 degree mark next Tuesday. Whether you are fishing in the river or the streams, there’s no rush to get on the water. Let things warm up a little bit. Greg Schloerb of Amherst reported that fishing improved once the slush off the top of the water was gone at 18 Mile Creek at Burt Dam. He caught some dandy steelhead using his homemade olive-colored jigs tipped with a wax worm and fished under a float. He caught steelhead to 12 pounds. In the lower Niagara River, action has been a bit more difficult with ice floes coming down through the system. If you can find areas that offer a better drift, take them. Gary Hall of Niagara Falls and Gary Fiori of Lewiston both hit the water last Wednesday and caught some nice steelhead … before they got too cold. Dress accordingly. That water is 32 degrees coming down the river.

The Niagara River Anglers Association held its annual Roger Tobey Memorial Steelhead contest last Saturday out of Lewiston Landing along the Niagara River, a celebration that’s been going on for a quarter of a century. Despite frigid temperatures that saw wind chills dip to below zero, some 32 brave fishermen fought high winds and heavy ice floats to compete for the biggest trout – with a focus on steelhead and browns. When the scales closed at 2 p.m., Dan Spangler of Ohio was the top dog with a 10.26 pound steelhead. He caught the fish on a MagLip lure, fishing with Capt. Mark McGranahan of Sparky’s Charters. Second place was 9.74 pounds, reeled in by Justin Graham of Washington State and fishing with Capt. Chris Cinelli of Grand Island. Third place was Jack Taylor of Batavia with an 8.34 pound steelie. He was fishing with Capt. Frank Campbell of Niagara Region Charters. Taylor also reeled in the big brown trout, a 3.74 pound fish – one of only two browns caught in the contest. Conditions were tough and hats off to the victors, as well as all of the hardy folks who competed.

Oswego County

Mary Ellen Barbeau

Oswego River Report

The water flow has been running around 12,000cfs for the last couple of days. This morning it is flowing at 12,200cfs. There has not been much activity on the river. Anglers who brave the colder temperatures and wind chill can find steelhead and brown trout.

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 Whitaker’s Sport Shop & Motel:
On Monday, we had scattered lake effect snow showers throughout the day and the temperature was in the teens. In the morning slush ice was a factor in the lower end of the river. The few anglers we spoke with fished the upper end of the river between Altmar and Pineville. Anglers who have been fishing the Lower Fly Zone have had success while dead drifting with nymphs or using single egg patterns under a strike indicator. In the mid to upper section of river anglers who are bottom bouncing or float fishing have had success with pink worms, egg sacs and beads. Yesterday we had snow showers for most of the day and picked up a few inches of snow. Slush ice was a factor in the lower end of the river and it did not clear.

According to the Douglaston Salmon Run:
Last night we had no overnight snow to speak of – just a very light and sporadic snow which morphed into a sunny morning with blue skies and our high is expected to reach 24 degrees. Yesterday there was significant slush in the river and we did have two clients who checked things out mid-morning but they reported it was too slushy for them to attempt to fish.

Oneida Lake Report:

Anglers are continuing to enjoy the good ice fishing on Oneida Lake. Reports indicate there may be several inches of snow on the ice in some areas as the snowfall rate varied yesterday and overnight. The ice thickness ranges from 10-15 inches. Anglers did well with walleye this week along with a number of perch.

Sandy Pond report:

Anglers are continuing to take advantage of good ice conditions with 12-14 inches on the pond. The area has received some snow over the last few days and more is expected in the next day or so although the wind has helped keep the accumulation down. Anglers are finding perch, walleye and Northern pike.

Wayne County Fishing Update

Chris Kenyon

Streams

Maxwell Creek still has a few openings and you can try your luck for steelhead. The snow predicted for tomorrow will not plug the stream and warmer weather is predicted for later this week. Use egg sacs or bright beads for the steelies.

Bays

The fishing continues to be excellent at Sodus Bay with the other bays in the county doing fair for pulling perch through the ice.

The perch have been caught in deeper water and the schooling big boys are in 30 to 40 feet in Sodus. The ice is 10 to 12 inches thick, however the Sodus Point loop area is open water all the way to the island.

There were reports of ATV’s going through the ice so make sure you know where you’re going.

The perch have been hitting larger presentations like the Swedish Pimple and Kastmaster spoons.

You can park by Second Creek which is Shaker Heights Road or if you fish the south end of the bay, park at Bay Bridge Sport Shop or Davenport’s Marina.

The south DEC Road to Port Bay is still open, however that can change with any significant show which is predicted for tomorrow, Wednesday, February 7th.

Remember, as ice anglers you are visiting the bays, so don’t trespass on land where you don’t have permission to park. And don’t leave stuff on the ice, like propane tanks. The word is that there have been parking issues and litter left behind near the loop at Sodus Point. Make sure you respect where you are because the hospitality given to ice anglers can end quickly.

Wayne County has an ice fishing guide which gives you the basics of fishing on our bays. Contact the tourism office if you wish the brochure.

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

There is plenty of safe ice on the canal and you can catch panfish where the waterways were not drained. Widewaters is the ideal location to fish.

Orleans County

Orleans County Tourism and Ron Bierstine at Oak Orchard Tackle & Lodge
Flows in the Oak are just shy of med or what we might call mod-med with viz of about 3 feet going toward clear. All the water is open to fish – there is some bank ice now in the downstream froggy water. Downstream slow water could ice up again with any prolonged future cold weather. Temps are cold in the 20’s F forecast thru the week. Not a lot of guys out, downstream pressure pretty lite with a few more guys at the dam. Hook ups are on a few steelhead and a brown here and there. Most consistent action at or near the dam, but downstream holes also are producing a few fish. Slower frog water is usually a tougher bite, but off and on some guys have intercepted migrating fresh fish or else found resident fish in a biting mood. The other area smaller tribs have low-mod mostly clear flows with most water headed back to icing up.

All the trib flows slowly on the drop and clear and showing the effects of cold weather. Some snow yesterday for about 4 – 6 inches of accumulation. Another area wide civilian 2 – 4 inches of snow forecast tomorrow. If it’s gonna be winter it may as well snow for good flows later winter and spring time! Forecast chance of warm-up thru next week.