Greater Niagara Region
Bill Hilts, Jr.
Much warmer temperatures blanketed the area this week, bringing winds and some thunderstorms the tail end of the week. The temperature spike did trigger some fish to hit for the 23rd Annual Niagara Spring Media Event that was happening all week in Western New York waters.
Because of the winds, one of the better spots this week was the lower Niagara River. It was a mixed bag of fish as a variety of trout, walleye and bass were all being photographed by the influx of outdoor media. Mark Davis of Big Water Adventures TV Show was a photo subject with his 12-1/2-pound walleye caught on a swim bait. Yes, he was fishing for bass. Walleye season opens on Saturday, May 5 by the way, along with pike, pickerel and tiger musky. Just a quick point of clarification that tiger musky is only for inland waters. Getting back to the lower river, bass anglers were doing well on some big fish. Todd Ceisner of Depew, editor of BassFan.com, hauled in a 5-pound, 9 ounce bronzeback and Gerry Benedicto, general manager with Seaguar Fishing Line, hit the scales at 5 pounds, 10 ounces for their biggest of the trip. Benedicto was chasing his personal best from these very waters a few years ago – 6 pounds, 13 ounces. Capt. Frank Campbell had a bass around 6 pounds for this week’s lunker board. Roberto Briones, representing Jackson Kayaks, was bass fishing around Youngstown and he was surprised with a 45-inch musky, his biggest ever. Remember that musky season is closed this year until June 16, the 3rd Saturday. There are still steelhead and lake trout hanging around, along with an occasional brown trout. Up in the gorge, some good action off the NYPA fishing platform. Mike Rzucidlo and Mark Plennert, both of Niagara Falls, tag-teamed on some nice steelhead on jigs earlier in the week. Mike also hit a 10-pound red horse sucker. Hey, you never know what you are going to catch. Up in the whirlpool area, Rich Pisa of Kenmore was hitting steelhead on pink egg sacs and jigs. Don’t forget that the Lewiston Smelt Festival is May 4 at Lewiston Landing starting at 5 p.m. Rain or Shine. No word on any smelt runs in case you are wondering.
Above Niagara Falls, Pisa and his dad, Richard of Tonawanda hit some nice lake trout and rainbows. There were some perch and crappie being reported in the canals and marinas around Grand Island, too.
Out in Lake Ontario, things are gearing up for the Lake Ontario Counties trout and salmon derby, set for May 11-20. Check out loc.org for details. Of course, the best place to be on the entire lake is right here in Niagara Falls USA. Check out past leaderboards to see where the winners come from. More than 60 percent of all the winning fish come from right here. King salmon were being caught a bit more consistently just west of the Niagara Bar so timing should be perfect for the LOC event. It’s been a bit tough getting on the lake with all the wind. It looks like a good weekend, though. Trolling stickbaits off boards will be one approach for trout and Coho salmon. Salmon have been hitting plugs, spoons and spin doctors and flies if you want to give that a go. Olcott is hosting an ultimate fishing expo on Sunday, May 6 from noon to 5 p.m. Bring the kids for the NRAA fishing pond or the Niagara County Federation shooting trailer.
LOTSA has their next meeting on May 10 and this one will be on the dock at the Wilson Boat Yard next to the boat of Capt. Rich Hajecki and Yankee Troller. Learn about salmon fishing starting at 7 p.m. and this is open to the public.
Oswego County
Mary Ellen Barbeau
Lake Ontario Report
The lake fishing is getting off to a very good start. Brown trout have been very active in more shallow depths and there has been a good lake trout bite in deeper water.
According to Capt. Andy Bliss on Cold Steel Fishing Charters:
We’ve had some great days on the Cold Steel. We’ve caught browns at will! Doubles and triples were common with a couple of brown and king doubles included. Bay Rats and Michigan Stingers got the job done.
Oswego River Report
The water flow has dropped over the last few days. This morning it is running at 5,970cfs. This flow is good for boat fishing and makes more areas along the river accessible for shore fishing. Steelhead and brown trout are active throughout the river.
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 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:
From winter right to the dog days of summer! Unbelievably, yesterday’s high was 83 degrees here in Pulaski. While our guests enjoyed the sunshine most of them reported the angling to be surprisingly slow. Only one pair of anglers that fished the morning into early afternoon reported hooking into a fish. Both these anglers were swinging flies. One reported a quick grab but did not connect, the other caught a 17″ chrome juvenile steelhead and a 17″ walleye! This evening a group fishing the middle part of the run reported no success while a pair fishing the upper section reported being in the right place at the right time with one of them having his best steelhead day ever. “There were fish jumping all around us!” Egg sacs in a variety of colors were the bait of choice.
According to Whitaker’s Sport Shop & Motel:
Over the last couple of days very few anglers have been on the water but the river is fishable and the anglers we have spoken with are catching drop backs. Anglers who are fly fishing have had the most success dead drifting with squirmy worms and egg patterns or swinging black and olive woolly buggers. The anglers who are float fishing or bottom bouncing have had the most success with blue egg sacs or pink worms. Anglers also reported having success at some of the smaller local tributaries.
Oneida Lake Report:
The weather has finally shown some vast improvement with a nice weekend in the extended forecast. Perfect weather for the opening of the walleye season on Saturday, May 5.
Sandy Pond report:
The activity on the pond has been quiet but the action should pick up this Saturday with the opening of the walleye and northern pike season.
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Lake Ontario
Once again lake anglers have been thwarted by winds. It’s an everyday happening. One day it blows from the north, the next it’s the south, and then west. And these are all 20 plus mph blows.
Today it is flat, and yesterday’s blow has created some great mudlines. Browns are hitting along the shore in 8 feet of water. All stickbai¬ts are working.
There have been more spring kings caught this year. They are in 20 to 60 fow. Water temps today are 42 to 44 degrees.
Some anglers were casting off the Sodus Point pier and there was one steelhead caught using a Kastmaster spoon.
Bays
Bay fishing has been excellent with the perch bite continuing to be great. The perch are in Sodus Bay on the northwest section near Arney’s Marina.
Bullheads are hitting off Bay Bridge at the south end of Sodus.
The pike and walleye season starts the first Saturday in May, which is May 5th. Pike need to be 22 inches and you can keep three fish. You can keep three walleye and the minimum length is 18 inches. Those are Great Lakes regulations… which cover Wayne County waters… however, different bodies of water have different regs.
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
The crappies are hitting under the Port Gibson bridge in the Widewaters section of the canal. You can also fish near the locks east of Newark and catch just about any fish.