Pictured above: Nice Adirondack Northern caught last weekend! Photo Courtesy of Mike Crawford of upstateguideservice.com
Eastern Finger Lakes / Central New York Fishing Report
Mike Crawford of upstateguideservice.com
Here in Central New York, Oneida Lake Country, ice anglers are watching the thermometer in hopes of getting on the hard water for walleyes. But as of yet there is no safe ice on Oneida or nearby lakes. While forecast calls for cold and skim ice has formed on some bays, the wind keeps the main lake open.
If the ice comes on, with the predicted cold snap for the next few days, it will be thin. Walleyes and perch are hungry, however.
In the central and northwest Adirondacks most lakes have five to seven inches of good ice. Snow forecasted in the next few days is not going to be good for ice growth unless wind keeps it moving.
Select bays on the St. Lawrence have about six to eight inches at most at this time. Ice anglers are heading to the North Country looking for good ice and good catches and finding it…some days. Other days not so much.
Spud your way out, look for other anglers, stay light and safe.
Greater Niagara Region
Bill Hilts, Jr.
It’s hard to believe that the 6th Annual Greater Niagara Fishing and Outdoor Expo is here already Jan. 18-20 at the Conference and Event center Niagara Falls. And it’s also hard to believe that it keeps getting bigger and better with even more education to teach Western New York anglers. If you are someone who enjoys fishing but would like to learn more about this popular outdoor pastime, this is the show for you. If you want to get started with fishing, look no further. Want tips on bass fishing? Four professional bass fishermen will be sharing their insight. Want to learn how to walleye fish? There are more than 20 seminars on different aspects of going after old marble eye. Some of the top experts in the country will be sharing their knowledge on fly fishing, salmon and trout fishing, tributary fishing, electronics, boat rigging, kayak fishing and more. All told there will be more than 200 seminars on fishing over the three days, plus over 170 booths of top quality fishing equipment and expertise. It can all be found at niagarafishingexpo.com. It’s $10 a day or $20 for the weekend. See you there!
Winter has arrived back on the local scene and conditions are bit difficult with snow and cold temperatures. Thanks to some excessive wind, the Niagara River is turning off-color and may be tough to fish the next few days. In the lower Niagara River, fishing from both boat and shore had been good for steelhead and brown trout, with the occasional lake trout and walleye. Silver Kwikfish worked well on Tuesday, patterned with chartreuse or green, for drifters, along with egg sacs and minnows. Shore anglers are using jigs or spinners. Hot colors have been pink, chartreuse and green. Lake trout were available on the Niagara Bar area in better numbers, when the wave action will allow you to access the lake. If this continues, the Fishing Expo could be the perfect escape to fine tune your programs in the waters of WNY. They have them all covered as far as species, tactics and locations.
In the upper Niagara river, the foot of Ferry Street has been good for fishermen. Many have been doing well on the walleye with the occasional lake trout and steelhead according to Joshua Marshall of Alden, involved with the WNY Walleye Fishing Facebook page. Baits have been mainly live minnows and crankbaits. Bite is up and down but producing fish. Jigs tipped with plastics will work, too. Buffalo Joe Pavalonis took the early lead this week in the Rudd Division of the Capt. Bob’s Outdoors winter fishing contest by measuring in an 18-inch upper river fish at the Clarence store. He was using a crappie tube jig.
For Lake Ontario, tributary action has been fair to good for steelhead and brown trout according to Scott Feltrinelli with Ontario Fly Outfitters. Before the storm, he did well on Lake Ontario tributaries but the water was clear. His bait options included olive and brown-colored streamers, not whites and brights. He was 12 for 12 on catching fish Tuesday as he bounced to Lake O. streams, releasing all of his fish. Action should improve when we start seeing some snow melt and warmer temps.
Don’t forget the new “Birds on the Niagara” Festival set for Jan. 25 and 26. Check out buffaloaudubon.org for further details. The Niagara River Anglers has their Roger Tobey Memorial Steelhead Contest on Feb. 2 in the lower Niagara River and Lake Ontario tributaries. Check out the NRAA Facebook page.
Oswego County
Mary Ellen Barbeau of the Oswego County Department of Community Development, Tourism and Planning.
Oswego River Report
After being down under 14,000 cfs, the flow is up to 16,100 cfs as of this morning. This remains a high water level for bank fishing so the lower east side behind the hotels is a suggested spot to try. Anglers have found browns, rainbows and a few walleyes using jigs or bottom bouncing egg sacs.
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. 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.
Salmon River Report:
According to the Douglaston Salmon Run:
Reports yesterday indicated that the morning bite was strong but things slowed as the day wore on. Anglers reported decent conditions with clear water. Water flows dropped to 500 cfs last night. We may pick up a few inches of snow through Thursday night with temperatures dropping into the teens by Friday. Winds are expected to be WNW 10-30 mph over the next couple of days.
According to Whitaker’s Sport Shop & Motel:
Yesterday the majority of anglers we spoke with reported getting into fish both in the upper and lower end of the river. With the cold temperatures over the next few days, slush ice may be a factor. The anglers who were bottom bouncing or float fishing had the most success with blue egg sacs. Anglers who were fly fishing had success with egg patterns under a strike indicator or dead drifting with nymphs and woolly buggers. The fish have been holding in and around the deeper holes and larger runs with the softer edges and inside seams producing the most action.
Oneida Lake Report:
There is not a lot to report from the lake. However, the weather pattern appears to be changing as temperatures are beginning to drop. High temperatures on Thursday are expected to be in the low 20s dropping into the mid teens for Friday and Saturday and near 20 degrees for Sunday. If cold temperatures hold on, we may see the beginning of some ice formation but please be patient for safe ice conditions.
Sandy Pond Report:
There has been no activity reported from the pond. Conditions may be changing as we look into the extended forecast. High temperatures are expected to only reach the mid teens by Friday and Saturday with only a couple of days next week expected above freezing. We will have to see what happens but please be patient and wait for safe ice.
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Streams
Stream fishing has been fairly consistent with steelhead coming from Maxwell and Salmon Creek. The water flow is excellent; however, the wind is once again picking up and snow is on the way.
The anglers fishing are using the usual bright lures to attract the steelies, and egg sacs. Some browns are being caught but January is a steelhead fishery in the streams.
Bays
Here we go again with the volatile weather patterns. Currently the bays are open, however the winds are too strong for boat fishing.
The only good thing is “cold temps” are coming. If we can get some calm winds and the temps stay in the 20’s ice will form.
Last year at this time there were hundreds of shanties on our embayments. Anyway…the perch are in the bays. Last week they were on the east side of the bay. They were hitting spikes and small jigs.
The perch are starting to school-up in Sodus and the fishing was better than a few weeks ago. Later today and through the weekend cold temperatures are predicted. If the wind subsides, the ice making will begin.
Erie Canal
Nothing happening at the canal. If the ice becomes thicker try fishing the Widewaters.
Orleans County
Orleans County Tourism and Bierstine of Oak Orchard Tackle and Lodge
Flows in the Oak are still slightly high and a little stained thanks to previous warm temps and a little rain. Worth repeating again that by January standards the flows are great and could draw in some fresh steelhead at anytime. Visibility is about 1 – 2 ft. Flows should hang in – give or take – in the short term at least through the weekend and going not much lower then medium.
Fishing pressure is real light and there are no serious icing conditions yet, even on the downstream froggy water. The forecast through the weekend is seasonable and looking clear through the beginning part of next week. The latest snow accumulation was a little bit of Lake Effect Snow of about 2 – 3 inches.
The other area smaller tributaries have medium flows and dirty water color. Cold weather should be dropping and clearing the smaller waterways and some icing conditions will probably come on even as the fishable water conditions may improve.