Greater Niagara Region
Bill Hilts, Jr.
Fishing has been good the past week in the lower Niagara River. Capt.
John Oravec, the Troutman, has been catching a mix of steelhead, brown trout and walleye – not necessarily in that order – using emerald shiners and egg sacs off three-way rigs. One of the most noteworthy catches was a 12-1/2 pound walleye that was caught and released by Lynda Curiale of Long Island. Capt. John Delorenzo of Niagara Falls caught 20 steelhead and 10 brown trout – catch and release – using pink egg sacs on the steelies and minnows on the browns earlier this week. When you can slide out on the Niagara Bar, lake trout can be added to the mix as well.
March 2 is when the Niagara River Anglers rescheduled its Roger Tobey Memorial Steelhead contest for the lower Niagara River and Lake Ontario tributaries. The hours are sunrise to 2 p.m. with awards to follow at Lewiston No. 1 Fire Hall. You must be a member of the club to compete. Call Paul Jackson at 998-8910 for more information.
March 2 is the 30th Annual Antique Fishing Tackle Ice Breaker show at the Elk’s Lodge on North Canal Road in Lockport from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bring your old fishing tackle in.
On March 7, DEC will be holding its next State of Lake Ontario meeting at the 4-H Building of Cornell Cooperative Extension Niagara, 4487 Lake Avenue, Route 78, Lockport starting at 6:30 p.m.
Some of the Lake Ontario tributaries have opened up again and it looks like it’s going to be another crazy weekend weather-wise. The rain from last night could pull some more steelhead into the streams and Sunday looks like 50 degree temperatures and wind gusts as high as 70 mph.
Ice fishing in Wilson Harbor has been producing a few nice northern pike up to 40 inches long, as well as perch and a few trout. Be careful with the recent rain and warm temps. It will be in the 20’s again next week.
The WNY Boat Show is finishing up this weekend, concluding on Feb. 24 at the Adpro Center at One Bills Drive in Orchard Park. If you’d like to do a little dreaming or you are truly in the market for a boat or a personal watercraft, this is one great way to do a little research and help you “think spring.” Check out wnyboatshow.com for details. Feb. 28 is the deadline to comment on new fishing regulations in Lake Ontario. Find more information at dec.ny.gov.
Oswego County
Mary Ellen Barbeau of the Oswego County Department of Community Development, Tourism and Planning.
Oswego River Report
According to Oz Angling Tackle:
Last week the river shot up to 16,000cfs which triggered a fresh run of chrome steelhead and turned the brown trout and walleye bite on. The flow is currently at 11,700cfs. Anglers using jigs and soft plastic swimbaits have been producing walleye and brown trout in the lower river. Jigs, pink worms, wax worms and egg sacs have been taking steelhead throughout the entire 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. 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 Whitaker’s Sport Shop & Motel:
The upper end of the river between Altmar and Pineville has been getting the most fishing pressure on a daily basis. Drift boats continue to take advantage of the high water conditions and have been floating the mid to upper section of river. For those anglers who are fly fishing the most productive patterns have been rusher nymphs, black stoneflies, steelhead hammer, wiggle stones, woolly buggers, estaz eggs and sucker spawn. For those anglers who are float fishing or bottom bouncing, pink and blue egg sacs, beads or pink worms have all produced results.
According to the Douglaston Salmon Run:
A half dozen anglers joined us on the run yesterday. Reports from these anglers indicated a great day overall with some reporting numbers close to double digits. Shelf ice is no longer an obstacle. Nearly all of it has broken apart and deteriorated with the fluctuation of water we’ve seen in the past week, even clearing out the Meadow and Chute areas in the lower end of then run. The only thing that proved to be an issue with accessing the lower end has been high snow banks and hard ice, making for a tricky venture. Flows are scheduled to remain at 1200 cfs through tonight.
Oneida Lake Report:
There were mixed reports from Oneida Lake this weekend. A few anglers were able to get into a number of perch and a few walleye. Others reported hit or miss action. Anglers in Big Bay found some blue gills and crappies. Reports have indicated overall good ice conditions. However, the forecast is calling for temperatures in the 40s on Saturday to near 50 degrees on Sunday. It will also become very windy on Sunday into Monday. As always use caution and monitor changing conditions.
Sandy Pond Report:
Ice conditions have been good on the pond. We have had cool temperatures and no significant snowfall this week. Anglers have found a decent perch bite along with a few pike. We are expecting a warm up into the 40s this weekend with high winds expected on Sunday. Use caution with changing conditions.
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Streams
There are a few more openings in Maxwell Creek and the flow is decent. It’s a small stream however the steelhead are there. Another warm-up this weekend might produce more open water.
Bays
The ice on Port Bay is a solid 9 inches. Sodus Bay has 8 to 10, however it’s not black ice so use caution where you fish. Carrying a spud…even in February…is always a good thing.
The perch in Port Bay are moving away from the points. They are still in 25 feet of water; however, they could be moving to the shallower south end, ready for the spring spawn.
The Sodus hotspots are the Trestle, Third Creek, and the east side in 20 to 30 feet of water. They are hitting wax worms and spikes on any bright jig you drop down. They are running 10 to 12 inches in length.
Any significant warm-up will make 10 inches of ice disappear fast, so pay attention to the weather. Currently, it’s go get the “slammer perch” conditions.
If we can keep the ice… this year will be as exciting as last year’s phenomenal season.
If you need bait or equipment go to B-E Fishing Tackle in Ontario or Bay Bridge Sport Shop and Davenports at the south end of Sodus.
Check out the rest of the Wayne County Tourism web page for the locations and hours of local bait and tackle shops.
Erie Canal
There were a few shanties on Widewaters this past weekend. When the wind blows you off Lake Ontario bays, try the canal.
Orleans County
Orleans County Tourism and Bierstine of Oak Orchard Tackle and Lodge
We’re back to more wintry weather after a few inches of snow throughout Monday night. Cold temperatures are forecast through the mid week with a warming trend toward the weekend and a chance of rain showers Wednesday.
For now, flows are all dropping and clearing. Flows in the Oak are about medium or maybe just one notch less with mostly clear water color of 2 – 3 ft of visibility. Fishing pressure is light and there is no significant icing conditions. The other area smaller tributaries have moderate flows and mostly clear water color. With dropping flows and cold temps hanging in, there could be some renewed icing in spots on the smaller tributaries.
Look for a few fresh fish from earlier higher water now pooled up in deeper holes or near the dam or in downstream, slow & deep water spots. The next shot of higher flows should lead to some fresh steelhead migrations and late winter/spring action. Larger waterways like the Niagara are back in business and the Genesee should be close to a decent fishable window too.