Greater Niagara Region
Bill Hilts, Jr.
Fishing pressure lightened up the past week with the opening for the Southern Zone regular big game season last Saturday. However, the fishing didn’t as some great action was being reported in the Niagara River – both above and below Niagara Falls – and on the Niagara Bar.
We’ll start with the Niagara Bar as Jeff Pierce with Scientific Anglers out of Michigan made a solo trip to do some filming and photos Sunday through Tuesday. He was fishing faster sinking lines (Scientific Anglers Sonar Stillwater SD SINK5/7 and the Sonar Titan Triple Density SINK3/5/7). These lines allowed him to get the fly down a bit (yes, he was fly fishing from his boat) in the river current as it flows out into Lake Ontario. He would use the trolling motor to control his drift so that with a long cast, he could get his flies where he wanted them. If he started stripping the fly right away, he could cover the top 10 feet. If he let it sink 10 seconds, he could cover the bottom half of the water column. He focused his efforts in the 17 to 26-foot range. Every time he got a strike, he’d hit the waypoint marker on his Lowrance unit. After a few drifts, a pattern would develop, and he’d concentrate his drifts on those spots. He was using a few different streamer fly patterns he ties. Double Bunnies, Bunny Strips and Clouser Minnows were all effective. All flies have a little weight on the head (cone or dumbbell eyes) to help them stay down in the current. At times there were some salmon up chasing bait on the surface. The first day he lost a real beauty of a brown, right at the boat as his net wasn’t quite big enough. He estimated the fish at around 16-17 pounds. Immediately after that, he got his bigger net out. Over the course of the 3 days, he caught brown trout, steelhead, smallmouth bass and lake trout.
Finally, winds are not an issue. Lower river trout fishing has been on fire the past week according to Lisa Drabczyk with Creek Road Bait and Tackle in Lewiston. Trout have been hitting egg sacs and beads in size 10 mm in chartreuse and orange from shore in the gorge. For the sacs, use chartreuse or natural colors. Boaters have been drifting MagLips, Kwikfish and egg sacs off three-way rigs. Shore guys are also using glow spoons and sacs for browns near Fort Niagara.
Devil’s Hole has been picking up according to reports. Water level fluctuation has been severe at time. Mike Rzucidlo of Niagara Falls was doing well on steelhead using a mix of jigs and spinners in the gorge.
The John Henning Memorial Musky Tournament hosted by the Niagara Musky Association will be held on Dec. 1 this year. Musky fishing was good the tail end of last week in the upper river reports Capt.
Chris Cinelli of Grand Island. Gary Laidman of South Wales was 2 for 3 on muskies last Thursday including a 48-inch fish that was sporting a 30-inch girth – a personal best for Laidman. The fish was estimated at over 50-pounds. Musky season closes in the upper river, Buffalo Harbor and Lake Erie on Nov. 30. Some big bass were also available on emerald shiners.
Not as much fishing going on the past week with the opening of the regular big game season in the Southern Zone according to Karen Evarts at The Boat Doctors in Olcott. Young Ethan Bronschidle of Newfane had the dam area to himself this past weekend on 18 Mile Creek. He reports that it’s been hit or miss for the most part for trout. Some days are better than others. Conditions were murky but fishable earlier this week for browns and steelhead. Egg sacs and beads work best.
Oswego County
Mary Ellen Barbeau of the Oswego County Department of Community Development, Tourism and Planning.
Oswego River Report
Anglers are finding some action in the river and steelhead and brown trout are being found in most local tributaries. Egg sacs, beads and egg imitating flies have been working.
According to Capt. Andy Bliss of Chasin’ Tail Adventures:
The river has been active this week with some nice steelhead and brown trout coming to the net. The current water flow is 6,330 CFS with most areas along the river fishable.
According to Oz Angling Tackle:
With water levels below 8,000 CFS fishing off the wall has been good the past two days. It’s been mostly steelhead with a few browns mixed in. Egg sacs along with beads are working well and stickbaits, lipless cranks, swimbaits, and hair jigs are working in the lower section of 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. 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 from our anglers and River Patrol reported a steady pick yesterday. Most anglers were able to get into a fish or two at least, some of our more seasoned anglers fared pretty well. Reports of a considerable amount of sizeable steelhead over 10 pounds, with a few brown trout reported in the mix as well. Water flow out of the dam remains at 350 CFS and out of Pineville 482 CFS.
According to Whitaker’s Sport Shop & Motel:
This week it has been no surprise that with the low water and decent weather the number of anglers has increased. In the upper end of the river anglers reported having some action in the Upper and Lower Fly Zones with single egg patterns and nymphs producing the best results. Other areas in the upper end of the river seeing action are below the Altmar bridge, Schoolhouse Pool, Wire Hole, Ellis Cover, Bovines and Trestle Pool. In the lower end of the river anglers are getting into fish in the Town Pool, Longbridge/Staircase, and Blackhole. Anglers who were bottom bouncing or float fishing had the most success with blue, pink and chartreuse egg sacs, trout beads or pink worms.
Oneida Lake Report:
The forecast is calling for more moderate temperatures for the next several days with highs in the low to mid 40s. Anglers may take advantage of these conditions casting stickbaits from shore just before and after dark for walleye.
Sandy Pond Report:
No new report.
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Streams
Steelhead and browns have been taken from Maxwell Creek and off the pier at Sodus. Just be careful of pier fishing this time of year. Fish closer to the Coast Guard station.
Steelhead must be 21 inches while browns are a 15-inch minimum. You can keep a three fish combination, however only one steelhead or rainbow trout.
Bright beads work well, and you can use your spinning outfit, throwing out beads, egg sacs, or small spoons.
On the north end of Maxwell, torpedo bobbers work great. Bounce the bait off the bottom.
There are parking areas on both sides of Lake Road.
Bays
Bass fishing in New York State ends November 30th. There are still anglers casting in Sodus Bay waters. They launch their boats at the Margaretta Street launch. Not too many anglers are targeting bass, probably because of cold temps.
As of today, there is a thin sheet of ice on different sections of Sodus Bay. The launch site at Bay Bridge Sport Shop is being repaired and will be open tomorrow, November 19th.
Remember…if you are on a boat now, you need to wear your PFD. That regulation started the last day of October and is in effect until May1st. It must be worn…not thrown somewhere in your boat.
If you need tackle Bay Bridge Sport Shop and Davenports at the south end of Sodus Bay are always opened.
The north end of Port Bay is open and should remain clear of ice this week. Temps are supposed to be in the 40’s plus through this week.
Erie Canal
Widewaters has ice, so you’ll have to fish open water from the shoreline next to the locks.
Orleans County
Orleans County Tourism and Capt. John Oravec, Tight Lines Charters
With what’s forecast as more seasonal weather (read warmer) this week, fishing action should hopefully perk up. Previous cold temps and resultant cold water temps combined with the higher flows in the Oak have made for tough hook-up chances by most accounts. These mid November conditions have been more like late winter conditions when you’re happy with a handful of steelhead bites through a days effort – only its the fall and the bites guys are scratching for are brown trout. So, through the past weekend and so far this week, the action is about the same where guys are getting a few hook-ups on browns, steelhead, Atlantics and Kings and having to cover some different water to do that. Plopping down for a couple hours at say the Archers Club or any one downstream spot may not be the best strategy.
Flows in the Oak are slightly high, still looking like the last 1/4 leg of Erie Canal winter time drainage water. Water color is good at probably 2 – 3 ft of visibility. The flows are real nice and, in fact, there’s plenty of water for fish to be anywhere they want to hold and so they may be somewhat spread out. I do believe the higher flows are cover for a few more fish then what’s been revealed by anglers’ hooking up. Good checked float drifts or deep/slow bottom bouncing may be the ticket at least and until there may be a perk back up in water temps. Look for flows to likely stay up even as Canal water runs its course this week because snow melt is likely to mean runoff after that.
Forecast is in the 30’s near 40°F for highs this week with chance of rain/snow for the end of the week. Fishing pressure all around is down, more like what you would expect for December. Turkey day, holidays and big game seasons have snuck up on the calendar so fishing pressure is likely to remain down and manageable.
The other area smaller tributaries have medium flows and slightly stained water color. Fish and hook-ups are likewise spread out and guys may consider plying farther upstream waters then say downstream. Look for flows to probably go higher and more off color as more snow melt runs through or there is more precipitation.