Greater Niagara Region
Bill Hilts, Jr.
As the water continued to clear going into last weekend, the fishing improved throughout the river system. In the lower section, from Devil’s Hole to the Niagara Bar, it’s was a mixed bag throughout until the winds on Sunday hit. While the water was stained up, consistent trout and walleye action was being reported by Tuesday. Lake trout, steelhead, brown trout and walleye were all being caught with consistency. Pink egg sacs, MagLips, minnows/shiners – all were producing fish. Even a couple nice kings were caught on the Niagara Bar, too! Lisa Drabczyk with Creek Road Bait and Tackle in Lewiston reports that the shore guys in the gorge are doing well on trout using marabou jigs tipped with artificial minnows and fished under a float. No. 4 spinners are also working according to Mike Rzucidlo of Niagara Falls who went 4 for 4 on steelies two days in a row. In the upper river, some walleye and lake trout are being reeled in up near the head of the river north of the Peace Bridge. Some type of a winter storm advisory is going on for Thursday so be on the lookout. The weekend looks good right now. The Niagara River Anglers will have their steelhead contest on Feb. 22. Sign up at Creek Road Bait and Tackle or at the Lewiston launch ramp the day of the event.
At least one boat we know if hit the big lake off Olcott to score on some browns in 10-15 feet of water trolling stickbaits. In the streams, some of the larger creeks are dropping and clearing according to Scott Feltrinelli with Ontario Fly Outfitters. Trout are around in all the creeks right now. 18 Mile Creek was reporting good numbers of fish, but don’t be afraid to look around as some of the smaller creeks like 12 Mile or 4 Mile. Keg Creek is still locked out with gravel at the mouth serving as a barrier.
A few points of interest for the future: The Second Annual Birds on the Niagara Festival is set for Feb. 14-15. Check out www.birdsontheniagara.org for details. There will be a free fishing weekend Feb. 15-16 around New York State. It’s a great time to check out our fishing on the water, whether it’s hard or soft. Finally, congratulations to Charles Waldorf of North Tonawanda. He was selected at the Greater Niagara Fishing and Outdoor Expo to attend this year’s 50th Anniversary 2020 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk March 6-8 at Lake Guntersville in Alabama – all expenses paid! What a prize, courtesy this year’s Fishing Expo!
Oswego County
Mary Ellen Barbeau of the Oswego County Department of Community Development, Tourism and Planning.
Oswego River Report
The water flow is currently flowing at 11,100 CFS which is a drop from nearly 13,000 CFS earlier this week. The lower river, downstream of the Route 104 bridge, is fishable on both sides of the river this time of year with the given flow. You can expect to catch mostly brown trout and walleye in the lower section using swimbaits, hair jigs, sonars, or live bait. The upper section of the river is mainly populated with steelhead right now with marabou jigs tipped with grubs, egg sacs, beads, or fatheads the suggested baits.
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:
A number of well-versed season passholders and a couple more familiar faces joined us to wet a line Tuesday down on the run. Reports from the anglers we had an opportunity to speak with indicated another grind. Those who were successful landed several fresh steelhead, others came up empty handed, but a grind or not, all happy to take advantage of this mild weather. The float fisherman took the cake with egg sacs, out fishing the fly fisherman. No particular section of the run out fished another. On Wednesday most anglers got into a fish or two. The river flow is 350 CFS with 494 CFS at Pineville.
Oneida Lake Report:
After the few days of cold temperatures, several areas of the lake such as Lewis Point and Sylvan Beach are reporting ice of 5-7+ inches. Anglers are finding some perch and a few walleyes. Big Bay is also producing bluegills, sunfish and a few crappies with 6-8 inches of ice. The weather system that moved in last night brought 3-4 inches of snow with several more inches expected on Friday. Conditions will be interesting over the next few days. Be safe!
Sandy Pond Report:
Anglers enjoyed the weekend with good weather and 5+ inches of ice on the pond. Some anglers found a decent perch bite but you need to sort through the small ones. Although temperatures will be a bit warmer today and tomorrow, the rest of the week is low to mid 30s and nighttime lows in the 20s. Snow moved across the area overnight dropping 3-4 inches. A second system will be moving in overnight and through the day tomorrow with some sleet turning to snow with several more inches expected.
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Streams
Some steelhead are being caught in Maxwell. There is little ice build-up on the shore. Water flow has been great the last few weeks. The steelhead are hitting anything bright…eggs sacs, beads or small spoons. You can fish both sides of Lake Road.
Bay Bridge Sport Shop at the south end of Sodus Bay has everything you need for stream angling.
Bays
Ice conditions as of today: Sodus Bay six to eight inches, Port Bay eight plus and Blind Sodus Bay (next to Fair Haven) has eight.
Sodus Bay has open water next to the creeks that dump into the bay. There are also slushy spots next to bubblers on the docks. Stay away from the Sodus Bay channel area.
Because this is a weekly report, ice conditions can change in a day. Always use caution, especially with the mild winter we are experiencing. Safe ice today is no guarantee for tomorrow.
Sodus Bay was the hot spot over the weekend. The perch were hitting in 20 to 25 feet of water. Use a simple small jig tipped with fresh spikes.
Perch will move around so if your hole is not producing, pick-up and move. Fishing off the points is your best bet.
LeRoy Island on the north east side of Sodus Bay has produced some nice pike. Tip-ups with pike minnows is the normal routine.
The season for pike runs through March 15th. Eighteen inches and five fish are the regs.
The perch are hitting at the south end of Port Bay, in the narrows just before the bay widens. They have been hitting jigs with spikes.
Use smaller jigs and tip them with spikes or perch eyes and keep your line light.
If you need tackle and bait Bay Bridge Sport Shop and Davenports at the south end of Sodus Bay are always opened. They both have live bait if you like fishing with small minnows.
They also have plenty of fresh spikes.
Check out the rest of the Wayne County Tourism web page for the locations and hours of local bait and tackle shops.
Erie Canal
No one is fishing the canal.
Orleans County
Orleans County Tourism and Capt. John Oravec, Tight Lines Charters
Flows in the Oak are hanging in at slightly high and slightly stained. There are good drifting chances up and down the river and plenty of water for fresh fish migrations. In the fast water drifts downstream of the dam, anglers will need to get the drift, or swing, down and slow and there should be the chance for a few grabs.
The forecast is for high temps near 40°F for the week and the next chance of rain is Thursday so look for flows to remain up in the Oak – maybe only dropping back to medium-ish without any new precipitation. The winter weather thus far has been up and down – so if guys are looking for steelhead action, it probably means getting out to make some high water drifts.
Other area smaller tributaries are maintained at something like medium to slightly high and slightly stained with a mix of open water and some icy drifts. At this point in the winter I’d look for more water slowly breaking open then icing back up, unless there is a prolonged cold snap.