Upstate New York Fishing Report – April 9, 2020

Greater Niagara Region

Bill Hilts, Jr.

Social distancing is critical when it comes to fishing, both on shore and in a boat. COVID-19 continues to expand across the state and slowing that curve is important moving forward. We are fortunate in that our launch ramps are still open, and we have plenty of shore fishing options available to us. Please stay safe out there and use your head to limit the spread.

With fish stocking taking place both in the Great Lakes waters and inland waters, please take note that there are special distinctions between both areas. The Great Lakes waters include lakes Erie and Ontario and the tributaries up to the first impassible barrier (such as a dam). Trout and salmon that are stocked there as fingerlings and yearlings follow a certain protocol – put, grow and take. They are not meant to be taken immediately after they are stocked in places like the Wilson or Olcott harbors.

For the Lake Ontario basin, the minimum size for browns, rainbows and Pacific salmon is 15 inches in length. Some people have been catching and keeping trout well under that size close to shore. There are certainly more regulations than just these (such as new rules in the tributaries for brown trout (1 per person) and rainbow/steelhead (1 per person with a minimum size of 25 inches) and it’s important to know them before you head out.

The big news is that there have finally been reports of smelt being taken in the Niagara River. While Lewiston Landing (sanddocks) didn’t produce anything, they did get some at Artpark to the south and from docks to the north. Best time was after 11 p.m. Fishing in the lower river for trout continues to be good to very good depending on who you talk to. Steelhead, brown trout and lake trout are all being caught by anglers fishing from boat and shore. Water visibility was about 5-6 feet. Spinners from shore are still producing trout in the gorge. Boaters are drifting minnows, egg sacs or running plugs like Kwikies or MagLips off three-way rigs. Bass are starting to turn on as the waters warm up both in the lower and upper rivers. It was around 45 degrees this week.

Some more exciting news is that the king salmon fishing has started to turn on in Lake Ontario. Matt Tall of Wilson and Capt. Taz Morrison out of Wilson worked their lures in 30 to 80 feet of water to take some nice kings and lake trout. They caught kings to 25 pounds. Conditions change almost daily, says Tall, with things warming up so fast. They were running stickbaits and spoons mostly, working in 46 degrees surface temperature. The temperature doesn’t change much until you get out to 90 feet of water. Lake trout are eating everything in sight. James DeGirolamo of Derby reports that they were fishing anywhere from 180 to 220 feet of water straight out from Olcott. They had meat rigs and spoons work and trout and salmon hit most everything, but spoons are the way to go. Terry Swann of Wilson reports that bullheads are biting at the Wilson-Tuscarora Park boat launch and in the West Branch of 12-mile Creek. Worms and shrimp seem to be the bait of choice. A few nice perch are showing up too. Pier action has been good for trout in both Wilson and Olcott. Spoons and spinners or live bait under a float work best. Tributary action has slowed a bit and with the rains from last night and more being forecasted through Friday. It will probably muddy things up and create higher flows. Stay safe out there!

Wayne County Fishing Update

Chris Kenyon

Streams

Many steelhead are in the lake, however, there are still some hold-over trout, both steelies and browns. Maxwell Creek has produced some, however, stream fishing is taking second fiddle to fishing Lake Ontario.

Use the bright shiny bait for steelies…egg sacs, real or imitation or small red and silver spoons.

Lake Ontario

The surface temps straight out from Sodus Bay are 43 to 45 degrees. Today there is a calm wind, but that will change the end of Thursday into Friday. Winds are predicted to blow from the south then switch to the northwest. That will produce some nice mudlines for the weekend angling.

The browns are in 10 to 20 feet of water and will hit stick baits. Troll from Sodus west past Maxwell to Hughes Marina and try to find temperatures breaks.

Bays

The perch in Sodus and Port Bays are still biting, however, they will be spawning, which could slow-down the hits.

Currently, they are in 10 to 20 feet of water and the hot presentation has been Charlie Brewer Sliders, white and chartreuse 1 1/2 inch with spikes at the tip.

Currently, all DEC launch sites are open.

Remember while your fishing from your boat, that you need to wear your pfd until May 1st.

Erie Canal

Crappies are being caught near the Port Gibson Bridge. Some bluegills are being caught on the south shoreline of the canal. You can also launch a boat at Widewaters.

The water temps on the canal are heating-up, producing an active bite.

Safety Precautions from DEC

While enjoying the outdoors, please continue to follow the CDC/New York State Department of Health guidelines (leaves DEC’s website) for preventing the spread of colds, flu, and COVID-19:

• Try to keep at least six (6) feet of distance between you and others.
• Avoid close contact, such as shaking hands, hugging, and kissing.
• Wash hands often or use a hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available.
• Avoid surfaces that are touched often, such as doorknobs, handrails, and playground equipment.

When fishing, DEC recommends avoiding busy waters and following the guidelines on DEC’s website about fishing responsibly in New York State. If an angler arrives at a parking lot and there are several cars, they should consider going to another parking lot. If an angler is fishing upstream, they should fish downstream of the other angler or consider fishing another day. Anglers fishing from boats should be able to maintain at least six feet of distance between one another. For more information about the benefits of being outdoors safely and responsibly, go to DEC’s website.

New York State is open for fishing and DEC encourages anglers to recreate locally at a nearby waterbody. New York’s lakes and streams offer great opportunities for fishing in a wide array of settings across the state. Even during the current COVID-19 public health crisis, getting outdoors and connecting with nature while angling in New York’s waters is a great way to help maintain mental and physical health.