Greater Niagara Region
Coutesy of Bill Hilts, Jr.
In this crazy world of COVID-19 and social distancing, the fishing around Niagara Falls USA is on fire. Too bad the charter captains are not operating yet. We are working on it. In the meantime, the salmon fishing has been outstanding on the Niagara Bar, off Wilson and east to Olcott. On the Niagara Bar, small boat fishermen are using a little different tactic to take salmon and trout. Capt. Frank Campbell of Lewiston had his kids out for some salmon and trout fishing on the Niagara Bar last weekend. They were drifting with 3-way rigs to catch a mixed bag that included numerous king salmon and lake trout. Fish up higher in the water column for Coho salmon. Campbell was using MagLip plugs in his three-way set-up. Before he put them out, though, he used Atlas Mike’s alewife scent on the lures and it really made a difference. As an experiment he ran scent on some lures and not on others. Nearly every fish hit the lures with the scent. Off Wilson, the best area to target was 90 to 120 feet of water with magnum spoons. Capt. Joe Oakes of Wilson was fishing between Wilson and Olcott using spoons, stickbaits and flasher-fly to take king salmon in 60 to 120 feet of water. Scott Rohe of Cheektowaga went 14 for 21 on fish, mostly kings, fishing out of Olcott. Yes, everyone seems to be catching fish. Remember to maintain your social distancing and do not put too many people in your boat. It is not worth the risk.
Lower Niagara River action has been decent for a mix of trout and smallmouth bass. For the trout, shore casters are using spinners, jigs and egg sacs or imitations. From boats, shiners or MagLips and Kwikfish are hitting trout. If you want to target bass, use Strike King tubes, and Ned rigs. Mickey Grant of Virginia was in town last week to field test some of his new Rapid scent keeper jig heads that are placed inside the tubes with some Atlas Mike’s scent on the soft, absorbent material. Fishing with Pat Duncan, they caught an impressive number of smallmouth bass in the lower river toward Lake Ontario. If you fish in Canadian waters, make sure you have a Canadian license. You can venture over into those waters to fish, but you are not allowed to touch the shoreline. In the upper river, Jeff Pippard with Niagara Outdoors reports that walleyes were hitting at foot of Ferry Street in Buffalo; a good evening bite is on. Catch and release smallmouth bass action is being reported on artificial lures like Ned rigs, swim baits and crankbaits in the east river.
The Wilson Harbor Invitational Tournament, set for May 16, has been moved to June 6. There are also a Salmon Slam and $1K a Day events that will run from May 31 to June 5. You do not have to be in the WHI to fish in the week-long contests. Register at www.wilsonharborinvitational.com or to find out more information. We will get through this. Stay safe out there!
Wayne County Fishing Update
Coutesy of Chris Kenyon
Lake Ontario
After the big blow this past weekend, Lake Ontario has settled…sort of. Water temps from Rochester today are a cool 41 degrees.
If you can get out the browns have been in 10 to 30 fow. There is stained water and of course that will change daily. Use spoons or stickbaits…green and red glow have been working.
Fish east or west from Sodus. Troll to Port Bay or west past Maxwell Creek. Some spring kings have been caught, however the constant wind from different directions have made it a challenge to find temperature breaks.
Bays
The bullheads were hitting from Bay Bridge Saturday and Sunday, however colder temps have slowed the action.
The Port Bay channel is now open. Use the south DEC ramp for an easier launch. The north barrier road is in rough shape. The south launch site is located on West Port Bay Road.
Some crappies have been caught in shallow water in the narrows of Port Bay. Crappies will hit bright small jigs tipped with spikes. They will be suspended, usually two to three feet below the surface.
The pike and walleye season opened last Saturday. Fish around the three islands on Sodus Bay. You can either troll or jig the shallow water on the east side of the bay.
The pike were hitting pike minnows for live bait and bright spinner baits for artificial lures. Fish the shallow waters for pike and the deeper drop-offs for walleye.
Erie Canal
The canal bite is off to a slow bite because of the colder temperatures. The water needs to heat-up. There have been a few panfish caught across the canal at Widewaters.
Currently the canal is closed for boat traffic. You can keep informed from the NYS Canal web.
You can still fish from shore at pull-off sites along Route 31.
Boat Launches Opened
Privately-owned marinas, boat launches, and many other recreational marine locations are now opened.
The official statement from New York State is made in conjunction with similar ones from the governors of New Jersey and Connecticut, is the latest change to the guidance from Empire State Development on what is and isn’t affected by the governor’s Executive Order 202, which ordered employers to reduce the number of employees working at individual locations to help fight the coronavirus pandemic.
The guidance regarding privately-owned marinas, boatyards and recreational marine manufacturers allows for operations and boat repair/maintenance so long as the facilities ‘adhere to strict social distancing and sanitization protocols.’ However, watercraft cannot be used for charters or rentals, and any restaurant facilities there must remain take-out or delivery only.
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.
Charters and Guides
The “New York State on PAUSE” Executive Order, a 10-point policy to assure uniform safety for everyone during the COVID-19 response, includes a directive that all non-essential businesses statewide must close effective at 8 p.m. on Sunday, March 22, and temporarily bans all non-essential gatherings of individuals of any size for any reason.
At this time, fishing guides or charters of any size have been determined to be not essential and are subject to workforce reduction requirements of the Executive Order. The full and updated guidance on which types of businesses are determined essential and other designations associated with the order can be found online. For more info https://esd.ny.gov/guidance-executive-order-2026