Greater Niagara Region
Frank Campbell
Area fishing action ground to a halt due to rain, and high winds. You can always find someplace to go fishing though in Niagara Falls USA. In the Niagara River, remember that the shoreline – such as in the Niagara Gorge – clears first and could offer some great trout opportunities. Mike Ziehm of Niagara Falls started to do some exploring Tuesday of this week and he found 2 feet of visibility above the power plant and 1-foot below the power plant. Casting No. 4 white and green spinners, as well as white and pink colors, he was rewarded with 5 or 6 colorful steelheads. By the end of the day, Ziehm was reporting 3 feet of visibility. Conditions should slowly improve as things progress this week unless we receive some more serious winds. If you still have your boat ready to go, don’t forget the Lower Niagara River is still wide open for trout action. When the waters start to clear in the main current, expect to see more steelhead along with brown trout and lake trout according to Lisa Drabczyk with Creek Road Bait and Tackle in Lewiston. Top baits include egg sacs, egg imitations like beads, minnows, Kwikfish and MagLips. Spoons, spinners, egg sacs or egg imitations, and jigs will work from shore.
The Great Lakes muskellunge season ends in New York waters on Dec. 15. Hopefully local waters in the Niagara River and beyond will clear enough for area diehards to pursue one of these prized toothy critters. Just before the water muddied up, fly fishing guru Rick Kustich of Getzville hauled in a couple big muskies from the upper river using a large black and white river changer fly. His tip is to fish the fly slowly with the cold water. Good luck!
Burt Dam and 18 Mile Creek are holding some trout, too, according to Karen Evarts at The Boat Doctors in Olcott. Evarts reports that browns and steelhead are cooperating, and the best baits have been eggs, flies, and jigs. If the bigger tributaries are high and muddy, seek out some of the smaller ones for quick-clearing waters.
With the holiday season just around the corner, you might want to think about some stocking stuffers like a fishing charter, a lifetime fishing license, or membership into a local fishing club. Speaking of local clubs, the Lake Ontario Trout and Salmon Association will be holding its Christmas meeting on Dec. 8 at the North Amherst Firehall, 2200 Tonawanda Creek Road in Amherst starting at 7 p.m. Guest speaker will be Steve Hurst, Chief of DEC’s Bureau of Fisheries. It is open to the public, but membership for the coming year is only $10. Check out www.lotsa1.org. The popular LOTSA Salmon School, held in conjunction with the Greater Niagara Fishing Expo Feb. 16-19, 2023, has less than 20 seats remaining. Check out www.niagarafishingexpo.com for details.
Oswego County
- We are seeing very mild temperatures. This weather has kept the steelhead all over the river.
- December is a great month to fish for Steelhead as they put on the last big feed.
- On the OZ: white jigs are the best tactic right now.
- Consider booking a guide. Click Here to find one in Oswego County.
- Order a free fishing guide
Salmon River
Click Here of the 10 day Forecast
December is a great month to come up and fish for Steelhead as they put on the last big feed before they go into their winter slow down. The fishing on the Salmon River has been very good since the water has receded from the high of last week.
Fish can be found in both the typical fall and winter spots. And they have been actively biting, so your best bet is to:
- Cover water
- Fish a variety of bait
- Be patient.
With the water starting to cool, egg sacs have really been taking over as a primary bait. White, pink, and blue, being the most consistent colors. Fished under a float has been the most effective way to catch feeding steelhead.
Oswego River
Click Here of the 10 day Forecast
Oswego is experiencing ups-and-downs in the flows. This has led to some great fishing. We are seeing a mix of brown trout and steelhead.
The best places to find fish right now are in the known salmon spawning grounds. Also look for slow edges when the water comes up. The fish tend to slide to slow water the higher the flows go and the cooler the water is. We have started to see the fall influx of shad washing down river. This means get out the white jigs!
Trout and walleye are being caught behind the hotels on the east side. Deep diving crank baits and swim baits are our go-to recommendations.
Top Tips for Steelhead Fishing this Winter
- Dress Properly
- Watch the River Flows
- Make a Plan
- Fish Late
- Fish With Friends
- Bring Snacks
- Consider a Guide
- To access the full article, Click Here.
Free Oswego Fishing Guide
Click Here to Order a Free Guide
The 68-page guide includes a detailed overview of fishing opportunities on eastern Lake Ontario, Oneida Lake, the Oswego and Salmon rivers and a variety of other tributaries, as well as the more than 40,000 acres of public lands available for hunting.
Wayne County Fishing Update
Chris Kenyon
Streams
Some pools in Maxwell Creek are holding browns. These are on the south side of Lake Road. Use bright green glow beads, egg sacs, or small jig.
Pier fishing works at the Sodus channel, however if its ice coated stay away. You do not want to slip into the water. There was no ice on the pier next to the Coast Guard station this weekend.
Cast out heavy spoons like Kastmasters, Cleo’s and Suttons.
Lake Ontario tributary regulations:
Three fish in combination and not to include more than one Rainbow Trout (or Steelhead) and One Brown Trout.
Bays
Both Port Bay and Sodus have 10-to-12-inch perch. (Thumpers) Fish the drop offs in 20 to 30 fow. The Port Bay thumpers are off the two points in the bay. Graves Point is just south off the channel and Tompkins is the point directly across from the Bayside Restaurant.
Use white 2-inch rubber because the perch are full of shad. Put fresh spikes on the end of your bait. Charlie Brewer sliders is another great rubber bait.
You can launch at the north or south end of the bay at the DEC sites. Remember…the docks have been pulled for the winter.
On Sodus Bay, Bay Bridge Sport Shop located at the south end, has a good launch. The Margaretta Road launch is closed.
Erie Canal
Nothing really happening at the canal. Temperatures have varied from the 50’s down to the 30’s so the skim of ice comes and goes.
More Info: canals.ny.gov/boating/hours.html
• Keep informed from the NYS Canal web for changes and restrictions with canal waters.
• Keep informed about 2022 canal hours.
• There are no tolls or fees for recreational use of the Canal system this year.
Notable Freshwater Fishing Regulation Changes
The following list offers a summary of the most notable fishing regulation changes resulting from the adopted rulemakings described above.
- New statewide regulation for rainbow trout, brown trout, and splake in lakes and ponds. The season will now be open year-round, with a five-fish daily limit, any size, with a “no more than two longer than 12 inches” harvest rule.
- Statewide Atlantic salmon regulations will now allow for a year-round open season.
- Ice fishing is permitted on all waters in New York unless specifically prohibited with the exception of Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Lewis, St. Lawrence, Warren, and Washington counties where previous rules remain.
- New specific dates replaced floating dates for statewide season openers to include:
- May 1 – Walleye, Northern Pike, Pickerel, and Tiger Muskellunge.
- June 1 – Muskellunge. (Note that in 2022, DEC will allow for the fishing of muskellunge beginning the last Saturday in May to accommodate previously planned fishing trips);and
- June 15 – Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass.
- A five-fish daily walleye limit in Oneida Lake.
- A new regulation to limit the growth of the walleye population in Skaneateles Lake. No daily possession limit; 12-inch minimum size limit, open year-round.
- The statewide sunfish daily harvest limit has been reduced from 50 to 25 fish: and
- The statewide minimum size limit for crappie has been increased from nine inches to ten inches.
Orleans County
Ron Bierstine from Oak Orchard Tackle & Lodge brings us this Stream Fishing report:
Fishing and weather conditions pretty nice by late fall/early winter standards. Forecast temps in the mid 40’s°F for this mid week period and chance of off and on rain showers. No serious precipitation expected. Another chance of precipitation for begin part of upcoming weekend although at this point the greater impact is forecasted south of the area. Cooler temps for end of week and upcoming weekend. Flows in the Oak still humming along at around slightly high and slightly stained. The other area smaller waterways trending slowly falling flows at around mod and slightly stained. Fishing pressure light and angler reports thin. Plenty of water cover in the Oak for a few fresh brown trout or getting toward more post spawn fish. Chance for fresh steelhead at any time building up toward the true late winter/early spring runs of Feb/Mar. Hike and hunt around the smaller waterways in the lower flows like at Sandy and Johnson and you should find some browns too.