11 – 7 - 14 WESTERN & CENTRAL NEW YORK FISHING REPORTS TIP: FISHING TIPS FOR NORTHERN PIKE: When you go to pick a lure make sure you get one with a lot of flash and go by the phrase ‘bigger is better’. Pike can and will hit on a big lure, don’t be afraid to use them because they are big and you don’t think you’ll catch anything with it For example: Try a large jointed floating Rapala, one that is 6-9 inches and is a deep runner.. For some reason, pike are generally attracted more to the jointed Rapalas than the not jointed ones. I have found this to be true from experience. Things you can try are: 1. trolling with a spinner bait, spoon, Rapala 2. If legal in your area! Put a hook through a small bluegill, perch, crappie, or shad on a big bobber and cast it along a weed line. You can always use pike minnows for live bait. 3. Try spoons (ex. red devils). This is probably the most popular way to catch pike. 4. Plastics that you would normally use for bass. I have caught many northern on these while going for bass. 5. When there are lily pads around or moss on top of water, throw a frog. I prefer a yum buzz frog. It is an amazing lure. I have tried two colors of these so far and they work wonders. (Carolina pumpkin/yellow and watermelon red flake.) You can get them almost anywhere that sells Yum products. Also buy some Gamagatsu size 4 offset hooks. Make sure the point of the hook is on TOP of the frog not underneath. These will work best in the morning or evening in non-vegetation areas or anytime during the day in heavy vegetation areas. 6. If fishing from shore I would fish the 6-8 feet deep part of a channel. As for a steel leader, They do take away action from the lure. You need to decide if you’d rather have more action (which brings in more bites) or less action(wobble) and also less chance that a fish will bite through your line. Just a matter of preference. You WILL catch pike either way but, you’ll be more likely to catch them without the leader. (From Sportsmen’s Paradice Online blog.sportsmansparadiseonline/2009/07/29/35/ ) ALERT: If you use DEC launch sites - many of the dock structures at DEC boat launches will be removed shortly, or may have been removed already. So, plan accordingly and be prepared. REMINDER: From November 1st - May 1st, all persons aboard a pleasure vessel less than 21 feet regardless of age must wear a Personal Flotation Device while underway. LAKE ERIE: Windy weather and rough waters again kept anglers off Lake Erie most of the week. Hopefully conditions will change this week. The yellow perch fishing continues to be hot off Cattaraugus Creek and Sturgeon Point. Anglers are picking up solid numbers of big perch in 55-70 fow. Other good spots have been off Evangola State Park and off Dunkirk in around 60 feet. Live emerald shiners fished just off the bottom is the top technique, but other small minnows, salted shiners, worms and Gulp minnows will also work for foraging perch. Trollers mainly go with minnow-type baits, but either a casting spoon or a flutter spoon behind a split shot or two can connect at times. For the minnow baits, the standard silver/black Rapala works well, but try those “clown” colors (often called “Wonder Bread” bodies) and the orange/gold pattern. Being in the right general location does not however guarantee good catches. Anglers should try to locate perch schools on the bottom with electronics before dropping anchor. Also, the right perch rig and bait can be the difference between a cooler full of fish in one boat and only a few caught in a boat just yards away. Anglers were reporting good smallmouth bass action at 20 to 45 feet on the open lake, in the tributaries and in the harbors. At Buffalo Harbor, the action has been good along the inner and outer breakwalls on jerkbaits, tube jigs and spinnerbaits. Along the inner breakwall, anglers are also catching good numbers of northern pike, and largemouth bass are starting to show. Dunkirk Harbor anglers see similar bronzeback action. They were catching bass on just about every cast at times using lipless crankbaits. Out of Dunkirk, anglers report decent smallmouth bass catches around Van Buren Bay and deeper off the point. Van Buren bass anglers have also caught a few walleye and lake trout. Other traditionally good bass spots include Evans Bar, Myers Reef and Seneca Shoal. Tube jigs (3/8 ounce Venom Tube), jigs with twister tails, deep diving stickbaits and live minnows are good bass baits. The harbors at Barcelona, Dunkirk and Buffalo are great spots to target smallmouth bass as well. Work waters less than 40 feet around structures. For more information see the Smallmouth Bass Fishing on Lake Erie page. The walleye bite has been better to the west. However, even then it has been spotty, with some boats doing well, while others struggle to put a few fish in the boat. Trollers run mostly worm harnesses at mid-depths over 70 to 90 feet between Sturgeon Point and Cattaraugus Creek and the trench between Van Buren Point and Brocton Shoals. The better fishing, however, has been west of Dunkirk off Barcelona to the state line. Out of all ports, anglers are catching walleye on stickbaits and worm harnesses. Although, white bass and sheepshead have been a nuisance at times when running worm harnesses. Anglers reported good lake trout action off Dunkirk west to the stateline in 80-120 feet of water. Trolling NK magnum spoons in green/black, just off the bottom, has produced large lakers with some steelhead and brown trout. Reports out of Barcelona point toward good action in 90-130 feet of water. Stick baits run 50-60 feet down have worked well. Steelhead are still staging off tributary streams, waiting for a shot of cooler water to enter the streams. Trolling flashy spoons at slightly higher speeds in 10 – 15 fow around the creek mouths is a good tactic. Some coho salmon in the 10-12 pound range have also been showing up in some offshore catches, so dont be surprised if you hook into one of them! The Buffalo Small Boat Harbor is closed to boat-launch ramp use. LAKE ERIE TRIBS: Mid-week rains gave the steelhead creeks a needed bump in flow. Cattaraugus Creek has been murky the last couple days, but now has a decent flow. The “Catt” remains the best steelhead option. Steelhead are spread throughout the creek, up to the dam. Casters along the wall walkway at the mouth of the Catt are doing well with casting spoons and spinners. Upstream, it depends on bait placement. Some do well with “meat” (egg sacks, skein, minnows or nightcrawler chunks); others have been doing as good with hardware (casting spoons, spinners and flies – more bug-type than minnow-like patterns) well up to Gowanda. The small to medium sized streams have dropped back to lower, clear flows. However, the slight rise moved fish further upstream and likely drew more fish in. Lake Erie steelhead commonly hit natural baits like egg sacs or worms, flies such as egg imitations, streamers and bugger patters, and lures like minnow-type stickbaits and in-line spinners. The owner of the lower portion of 18 Mile Creek (Lake Erie) will only allow access for fly fishing. Signs are posted on the property. You may only use artificial flies and streamers. According to DEC this is within their rights. While no citation could be issued, the owner can file for no trespassing if you don’t abide by the rules. With consistently low and clear conditions, the steelhead bite on the other creeks has remained slow, except for small windows when the flows briefly bump up. It looks like the much needed rain is on the way, so expect higher flows this weekend. For those new to steelhead fishing, see the Steelhead Fishing in Lake Erie Tributaries page for information on steelhead fishing equipment, locations and links to stream maps. Smallmouth bass are still available in the lower sections of the tributaries. Fly anglers catch bass with woolly buggers and minnow patterns. Spinning anglers do well with stickbaits, marabou jigs with grubs (under a float) and natural baits like minnows, crayfish or worms. Anglers have been catching channel catfish, up to 20+ pounds, in Cattaraugus Creek from the mouth to up past the Thruway bridge. Keep in mind that the section of creek above the Route 5&20 bridge is on Seneca Nation lands, and a fishing license issued by the Seneca Nation is needed to fish that stretch. Nightcrawlers, chicken livers, raw shrimp or cut bait fished on the bottom works well for catfish. Lake Erie Steelhead Diary Cooperator Program: DEC is seeking active, avid stream anglers to participate in the Diary Cooperator Program for feeder streams along the Lake Erie. With the start of the rainbow/steelhead run, waders and shore casters from Buffalo to Barcelona will be taking tributary treks and could provide valuable information about trout numbers, sizes and other noteworthy details. For more details and to sign on, call 716-366-0228 or email: [email protected]. UPPER NIAGARA RIVER: Broderick Park and Bird Island Pier will be tougher to access for fishing over the foreseeable future, as the Ferry Street Bridge is now closed for repairs. Visitors can only access Squaw island by the bridge at the north end, and then walk the riverside path to Broderick Park. It just so happens, that anglers have seen some decent perch catches at the park, as well as some rainbow trout and a few walleye during low light periods. Rainbow trout often show in fall along the Bird Island Pier, Broderick Park and the northern tip of Squaw Island. Yellow perch and smallmouth bass have been showing at the Ontario Street boat launch and fishing access site. Boaters have good opportunity for smallmouth bass and muskellunge. Traditional smallmouth bass baits like golden shiners, crayfish, tube jigs and plastics work well when drifting with a bottom bouncing rig, however casting spinnerbaits and stickbaits is another option. Drifting along weed edges with large 8-10 inch tube jigs or casting large stickbaits are top methods for muskellunge. One of the best bass spots is the head of the river where Lake Erie flows in near Buffalo. Concentrate on areas outside weed edges in 10-20 feet of water. Other spots have been in the west river around Navy Island, Staley’s Reef, Strawberry and Motor islands, Thompson’s Hole and the head of the river. When fishing the west side of Grand Island, be aware that the international line runs quite close to the island. Drifting with a three-way bottom bouncing rig and live crayfish or shiner works well. Some walleye were reported at the head of Strawberry Island on blue-silver or purple worm harnesses. The northern tip of Squaw Island has been producing some walleye from shore. Try casting spoons in the late afternoon or early morning. Bass fishing continues to be good with live bait like golden shiners or crayfish. Tubes and drop shot rigs will also catch fish. As water temperatures cool, muskie fishing is starting to pick up around the river and Buffalo Harbor areas. Anglers can target them using a live bait rig and/or using a three-way rig to bounce the bottom outside weed edges. Either side of Strawberry Island and the Huntley Power Station can be productive spots. Along the wall extending to the north from the Ontario Street boat launch, anglers are catching a few decent sized yellow perch on emerald shiners, with some rock bass mixed in. At Broderick Park, emeralds are producing mostly catches of white bass with some rock bass mixed in. The harbors and marinas along the river are also good spots to target sunfish and perch. Work the 15-18 foot depths. LOWER NIAGARA RIVER: Steelhead now make up the bulk of catches, with incidental lake trout catches and the occasional brown trout catch. Keep in mind that lake trout season is closed until January 1st, so all caught lake trout must be quickly released. Options are available from boat and shore. The Artpark and Devils Hole drifts are the top steelhead spots for boaters. Boaters have opted to pull wobbling baits. One of the best has been the 3.5 inch MagLip, by the Yakima Bait Company. Silver and green or chartreuse has been a hot color combination for lake trout and steelhead of late, followed by the same color pattern for Kwikfish. Drifting with a 3-way rig and egg sacs or live shiners is also a good bet. Shore anglers can target steelhead from Whirlpool, Devils Hole and Artpark State Parks. Egg sacs, egg pattern flies and shiners fished under a float, or casting medium-sized spoons and Vibrax spinners are good bets for trout from shore. Anglers fishing from shore at the state parks generally do better at night. The glow finish helps when casting at night, but any color with a silver back gets the steelie’s attention during daylight hours. Anglers are still catching smallmouth bass and sheepshead from Devils Hole down to the mouth of the river. Boaters can drift with a 3-way rig with golden shiners, crayfish or tube jigs, or can cast towards shore with jerkbaits, stickbaits and spinners. Walleye are starting to show in the lower river. Drifting with a 3-way rig and worm harness or yellow sally rig (with worm) is a good bet and it’s also picking up bass. The best drifts for walleye include the Stella drifts, Artpark drift and Coast Guard drift. Anglers are picking up some walleye and smallmouth bass on the Niagara Bar in the vicinity of the green buoy. Trolling or bottom bouncing with worm harnesses is a good bet for walleye, and smallmouth bass anglers do well with a 3-way rig with shiners or tubes. Also, fishing the Niagara Bar has been producing brown trout and lake trout on spoons. Shore anglers also see catches of white bass, rock bass and yellow perch on live baits. White bass and yellow perch generally start to show up in the river at this time of year. For fishing access maps and lower river fishing information see the Fishing the Lower Niagara River page. NYPA will re-open he South Access Road, leading to the fishing platform on November 1st. The newly redesigned road offers safer access to the fishing pier for vehicles and pedestrians. The shoreline stairway to Devils Hole will also re-open on the 1st. The shuttle service will cease at 5pm today. The fishing platform will close for the season by December 1st, or with the onset of ice and snow accumulation. LAKE ONTARIO – WEST: Some trout and a few salmon are still staging in the waters off major tributary mouths. Boaters can target these fish near dawn and dusk by trolling off tributary and harbor mouths with J-Plugs, J-13 Rapalas, flasher-fly combos or cut bait rigs. Another option after nightfall is to anchor in 15-30 feet of water (off tributary mouths) and cast glow spoons or stickbaits. Good spots to try include Eighteenmile Creek, Oak Orchard Creek, Sandy Creek and the Genesee River. The Niagara Bar area is also producing some trout on the drop off. Trolling with large spoons, flasher fly combos and especially cut bait (a Pacific herring strip) in the top 70 feet has worked well. Look for kings at the shallower end of that zone at first light and work progressively deeper water as the sun climbs in the sky. This week, action has been good on the bar for walleye. Some nice catches of large walleye have come on worm harnesses trolled near the bottom in the vicinity of the green buoy. Other options for catching fish are of the warm water variety, like bass, pike and panfish in Wilson and Olcott harbors. For bass try trolling the shoreline with stick baits and Kwikfish in 10-12 feet of water. LAKE ONTARIO - WEST - TRIBS: Water levels are improving and salmon action is heating up. On Eighteenmile Creek below Burt Dam, steelhead are being caught, with some large brown trout and the occasional salmon mixed in. The scenario is similar at Oak Orchard Creek, where trout numbers and catches are building daily. The Genesee River has had good flow and catches for a couple weeks. The smaller tributaries had a slight bump in flow at mid-week, moving in some fish but flows are again back to low and clear. Marsh, Sandy and Johnson Creeks do have some scattered trout. Egg sacs, salmon skein, egg pattern flies and streamers work well for migrating salmonides. The lower, slow moving sections of Eighteenmile Creek, Oak Orchard Creek, Sandy Creek and the Genesee River are good options for trout and salmon. These sections are only accessible by boat. Trolling with stickbaits (where possible) or casting and retrieving stickbaits are good methods. In the sections of these waters between the bridge closest to the stream mouth, upstream to the first impassible barrier, any lure that has more than one hook point must float while at rest. For more information see the Great Lakes Tributary Regulations. For those new to stream salmon fishing, see the Pacific Salmon Fishing in Lake Ontario Tributaries page for information on salmon fishing equipment, tackle, techniques and links to salmon stream maps. Periods around dawn and dusk have been best for fishing off the pier heads. Casting heavy (3/4 oz) glow spoons and rattle traps has worked well. Under calm conditions, egg sacs or skein fished under a float can also be productive for pier anglers. Other tributaries such as Fourmile, Twelvemile, East Branch Twelvemile and Keg Creeks still have minimum water and only a few fish. In the lower, slower moving sections of the tributaries anglers can also catch northern pike, black bass, rock bass, crappie, bluegill, yellow perch, bullhead and channel catfish. Nightcrawlers, chicken livers, leeches, cut bait or raw shrimp fished on the bottom works well for the bullhead and catfish, especially at night. Nice ringback numbers have shown at Oak Orchard Creek and Wilson Harbor. Schools move constantly, depending on movement of larger predator fish, but many of the bigger perch cruise close enough for shore casters to reach and hook them. Northern pike in some respectable sizes have shown in bays and creek mouths along the entire shoreline all spring, summer and now this fall. Wilson Harbor has been the go-to pike site, but any weeded shoreline with good numbers of panfish will hold these esox-family members. Target the smallmouth bass with crayfish or shiners and try larger goldens or chubs for pike. On Lake Alice decent numbers of both large and smallmouth bass are being taken, mostly on the upper reaches of the lake. The crappie and bluegill bite is also improving. At Oak Orchard, anglers fishing below the Waterport Dam are now required to wear life vests and a recent incident has limited access to this popular fishing site. Check for restrictions and respect property rights and stipulations when fishing this area. CHAUTAUQUA LAKE: Bass fishing runs fair to good for both largemouth and smallmouth bass. The largemouth bass action has cooled a little around docks but top water lures, weedless rigged power worms and wacky rigged senkos are still producing. Fishing with live bait (minnows, crayfish, leeches) outside the weed edge or dropping jig and pig combination in the pockets are also productive methods. For smallmouth, fish a bit deeper in 10 to 15 feet of water with tubes or a drop-shot rig outfitted with a crayfish or shiner. Smallmouth bass have been in deep holes off shallower rocky points but they are now moving up onto the points at Lakewood Bar, Warner Bar, Maple Springs and Long Point. Rock and Grass islands in the lower basin are other good spots. Try casting a black and silver crankbait into the shallows and work it back into the deeper waters. Muskie action should continue to improve as waters start to cool down. Anglers are picking up good numbers by casting bucktail jigs and large perch-colored stick baits over weed beds in Dewittville and Bemus Bays and between the Bell Tower at Chautauqua Institution and Long Point and from Prendergast Point to Mayville. Trolling for big muskies has been working in 15-30 feet. Targeting areas with weed edges and deep drop offs has been producing. Good trolling lures include perch pattern crankbaits, large jointed stickbaits, hot-n-tots and bucktail trolling spinners. Walleye fishing has been fair to good working No. 11 jointed Rapalas or similar stickbaits in 8-20 feet of water around weed edges and around the deeper 25 – 45 foot holes. At the deeper spots vertical jigging with spoons, jigging Rapalas or medium sized shiners are good tactics. Nighttime has been best for boaters trolling outside weed edges with stickbaits and worm harnesses and for shore anglers casting stickbaits. A few walleye have also been taken during the day by anglers jigging a bit deeper off weed edges. Try jigging for them with spoons, Rapalas, blade baits or shiners. The trusty jig tipped with a crawler can also produce an ’eye for you. Better spots have been the deep holes of the north basin, off Long Point State Park, around Upper Dewittville Bay and off Lighthouse Point. There are still some smaller crappie schools around, but anglers have had to search for them. Focus on areas of 6-12 feet of water in sheltered bays or near reefs and sunken islands. Jig heads (1/32 and 1/64 ounce) with one inch tubes, with or without a minnow, are good bets. One angler’s suggestion – use a 2 1/2 gulp minnow threaded right through the nose on a small tube jig head, with an opened hook gap. Best areas for crappie continue to be around Mayville, Rock and Grass islands, Lakewood Bar, Ashville Bay and Burtis Bay. Perch and bluegills are being picked up in narrows between the Bridge and Ferry on the Stow side in 6-10 feet under a bobber, tipped off with a nightcrawler. Try the sheltered bays of the north basin or throughout the south basin. Worms and wax worms work great for sunfish. Bullhead are hitting well in the canals and along shoreline areas. Worms, leeches or chicken livers fished on the bottom at night, works well for bullhead. A website provides periodic updated photos of the Bay. Go to wunderground/webcams/towerclimber/1/show.html. WESTERN TROUT STREAMS: All of the areas trout streams are in fair to good fishing shape with moderate to slightly lower flows. Terrestrials such as ant dry flies, foam beetles, grasshopper and cricket patterns will take trout. Fish these patterns on a dead drift, giving a slight twitch every now and again to imitate a struggling insect. Productive offerings for spinning anglers include worms, salted minnows and small inline spinners. If you are a catch-and-release angler and use spinners, it is a good practice to outfit your spinners with a single hook rather than a treble hook. The approach you take to the stream can dramatically affect your catch rate. Trout can see the movement of an angler and hide before the angler even realizes he/she is close to a fish. The wise angler will take a tip from his hunting buddies and wear at least a camouflage hat and vest. In fact, it’s a good idea to wear camouflage clothing when fishing year round. In the thin water of autumn, it is important to not only wear camouflage but also creep into position and cast while kneeling to hide from the wary trout. The DEC Randolph Fish Hatchery completed their annual fall stocking of broodstock trout. In addition to various lakes and ponds they also stocked the Genesee River (Wellsville to PA border) with100 rainbow trout (14 inch) and 100 rainbow trout (22 inch). Western New York anglers have a variety of Wild Trout Streams and Stocked Trout Streams to choose from. In addition, Public Fishing Rights Maps are available for many of the areas best trout streams. SILVER LAKE: Working the weed beds is a good start for bluegill, perch and some crappie. Some days provide non-stop action on bluegills and on others action is slow. Most fish are small but reports have some sizeable bluegills included. There are some reports of fair bass action but no details. Minnow schools have been hit hard and many lakes have mainly pinheads and smaller minnow stock left in the shallows. Crayfish have either been picked over or are now holing up in cooling water. Same can be said for hellgrammites, oak leaf grubs and other tasty bug life that serve as forage for both panfish and bigger game fish along shoreline shallows of big bays and lakes with structural drop-offs and distinct shallow and deep areas where fish can school and do their fall feeding. Live bait and artificials all work; flies can be deadly at any depth. While panfish move into shoreline shallows and often hit poppers (cork-bodied flies) and anything minnow-like near the surface, the fall bite usually shows a bit deeper. Flies resembling bugs bug panfish more than minnow patterns such as a muddler or anything with long white or yellow feathering or tinsel bodies. Perch, bluegill and crappie might be schooling anywhere from mid-lake depths to weed edges close enough for wading or shore casting. Check out as many depths as possible as autumn water temperatures slowly drop and fish begin schooling and feeding in different patterns than were seen during warm summer days. (Reports are needed. Use our contact page.) CONESUS LAKE: The lake has been fishing well for bass with the eastern shore showing the better smallmouth bite. A mix of baits has been working. Jig and pig, creature baits, drop shotting and just about any other method will fool the largemouth. Colors vary according to the water clarity. Watermelon Red, Kudzu, and Green pumpkin have been very good. Weather conditions and the amount of natural light can determine where the fish position, so pay attention and adjust your bait presentation accordingly. Pike have been active at the south end, hitting sucker chubs all hours of the day. For lake conditions at the north end check out conesuscam/links.htm#. Minnow schools have been hit hard and many lakes have mainly pinheads and smaller minnow stock left in the shallows. Crayfish have either been picked over or are now holing up in cooling water. Same can be said for hellgrammites, oak leaf grubs and other tasty bug life that serve as forage for both panfish and bigger game fish along shoreline shallows of big bays and lakes with structural drop-offs and distinct shallow and deep areas where fish can school and do their fall feeding. Live bait and artificials all work; flies can be deadly at any depth. While panfish move into shoreline shallows and often hit poppers (cork-bodied flies) and anything minnow-like near the surface, the fall bite usually shows a bit deeper. Flies resembling bugs bug panfish more than minnow patterns such as a muddler or anything with long white or yellow feathering or tinsel bodies. Perch, bluegill and crappie might be schooling anywhere from mid-lake depths to weed edges close enough for wading or shore casting. Check out as many depths as possible as autumn water temperatures slowly drop and fish begin schooling and feeding in different patterns than were seen during warm summer days. (Reports are needed. Use our contact page.) HEMLOCK LAKE: Lots of bass and bluegills being seen in the shallows but the bite is slow. A few bass are being picked up on plastics fished in the grass in 12 to 18 fow. A suggestion for trout is to fish the 20 to 50 fow level with medium spoons in black and glow, purple, hot pink or orange crush. Try for the browns and rainbows up higher and the lakers lower. Try trolling at 2 – 2.5 mph. (Reports are needed. Use our contact page.) CANADICE LAKE: Try for lakers trolling at 80-90 feet flat lining off planer boards using firetiger stickbaits. Some are being found shallower. A suggestion for the browns and rainbows is to fish the 20 to 50 fow level with medium spoons in black and glow, purple, hot pink or orange crush. (Reports are needed. Use our contact page.) HONEOYE LAKE: The walleye bite has slowed from a month ago but fish are still being caught. Trollers and drifters are moving slowly with bottom-bouncing rigs rigged with small worm harnesses; depths as shallow as 15 feet can hold ’eye schools. You can also try jigging in about 10 fow with chartreuse jigs and spinner jig heads. The bass fishing has been on and off for anglers. Try the 6-8 foot depth range. Move in and out until you find their desired depth on a particular day. Some days, that depth will change quickly as the water warms up after a cool night. One report had “wacky rigged Zoom trick worms” doing well. If the bite slows or stops, switch to a Texas rigged worm or baby brush hog. As the water cools more, flip the thicker weeds or downsize and throw 4 inch worms or french fries. If water conditions are murky use baits that make some vibration or noise and your catch rate should increase. Give baits and presentations time to work, but if you dont catch fish, change color, presentations and last locations. Larger panfish were reported being caught on small jig spinners, similar to the Beetle Spin. The key to triggering a bite was to retrieve the bait very, very slowly. Minnow schools have been hit hard and many lakes have mainly pinheads and smaller minnow stock left in the shallows. Crayfish have either been picked over or are now holing up in cooling water. Same can be said for hellgrammites, oak leaf grubs and other tasty bug life that serve as forage for both panfish and bigger game fish along shoreline shallows of big bays and lakes with structural drop-offs and distinct shallow and deep areas where fish can school and do their fall feeding. Live bait and artificials all work; flies can be deadly at any depth. While panfish move into shoreline shallows and often hit poppers (cork-bodied flies) and anything minnow-like near the surface, the fall bite usually shows a bit deeper. Flies resembling bugs bug panfish more than minnow patterns such as a muddler or anything with long white or yellow feathering or tinsel bodies. Perch, bluegill and crappie might be schooling anywhere from mid-lake depths to weed edges close enough for wading or shore casting. Check out as many depths as possible as autumn water temperatures slowly drop and fish begin schooling and feeding in different patterns than were seen during warm summer days. (Reports are needed. Use our contact page.) CANANDAIGUA LAKE: Overall, fishing remains slow on the lake. Try trolling spoons or flasher and flies for lakers and a few rainbows at 40 to 80 feet over a 100 to 200 foot bottom. Jigging blade baits and spoons at 100 feet also is reported to be working. Trolling at 30 feet is working for rainbows. The bass have been active. The water is clear, and it helps to make long casts to your targeted area. Several baits have been effective, especially wacky rigged Zoom Trick Worms. Colors varied with light conditions. Use darker baits under low light and more colorful baits when it was sunny. Keep your boat moving until you find fish, then work the area slowly. Yellow perch and bluegills were hitting in shallow water for anglers using minnows and small jigs. Try fishing either the north or south ends in about 12-16 feet of water using worms as bait. Jig it vertically from the bottom to about 1 foot off the bottom. Pickerel were hitting on stick-baits and J-plugs while trolling in 10-15 fow on the south end. Green and white were working colors. (Reports are needed. Use our contact page.) WANETA/LAMOKA LAKES: Try for bluegills using worms, rubber worms, crabs and spinnerbaits. Also try for yellow perch with minnows fished in 15 fow. Crappies are hitting small minnows and jigs in the canal between the lakes. On Lamoka Lake fishing is slow. For best results try a bobber at about 3 feet up while fishing in 6 fow. Pickerel action ranges is fair. Cast and retrieve an orange spinner jig head with a green or yellow jig. Size depends on depth. For best results try 8 fow and work your way out to 14. Some musky have been caught by trolling large stickbaits in 10 to 20 feet of water. Check out the Waneta Web Cam wanetawebcam/. (Reports are needed. Use our contact page.) KEUKA LAKE: Vertical jigging is the best approach for lake trout and action has been improving. Best depths has been 80 to 115 feet off the Bluff or in the Branchport arm of the lake and from 50 feet down to 10 feet off bottom at the south end. Trolling depths are 50 – 80 feet down for the lake trout. Flasher and flies, or spoons are both producing fish but the bite has slowed. Green and silver are good colors. Some Atlantics and rainbows are showing up at 40-55 feet. Try the north ends for perch and bass. Some large rockbass have also been caught. (Reports are needed. Use our contact page.) SENECA LAKE: When the weather cooperates look for fair to good lake trout fishing on the lake. Try trolling in 40 to 80 fow over a 80 to 200 foot bottom, with flasher-flys in green or white, stickbaits or black and purple spoons. Running Dipseys back 200 to 250 feet is a good starting point. Fluorescent rainbow trout, silver, orange/silver and silver/green have also been productive spoon colors. You can also try jigging for lakers with a Swedish Pimple or a large spoon in the north portion of the lake, along the west side, off the points in 60 – 90 fow. Some anglers are recommending using 1 1/2 oz jig heads with white Swim Fishes at 85 - 120 fow. Some browns, rainbows and Atlantic salmon were hitting stickbaits, streamers and spoons trolled near surface down to 65 feet. Good colors to try silver and black, silver and blue or silver and chartreuse. Shore anglers were getting brown trout just before dark on live bait and also on stickbaits fished near the surface. Reminder: catch limit on western Finger Lakes, beginning with Seneca Lake, is one rainbow a day. Yellow perch are being caught around the lake on small minnows or worms fished in the 20 - 55 foot range. Also try 2 clear/chartreuse lures. Avacado Glitter SBGG88 was a specific color mentioned. Better action spots are around Severne and Sampson State Park. Casters working from shore or along the shallows with boats, are also finding some monster sunfish. Pike action is fair to good with them hitting spoons. The north end of Seneca is a good spot for bass in 12 to 20 fow. Try crankbaits, tube jigs, plastic stick worms and drop-shot rigs. Pumpkin green and watermelon are good colors for plastics. On the Seneca River smallmouth bass fishing, particularly around Horseshoe Island, is hot this week. Try medium-sized minnows. You might even hook a tiger muskie in the process. CAYUGA LAKE: Anglers trolling 50 to 90 feet down are getting some lake trout and a few rainbow and brown trout. Darker colored spoons seem to be working better than flasher and flies lately. A variety of methods are being used to get lures down, such as using wire with divers (200 feet back), copper (300 feet back), lead-core and down riggers. Vertical jigging is also producing fish in 50 to 95 foot of water with a variety of plastics working. Michigan Stingers (smelt pattern) is a specific lure reported effective both trolling and drifting. Green has been a hot color for the lakers. Better spots were off Taughannock Point and Milliken. Some perch are hitting in the Union Springs/Frontenac Island area. Fatheads and plastics working are working depending upon the day. Fish predominately in 18 - 30 feet of water with green Mr. Twisters. Largemouth bass are being found around the lake along outside weed edges. Best tactics included chatterbaits, senkos and jigs. Go a little deeper - 15 to 20 feet. Some good pickerel fishing can also be found on the lake. SKANEATELES LAKE: Smallmouth bass fishing is rated fair with fish being found shallower then they have been, with 10 to 25 foot being a good depth range to try. Try near shore with topwaters, and stick worms (some examples are Senkos, Stik-Os and Yum Dingers). If that doesnt work try moving deeper with drop-shot rigs, tube jigs or crayfish. Rock bass are also hitting for anglers targetting smallmouths. Yellow perch are being found in 15 to 30 fow. Day to day preference varies – plastics or small minnows, so be prepared with small minnows. Some nice catches of perch, sunfish and bullhead have been reported from the southern end. Some lake trout and rainbow trout are being found 35 to 65 feet down over 100 - 200 feet of water. Trolling with small spoons is working. Shore anglers are catching some rainbow trout on the south end fishing a worm under a bobber in 10 to 30 foot of water. You can also try marshmallows. (Reports are needed. Use our contact page.) OWASCO LAKE: Jigging is producing lake trout in 60 to 90 feet of water. It varies by day on whether plastics or spoons are working better, so give both a try. Lake trout, and occasional rainbows, are also being taken by anglers trolling spoons 40 to 75 feet down over 90 to 150 feet of water. A variety of methods are working to get baits down: wire with divers, copper (300 feet has been a good starting point) and down riggers. Rainbow action is reported on bright colored spoons on lead core line and riggers fished around the thermocline. Both the north and south ends are producing fish. One angler suggested launching at Emerson Park, at the north end, and then trolling south at about 40-75 ft down over whatever with medium/small spoons off downriggers and also flashers and spinners/fly off dipseys trolled at a medium fast 2.5-3.0 speed. You should connect with rainbows and lakers at the least. If you fish Seth Green rigs dont be afraid to troll right down the middle of the lake with a mixture of spoon sizes. Try drifting the weed line in 5-20 fow for perch and gills using sonars and harnesses. A dropshot rig with a small Berkley gulp minnow has been working on perch in 25-35 fow. Live fathead minnows work too. Smallmouth bass and rock bass are hitting tube jigs and drop-shot rigs fished in 10 to 35 feet of water. Bullhead action continues at the southern end for anglers using night crawlers and live crabs during evening hours. Good pike action is reported but no details. (Reports are needed. Use our contact page.) OTISCO LAKE: Bass anglers are having some success in 15 to 25 fow, using shallow diving crankbaits and a variety of plastics on the north end. Anglers have also been getting some tiger musky, on spinnerbaits, swimbaits and/or 4 to 5 shiners, in addition to the above mentioned baits, at the north end of the lake. Walleye are being taken by anglers trolling stick baits 15 to 25 feet down after dark. Also some are hitting for anglers casting stickbaits from shore after dark, however, aquatic vegetation makes shore casting more difficult. The lake is being drawn down, so use caution when boating. (Reports are needed. Use our contact page.) EASTERN TROUT STREAMS: Fly anglers can try the appropriate imitation dry flies or sub-surface with nymphs such as stoneflies, hares ear, pheasant tails and caddisflies. Offerings for spinning anglers include worms, salted minnows and small inline spinners. If you are a catch-and-release angler and use spinners, it is a good practice to outfit your spinners with a single hook rather than a treble hook. Some of the Finger Lakes tribs have a few brown trout. The approach you take to the stream can dramatically affect your catch rate. Trout can see the movement of an angler and hide before the angler even realizes he/she is close to a fish. The wise angler will take a tip from his hunting buddies and wear at least a camouflage hat and vest. In fact, it’s a good idea to wear camouflage clothing when fishing year round. In the thin water of autumn, it is important to not only wear camouflage but also creep into position and cast while kneeling to hide from the wary trout. New York anglers have a variety of Wild Trout Streams and Stocked Trout Streams to choose from. In addition, Public Fishing Rights Maps are available for many of the areas best trout streams. WHITNEY POINT RESERVOIR: Walleye action continues at a fair pace around the islands on the reservoir. Decent numbers but not many of legal size (18 inches). Try drifting with worms or minnows or using bucktail jigs, twister tails, and crankbaits. Tipping jigs with nightcrawler or leeches has increased success. Some white crappie and bluegills are being taken on small minnows and jigs fished near shore. A few yellow perch are hitting on fathead minnows. Smallmouth bass fishing has been fair along shore with stick worms, crankbaits, jigs and crayfish all working. (Reports are needed. Use our contact page.) SANDY POND: The weeds on the pond are thick making it difficult to fish. The northern pike bite continues at a slow pace. Trolling is difficult in the weedy conditions so plastics or floating a minnow under a bobber are good applications to try. Walleyes are spotty. Worm harnesses, crankbaits and jigging with bucktail jigs tipped with a worm take some fish. Live minnows under a float and small light jigs under a casting bobber are working for crappie. Look for fair largemouth bass action. Early and later in the day seem to be the most productive times. For bullhead try evening fishing from shore with worms and leeches. (Reports are needed. Use our contact page.) ONONDAGA LAKE: Honeywell is dredging the lakes southern end for contaminants - a project expected to be finished this year and finished off with a cap of clay, sand and gravel by 2016. The area is a major spawning area for smallmouth and largemouth bass. Fishing in areas that arent being dredged is reported to be good. One angler reports catching about 50 smallmouth bass in a couple of hours. Many were in the 3-, 4- and 5-pound range. Its also not uncommon for anglers to catch large tiger muskies, walleyes - even brown trout. Other fish species present are bluegill; pumpkinseed; yellow perch; common carp; channel catfish; brown bullhead and crappie. (Reports are needed. Use our contact page.) ONEIDA LAKE: The strong winds and rain again made fishing difficult this week, but the shore walleye bite is improving. Casting stickbaits (minnow imitating plugs like Rapalas or Thunderstiks) or crankbaits (Shad Raps) just before and after dark is producing walleye. They are also being taken on bucktail jigs tipped with nightcrawlers. If trolling try stick baits, jigging blade baits (gold or fire-tiger) or worm harnesses in 20 to 40 foot of water. Best bets are stickbaits, such as a floating Rapala (Nos. 9 and 11) and Shad Raps (Nos. 5 and 7 -- the shallow divers). Reports vary on the degree of the bite. The walleye are feeding on small yellow perch so fishing small perch colored baits should be good. Bass fishing has been hot and cold for anglers fishing around the shoals with drop-shot rigs or tube baits. Fishing spinnerbaits or chatterbaits in 2 to 12 feet of water is also working for bass. Chain pickerel fishing has also been good on the lake. Toss out anything flashy and you should catch fish. The perch action has improved. Fish in 10 to 15 feet of water using fathead minnows or jigs tipped with a piece of worm, spikes or a small crayfish. One suggestion received – Fish around the islands, using dropshots and fathead minnows or just worms in about 12 feet of water. Reports have some nice perch being caught near Chapman Park in about 14 feet of water. The docks are still in at the DEC launch, but are planned to be pulled by 11/13. The Lewis Point Fishing Access Site opened on October 15th. This is an excellent spot to cast from shore at night. Please be respectful of the private property by not driving on the grass or leaving garbage. Future use is not a guarantee. LAKE ONTARIO - EAST: Lake fishing is about wound. You can still catch trout/salmon close to shore especially at the mouths of tributaries. Look for salmon in 20 to 90 foot of water around river mouths. Flasher flies, like our locally produced A-Tom-Mik flies, have been enticing the larger fish to bite. NKs, Stingers, Dreamweavers and cutbait are also working. All the colors in the spectrum are working but green is preferred. Some fish are also being taken by anglers casting glow in the dark spoons off piers after dark. Plugs have started to come on lately so don’t be afraid to throw one out! Bass should be in more shallow water, 8-12 foot range. Soft shell crabs, bass minnows, nightcrawlers, crankbaits and plastic worms should work well. LAKE ONTARIO – EAST - TRIBS: Look for some action but with mainly warm water species. A little more water is now in the tribs. Not the flow that is desired, however they are at least fishable. A few trout have entered Maxwell, Furnace and Bear Creeks but only a few because of low water levels. Rain is needed to trigger some additional action. On Maxwell, throw out egg sacs on the north side of Lake Road. Some browns were caught this past weekend and a few salmon hit the sacs. You can also walk the path to the lake and cast out near the mouth. The lake level is low and there is plenty of shoreline for fishing. WAYNE COUNTY BAYS: While waiting for rain and the autumn salmon/trout run you can easily cast into the channels at Port and Sodus Bays. Some big fish come out of the water from pier fishing. Use braided line and a nice stiff rod and cast “Cleos” out in the channel. Bass fishing remains fair to good on the bays and very little competition from other anglers. Start shallow and work out towards the outside weed edges. Try spinnerbaits, buzz baits and stick worms (some examples are Senkos, Stik-Os, and Yum Dingers). Out deeper try fishing dropshot rigs with fatheads and bass shiners. Small minnows and plastic grubs have been working well for yellow perch in both bays. The north ends of both bays are a good place to start. On Sodus Bay some pike are still roaming near the islands. Fish the pike with spoons or still fish with minnows. Crappies and rockbass are suspended close to shore in 15 feet of water and bullheads are hitting near the south end of the bay. Port Bay has action on crappie, bluegills, perch and bullheads around the bay especially off the points and drop-offs. Work the 3-5 foot level with red/white, 1-1.5 inch jigs under a bobber. Fish near the reeds. Nice largemouth are being caught in Port and Blind Sodus Bays using some rubber shads. Little Sodus reports mixed results on nice lake run perch. The water level in the bays is low which occurs every season. Be careful when you launch and watch out for shallow spots in the bays. You can also fish for nice bass, crappies and bluegills along with pike and catfish near the Widewaters of the Erie Canal. The cats like the deeper pools. Cast out cut bait or dough balls and prepare for a great fight. Some nice walleye are also being caught in Lyons and Palmyra sections of the canal. Jig for them with purple buck tails. Put a piece of worm on the end. You can launch at Clyde or Newark or fish along the shoreline. The canal will lower the water the second week in November but the Widewaters remains the same level all year. Wayne County offers a Fishing Brochure which features where to go, what to use, and what to catch. Call 1-800-527-6510 for a free fishing packet, including the new brochure. MONROE COUNTY WATERS: No reports on Cranberry Pond and Buck Pond but there are some reports of perch on Long Pond. Irondequoit Bay reports bass fishing is slow, but fishing spinnerbaits in 15-20 feet of water has been working. Though fewer bass are being caught, the ones being caught have been nice sized. Yellow perch are being found in 25-30 foot of water and are hitting on minnows. Northern pike are hitting on spinnerbaits, spoons and minnows. (Reports are needed. Use our contact page.) SALMON RIVER: Steelhead fishing has been good in the lower and mid-section of the river, while some salmon (Chinook and coho) are still being taken in the mid-to-upper sections of the river. During the past week several nice Atlantic salmon have also been caught in the river. Egg imitating flies and plastics, and streamers are working. Most of the steelhead action is taking place in the lower and mid-river areas with egg sacs working well. In the estuary there’s a decent bite going on in 10-30 feet of water off the river mouth. Egg patterns, egg-imitating plastics, wooly buggers and blue egg sacs are a good bet. Anglers have reported getting into some kings, cohos and trout in the Upper and Lower Fly Zone. Single egg patterns, stoneflies and woolly buggers have produced steady results in the fly zones. Other reports come from Town, Sportsman and Trestle Pools, along with the estuary, Black Hole, Ellis Cove and Schoolhouse. One recommendation received is to fish the largest, deepest, major holes from the top of the river to the bottom and try to stay in the fast water or fish the lower river and hope for a good run of fresh salmon. During bright sunny days fishing early and late in the day produces more action. Quite a few fishermen reported double digit success on steelhead! Some lunker smallmouth bass are also being caught in the deep holes and occasionally anglers catch an Atlantic salmon. OSWEGO RIVER: There is a variety of fish in the river including some salmon (numbers starting to drop), steelhead, rainbows and brown trout and catches are reported throughout. A couple of Atlantic salmon have been reportedly caught as well. Try egg sacs, egg imitating plastics (Trickem beads in Ontari-roe, honey UV orange and tangerine roe), skein under a float, Hot-N-Tots, deep-diving Jr. Thundersticks, woolly buggers and flies. One observation reported on the internet – “we can tell the difference between a steelhead and rainbow trout as soon as it’s hooked. A steelhead tends to run fast, take drag and is all over the river. Rainbows shake their head and come in real easy.” Bass can be found throughout the river and harbor. Crayfish, minnows, crankbaits and plastics will work. There are a good number of sheepshead/freshwater drum being taken with crayfish. Anglers are also finding panfish, catfish, and carp throughout the river. Remember the bridge to Leto Island is closed, and there are Mandatory Personal Flotation Device (PFD) zones on the Oswego River below the Varick Dam. For more information on the Brookfield Varick Fish Safely Brochure go to visitoswegocounty/wp-content/uploads/Brookfield-Varick-Fish-Safely-Brochure-FINAL9.11-lowres.pdf. OTHER WATERS: The Chemung, Chenango, Tioughnioga and Unadilla Rivers are fishable but reported action is slow. Walleye were hitting on hair jigs with brown or brown and orange working well. Tipping them with a piece of nightcrawler has also been helping. Fish near bottom. Channel catfish are hitting on cut-bait fished in the deeper holes. Smallmouth bass fishing has been slow on the rivers but should be picking up. Suggested baits would be crankbaits, tube jigs or crayfish. A few muskellunge are hitting on the Chenango for anglers using crankbaits or spinnerbaiits. Surplus Broodstock Trout Stocking: The DEC Randolph Fish Hatchery has been conducting their annual fall stocking of broodstock trout in Allegany and Cattaraugus Counties. All breeder trout stocked are over 2 years old and are stocked in waters where trout fishing is permitted year-round. The following waters were stocked: Quaker Lake 100 brown trout (24 inch) and 100 rainbow trout (28 inch); Red House Lake 190 brown trout (18-24 inch); Birch Run Ponds 25 brook trout (18 inch); Case Lake 150 brook trout (14 inch) and 75 rainbow trout (22 inch); Allen Lake 150 brook trout (14 inch) and 75 rainbow trout (22 inch); Harwood Lake 30 rainbow trout (30 inch) and 75 rainbow trout (22 inch); Genesee River (Wellsville to PA border) 100 rainbow trout (14 inch) and 100 rainbow trout (22 inch). >>))))*> THIS WEEK’S ANGLER EVENTS: (For complete future listings go to huntfishnyoutdoors/events.php) 8/9 – Field & Stream Workshops at the Field & Stream Stores at Big Flats Consumer Square, 830 County Route 64, Big Flats, NY and at Marketplace Mall, Henrietta, NY. The class schedule is 10:00 am – Cold Weather Layering Basics; 11:00 am – GoPro 101; 1:00 pm – Deer Processing 101: Jerky Making and Dehydrators: and 2:00 pm – Winter Camping Essentials. (For information call 607-739-8180 (Big Flats) or 585-456-1964 (Henrietta) 15/16 – Field & Stream Workshops at the Field & Stream Stores at Big Flats Consumer Square, 830 County Route 64, Big Flats, NY and at Marketplace Mall, Henrietta, NY. The class schedule is 10:00 am (Saturday Only) – Winter Day Hiking: What to Bring Along; 10:00 am (Sunday Only) – Fall Day Hiking: What to Bring Along; 11:00 am – Fall Brown Trout: Hot Spots and Gear: and 1:00 pm – Deer Processing 101: Sausage Making. (For information call 607-739-8180 (Big Flats) or 585-456-1964 (Henrietta)
Posted on: Fri, 07 Nov 2014 19:59:57 +0000