It’s a free fishing weekend on Saturday and Sunday. Take someone fishing – you don’t have to worry about obtaining a license for them. The Lake Ontario salmon and trout fishing is hot, perfect timing for the Lake Ontario Counties Summer Derby that starts Saturday.
Lake Ontario and tributaries
Fishing is outstanding from the Niagara Bar to Point Breeze to the east for salmon and trout. This is perfect timing for the start of the Summer Lake Ontario Counties Trout and Salmon Derby that kicks off Saturday. Find out details at loc.org. The grand prize salmon is worth $10,000 in cash. Local radio station WLVL (1340 AM) in Lockport held its fourth annual Lake Up Niagara and local captains Taz Morrison with West End Charters, Alan Sauerland with Instigator Charters and Matt Yablonsky with Wet Net Charters guided contest winners, sponsors and radio personalities to a morning of great salmon and trout fishing out of Wilson. Salmon up to 38 inches in length (awarded to John Eddy of Sanborn with the top prize) were caught during the event, including numerous coho salmon and steelhead in the same waters. Morrison, from Wilson, focused his attention a bit deeper, from 285 feet to 375 feet of water in the top 70 feet. His riggers were set at 40 feet, 55 feet and 70 feet, running all spoons for king salmon. He also ran free floating sliders and divers off the sides from 110 feet to 180 feet back. Every spoon was black and silver. One Seasick Wobbler didn’t have any paint left on, it had been hit so frequently. He also runs his 34-foot Cruisers a bit faster, keeping his speed from 2.8 mph to 3.2 mph.
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On the Niagara Bar, John Van Hoff of North Tonawanda got together with Kevin Guenther of Niagara Falls and Adam Gierach of Pendleton over the weekend and they enjoyed a banner day of salmon fishing on the drop-off from the Canadian line to 6 Mile to the east. Their biggest salmon was 18 pounds, and it was nonstop action. The most consistent fishing was in 90 feet to 120 feet of water, 60 feet to 80 feet down on the riggers with magnum spoons, regular-size spoons and flasher-fly combos. Green was the hot color of the day. Divers on a No. 2 setting, back from 180 to 220, were very productive.
Niagara River
In the Niagara River, moss is slowly becoming less of a factor in fishing some areas of the river, according to Capt. Frank Campbell of Lewiston. Walleye and bass are cooperating early on the up-river drifts before the water rises and moss moves in. Down river bass are the most responsive species with fish hitting crawfish on dropshots and Ned rigs dragged along the bottom in 10 feet to 25 feet of water, according to Campbell. There’s a kid’s derby from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Niagara River Anglers pond on Balmer Road in Youngstown. Call Paul Jackson at 998-8910 to register.
Lake Erie and tributaries
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Parker Costello of Lockport celebrated his birthday this week by catching this walleye in the Erie Canal.
Walleye fishing seems to be improving, moving east from Barcelona, last week’s hot bite. The water temperature in the lake is a record 73 degrees for this time of year. Capt. Nick Calandrelli of Lewiston headed straight out from Buffalo and caught 18 walleyes by 10 a.m. Tuesday. He fished in 50 feet to 60 feet of water, targeting suspended fish and fish on the bottom with worm harnesses. Color didn’t matter much, according to Calandrelli. The wind was a bit much for Steve Brzuszkiewicz of Marilla on Tuesday and he was relaxing just outside the South Gap in the harbor away from the wind. Trolling the bottom with his favorite firetiger worm rig in 32 feet of water, he caught enough walleyes for a dinner or two. Barcelona action is still hot for walleye. However, Capt. Jim Steel of Dream Catcher Sportfishing, says Dunkirk action has been challenging with recent wind events, storms and the Strawberry Moon. He has been mostly fishing west of Dunkirk, starting at 60 feet and then checking inside and outside that depth. The best bite is early morning or later in the day. He found one surface temperature over the weekend to be 76 degrees. The large migrating school of walleyes from the west should push east soon. Hopefully fish will cooperate for the WNY Heroes Fishing Day on Friday. A total of 33 boats are currently registered for this eighth annual event. Southtowns Walleye held its awards ceremony last Sunday. Check out the full story Sunday when some of the top catches will be recapped – including Tim Stone’s winning 10.70-pound winning walleye.
Chautauqua Lake
The walleye jigging bite has slowed with the pondweed dying off, reports Capt. Mike Sperry of Chautauqua Reel Outdoors. There are fish in small patches of green weeds but it’s tougher fishing than a few weeks ago. Worm harnesses on the weed edges of the north basin are working some. Daybreak is the time to be out there. Musky fishing is pretty good now. Sperry caught two over the weekend. Casting around remaining weeds on the south basin is working. Leo Jerkbaits, Hell Hound glide baits and bucktails are good casting options.
Finger Lakes
Keuka Lake: Lake trout jigging is slow, which is normal for late-June/July, reports Capt. John Gaulke of Finger Lakes Angling Zone. Bass fishing is excellent near shore with smallmouth, largemouth and chain pickerel around. Soft jerkbaits are a great bet, but top water and stick worms should be productive along with swimbaits.
Seneca Lake: Gaulke had some good fishing over the past week with fish well distributed from Sampson State Park north to Geneva. The best color was chartreuse for Gaulke. Fish hung from 50 feet to 85 feet of water.
Cayuga Lake: Thus far, the annual summer algae bloom has held off, which is good news according to Gaulke. Fishing has generally been good with fish well distributed throughout the lake trout water ranging from Ithaca to the north past Levanna. Fish are in a wide variety of depths, depending on water temperature. Some rainbows are in the mix lakewide, and salmon and browns can be caught in the southern third of the lake.