Published: May 04, 2007 12:06 am      

FISH FINDER: Local fishing scene set to take off

The Lake Ontario Counties (LOC) Spring Trout and Salmon derby starts today, as does the Greater Lewiston Smelt Festival — and for once it’s perfect timing on the latter.

Throw in the opening of the Lake Erie trophy bass season, as well as the opening of northern pike, walleye, tiger musky (outside the Great Lakes) and pickerel, and you can see it won’t be easy making a decision as to what type of angling to take advantage of this fair-weather weekend. Good luck, in more ways than one!



1. Lake Ontario and tributaries

The Spring LOC Derby kicks off today. The good news is that they’re starting to catch some trout and salmon on Lake Ontario a bit more consistently as waters slowly start to warm. The bad news is that the best king salmon fishing is yet to come. Let’s hope it arrives before the derby is over. The derby continues through May 13.

Most of the water in the lake is still in the upper 30s, which means that the kings haven’t really turned on yet. That could change this weekend with temperatures up to 70 degrees being forecast on the local weather scene. A few stray kings were reported by Wes Walker at the Slipper Sinker in Olcott.

Don Harris of Gasport had the catch of the week, a 22-pound lake trout. Too bad it came a few days before the derby! Therein lies a lesson for fishermen wondering whether they should get in the contest — if you don’t you’re pretty much guaranteed a good fish!

The shoreline trolling for coho salmon and brown trout continues along the shore, with some of the better fishing right now between the microwave tower and AES Somerset. Perch fishing off the piers and in the harbor has been good in both Wilson and Olcott. Minnows are the best bait to use.

Some crappie are being reported, too, according to Ross Benton at Gander Mountain. There are still a few steelhead at Burt Dam. Egg sacks are a good bait to start with.

Bullhead are still hitting at night at Wilson. To the east, Point Breeze trollers have been heading west and fishing off Johnson Creek, according to Tom Danaher. Seeking out the warmer waters has produced a nice catch of cohos and browns with spoons the best bait to use.



2. Lower Niagara River

The smelt run kicked it up a notch this past week, just in time for the Greater Lewiston Smelt Festival. The Niagara River Anglers Association Smelt Fry starts at 6 p.m. today at Lewiston Landing. The smelt run has actually been good, according to reports. Trout fishing has been decent this past week. Steelhead and lake trout are both cooperating throughout the entire lower section of the river. Minnows, egg sacks and Kwikfish — in that order — are the baits to use.

The Niagara Bar has some nice lake trout still holding, with minnows the best bait. This area will probably be a hot spot this weekend because of the start of the Spring LOC Derby. There is a weigh station in Youngstown at the Grist Mill on Water Street.



3. Upper Niagara River

Trout should be cooperating at the foot of Ferry Street; perch and crappie should be hitting minnows around Grand Island. With the opening of northern pike season, look for decent action starting Saturday in the marinas around Grand Island.

Don’t rule out the little feeder creek mouths in the Erie Canal and Tonawanda Creek, either. Ross Benton at Gander Mountain reports that fishing has been good for trout in Ellicott Creek up to Williamsville.



4. Lake Erie and tributaries

Walleye and the special early trophy bass season opens Saturday and there are a few options to consider. For walleye, some recent DEC nettings at Dunkirk have shown many of the females have already spawned, so you’ll be encountering post spawn conditions for these fish. For bass, now that the ice is gone, look for some of the warmer waters for the most active fish. The Buffalo Harbor area is one that will heat up quickly now that the ice is gone. The first reports of perch fishing in the lake have come in and some boats did well off Cattaraugus Creek in 56 feet of water on emerald shiners.

Steelhead are on their way out in most of the tributaries, but anglers were still doing well at Cattaraugus Creek. That same spot is turning on for catfish, too. Nightcrawlers have worked best in the lower section of the creek.



5. Chautauqua Lake

Local anglers are excited over the walleye opener there and according to Craig Robbins, one of the best spots will be at Lighthouse Point off Mayville in 10-12 feet of water. Troll the weed edge toward the Bell Tower at Chautauqua Institution with a No. 12 Rapala and you should pick some fish up.

The catch-and-release bass fishing season continues and some nice fish have been caught around the islands with six-inch black worms or power craws. Spinnerbaits can also work first thing in the morning. You must use artificial lures for this part of the bass season. They’re also still picking up crappie between the narrows and the ferry with one-inch grubs, white with a pink tail.



6. Finger Lakes and inland waters

- Oneida Lake — This popular lake was good for walleye last year, so action should be hot and heavy for the opener Saturday. One area to target is the western end around Big Bay. Yellow perch fishing there has been good and anglers have sighted walleyes in the shallows there. Use minnows for the perch.

- Cayuga Lake — Taughannock Falls State Park and Milliken Station are still your two big hot spots from shore for salmon and trout. Casting out minnows or artificial lures are both working right now. The weed beds off Union Springs is producing some nice yellow perch right now. Use minnows.

- Honeoye Lake — Crappie fishing has been good in the shallows, from 4-to-9 feet of water, where the temperatures are a bit warmer, according to Dan Sharp at Honeoye Bait and Tackle. Minnows or wax worms are the best baits to use. You’ll also have some perch and bluegills mixed in.

- Conesus Lake — The northern pike opener is Saturday and you may have to do some searching. Look for the minnow schools, because they’ll be feeding on them.

- Canadice/Hemlock lakes — Both lakes are still producing some nice catches of trout. Best baits are spoons, spinners, bass minnows, blowing up worms with worm blowers and floating jig heads. You can catch them from shore or via trolling by boat. Crappies and perch are also hitting small minnows.