Published: November 14, 2008 12:16 am      

FISH FORECAST: Deer season should free room for fisherman

1. Lake Ontario and Tributaries

With the opening of the Southern Zone regular deer season on Saturday, look for fishing pressure to drop off the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, fishing for salmon and trout at Burt Dam and 18 Mile Creek had slowed the past week. With a half-inch of rain in the forecast, that could be the perfect remedy to the fishing solution. Low, clear water has had a negative effect on fishing action the past week, especially below the dam. According to Wes Walker at The Slippery Sinker in Olcott, the best way to adapt to those conditions — in addition to downsizing your baits and tackle — is to fish some of the deeper pools below the trestle. Steelhead is the top target right now, along with a few browns. Some old spent king salmon are still swimming around and rain could bring in some fresh coho salmon, too. We usually get a fresh run of fish just before Thanksgiving when the conditions are right. Perch are still being caught in Olcott and Wilson harbors. You have to weed through the smaller fish and also deal with the Northern pike community, which seems to be expanding. Pier fishermen at both Wilson and Olcott have been picking up trout —steelhead and browns —by casting spoons, spinners or egg sacks.

2. Lower Niagara River

High winds last weekend brought murky water into the system, slowing the action right down. By Wednesday, anglers were picking trout back up again, with the fishing improving each day. Look for the weekend to be decent, unless the winds pick back up again. Water was starting to change on Thursday. Steelhead is still your top target, with egg sacks or Kwikfish the best baits to use. You’ll undoubtedly pick up some lake trout, too, but those fish aren’t legal until Jan. 1, 2009. Some brown trout are available in the lower drifts and on the Niagara Bar at the mouth. Shore fishermen along Artpark have been picking up some trout, too. Remember that when the water turns murky, shore fishermen seem to improve their chances by locating clear water along the shoreline. Egg sacks or egg imitations are the best baits to use.

3. Upper Niagara River

The trout fishing has been hot at the foot of Ferry Street according to Heidi at Big Catch. Spoons like Little Cleos or egg sacks are the way to go there. Pike have also been hitting regularly at the foot of Ontario. Use large live baits like large goldens or sucker chubs. They’ve also been picking up a few bass and perch in some of those same areas. Muskellunge fishing slowed with the murky water conditions earlier in the week, but just prior to that there was some increased activity. It should pick back up if the waters start to clear again, but wind and rain is in the forecast.

4. Lake Erie and tributaries

With the slug of rain being provided by Mother Nature as of this writing, look for Cattaraugus Creek to be high and muddy for a few days. However, the smaller tributaries should finally have some decent numbers of trout in them along with the medium-sized creeks as well. Smaller streams will clear first with egg sacks, egg imitations, nymphs, streamers, woolly buggers, spoons and spinners all options to use as baits or lures. If you can get out into the lake, perch are still cooperating for anglers off Cattaraugus Creek in 60-70 feet of water and off Sturgeon Point in 50-60 feet of water. Sturgeon Point Marina is closed. Ditto for the Small Boat Harbor in Buffalo. Bass are still an option in the lake, too, in 15-30 feet of water with shiners, tubes or plastics.

5. Chautauqua Lake

Perch are in the narrows between the Bridge and the Ferry according to Craig Robbins. Fish on the Stow side, outside the weed edges, in 8-10 feet of water. Your target area will be just off the bottom with nightcrawlers and a slip bobber. You’ll pick up a few crappie, too. For muskellunge, troll the northern basin of the lake from the Bell Tower at Chautauqua Institution to Wee Wan Chu Cottages outside the weeds with deep diving crankbaits in firetiger or black and silver. Speed should be between 3 and 4 mph. They’ve also been picking up some fish around the Prendergast launch.

6. Finger Lakes — Inland Waters

Honeoye Lake —Not too much to report in Honeoye or any of the surrounding lakes according to Dan Sharp at Honeoye Bait and Tackle. The rut has lured bowhunters into the woods and kept many of the fishermen off the lake. That could change with the opening of the regular season on Saturday. Fish are available but no one is fishing for them.

Oneida Lake —While the shoreline action for walleye is way off the mark this year, night time action with the 4-1⁄2 inch plastic Nitro Minnow in blue and silver or black and chrome has been the ticket for Capt. Tony Buffa and his customers. On Wednesday evening, they took a limit of 12 nice eyes in less than two hours of fishing, targeting 8 feet of water just west of Fremac Marine. The full moon helped their successful evening, with six fish over 20 inches in length.

7. Canada

Joe Montgomery of St. Catharines, Ontario sends word that he will be hosting his Fourth Annual Ice Fishing Seminar on Dec. 4 at the CAW Hall in St. Catharines starting at 6 p.m. The program will cover all aspects of ice fishing. Admission fee is $15 for adults; $12 for seniors. Children with a parent are free. For more information call 905-356-0303.

Bill Hilts Jr. is a past president of the New York State Outdoor Writers Association. Contact him at bhiltsjr69@cs.com.