This report courtesy of the Oswego County Department of Community Development, Tourism and Planning.
Oswego River report:
The CFS was 3710 as of this morning.
The following report is courtesy of Captain Andy Bliss, of Chasin’ Tail Adventures Guide Service.
Typically, in April the steelhead fishing on the Oswego starts to wind down. Steelhead are in heavy spawn mode and they leave the river as soon as the water drops and warms up.
We have had relatively low water on the Oswego, but as of this morning, the water has gone up on the and so has the temperature. It will not be long and most of the trout will return to the lake.
Lots of smallies and brown trout in the lower river right now. A few steelhead are left in the system if you put it the time you will find them.
Beads in natural colors and jigs in the channel are still performing well. We recommend swim baits and blade baits down low.
The Following is a Year-Round Notice for the Oswego River: There are mandatory personal flotation device (PFD) zones on the river. For more information, visit our website at visitoswegocounty.com and click on the Fishing Report along the top bar on the home page. The Oswego Fire Department offers loaner life jackets at no charge through its “Loaner for Life” program. For more information contact the fire station at 35 E. Cayuga St. by calling 315-343-2161.
Click here for the Brookfield Varick Fish Safely brochure.
Click here for the current water flow.
Salmon River report:
The CFS was 530 at Pineville as of this morning.
The Water has been holding steady and we could really use some rain. Water temps have been in the low to mid 40s in the morning but rising into the low 50s on some of the sunny. However, we expect temperatures to cool down over the next week or so. Hopefully water temperatures will stay in the 40s and keep the fish around through the end of the month.
This following report is courtesy of Captain Troy Creasey, of High Adventure Sportfishing.
Steelhead have been dropping back out of the hatchery and the headwaters for a few weeks.
There are still a lot of fish on the gravel and as you get down into the middle and lower river they are holding in the deep fast pockets.
The key to finding fish is either working the spawning areas or concentrate your efforts at the heads and tails of the pools in the highly oxygenated water. The fish are either looking for food to come into the hole or drop out of the hole, don’t waste your time in the slow water where you’ll only catch stockers and creek chubs.
Our go to setups this week have been fishing beads under a float most days the best color has been a mottled orange or an Oregon cheese colored bead at 8 mm.
If you are fly fishing, egg patterns are probably the best but if you are working the spawning areas a big woolly bugger or egg sucking leech swinging through the gravel will entice the spawning fish to strike.
Lake Ontario report:
The following report is brought to you by Captain Eric King of Second Nature Sportfishing.
The much-awaited 2021 lake season is finally upon us. The sights, sounds and smells of the open water rejuvenate our spirits as we leave winter.
Starting the season off in the shallows of Lake Ontario marks the kick-off of a new year as we pursue brown trout on light tackle. Each season has its highs and lows, as well as its challenges. The 2021 trout season is proving to be no exception. This past winter, our region of New York received less than normal snowfall. Now that spring has arrived, we are seeing less rain than we are normally accustomed to having this time of year. Both factors combined have Lake Ontario water levels 2.5-3 feet below average. The low water levels and minimal run off have left crystal-clear water, making it more difficult to entice the easily spooked trout.
Finding the warmest, dirtiest water available along the shoreline is the key success. Once you locate it, perseverance is key. Reducing to 8-10lb fluorocarbon leaders is also critical. Utilizing planer boards with increased leads behind the boat from 125,’ to as much as 200,’ can improve the bite as well.
Natural bait color presentations, such as black and silver, or blue and silver stick baits seem to find favor in the current conditions. Our best spoons have been green glow alewife and diehard in the stinger size range. Goby patterns have generated a few bites too.
Once the mid-morning sun hits the water, the brown bite generally fizzles out. At which point we recommend heading offshore to 125-160 feet of water to seek out lake trout.
Cow bells in blue and silver, as well as chartreuse and green, have been taking lakers daily at GPS speeds of 1.8-2mph. We are in much need of rain and westerly winds to get us back on track in the shallows. One positive outlook is that we are seeing a decent amount of bait on the fish finders. Our catches have been stuffed with a variety of species, primarily alewives of all age classes. Seeing an abundance of bait leaves us very optimistic for the future. Good luck and tight lines to all!
missing or outdated ad config