This report courtesy of the Oswego County Department of Community Development, Tourism and Planning.
Notice: Due to high water levels, a local state of emergency order for a “No Wake Zone” has been established for boats 1,000 feet from the Lake Ontario shoreline and tributaries. All motorized boats within 1,000 feet of the shoreline and within these waterways must operate at an idle speed.
Lake Ontario/Oswego River report:
According to Capt. Andy Grisenthwaite of Broad Horizons Charters:
On Saturday morning’s trip we started out salmon fishing but after a somewhat slow bite and boating a few salmon we decided to switch gears for browns. The size of the browns were a little better than other recent trips with fish of 10 and 11 pounds. My afternoon trip was determined to stay on kings and even though the bite felt a little slow, we ground out a good number of bites and boated some nice fish. For the salmon we worked depths from 150 to 300 FOW with moonshine spoons, Atomik meatrigs and flies on various attractors. Browns were in 50 FOW and eagerly bit stingray spoons on riggers and divers.
According to Capt. Tom Burke of Cold Steel Sportfishing Charters:
Last Wednesday was kid day on the Cold Steel! Lots of memories were made, smiles had and salmon were caught. Building the next generation of anglers one trip at a time! Atommik copper and meat rigs and Michigan Stinger flashers and spoons did the bulk of our damage in 120-160 FOW.
According to Oz Angling Tackle:
The river fishing conditions have improved since the water level dropped from 14,000 CFS a week ago. This morning it is flowing at 6,970 CFS. Some anglers have been able to wade at the Varick Dam and get into a mixed bag of fish including sheepshead, smallmouth bass, rockbass, longnose gar, carp, silver perch, bluegills, and channel cats. If you’re interested in catching a number of sheepshead, then using crayfish at the dam is the way to go! The same species are being caught downstream, except most of the walleyes seem to be hanging in the lower end of the river. Night crawlers on the bottom is the go-to method for targeting walleyes during the day. Casting big stickbaits from shore or trolling stickbaits from a boat is still effective at night.
Notice: The bridge to Leto Island is closed, and there are mandatory personal flotation device (PFD) zones on the river. For more information, visit our website at www.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, 35 E. Cayuga St., at 315-343-2161.
Salmon River report:
According to the Douglaston Salmon Run:
There was not much activity on the run over the last few days with the warm temperatures. Five clients were out on Friday but no significant numbers of fish were brought to hand. The flow has dropped to 185 CFS through midnight tonight.
Oneida Lake report:
Walleye are active from the shallow water out to about 30 FOW. Successful applications are jigging in the shallows and trolling worm harnesses and stickbaits in the deeper waters. Bass are being taken in about 5 to 15 FOW.
Sandy Pond report:
Conditions are about the same on the pond. Due to Lake Ontario’s high water level, the DEC North Sandy Pond boat launch is closed. With the high water we have not had many reports from the pond.
