- Fishing Catching Details and Forecast (June 29, 2017)
Lake Ontario salmon fishing action continues to be very good … if Mother Nature will let you get out there. The weather has been crazy this year and there were some reports of water spouts earlier this week. Fish-Catching TV Show – Mark and Jake Romanack, with the Fishing 411 television show, had heard about the good salmon fishing and took a quick drive over from Michigan to film a show. They arrived on Monday and filmed Tuesday and Wednesday mornings to complete the episode. They caught a total of nine mature king salmon to 25 pounds plus a number of smaller salmon. Methods: downriggers, slide divers, lead core, copper. They caught fish on a variety of methods including downriggers down 65 to 75 feet over 100 to 150 feet of water just off the Niagara Bar; slide divers 120 feet back; 10 colors of lead core line; and 300 feet of copper line. Best speeds were 2.7 to 3.0 miles per hour on the surface. Be aware that there is a strong current out there in the lake that you may need to adjust to, probably related to the outflow of water through the St. Lawrence Seaway in an attempt to
lower more water from the lake. Water levels have started to come down, an encouraging sign – and just in time for the Summer Lake Ontario Counties Trout and Salmon Derby. That contest will run from June 30 to July 30. Get out there and catch a winning fish. Grand Prize is $10,000 for the largest salmon. Website is www.loc.org. Wilson and Olcott are also reporting good king catches. Derby time is a great time to get out there!
Lower Niagara River fishing is still moving right along. Moss was a little more prevalent on Tuesday morning after the storms on Monday afternoon. Hopefully that was just from the high winds. It was definitely fishable as a camera crew from China sampled the lower river fishing action. Capt. Frank Campbell of Niagara Falls was tossing spinnerbaits along the shoreline and picked up some smallmouth. Shiners and crayfish caught a mix of bass and sheepshead. Bass are available all to way to the Niagara Bar. Good news if you have a Canadian fishing license. Anglers no longer have to call into Canada Border Services Agency if they cross the international boundary. However, you still need a license and you must abide by the country’s bait regulations.
Upper Niagara River fishing has been good for bass and walleye. Bottom bounce a worm harness from a three-way rig at the head of the river or in front of Strawberry Island to take some nice ‘eyes. Smallmouth bass have been hitting shiners and crayfish. Mike Rzucidlo of Niagara Falls has been doing well on largemouth using plugs and spinnerbaits. Tube jigs will also work for bass. A few musky were caught the past week, but mostly on the smaller-side in the upper 30-inch or lower 40-inch range. Monster tubes caused some follows and hook-ups for Ryan Shea with Brookdog Fishing. Some nice steelhead were caught this week by customers of Capt. Chris Cinelli of Grand Island. Spinner and a worm did the trick around Strawberry Island.
In the Hooked on Fishing Tournament over the free fishing weekend in the Erie Canal, some impressive fish came to the scales. Robert Grant reeled in a 6.25 pound bass; Dan Phelps hauled in a 4.28 pound pike; Mike Boncore weighed in a one pound perch; Matt Steffan out-dueled a 20 pound carp; and Dominic DiNardo earned first place with a 4-pound channel catfish. A total of $3,000 was raised for the Boys and Girls Club of the Northtowns to send kids to summer camp.
Next contest coming up is the 27th Annual Erie Canal Fishing Derby, set for July 5 to 16. Get all of the details at www.eriecanalderby.com. Seven species categories, 50 tagged fish and a 50 mile boundary from the Niagara River to Albion. There is even a family registration for just $25. Get signed up today!
Bill Hilts, Jr., Outdoor Promotions Director
Destination Niagara USA, 10 Rainbow Blvd., Niagara Falls, NY USA, 14303
p: 716.282.8992 x.303| 1.877 FALLS US, f:716.285.0809
website | facebook | twitter | blog
Sportfishing has a $30 million annual economic impact in Niagara USA!