Syracuse.com - June 1-3: Walleye bite remains strong on Oneida Lake; good, catch-and release bass fishing opportunities in local lakes

[HuntingNY-News]

On Owasco Lake, anglers are catching perch on fathead minnows fishing in 10 to 15 feet, along with browns and rainbow trout fishing with minnows in about 25 feet of water halfway up the lake. CNY FISHING FORECAST Bait stores (list and map).Reminder: The regular bass season doesn’t open until June 16. INLAND TROUT STREAMSStreams across the area are low, clear and could use some rain. To find out how many trout (and what kind) are stocked in your favorite Onondaga County stream, call 689-0003. To hear the DEC’s weekly fishing report, which includes a list of which streams have been stocked in Region 7, call 607-753-1551.LAKE ONTARIOFishing has slowed down lately. Anglers report catching lake trout out in 120 feet of water on the bottom, using cowbells (a series of flashers) with peanut rigs ( floating jighead, with beads and a treble hook).SALMON RIVER Water has gone up recently. A few smallmouth are being caught and released in lower end, with an occasional sighting of a Skamania or an Atlantic salmon.OSWEGO RIVERWalleye are hitting nightcrawlers, leeches, bucktail jigs and large stickbaits. Sheepshead and rock bass are active throughout the river with crayfish or worms working.ONEIDA LAKEWalleye fishing continues to be good. Many anglers are getting up early, fishing with bucktail jigs tipped with night crawlers and limiting out. The fish are scattered throughout the lake. It’s getting time to start trolling or drifting with worm harnesses. Meanwhile, catch-and-release bass angling on the lake and the Oneida River is producing a lot of fish.CROSS LAKE/SENECA RIVERNorthern pike fishing continues to be slow, but anglers are catching lots of panfish and catfish on the lake. Nothing to report from the river.CAYUGA LAKEAnglers trolling are getting lake trout, brown trout and Atlantic salmon. Lake trout are coming on flasher and fly rigs fished in 150 to 180 feet of water. Fishing stickbaits or spoons from the surface down to 30 feet, in 40 to 100 feet of water is still working for brown trout and Atlantic salmon. Lake trout jigging is good with fish ranging from around 50 feet out to 150 feet of water.SENECA LAKEAtlantic salmon and brown trout fishing continues to be good fishing 15 to 20 feet down. Spoons fished off Dipsey Divers have been working well. Lake trout fishing has been good for anglers trolling flasher/flies or spoons with downriggers. Lakers are near bottom over a wide variety of depths ranging from 40 to 120 feet.OWASCO LAKEAnglers are catching perch on fathead minnows fishing in 10 to 15 feet, along with browns and rainbow trout fishing with minnows in about 25 feet of water, halfway up the lake. Bullhead bite from bite is pretty much over.OTISCO LAKEBass fishing has been good for anglers getting out for the catch-and-release season with jigs working well. An occasional tiger muskie is being taken around the lake on minnows, and a few walleye are being taken off the causeway and other locations off shore after dark.SKANEATELES LAKEBass fishing along the shore has been good with plastics, remember its catch and release only until June 16. Perch are still hitting in the north end of the lake in the 20- to 30- foot range using small minnows.SODUS BAYBoat and pier anglers have been doing well on perch using small minnows. Most perch are still being caught in less than 10 feet of water.SANDY PONDNorthern pike fishing has been good and fish are being taken on Rapalas and spinnerbaits. Walleye fishing has been slow on the pond.ST. LAWRENCE RIVERThe river water is warming up and the northern pike have started moving to deeper water. Try a Rapala Husky Jig or a bucktail jig in about 15 to 25 feet. Perch are in same depth. Try fathead minnows. Reports of some 15 to 16 inchers being caught.WHITNEY POINT RESERVOIRReservoir is clearing up and fishing continues to get better. Lots of walleyes continue to be caught by anglers trolling with night-crawler harnesses and drifting with jigs tipped with night crawlers. Anglers fishing from the shore have been cashing in with night crawlers and leeches as well.

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