Syracuse.com - Sept 28-30: Salmon runs continue to draw anglers on Salmon/Oswego Rivers

[HuntingNY-News]

Oneida Lake anglers are focusing on perch, but it hasn’t been easy. They’ve been jigging with fathead minnows and jigs tipped with spikes or a piece of worm. No reports yet on any anglers having luck at night from shore fishing for walleyes with stickbaits.

CNY FISHING FORECAST

Bait stores (list and map).

LAKE ONTARIO

Salmon are still staging around river mouths, and the fishing activity has been in 60 feet of water. The lake fishing is slowing down, though, as more salmon make their way into the rivers. Flashers and flies and spoons are working, with white and green being good colors.

SALMON RIVER

The river remains low, but the fishing pressure is high as salmon and coho are now throughout the river. Reminder: The lower fly section is closed until Oct. 31. The upper fly section is open.

OSWEGO RIVER

There are salmon in the river, along with a few brown trout. The salmon activity has been better early and late in the day. Anglers should take note of the new mandatory personal flotation device zones on the river below the Varick Dam. Access to Leto Island is once again off limits.

ONEIDA LAKE

Anglers are focusing on perch, but it hasn’t been easy. They’ve been jigging with fathead minnows and jigs tipped with spikes or a piece of worm. No reports yet on any anglers having luck at night from shore fishing for walleyes with stickbaits. That should start soon.

CAYUGA LAKE

Fishing continues to be slow. Anglers are marking trout and salmon and a lot of bait but having little luck getting strikes. Fishing 80 to 110 feet down with flasher and flies continues to producing a few lake trout, along with vertical jigging in 80 to 100 feet of water. Bass fishing on the northern end remains a good bet. Try live crayfish or tube jigs, plastic stick worms and drop-shot rigs. Pumpkin green and watermelon are good colors for plastics.

SENECA LAKE

A few lake trout are hitting Spin Doctors and flies fished 70 to 90 feet down. Yellow perch fishing has been good off the pier in Watkins Glen with small minnows working. Perch are also being caught by the salt plant.

OWASCO LAKE

Vertical jigging with plastics in 75 to 100 feet of water has been producing lake trout on the north end. Bass fishing has also been good around the lake with tube jigs and drop-shot rigs working.

OTISCO LAKE

A few anglers are starting to try their luck at night, fishing from shore for walleyes with stickbaits. Apart from that, there’s no new fishing activity to report.

SKANEATELES LAKE

Bass fishing has been good along the shore with tube jigs, drop-shot rigs and spinnerbaits. Yellow perch and rock bass are also biting on the south end with small minnows or jigs working.

SODUS BAY

Northern pike are hitting on spoons and large spinners. Bass fishing continues to be good with spinnerbaits and a variety of plastics working. A few walleye are also being taken around the islands.

ST. LAWRENCE RIVER

Smallmouth bass are hitting on night crawlers. Perch are being caught on fathead minnows, fished as deep as 90 feet.

WHITNEY POINT RESERVOIR

The reservoir level is being drawn down to allow the Army Corps of Engineers to do needed work. The reservoir will be taken down as much as three inches a day during the next three weeks. It will make it hard for anglers to get their boats in and out.

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog