Syracuse.com - Jan. 25-27: Ice fishing season resumes thanks to cold snap

[HuntingNY-News]

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At midweek, all of Oneida Lake's north shore was unfishable because of the large amount of snow on the water. The snow insulates the ice and slows its formation. The south shore, has seen a few ice fishermen out taking advantage of 4 inches ice and not as much snow.

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<p><strong>CNY FISHING FORECAST</strong></p>

<p><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=100355764367821392533.00048c1449e56444f07e7&z=7">Bait stores (list and map).</a></p>

<p> <br /><strong>SALMON RIVER</strong> <br />The steelhead bite continues to be good for steelhead and brown trout. With the cold snap, though, there’s a lot of slush in the river. Good baits continue to be egg sacs (blue, pink, white or chartreuse mesh), trout beads, pink worms and stonefly patterns.</p>

<p><strong>OSWEGO RIVER</strong> <br />Anglers continue to fish off shore behind the hotels downtown. They’re using a variety of lures/baits including white bucktails, white jigs and egg sacs, along with plastic baits such as Sassy Shads (3 to 4 inches). Ice, though, may present a problem at any given time.<br /> <br /><strong>ONEIDA LAKE</strong> <br />At midweek, all the lake’s north shore was unfishable because of the large amount of snow. The snow insulates the ice and slows its formation. The south shore, though, extending toward Lewis Point, Chapman Park and Lower South Bay has seen a few ice fishermen out taking advantage of 4 inches ice and not as much snow. </p>

<p><strong>SENECA LAKE</strong> <br />Lot of perch being caught off the public pier in Watkins Glen. Anglers are using perch minnows, wax worms. They’re also getting a few rainbows using eggs and pike minnows off the rock wall, near the pier.</p>

<p><strong>SKANEATELES LAKE</strong><br />No reports yet of fishable ice.<br /> <br /><strong>CAYUGA LAKE</strong><br />Ice began forming at mid-week. Could be fishable by the weekend.</p>

<p><strong>OWASCO LAKE</strong> <br />Ice began forming at mid-week at the southern end. Could be fishable by the weekend.<br /> <br /><strong>CAZENOVIA LAKE</strong> <br />Anglers were out at mid-week. One report noted 4 to 5 inches of ice.</p>

<p><strong>OTISCO LAKE</strong> <br />Anglers were out at midweek. Reports of four inches of ice in places, with fishermen catching sunfish and tiger muskies.</p>

<p><strong>SODUS BAY</strong><br />Ice formed at mid-week. No reports on thickness.</p>

<p><strong>ST. LAWRENCE RIVER</strong> <br />There’s fishable ice throughout the river, with the exception of the channel. Anglers continue to fish for northern pike and perch. The Alexandria Bay Fire Department’s fishing derby is being held Saturday. For more call, 315-408-9351.<br /> <br /><strong>WHITNEY POINT RESERVOIR</strong> <br />The “pond area,” or the Dorchester Park side has about 5 to 6 inches of good ice. On the river side (the west side), there was about 3 ½ to 4 inches of ice at mid-week. Bottom line: the ice thickness varies. Be careful out there.</p>

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View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog