Syracuse.com - Feb. 6-11: Oneida Lake again the focus of CNY ice fishing scene

[HuntingNY-News]

The steelhead bite continues to be good on the Salmon River, particularly in the upper river above Pineville.

CNY FISHING FORECAST

Bait stores (list and map).

SALMON RIVER

The bite continues to be good for steelhead, particularly in the upper river above Pineville. The river level at mid-week was high. Good baits continue to be egg sacs (blue, pink, white or chartreuse mesh), trout beads, pink worms, waxworms and stonefly patterns.

OSWEGO RIVER

Despite the high water level anglers continue to catch lots of brown trout behind the motels downtown. Anglers are 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).

ONEIDA LAKE

Ice fishing season got back in gear this week with the cold weather. Most of the lake is frozen. Lots of fishing being caught in Big Bay (perch, crappie and bluegills). Walleye fishermen are concentrating more on the eastern end, particularly near Chapman Park and Lewis Point.

SENECA LAKE

A lot of perch continue to be caught off the public pier in Watkins Glen. Anglers are using perch minnows, wax worms and large shiners. They’re also getting a few rainbows using eggs and pike minnows off the rock wall, near the pier.

SKANEATELES LAKE

No fishable ice as of mid-week.

CAYUGA LAKE

Anglers are catching pickerel and perch at the northern end at mid-week. Anglers report ice thickness of about 4-5 inches.

LAKE COMO

Anglers are catching lots of small perch and a few tiger muskies. Ice thickness on this small lake in southeastern Cayuga County was about 10 inches at mid-week.

OWASCO LAKE

Anglers were getting out at mid-week, catching perch and northern pike at the southern end. Ice was about 4 inches thick.

OTISCO LAKE

Anglers were out in hordes this past weekend and continued to get out – specifically at the northern end of the lake by the dam. Lots of panfish and few tiger muskies have been landed the past few days.

SODUS BAY

One bait store owner said there was lots of fishable ice at mid-week, 4-5 inches. Lots of perch being caught of varying sizes.

ST. LAWRENCE RIVER

Anglers fishing Lake the Isles are enjoying 10 inches of ice and catching perch and northerns. Meanwhile, over at Eel Bay anglers are catching a lot of northern pike. Ice is 10 inches thick there as well.

WHITNEY POINT RESERVOIR

The NYS Crappie Derby set for Saturday has been cancelled. Neverthless, anglers are reporting 8-9 inches in many spots around the reservior at mid-week. Flooding caused by the rains and recent warm weather, though, has muddied up the reservoir and negatively affected the fishing, said one bait store owner at mid-week.

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog