Syracuse.com - April 24-28: Bullhead bite continues on Oneida Lake

[HuntingNY-News]

The water is down and the steelhead fishing scene on the Salmon River remains strong.

CNY FISHING FORECAST

* Reminders: Northern pike, pickerel, tiger musky and walleye season is closed until May 4. Finger Lakes Tributary fishing is from sunrise to sunset through May 15.

INLAND TROUT STREAMS: Stocked streams at this point include: Cayuga County: North Brook, Owasco Inlet, Salmon Creek and Fall Creek; Cortland County: Otselic River; Madison County: Upper Lelands Pond, Stonemill Brook, Beaver Creek, Canastota Creek, Limestone Creek, Payne Brook, Chittenango Creek, Canaseraga Creek, Chenango River, Cowaselon Creek, Old Chenango Canal, Oneida Creek, Sangerfield River, and the Otselic River; Onondaga County: Nine Mile Creek, Onondaga Creek; West Br. Onondaga Creek, Tannery Creek, Spafford Brook, Furnace Brook, Fabius Brook, Limestone Creek, West Br. Limestone Creek, Geddes Brook, Carpenters Brook, Butternut Creek, and Skaneateles Creek. (Hotline number is (315) 689-0003) Tompkins County: Enfield Creek, Virgil Creek, Buttermilk Creek, Salmon Creek, Fall Creek and Sixmile Creek..

LAKE ONTARIO

Little has changed from last week, except it's become harder to find a non-windy day to get out. When the wind isn't blowing too hard and anglers can get out, they are getting some brown trout in 10 to 25 feet of water on stickbaits. Natural colors like black and silver, blue and silver and goby -imitating have been working well. Look for the warmest water or flumes of off-colored water coming out from tributaries or bays.

SALMON RIVER

The water is down and fishing is good. Steelhead are still being found throughout the river. Good baits are egg sacs, beads, pink worms, night crawlers and streamers.

OSWEGO RIVER

HIgh water level has made shore fishing extremely difficult. So new fishing information to report. Before the high water, anglers were getting steelhead and some nice brown trout with egg sacs working well.

ONEIDA LAKE

Bullhead action continues to be strong with the recent warm weather. Good areas include off shore around Muskrat Bay and Oneida Shores Park. Other anglers are fishing around the Caudenoy Dam on the Oneida River.

CAYUGA LAKE

Anglers trolling stickbaits or spoons near the surface are catching brown trout. Look for the warmest water, such as around tributaries mouths where there should be a good flume of off colored water entering the lake. Be careful as that also means more debris floating around. Lake trout are being taken by anglers vertical jigging in 125 to 150 feet of water. Trolling with spoons or flasher and flies, fished off downriggers or dipsey divers is also working for lake trout. Anglers fishing the north end are getting yellow perch on minnows or spikes. A lot of small perch are still being caught for every "good" one. No reports on the smelt run.

SENECA LAKE

Brown trout and Atlantic salmon are hitting on spoons and stickbaits trolled near the surface, or below the surface with lead core. Lake trout are hitting spoons and flasher and flies fished 60 to 150 feet down. Anglers fishing off the pier are catching yellow perch, bluegills and a few black crappies. The panfish are hitting on fathead minnows and waxworms. Reminder: catch limit on western Finger Lakes, beginning with Seneca Lake, is one rainbow a day.

OWASCO LAKE

Anglers getting out on the north end are catching yellow perch and some bullhead are being taken on the south end.

OTISCO LAKE

No new fishing activity to report.

SKANEATELES LAKE

The DEC launch ramp is open and the dock are in. Anglers getting out in boats are catching some yellow perch on the north end. A few lake trout are also being taken by the perch anglers.

SANDY POND:

Anglers are getting some panfish on the pond, with minnows,worms and spikes working.

ST. LAWRENCE RIVER

Reports of good perch fishing around Kring's Point. Use fathead minnows and worms.Reports of good bullhead fishing as well. Try night crawlers. Otter Creek and French Creek have been hotspots for the bullheads.

SODUS BAY

Yellow perch fishing continues to be slow with anglers still sorting through a lot of small perch to get some larger fish. Depending on the day, minnows or waxworms have been working. Anglers fishing by the bridge are getting some bluegills, crappies and a few bullhead.

WHITNEY POINT RESERVOIR

Still high and muddy. No fishing activity to report, apart from shore anglers picking up a few bullheads and channel catfish.

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog