Syracuse.com - May 8-12: Walleye fishing a little slow on Oneida Lake, but bullhead/crappie bite remains strong

[HuntingNY-News]

It's a great time of year to fish from shore on Oneida Lake.

CNY FISHING REPORT

INLAND TROUT STREAMS: Locally tocked streams include: Cayuga County: North Brook, Owasco Inlet, Salmon Creek and Fall Creek; Cortland County: Otselic River; Cortland County: Little York Lake, Merrill Creek, East Br. Tioughnioga River, West Br. Tioughnioga River, Casterline Pond and the 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

When the wind isn't blowing too hard and anglers can get out, they are getting some nice brown trout and lake trout on stickbaits and small spoons. 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 and bays. This warmer off colored water often gets moved around depending on wind direction.

SALMON RIVER

There are reports of drop-backs being caught. A drop-back is a steelhead that has finished spawning and is on its way back to the lake. These fish are often very aggressive (hungry) after the rigors of spawning and are more willing to bite. Anglers were also fishing the smaller Salmon River tributaries like Trout or Orwell Brooks, or heading to smaller streams like Grout Brook, and North and South Sandy Creeks. Good baits this time of year are egg sacs, beads, pink worms, night crawlers and streamers.

OSWEGO RIVER

Some big walleyes were reported last weekend during the walleye opener. Anglers have been successful on bucktail jigs, crankbaits, cleos, stickbaits, and worms.

ONEIDA LAKE

Walleye fishing was lackluster opening weekend, but should improve once the water starts to warm up. Still a lot of fish in the lake’s tributaries. Fishing seems to be the best right now at the east end, with anglers catching walleye with black and purple jigs tipped with worms and sonar lures (gold, silver and perch-colored seem to work best) in about 15 feet of water. Bullhead and crappie bit is still on. Good time of year to fish the lake from shore.

CAYUGA LAKE

Anglers trolling stickbaits or spoons from the surface down to about 15 feet are still catching brown trout and Atlantic salmon. Look for the warmest off colored water, such as around tributaries mouths. Be careful as that also means more debris floating around. Good colors when in the turbid water have been fire tiger and chartreuse. 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.

SENECA LAKE

Brown trout and Atlantic salmon are hitting on spoons and stickbaits trolled near the surface down to 20 feet below the surface. Lake trout are hitting spoons and flasher and flies fished 60 to 150 feet down. Some perch are starting to show up in shallow water bays throughout the lake.

OWASCO LAKE

Anglers getting out on boats at the north end are continuing to catch yellow perch and some bullhead are being taken on the south end. . Brown trout are also being caught.

OTISCO LAKE

Some anglers are doing well with catch-and-release bass fishing, catching both large and smallmouth. In addition, there’s been some good crappie action enjoyed by anglers fishing toward the northern end.

SKANEATELES LAKE

The DEC launch ramp is open and the docks are in. Anglers are still catching some yellow perch on the north and south ends. Perch are being found in 15 to 25 feet. A few lake trout are also being taken.

SANDY POND:

Anglers are getting some black crappie, bluegills and yellow perch. Small minnows, worms and spikes are good bait choices. Bullheads and crappie are being taken along the shoreline on minnows.

ST. LAWRENCE RIVER

Lots of bullhead action lately in Eel Bay. Nice-sized perch being taken in 30-40 feet of water. Northern pike bite is currently slow, but should pick when the water warms up.

SODUS BAY

Yellow perch fishing continues to be slow with anglers sorting through a lot of small perch to get some larger fish. Anglers fishing by the bridge are getting some bluegills, crappies and bullheads.

WHITNEY POINT RESERVOIR

Bullheads are being taken by shore anglers fishing off the Kiebel Road side. Channel catfish are also being caught on the north end. No reports yet on the walleye fishing.

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

[HuntOrBeHunted]

Man idk lol every stream, river, lake and pond I have fished I have seen fish getting caught. The fishing has been great for me so far.

 

Lets hope it stays that way lol.