Syracuse.com - Jan. 3-5: Oneida Lake is frozen over, ice rapidly forming elsewhere

[HuntingNY-News]

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The ice is averaging a foot and a half deep in most places on the St. Lawrence River.

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<p><br />SYRACUSE, N.Y. - With the recent cold snap, the local waterways are shaping up nicely for this winter's ice fishing season. Here's this week's Central New York Fishing report:</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><strong>SALMON RIVER</strong><br />The river is low, with lots of ice and slush. Steelhead are still being taken throughout the river, with most of the fishing pressure still taking place in the upper river (from Pineville to the Upper Fly Zone). Anglers who are bottom bouncing or float fishing with pink, blue or chartreuse egg sacs and bright-colored egg patterns are catching steelhead. Other good baits have been Oregon cheese glo-bugs, flesh flies and tangerine beads. (The Upper Fly Section closed for the season on Nov. 30. It will re-open on April 1.)</p>

<p><strong>OSWEGO RIVER</strong> <br />Anglers in drift boats had slower action this week with the cold and snow, but some steelhead and a few brown trout are still being taken. Good baits are egg sacs (pink, white or chartreuse mesh), egg imitating flies and plastics and trout beads.<br />.<br /><strong>ONEIDA LAKE</strong> <br />Anglers are catching perch in deeper water at the east end of the lake (35 feet or less) using small lures (dots tipped with a spike or a mousie), along with Jigging Raps. Big Bay action has been steady, with bluegills, sunfish and crappie being caught. Ice is about six inches thick in most places along the lake.</p>

<p><strong>CAYUGA LAKE</strong> <br />Reports of anglers of some getting out on the north end, but there's no specifics available yet about thickness or safety of the ice. </p>

<p><strong>SENECA LAKE</strong><br />Anglers still getting out in boats are catching a mixed bag of Atlantic salmon, brown trout, and some lake trout. Fishing near the surface with stickbaits, spoons or streamers is working for the salmon and brown trout.</p>

<p><strong>OWASCO LAKE</strong><br />Ice is questionable at the southern end. May be fishable by the weekend.</p>

<p><strong>OTISCO LAKE</strong><br />Anglers are getting out, with three to six inches of ice being reported. But be careful around the Narrows at the northern end. Ice is questionable there at this point.</p>

<p><strong>SKANEATELES LAKE</strong><br />No reports yet of safe ice.</p>

<p><strong>SODUS BAY</strong><br />There's five to six inches of ice on the bay. Reports of some nice perch being caught, along with a few northern pike.</p>

<p><strong>ST. LAWRENCE RIVER</strong><br />Lots of ice -- a foot and half thick in most places. Popular spots include Eel Bay, Lake of the Isles, Chippewa Bay and all the nearby inland lakes. Reports of especially good perch fishing on Chippewa and Chaumont bays. Live bait (fathead minnows, shiners and spikes) is the ticket at this point.</p>

<p><strong>WHITNEY POINT RESERVOIR</strong> <br />There's five inches of good ice in the Dorchester Park area of the reservoir. There's also a foot of snow on top of the ice. Anglers are catching walleye and few perch and crappie. Small lures or jigs tipped with fathead minnows are working at this point.</p>

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog