Syracuse.com - March 5-9: Ice fishing action still strong across Central New York

HuntingNY-News · March 5, 2014

The panfish action has slowed lately on Oneida Lake's Big Bay.

CNY FISHING REPORT

SALMON RIVER

Anglers fishing the deeper pools from Pineville to Altmar were still getting into steelhead. If float fishing or bottom bouncing, try egg sacs with blue, pink, white or chartreuse mesh or pink trout worms. Fly anglers have been using nymphs or egg patterns.

OSWEGO RIVER

The river level is up. This flow makes shore fishing difficult; with the exception of behind the hotels. Once again the cold and snow have made fishing difficult over the last week on the river, so no new information.

ONEIDA LAKE

Anglers on snowmobiles or ATVs are catching nice perch north of Dunham's and Frenchman's islands. Others are cashing in about couple hundred yards off Williams Beach or Chapman Park. Panfish action on Big Bay has slowed down this week.

CAYUGA LAKE

Lots of perch and pickerel being caught through the northern end. Try fathead minnows for the perch. Anglers are getting some nice brown trout fishing from shore at the old Milliken Power Station in Lansing using shiners. Anglers fishing from shore around Taughannock Park on the western side of the lake are also getting a few browns and Atlantic salmon.

SANDY POND

There is 20-plus inches of ice being reported on the pond. Perch fishing has picked up on the pond and anglers using small minnows or jigs tipped with spikes are catching them. Anglers still need to sort through numbers of small ones to get keepers though. Pike are being taken on large minnows fished under tip-ups.

SENECA LAKE

The cold and windy conditions have made getting a boat out difficult, but some anglers going out of Severne continue to get some perch.

OWASCO LAKE

Ice thickness around varies from 12 to 20 inches. Reports of nice lake trout being caught on shiners around Ensenore. Anglers are also taking some nice perch on fathead minnows, particularly at the northern end. Some nice northern pike are also being caught at the southern end on big shiners.

OTISCO LAKE

There is 12 to 16 inches of ice being reported on the north end. Bluegill and pumpkinseeds are still being taken on the north end, but few "keeper" size fish are being caught.

SKANEATELES LAKE

Reports of some nice perch being caught on fathead minnows. Anglers are also catching a few trout.

SODUS BAY

There is 16 to 20 inches or more of ice on the bay. Reports of some nice perch and bluegills being caught, along with a few northern pike.

ST. LAWRENCE RIVER

Lots of fishable ice, with some bays having ice up 36 inches thick. Popular spots continue to be Eel Bay, Lake of the Isles, Round Island , Chippewa Bay and all the nearby inland lakes. Continued reports of especially good perch fishing on Chippewa and Chaumont bays and the head of Round Island near Clayton. Anglers are also catching walleye in Mud Bay. Live bait (fathead minnows, shiners and spikes) continues to be the ticket.

WHITNEY POINT RESERVOIR

There is 18 to 20 inches of good ice on the reservoir. Reports of some good walleye fishing north of the island on the west side. Anglers are catching them on fathead minnows and jigs, or medium shiners on tip-ups.

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog