Syracuse.com - Sept. 23-25: Salmon staging around Lake Ontario tributaries; Salmon River has fish throughout

[HuntingNY-News]

It's that time of year. Many salmon are being taken in 12 to 60 feet of water on Lake Ontario.

CNY FISHING FORECAST

Bait stores (list and map).

LAKE ONTARIO

Salmon are starting to stage around the mouth of tributaries. Many are being taken in 12 to 60 feet of water. Good baits continue to be cut bait, large spoons and J-plugs. Good colors have been green, chrome, white, glow green ladder back and gold.

SALMON RIVER

The river flow has remained steady (at a low flow rate) and salmon continue to make their way upstream. There’s fish throughout the river.

OWEGO RIVER

River level has gone up a little. A few salmon in the river, but not many.

ONEIDA LAKE

Perch bite continues to be good, particularly in front of Cleveland. A lot of small perch are being caught in Big Bay. Anglers are getting them in the weedbeds in 10 to 20 feet of water, using small crayfish, a little piece of worm on a hook or tipping a small spinner with a piece of a worm or fathead minnow. Walleye bite is slowly picking up, particularly out by Sylvan Beach and Lewis Point. Evening bass bite is still strong. Try a topwater lure or spinnerbait.

CAYUGA LAKE

Lake trout, Atlantic salmon and brown trout are still hitting for anglers trolling with spoons or flashers and flies off downriggers, Dipsey divers, lead core and copper. Fishing 70 to 90 feet down with riggers and running Dipseys back 200 to 300 feet, and running copper at 350 to 400 feet have been working. Good colors have been white, green, purple and blue. Vertical jigging with plastics continues to be good from 75 to 95 feet of water. Some nice brown trout are also being taken by anglers vertical jigging for lake trout. Lots of bass being taken on crayfish.

SENECA LAKE

Weed mats are once again making trolling difficult on some areas of the lake. Location has been changing depending on wind direction. Lake trout are still being taken on spoons and flashers & flies fished down 100 feet over 150 feet of water. Trolling very slowly, 1 mph, with blue and silver colored baits has continued to work well. Vertical jigging with chartreuse plastics continues to be good for lake trout in 95 to 120 feet of water. Smallmouth bass and yellow perch are hitting on crayfish and minnows fished off the pier. Anglers fishing large minnows under bobbers or large crankbaits are catching some northern pike.

OWASCO LAKE

A lot of bass being caught on live crayfish throughout the lake in 15 to 20 feet of water throughout the lake. A few yellow perch are also being caught on small minnows.

OTISCO LAKE

Nothing new to report, apart from lots of panfish being taken.

SKANEATELES LAKE

Smallmouth bass and rock bass are hitting along the shore out to about 40 feet of water for anglers fishing with tube baits, super flukes, drop-shot rigs and crayfish. Yellow perch fishing is starting to pick up and they are being taken on small minnows or crayfish.

SODUS BAY

Largemouth bass fishing has been decent with fish hitting Senko style baits and a few pike are being taken on large spoons. Perch fishing has been slow but should pick up soon.

SANDY POND

No new fishing activity to report.

ST. LAWRENCE RIVER

Lots of bass being taken in about 20 feet of water on live crayfish and bass minnows. Northern pike, same thing, in slightly deeper water near the weedbeds using crankbaits, spoons and larger shiners. Walleyes are being taken by trolling during the day in 40-50 feet using deep diver lures. Just before dark, anglers are still fishing, using bucktail jigs with night crawlers.

WHITNEY POINT RESERVOIR

Reservoir is down from last week, should be good for fishing this weekend. Spillway fishing below the lake is still pretty good for walleye and smallmouth bass.

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog