Syracuse.com - Sept. 30- Oct. 2: Lots of salmon in both the Salmon and Oswego rivers

[HuntingNY-News]

There are salmon (cohos and chinooks) throughout the Salmon River.

CNY FISHING FORECAST

Bait stores (list and map).

LAKE ONTARIO

Salmon continue are starting to stage around the mouths of tributaries,though, it’s slowed a little this past week. 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

There are salmon (cohos and chinooks) throughout the river. Good action taking place in the deeper holes in the lower and middle river such as the Black Hole, Sportsman and Trestle Pool’s. The Lower Fly Section opened on Sept. 15.

OWEGO RIVER

There are salmon in the river and anglers are getting them on estaz eggs, egg sacs and crazy eggs. A few brown trout are also being taken. The bridge over Oswego Canal Lock 7 at Leto Island has been closed to vehicle traffic by the state Department of Transportation.

ONEIDA LAKE

Perch bite continues to be good, particularly east of Dunham’s Island, in 10 to 20 feet of water. They’re being caught on fathead minnows, worms and small panfish jigs. Walleye continues to be slow, but should pick up with the cooler weather and rain. Smallmouth bass are hitting tube jigs, spinnerbaits and drop-shot rigs around the shoals. There also continues to be smallmouth hitting around schools of small gizzard shad.

CAYUGA LAKE

Mixed bags are still being taken fishing down 50 to 70 feet, over 75 to 150 feet of water. Lake trout, Atlantic salmon, brown trout and a few rainbows were being taken on spoons or flashers & flies fished off downriggers, Dipsey divers, lead core and copper. Jigging with plastics is also still working in 75 to 95 feet of water.

SENECA LAKE

Lake trout are still being taken on spoons, and flashers & flies fished down 100 feet over 150 feet of water. Vertical jigging with 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 casting large crankbaits are catching some northern pike around the lake.

OWASCO LAKE

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

OTISCO LAKE

A few nice walleye have been taken by anglers trolling 25 to 30 feet down over 45 to 60 feet of water.

SKANEATELES LAKE

Smallmouth bass and rock bass continue to hit along the shore out to about 40 feet of water for anglers fishing with tube baits, super flukes, drop-shot rigs and crayfish. Try a surface plug during the evening. Yellow perch fishing is starting to pick up, and they are being taken on small minnows or crayfish. Trolling 40 to 50 feet down with small spoons is producing lake trout, rainbow trout and Atlantic salmon.

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 are 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 nightcrawlers and Jigfish. Lots of perch also being taken.

WHITNEY POINT RESERVOIR

Reservoir is finally down and fishable. Bass, walleye, perch and rockbass are being caught in deeper water (13 to 20 feet). Successful anglers are using live bait or jigs.

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog