Syracuse.com - Oct. 14-16: Oswego and Salmon rivers jammed with salmon

[HuntingNY-News]

Nighttime walleye bite from shore starting to pick up on Oneida Lake.

CNY fishing forecast

Bait stores (list and map).

LAKE ONTARIO

With most of the salmon entering the tributaries the lake fishing has really slowed down. You may still be able to get a few late salmon at the tributary mouths trolling with spoons, flashers & flies or J-plugs.

SALMON RIVER

Salmon are being taken throughout the river with good areas being the deeper pools, pocket water and riffle areas. Good baits are egg sacs (blue, pink and chartreuse mesh), streamers and egg imitating flies and plastics. Some steelhead have been caught down in the lower river, specifically the Douglaston Run.

OSWEGO RIVER

Last weekend was phenomenal, with lots of salmon being caught, in addition to some nice brown trout. Should be a lot of fish in the river through this weekend. Best bets are egg sacks, egg sack imitations and estaz flies. The bridge over Oswego Canal Lock 7 at Leto Island remains closed to vehicle traffic.

ONEIDA LAKE

Yellow perch fishing has been good with fish being taken on small crayfish or minnows in 10 to 15 feet of water around weed beds on fatheads. The nighttime shore casting bite is starting to pick up. Casting from shore after dark with stickbaits in black & silver and blue & silver usually works well for this fall walleye bite. It may pay to use smaller baits as young of the year gizzard shad are numerous this year, but are smaller than they usually are this time of year and are running about 2 ½ to 3 inches. Smallmouth bass fishing has been harder as they are gorging on small gizzard shad.

CAYUGA LAKE

The boat launch at Allen Treman State Park has been closed for the season in an effort to help prevent the spread of Hydrilla (an invasive aquatic plant). Mixed bags were 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 working in 85 to 110 feet of water. Yellow perch fishing has picked up around Union Springs with perch hitting small minnows.

SENECA LAKE

Yellow perch fishing has picked up on the south end of the lake for anglers fishing in 30 to 40 feet of water. Good baits have been small minnows are small jigs tipped with night crawler. Lake trout are still being taken on spoons, and flashers & flies fished down 100 feet over 150 feet of water. Salmon are being taken 50 to 70 feet down. Anglers fishing large minnows under bobbers, or casting large crankbaits are catching some northern pike around the lake.

OWASCO LAKE

Lake trout fishing on the north end continues to be hot or cold depending on the day. Anglers vertical jigging in 60 to 90 feet of water with plastics, or trolling 65 to 75 feet down over 115 to 125 feet of water with spoons are getting into lake trout. Bass fishing remains good around the lake. Lots of yellow perch are also being caught on fathead minnows.

OTISCO LAKE

Largemouth bass continue to hit in and around the weed beds on the north end of the lake. A few tiger muskie are being taken on swimbaits and spinnerbaits by anglers casting near shore.

SKANEATELES LAKE

Trolling 55 to 60 feet down over 75 to 125 feet of water with small spoons is working for lake trout. Early in the day glow baits are working better, but as the sun gets higher switching to pearl, chartreuse, or silver has been better. Smallmouth bass and rock bass are still hitting along the shore for anglers fishing with tube baits, super flukes, drop-shot rigs, Senko worms and crayfish. Yellow perch fishing is starting to pick up and they are being taken on small minnows or crayfish.

SODUS BAY

There reports of salmon in the bay and salmon are also being taken at the mouth of the bay by anglers casting, fishing egg sacs or trolling. Largemouth bass fishing has been good with fish hitting spinnerbaits, topwaters, and Senko style baits. Perch fishing remains slow in the bay.

ST. LAWRENCE RIVER

Lots of bass are being taken in about 20 feet of water on live crayfish and bass minnows. Northern pike are being caught in shallow water (8 to 15 feet) near the weedbeds using crankbaits, spoons and large 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. Muskie fishing remains slow at this point, but should get better as water cools.

WHITNEY POINT RESERVOIR

Fishing slowly with dark colored bucktail jigs or worm harnesses along drop-offs has been producing mixed bags of perch, bass and walleye. Casting with dark colored twister tails and Senko-style baits is also working for the bass.

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog