Syracuse.com - Feb. 10-12: CNY ice fishing scene continues to take hit with warm winter

[HuntingNY-News]

Ice conditions across Oneida lake were questionable at mid-week, but a series of cold nights at week’s end is expected to produce safe conditions in some areas of lake by this weekend. Be cautious and follow the beaten path if you go out.

CNY FISHING FORECAST

All persons aboard a pleasure vessel less than 21 feet long, regardless of age, must wear a personal flotation device from Nov. 1 to May 1.

Bait stores (list and map).

SALMON RIVER

Lots of fish continue to be caught, mostly steelhead. The browns and steelhead have transitioned into their winter holes (deeper water). Good baits continue to be pink bubblegum worms, trout beads (10mm), egg sacs (blue, pink and chartreuse mesh), streamers, stonefly nymphs and egg-imitating flies. The Upper Fly Fishing Area will reopen April 1.

OSWEGO RIVER

There were reports of brown trout being caught behind the hotels in the downtown area on white bucktail jigs, along with some rainbows on little minnows and trout beads.

ONEIDA LAKE

Ice conditions across the lake were questionable at mid-week, but a series of cold nights at week’s end is expected to produce safe conditions in some areas of lake by this weekend. Be cautious and follow the beaten path if you go out.

CAYUGA LAKE

No safe ice to report at midweek. However, anglers fishing from shore at the power station in Lansing continue to have luck catching rainbow trout on medium-sized shiners, and some perch using fathead minnows.

SENECA LAKE

Anglers trolling deep — about 150 feet down over a 300- to 350- foot bottom — have been catching a mixed bag of Atlantic salmon and lake trout using streamer flies and small spoons. Perch and crappie also being caught off the pier at Watkins Glen using fathead minnows, spikes and waxworms. Reports of some anglers fishing off shore at Sampson State Park catching nice northern pike, fishing shiners about 5 feet under a slip bobber.

OWASCO LAKE

No safe ice to report at midweek. Some anglers are getting out in boats, fishing for perch.

OTISCO LAKE

At midweek, no safe ice to report and no open-water activity to report.

SKANEATELES LAKE

No ice fishing activity to report at midweek. Some anglers are getting out in boats, fishing for perch. Shore fishing with marshmallow-and-worm rigs is usually the ticket this time of year for rainbow trout.

SODUS BAY

No fishable ice at midweek. Some anglers continue to get out in boats at the north end, fishing for perch.

SANDY POND

No activity to report.

ST. LAWRENCE RIVER

Anglers continue to ice fish here for northern pike and perch. Hot spots are Eel Bay, Chippewa Bay, Lake of the Isles and Goose Bay, all with five or more inches.

WHITNEY POINT RESERVOIR

At mid-week, there was a solid 5 inches of ice on the reservoir, south of the islands. Some anglers continue to get some nice walleyes in the spillway, using jigs and fathead minnows.

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog