Syracuse.com - March 2-4: In most places (including Oneida Lake) it's smart to stay off what little ice is left

[HuntingNY-News]

While there were few, if any safe places to ice fish this week in CNY, anglers on certain bays of the St. Lawrence River continued to get out. At midweek, ice fishermen were out on Eel Bay, Lake of the Isles and Goose Bay, all with 5-15 inches of ice. Some nice perch were being caught on fathead minnows.

CNY FISHING FORECAST

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

Bait stores (list and map).

SALMON RIVER

The steelhead bite has slowed a bit. Pre-spawn conditions. Fish are scattered throughout the river. Nevertheless, 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

The river continues to be up, but anglers are catching browns and some steelhead from shore behind the hotels in the downtown area.

ONEIDA LAKE

There are patches of ice on the lake, but unless the weather changes, most of it isn’t safe for ice fishing. Big Bay is questionable.

CAYUGA LAKE

No safe ice. 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 are catching yellow perch and smallmouth bass (and releasing them), along with crappie off the Watkins Glen pier using oakleaf grubs, mousies and fathead minnows. Anglers are also landing brown trout and landlocked salmon by trolling stickbaits near the surface.

OWASCO LAKE

No safe ice. A few die-hard anglers continue to get out in boats, fishing for perch.

OTISCO LAKE

Recent rains and this week’s warm temperatures appear to have severely weakened the ice at the northern end, making conditions unsafe.

SKANEATELES LAKE

No safe ice. 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 safe ice. Several anglers continue to get out in boats to fish the north end for perch.

ST. LAWRENCE RIVER

At midweek, ice fishermen were still out on Eel Bay, Lake of the Isles and Goose Bay, all with 5-15 inches of ice. Some nice perch were being caught on fathead minnows.

WHITNEY POINT RESERVOIR

Last week's rains severely weakened the ice on the reservoir, making for unsafe conditions.

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog