Syracuse.com - May 11-13: Walleye hitting all over Oneida Lake; northern pike bite strong on Seneca River

[HuntingNY-News]

Trout streams across the area have perked up due to the rain we’ve been having lately. CNY FISHING FORECAST A reminder that walleye, northern pike, pickerel and tiger muskie seasons opened last Saturday (May 5) Bait stores (list and map).INLAND TROUT STREAMS Streams across the area have perked up due to the rain we’ve been having lately. Most area streams have been stocked. To find out how many fish are stocked in your favorite Onondaga County stream, call 689-0003. To hear the DEC’s weekly fishing report, which includes a list of what streams have been stocked in Region 7, call 607-753-1551. LAKE ONTARIO Up and down the coast the good brown trout fishing continues, with anglers cashing in at anywhere from 7 to 20 feet of water using stickbaits. Salmon are being caught anywhere from 60 to 200 feet, using mainly spoons. SALMON RIVER Reports of smallmouth bass coming in from the lake to spawn, along with a few “drop-back” steelhead in the lower river. For the steelhead use egg sacs, trout beads and night crawlers. OSWEGO RIVER Trout, sheepshead and rock bass are active throughout the river. One angler caught a nice 31-inch walleye on opening day. ONEIDA LAKE Walleye fishing has been good since the seasoner opener. The fish are scattered throughout the lake, with walleyes being taken in anywhere from 3 to 20 feet. In a boat, the preferred depth is about 15 feet of water, using black and purple (and brown) colored jigs, tipped with a night crawler. Offshore nighttime activity with stickbaits is also working. Try a Challenger minnow or the Storm Thunderstick Jr. CROSS LAKE/SENECA RIVER No reports of walleye being caught opening weekend on the lake. Some anglers were out fishing last weekend for northern pike using shiners and suckers, and ended catching a lot of sheepshead and catfish. Lots of panfish were caught , too, including perch and crappie by anglers using fathead minnows. Pike fishing on the Seneca River, though, has been “awesome,” according to one report, for anglers fishing with big minnows (shiners). CAYUGA LAKE Perch fishing continues to be “hot,” particularly around Frontenac Island. Anglers trolling are getting lake trout, brown trout and Atlantic salmon. Lake trout are coming on flasher and fly rigs fished 100 to 125 feet down over 130 to 175 feet of water. Fishing stickbaits on the surface over 15 to 25 feet of water is working for the brown trout and salmon on the south end of the lake. Lake trout jigging is very good with fish ranging from around 50 feet out to 150 feet of water. SENECA LAKE Yellow perch are still in shallow but the bight has been slow. Atlantic salmon are still being caught near the surface by trolling stickbaits. A few brown trout have been mixed in with the salmon catch. Lake trout fishing has been good for anglers trolling flasher/flies or spoons with downriggers. Right now lakers are near bottom over a wide variety of depths ranging from 40 to 120 feet. OWASCO LAKE Anglers are catching a lot of pike (on large suckers and shiners) and perch (on fathead minnows). Also, bullheads are continuing to bite on night crawlers and crayfish at the southern end. OTISCO LAKE Walleye fishing has been slow, but there was a recent report of a couple, nice-sized walleye being taken off the Causeway at night using stickbaits. SKANEATELES LAKE Anglers getting out in boats are still catching some yellow perch in the north end of the lake on small minnows, but the perch are deeper, so look in the 20- to 30-foot range. Lake trout are hitting near bottom in 40 to 50 feet of water. SODUS BAY Anglers are continuing to catch rock bass around the docks, using jigs and spikes. Pike fishing is slow. SANDY POND Black crappies are still hitting around docks. Some bullhead are also being taken. ST. LAWRENCE RIVER Bullhead bite continues to be strong on Eel Bay, with perch fishing good at the bay’s mouth. Northern pike are being caught nearly in every bay, particularly in depths of 5 to 15 feet. A good choice is a bucktail jig tipped with a leech. WHITNEY POINT RESERVOIR Lots of walleyes being caught in the reservoir by trolling with night crawler harnesses, while others are drifting with jigs tipped with night crawlers. Anglers fishing from the shore have been cashing in with night crawlers as well. Report of 24 inch, walleye being caught in the Otselic River. Crappie bite continues, but they’re running small.

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