Published: July 03, 2008 10:48 pm      

FISH FINDER: Canal Derby, Basseye coming soon

While it’s still a transition time in Lake Ontario for salmon and trout, anglers who are venturing out to the lake to give it a go are picking up a mixed bag of steelhead and kings, according to Capt. Vince Pierleoni of Newfane.



1. Lake Ontario and tributaries

Target 100 to 300 feet of water off Wilson and Olcott. A few mature kings have been included with the catch. Pierleoni’s best baits have been Stinger and Northern King spoons in the top 65 feet of water, as the thermocline is starting to set up. Bury the center downrigger in the cold water and place your outer riggers at varying depths of 10 feet above your deepest to cover as much water as possible.

Dark colors are working well right now, such as spooks, NBKs, green-yellow and green-gold to start. Don’t rule out using spin doctors and flies, either. However, they may work well one day and then struggle to pull a fish the next.

The leading fish in the Summer LOC Derby came from an e-chip flasher and A-Tom-Mik fly, a 29-pound, 9-ounce king reeled in by Tom Allen of Oswego. Of course, Allen just happens to be the owner of A-Tom-Mik Fly so he better be using them. They work very well, I might add.

By the way, the next leg of the Lake Ontario Pro-Am Salmon Team Tournament is July 12 and 13 in Oswego. The deadline for registering is Tuesday. For more information, call 315-349-8323. Wilson and Olcott harbors are still doing well on a mixed bag of warm water fish species like perch, pike and bass. The piers are still catching fish, too.



2. Lower Niagara River

The lower Niagara River moss is still a problem, but you can catch fish if you do your best to avoid the green stuff. For starters, use top water baits or lures that will stay near the surface. Baits like tube jigs will also catch fish, but moss will be a little more prevalent. Ditto with live bait like crabs or shiners. It shouldn’t be too much longer before the moss dissipates.

Independent Living of Niagara County is looking for a few good boats to donate their time for a worthy cause Aug. 3. The event will be held on the lower river and the barbecue and awards will be held at the 3-F Club in Lewiston. If you’re interested in lending a helping hand, call 836-0822, ext. 108. The other way you can help is to participate, with the event from the mold of the John Daly Memorial Derby formerly held with the YMCA. For more information, call 284-4131, ext. 31.



3. Upper Niagara River

The big news is the start of the 18th Annual Erie Canal Fishing Derby, set to begin Tuesday and run through July 20. More than $20,000 in cash and prizes will be up for grabs. Species include bass, walleye, northern pike, bullhead, carp, sheepshead and catfish. Fish can be caught from the Main Street bridge in Albion to the Niagara River in North Tonawanda. For a complete rundown on weigh stations and rules, check out www.eriecanalderby.com or call 772-7972.



4. Lake Erie and tributaries

The big event on Lake Erie this week is the seventh annual Greater Niagara Basseye Celebrity Challenge, set for Wednesday and Thursday. The fishing takes place on Thursday; the “Boats, Bait and Beer” dinner and auction is Wednesday night at the NFTA Boat Harbor starting at 6 p.m. For more information, contact 686-9400.

It’s a transition time for bass on the big lake as smallmouth move from their spawning areas to deeper waters. The best areas continue to be Myers Reef, Seneca Shoal, the breakwalls around Buffalo and other areas that afford good structure. Berkley Gulp! drop shot plastics have been one of the top baits to use. Don’t be afraid to drop your bait back into the Gulp! juice to add some flavor from time to time if you’re using the same bait. Tube jigs, shiners and crayfish will all catch you fish, too.

Walleye are continuing to improve along the lake, but the best fishing is still around Barcelona and Dunkirk in 60 to 90 feet of water. Put your baits 10 to 35 feet down or within 10 feet of the bottom. Stickbaits, worm harnesses and spoons are all catching fish closer to home, there’s been some decent action off the windmills later in the day on worm harnesses. Perch have been snapping off Sturgeon Point in 50 to 55 feet of water and off Cattaraugus Creek in 60 to 65 feet of water — if you can find them.



5. Chautauqua Lake

Walleye have been biting around Victoria Bar in 10 to 15 feet of water, according to local guide Craig Robbins. Split shot and a nightcrawler or leech has been the best approach. Last weekend they caught a pile of fish, including six keepers between 18 and 24 inches long. The musky bite has been good, too, especially in Dewittville Bay, both upper and lower sections. Troll crankbaits outside the weeds in 12 to 16 feet of water, as well as a bit deeper in 16- to 30-foot depths. Big M’s have been one of the hit baits in silver-black or white-silver. Perch will also work.

The bite has been better as the day goes on, starting around 9 a.m. Bass fishing has been good around Lakewood Rod and Gun to Lakewood Bar by casting Sluggo-type baits around docks. Black or red shad has worked best.



6. Finger Lakes-inland waters

- Honeoye Lake — Walleye action has been pretty good the past week, according to Dan Sharp at Honeoye Bait and Tackle. They’ve been hanging a bit shallower, with 13- to 14-foot depths producing some nice fish. Jigs tipped with nightcrawlers or leeches has been the been the best enticement. Fishermen have also picked up some pickerel from the same area. Log Cabin Point produced some nice walleye this week, as well.

Bluegills are still hitting on spikes and wax worms. Perch are being caught at the north end on fatheads, jigs tipped with spikes, red worms by just drifting around the flats.

- Canadice/Hemlock lakes — The big talk on Canadice this week was the 18-pound laker that was caught by a troller using a flutterspoon. Lots of smallmouth bass are around with live bait working best — crabs, crawlers and shiners. These fish are accessible to anglers on shore and from boat. Crappies are still hitting, too, on fathead minnows. Over on Hemlock, the same live baits are working for bass. If you’re in a boat, try 20- to 25-foot depths.

- Conesus Lake — If you’re looking for largemouth, fish the shallows with surface plugs and crankbaits. If smallmouth is your bag, target 25- to 30-foot depths with crabs or bass minnows. Pike are still an option, too. You can troll for them with body baits or still fish with shiners in the shallows.

- Oneida Lake — Walleye are available around the lake with 30- to 35-foot depths being good for jigs. You can also target the weed edges in 8 to 15 feet of water. Bass have been doing well on spinnerbaits and crankbaits, as well as plastics and crabs. Pickerel fishing in Big Bay continues to be very good.

Bill Hilts Jr. is a past president of the New York State Outdoor Writers Association. Contact him at bhiltsjr69@cs.com.