Erie, Ontario and the Lower Niagara

[Spiel]

Erie, Ontario and the Lower Niagara

 

 

December 25, 2008

Will Elliott / buffalonews.com

 

 

 

To test out all those fishing toys Santa delivered today, it might be best to plan a feeder stream run on Friday.

 

Larger feeders on Lake Ontario and Lake Erie stained heavily by midweek, and the promised thaw of Saturday may send waders and shore casters to higher, muddied waters for a while.

 

Ice-anglers are in the same boat — or at least need one — to get to ice floes right now on many lakes. Thawing between freezes, plus hefty winds to wash ice surfaces ashore, make lake shores from Simcoe to the larger inland lakes look like something that could tear through the Titanic.

 

Lower Niagara/Lake Ontario

 

“Chocolate milk” is the best way Capt. Frank Campbell had to describe lower Niagara River waters since Saturday’s rain and Sunday’s high winds. “The fish are out there, and things will pick up again as soon as the water settles out,” Campbell said of the fantastic steelhead trout fishing charter boat and recreational anglers have seen throughout the fall.

 

Along with the steelie run, drifters have seen fair numbers of brown trout and some lakers. Lake trout season reopens in U. S. waters Jan. 1.

 

Perch numbers hold inside the Irondequoit Bay shoreline, but pier walking at Olcott and ice access at Irondequoit has been downright dangerous. The Wednesday thaw and the meltdown promised for Saturday should cancel any chance for perch except from firm, ice-free shore access points.

 

Oak Orchard Creek, near the mouth, has been regaled with ringbacks since early fall. Casters continue to use light jigs as well as live and salted minnows for sizable perch catches there. As with all winter-wary fishing sites, the fishing should pick up after these weather extremes move through.

 

Lake Erie

 

Cattaraugus Creek should remain muddy until well after the weekend. Eighteen Mile Creek saw some lighter stain up stream and fair numbers of trout earlier this week.

 

Buffalo Creek has been most productive during this wintry blast of snow and ice-floe formation. Weekend rains could dampen prospects, but up to Wednesday waders have been hooking into nice trout around the state launch ramp on Harlem Road. Check it out on the way to feeders west of Buffalo.