New York Fishing Report – February 4-11, 2022

Central

Region 7 and Eastern Region 8

With the heavy snow we got Friday it’s likely slush, along with the snow, will be an issue on most waters making walking and pulling sleds difficult when moving around on the ice.

Oswego River

The flow is down from last week and is 3.710cubic feet per second (CFS) as of February 4. This area received significant snow. For steelhead and brown trout try egg sacs, beads, or pink worms, either bottom bounced or fished under a float. See Salmon River report below for link to information on steelhead fishing.

Salmon River

The flow is 285 CFS as of February 4th. This area received significant snow. Steelhead are being caught throughout the river but with the recent cold temperatures most of the effort is in the deeper holes. Try egg sacs, beads, or pink worms fished under a float or bottom bounced, if fly fishing try egg imitating fly patterns. With the sub-zero temperature slush ice will likely be an issue, especially in the morning.

Oneida Lake

Just a reminder that the walleye daily limit on Oneida Lake is still 3 fish with a 15 inch minimum length. Anglers are getting out around the lake with 10+ inches of ice being reported in most places. This area got hit hard with snow so moving around on the ice will likely be challenging between the snow and slush.

Skaneateles Lake

The gate was closed for the season on January 7.

Sandy Pond

Anglers are getting out with 10+ inches of ice being reported in most places. This area got hit hard with snow so moving around on the ice will likely be challenging between the snow and slush. Anglers are getting yellow perch and northern pike.

Sodus Bay

Anglers are getting out with 10+ inches of ice being reported in places. This area got hit hard with snow so moving around on the ice will likely be challenging between the snow and slush. Anglers are getting yellow perch and northern pike.

Otisco Lake

Anglers are getting out on the north end and are catching bluegills and some tiger musky. This area got hit hard with snow so moving around on the ice will likely be challenging between the snow and slush.

If you catch a tiger musky on Otisco Lake that has been tagged, the tag should be located near the dorsal fin and be gray in color, please do not remove the tag if releasing the fish. Write down the tag number, length of fish, and location of the catch and either send an email to fwfish7 email below or call 607-753-3095 ext. 213 to report your catch.

Whitney Point Reservoir

Anglers are getting out around the lake and are getting some walleye, rock bass and yellow perch. Remember there’s usually less ice around the channel. This area got hit hard with snow so moving around on the ice will likely be challenging between the snow and slush.

Cayuga Lake

Anglers are getting out on the ice on the north end and are catching yellow perch and chain pickerel. Use caution as ice thickness varies greatly in this area. This area got hit hard with snow so moving around on the ice will likely be challenging between the snow and slush.

Owasco Lake, Seneca Lake, Keuka Lake, Canandaigua Lake, Lake Ontario, Chenango, Tioughnioga and Susquehanna Rivers

Just a reminder that most Finger Lakes Tributary fishing ended on December 31. No new information at this time.

Lake Erie & Western New York

Lake Erie Tributaries

The Lake Erie tributaries are iced over. Anglers will have to wait for the thaw.

Lower Niagara River

With most of Lake Erie now covered with ice, lower Niagara River waters are in good shape with 4-5 feet of visibility. Boaters will have to contend with some floating chunk ice and shore anglers deal with ice packed along the shoreline in slack areas. Angers are seeing a good steelhead bite with some lake trout and walleye mixed in. All NYPA fishing facilities are closed for winter season.

Lake Ontario Tributaries, Harbors & Piers

Open water is confined to the base of the dams and swift runs at Eighteenmile and Oak Orchard Creek. Flows are low and clear. All other streams are locked up with ice.

Chautauqua Lake

The yellow perch bite has been excellent lakewide in 5-20 feet of water, but anglers are weeding through many dozens of small fish for a few keepers. Upsize baits and lures to target larger perch. Sunfish are available around weed beds. Overall, the walleye bite has been fair. Catches have been confined around dawn and dusk, but otherwise super slow. Walleye can be found around weed edges and out to 30 feet of water. Jigging with jigging rapalas (or similar) and vertical spoons tipped with a minnow is a good active technique. Tip-ups with “bass” golden shiners catch the occasional walleye as well. White perch are plentiful in the north basin’s deep holes, at depths over 30 feet.

Buffalo Boat Harbor

The inner harbor has over a foot of ice. Anglers report steady action for yellow perch and sunfish with a fair number of keepers per outing. Northern pike catches on tip-ups with large shiners has been decent at times. Smelt are available and will hit micro-jigs tipped with a spike. Anglers should access ice from the boat launch. Walking on, or any other use of slip docks is not permitted. Litter has been a problem here, please pick up after yourself.

Silver Lake

Shallow weedy areas typically produce fair catches of bluegill with some yellow perch mixed in. Shallower areas are also a good bet for northern pike on tip-ups with shiners. Yellow perch catch numbers are better in deeper areas of 20-34 feet of water, though they tend to run small. Deeper zones also produce the occasional keeper crappie and suspended northern pike.

Honeoye Lake

Jigging for sunfish and yellow perch around the south end shallows has been fair. Tip-ups with shiners set in weedy areas mostly catch largemouth bass, chain pickerel and yellow perch. Yellow perch are the predominant catch at depths over 20 feet. Catch numbers are modest, but most are quality fish including some jumbos. The bonus walleye catch is possible in both shallow and deeper areas.

Clear Lake

Clear Lake in North Collins has ice of 7 inches plus. Panfish catches typically include bluegill, crappie and yellow perch.

Conesus Lake

The north and south ends of Conesus Lake have ice of 9 inches plus. Anglers report a good bluegill bite at the north end out of Vitale Park on jigs and grubs. In the same area, northern pike action is typically fair on tip-ups with large shiners.

Southern Tier Lakes

Case, Harwood, New Albion, Allen, Red House and Quaker Lakes all have good ice and provide fishing opportunities for a variety of warmwater fish. Anglers also have the chance to catch large broodstock trout (14″-28″), as each lake was stocked with broodstock trout in the fall. Some holdover spring stockies are also available.

Canadice Lake

Canadice Lake has 8-10 inches of ice. Shallower areas offer fishing for sunfish and yellow perch. Lake trout are available in deep waters. Jigging with spoons or tip-ups with large shiners are the typical tactics for lakers. After dark, anglers equipped with a lantern often catch smelt just under the ice.

Irondequoit Bay

The south portion of the bay has ice of 8 inches plus. Anglers are catching decent numbers of medium sized yellow perch with the occasional jumbo. Jigs tipped with grubs or piece of minnow, and tip-ups or tip-downs with small minnows are good techniques.