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Fishing Report

CHAUTAUQUA LAKE

This past week wasn’t a good one for hard water anglers in Chautauqua. Temperatures, wind and rain have made the ice unsafe on the lake. The lake has frozen over and broken up a couple times lately which is not good for fishable ice.

LAKE ERIE & TRIBS

The creeks have been running high more days than not this “winter.” But when the creeks have been in fishable shape, the steelhead bite has been pretty good. Some fresh steelhead have been scattered around the streams, too. Most creeks were in good shape at daybreak today, but are already on the rise. With plenty of rain in the weekend forecast, another blow out is imminent. Fly anglers typically target winter steelhead by drifting egg patterns, trout beads, nymphs and woolly buggers. Egg sacs, trout beads and jigs are common offerings by spinning or center pin anglers

LAKE ONTARIO & TRIBS

Anglers have reported fair trout fishing on higher stained flows at Eighteenmile and Oak Orchard Creeks this past week. Rain will sustain higher flows on those creeks. Eighteenmile anglers are catching a mix of steelhead and browns. Oak anglers are catching mostly steelhead, with better action in section near the dam. Johnson Creek and some other smaller creeks are in good shape this morning, but levels are rising on all streams. Johnson Creek anglers have been catching mostly steelhead lately. Don’t forget this year presentation of the Greater Niagara Fishing and Outdoors Expo is being held this weekend.

NIAGARA RIVER

Water conditions on the Niagara River have been pretty good earlier this week, but expect major changes in conditions with the weekend coming wind, rain, snow and dropping temperatures. When conditions have permitted, lower river boaters have seen a good trout bite in the drifts near Lewiston, down near the mouth of river and out on the Niagara Bar. River anglers are catching primarily steelhead with some brown trout and the occasional walleye mixed in. Controlled drifting with three-way rigs with live shiners, egg sacs or trout beads has worked well for trout. Walleye are more apt to hit rigs with shiners. Shore anglers in the gorge are catching decent numbers of steelhead. All angler access (platform, stairs to shoreline, parking lot) at the NYPA Power Vista are closed for the winter season as of Dec. 1.

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