Archive : Lake Ontario

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Suckers are a common sight in our creeks and rivers these days.  Their spawn activity deposits plenty of edible eggs.  Smallmouth bass, walleye, carp, brown trout from the lake, resident brown trout and steelhead all capitalize on this seasonal feast.  Northern pike also follow the suckers, looking...

Lake Ontario and Finger Lake Tributaries now have active spawning steelhead.  Increased water temperatures (over 40 degrees), snowmelt, rainfall, greater daylight and the general approach of Spring coincide with steelhead on redds.  These aggressive fish vigorously chase each other, drive away lesser...

The combination of increased sunlight, warmer temperatures and melting snow pushed water into our Lake Ontario Tributaries.  If you haven’t yet heard, steelhead fishing improved the past two weeks.  We could still use a soaking dose of rain, but fish are being caught in Eighteen Mile, Oak Orchard,...

The bluebird sky and temperature in the upper thirties convinced me to leave work early today for Oak Orchard River.  A friend of mine (Norm) was already fishing the river and he invited me to join him prospecting a popular run.  He was chucking a large chartreuse pattern to dredge up steelhead.  I...

I’d heard two very favorable reports recently on cooperative steelhead on Oak Orchard River.  If it weren’t a longer drive, I certainly  would prefer to fish there.  Oak Orchard and the Salmon River continue to be the most consistent steelhead waters in NYS this time of year.  It’s...

The pleasant break in wintry weather motivated me to make the drive and fish the Salmon River for steelhead.  I had the day off and liked the forecast of mid-thirties for Pulaski.   I convinced Will F to join me and we splurged, bringing along  local guide Jay Peck http://www.jaypeckguides.com/main/....

The gentle warming trend of upper thirties convinced me to leave the fly tying bench and head out to Oak Orchard River.  It was a pleasant, mostly sunny afternoon and no gloves were needed during fishing.  It’s always a winter treat to fish without gloves, as well as not worry about iced guides....

In the bleak midwinter Frosty wind made moan, Earth stood hard as iron, Water like a stone; Snow had fallen, snow on snow, Snow on snow, In the bleak midwinter, Long ago. These hauntingly beautiful Christmas lyrics from English Poet Christina Rossetti (1872) were on my mind as I approached an icy...

We awoke this morning to fresh blanket of snow.  The forecast predicts more snow on tap.  Between the snowfall, rain during the day, and predicted snow, our creeks should receive a nice boost of water.  Many tributaries will be high and muddy over the next few days. When they settle, I predict there...