Upper Niagara Help!

[Burger]

 

 

 

[H20chrome]

Steelhead, lakers, browns are a possibility in the upper but nobody targets them that i know. NYS quit stocking browns and the "new" (been declining for years) steelhead stocking program has numbers way down. No salmon in Lake erie besides natural reproduction which is rare but does exist. Ive never really fished the upper but i think spring is a good time for walleye there. Thundermist fishing on youtube has a few videos on walleye fishing the upper

[Norm Moser]

No lakers, if your lucky you might and I say might catch a brown more so in the spring and late fall, you can catch steelhead in some places in the spring and fall but not a lot, walleye fishing can be good and the bass fishing is outstanding along with some good musky fishing and pike fishing. REMEMBER most of the west river is  Canadian water. 

[Burger]

Steelhead, lakers, browns are a possibility in the upper but nobody targets them that i know. NYS quit stocking browns and the "new" (been declining for years) steelhead stocking program has numbers way down. No salmon in Lake erie besides natural reproduction which is rare but does exist. Ive never really fished the upper but i think spring is a good time for walleye there. Thundermist fishing on youtube has a few videos on walleye fishing the upper

thanks. I’m a huge fan of Thundermist and Ivo - had the pleasure of meeting him. Thundermist is also what kind of confuses me though! I’ve seen videos of Ivo catching lakers and steelhead right in the upper river! There’s a few videos of him in winter right in front of fort erie launch (between “the bridges”) catching steelhead on roe bags. I then ask people about this and they seem confused


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[Burger]

No lakers, if your lucky you might and I say might catch a brown more so in the spring and late fall, you can catch steelhead in some places in the spring and fall but not a lot, walleye fishing can be good and the bass fishing is outstanding along with some good musky fishing and pike fishing. REMEMBER most of the west river is  Canadian water. 

thanks. I guess what’s confusing my is, why is the steelhead fishing in Lake Erie & Upper River spotty, but the Erie Tribs full of them?


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[Norm Moser]

I fish the river all my life spent my summer as a kid on the upper river in fact my grandfather and father where fishing guides on the river. I have never seen or heard of any one catching a laker in the upper river BUT anything can happen. we would catch steel head in the spring and fall off the walls and at the head of the river but not like you would in lake Ontario. If you can get your hands on a book called Sander Fishing guide 2 it has a world of info on fishing this area of N.Y. state. it has maps and fish found in an area and spots to try for most fish. good luck hope this helps

[Burger]

I fish the river all my life spent my summer as a kid on the upper river in fact my grandfather and father where fishing guides on the river. I have never seen or heard of any one catching a laker in the upper river BUT anything can happen. we would catch steel head in the spring and fall off the walls and at the head of the river but not like you would in lake Ontario. If you can get your hands on a book called Sander Fishing guide 2 it has a world of info on fishing this area of N.Y. state. it has maps and fish found in an area and spots to try for most fish. good luck hope this helps

much appreciated, Norm!


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[jimski2]

We caught buckets of rainbow trout back drifting flat fish on the Canadian shoreline from the Peace Bridge to Thompson’s Hole. The Canadian record walleye of 22 pounds was caught from shore in Thompson’s Hole. Entering Canadian water is a hassle now.

[Burger]

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[Burger]

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[Uncle_Big_64]

I've caught many Rainbows/Steelies off the wall around the headwaters down to the foot of Ferry from shore but most near the Peace Bridge hole(Spring and Fall) with sacks. The foot of Ferry offers up Silver Bass, White and Jack Perch on Crappie rigs with Minnows/Worms at certain times of year(Mother's Day always good) as well as Walleye and Rainbows on minnows. On occasion a mixed bag including Muskies at the Huntley plant hot water outlet and trolling along Strawberry Island. Trolling rapalas along the wall from the foot of Ontario to the Center gap is productive for Walleyes at night especially in May.  A very few Lakers, Browns but mostly Rainbows and Walleye from Fort Erie to the International bridge...backtrolling quickfish, sacks/skein and swimbaits on a three-way or drifting buckskin jigs tipped with minnows(Fall-Spring). Also anchoring at Thompson's hole can be very productive with minnows. Have had success with Rapalas in the spring and fall along the wall on Canadian side for rainbows and walleye. 

Edited May 17, 2020 by Uncle_Big_64
forgotten dates

[garrymny]

On 10/29/2019 at 8:03 AM, Burger said:

 

thanks. I guess what’s confusing my is, why is the steelhead fishing in Lake Erie & Upper River spotty, but the Erie Tribs full of them?


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The water temp in Lake Erie warms up quick. In summer, we see 74 degrees from top clear down to 90-100 FOW off Catt creek. I think the Steelheads find some cooler water somewhere, but I have no idea where. That may explain it. Same thing goes for Lake Trout, which like cold water too. They tend to be off Northeast PA to Dunkirk, as I understand it. For walleye, you could go in front of the windmills, in the main lake, and probably have better luck than in the river.

[jimski2]

Rainbow trout finish spawning at 45 degrees F, Then they go on the feed and head out to the lake.  Lake Trout and Brown Trout spawn in the fall and early winter after spawning head out to feed their empty bellies. Walleyes like 55 to 65 degree water in the summer but are near shore right now.

[Fishy7816]

You can always use the Dunkirk buoy for a thermocline base and see where to drop the riggers if you want to get into some Lakers


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[Triumphchaos83]

There are salmon in the lake brother got one last year by round house but talking to a well known charter captain he believes it came from another great lake and migrated there

[Triumphchaos83]

[Burger]

 

That’s awesome, One of those old Erie cohos?

In the lower pic...not the walleye lol

 

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[Triumphchaos83]

They dnt stock them any more a charter captian said it came from another great lake