Published: September 02, 2006 12:44 am      

FISH FORECAST: Weather playing role in local derby

1. Lake Ontario and tributaries

It’s the final weekend for the Lake Ontario Counties Trout and Salmon Derby and some of the top anglers are waiting with baited breath (pun intended) to see what’s going to happen with the weather. The key seems to be how intense it will be based on the intensity of Ernesto and what track the storm will take. Most anglers are hoping that it steers clear of the Great Lakes and the derby can finish up as planned — with some impressive catches being taken to the scales. However, you’re better off checking things out for yourself to see if it’s fishable or not this weekend.

Hard northeast blows last weekend and at mid-week has moved water around and created strong currents in the lake. Cold water at the pier heads last weekend produced the first salmon of the year off the pier heads in Olcott according to Wes Walker at The Slippery Sinker. Rob Workman of Newfane was surprised with a 20-pound king on Friday and a 26-pound, 11-ounce king on Saturday off the piers. This is not to say that the salmon are running up the creeks yet, but we’re getting close.

Salmon were buried in the bottom in 50 feet when the cold water was pushed into shore last weekend and the best bite was before the sun came up. As soon as the sun hit the water, those fish scattered. Because of the lake flipping over, some of the most stable water was out deep. Charters were running some six miles off shore and located pockets of salmon and trout. When they found a pocket of fish, they used their GPS and plotter to stay on the fish and score with some nice catches.

Targeting the top 70 feet of water seemed to work best, with spoons off the downriggers and spin doctors and flies off the dipsy divers. Some boats worked the 250 to 350 foot line off Wilson and Olcott; other ventured out to the 400-plus foot range. It was important to locate a pod of fish and stay on them, no matter where you were fishing.

On the Niagara Bar, John Van Hoff of North Tonawanda hooked up with nine salmon going into last weekend, using cut bait or spin doctors and flies in 60 feet of water at the drop off. That should still be a good program to use once the winds settled down. At the Oak, those boaters were also forced off shore for a mix of salmon and trout in 400-plus foot depths.

As far as the final weekend of LOC, the leading fish for the $20,000 Grand Prize is still a 38-pound, 14-ounce fish out of Oswego caught by James Huftalen of Erieville. Top brown is a 15-pound, nine of fish caught out of Sodus by Richard Hoose of Willseyville. Dean Gilman of Aliquippa, Pa. has the leading steelhead so far, a 16-pound, 13-ounce fish caught off Olcott. Top laker is a 19-pound, 5-ounce fish caught by Tim Curtis of Rochester and caught out of his home port. `

The derby continues through Labor Day. If you fish the derby, please don’t cut that fish up if it’s in the money. Every year, some of the top fish never make it to the awards ceremony because of rule neglect. Read the rules yourself and don’t rely on someone else’s interpretation.

One final note: the short pier at the foot of Route 425 has been repaired. This is a popular spot for perch fishermen and at least one angler — Terry Swann of Wilson — has already sampled the renovated site and caught fish.

2. Lower Niagara River

East wind means lake roll over. Lake roll over means lots of bass in the lower Niagara at the Coast Guard station and at the Green Buoy if you can get out there. That’s exactly what was happened the past few days and last weekend. Live bait like crabs and shiners or artificials like tube jigs are all good enticements for smallmouth. Walleye are still cooperating for anglers in the lower river, as well. Worm harnesses or a yellow sally fly, spinner and a worm will catch fish. So will hair jigs. If you were looking to fish the A-1 Bait Supply Bass Derby this weekend, the event has been postponed until Sept. 9. Stop down to the shop or call 754-1895 for details.

Down River Bait and Tackle has moved from their Seneca Street location to Center Street, according to Kim Quarantillo. Kids should stop in for their contest to “name that bear.” For details, call 754-4272.

3. Upper Niagara River

The head of the river is still holding good numbers of bass, according to Capt. Frank Campbell. He did well with crabs, shiners and tubes at mid-week. Silver bass were still hitting off Ferry Street on minnows according to John Van Hoff at the Big Catch. Small spoons and spinners will also work. Bass has been good around Strawberry and Beaver Islands. Some muskies have been caught off Ontario Street the past week up to 40 inches in length. Chubs have been the best bait to use there.

4. Lake Erie and tributaries

Walleye fishing has dropped off quite a bit the past week, in part because of the winds. Limit catches, once the norm for walleye, are not as common place now. One of the better areas continues to be off Barcelona in 75 to 90 feet of water. Bass fishing was decent off Meyers and Seneca shoal the past week, from 20 to 45 foot depths, scattered over structure. Live bait or jigs were the way to go. Perch are starting to hit out deep off Evangola State Park in 80 feet of water.

5. Chautauqua Lake

Walleye are still hit or miss around Victoria Bar going into this holiday weekend. He had good success on muskellunge this past week by casting black Suick hard baits in 16 feet of water on the weed edges between the Prendergast launch and Camp Chautauqua.

Bill Hilts Jr. is a past president of the New York State Outdoor Writers Association. Contact him at bhiltsjr69@cs.com.

6. Finger Lakes-Inland Waters

Oneida Lake — Walleye fishing continues to be slow, with excessive bait being blamed as the primary culprit. Yellow perch were hitting in 12-15 feet of water on crayfish; bass where hitting crayfish and shiners.

Cayuga Lake — Lake trout were hitting in 70 foot depths and deeper in the southern half of the lake. Landlocked salmon and brown trout where biting south of Taughannock Point. Bass were hitting all around the lake on crayfish.

Bill Hilts Jr. is a past president of the New York State Outdoor Writers Association. Contact him at bhiltsjr69@cs.com.