Weekly Fishing Report

Smallmouth bass are into the spawn and should peak with the next full moon. Bass have been available on a variety of baits, including Ned rigs, tubes, spinnerbaits, and dropshots in natural colors. Targeting shallow water (3 to 10 feet) produces the most bites, but bigger fish are being taken deeper (15 to 20 feet). Live bait will be legal to use when the black bass season opens on Sunday for all current catch-and-release waters.

Some trout are still available throughout the river system, with the water temperature still below 60 degrees. Most productive presentations have been minnows or MagLips fished off three-way rigs. The moss is just starting to show up and really isn’t a factor at this point.

Alan Raymond at The Wicked Worm in Youngstown says there are plenty of bass to be caught and the best lures have been Ned rigs, jigs, and tubes. Some lake trout are still available in the Devil's Hole area.

Mike Rzucidlo of Niagara Falls celebrated his birthday this week when he hit the upper river with 2-inch pearl tube jigs. He landed several rainbow trout and a dozen smallmouth bass on a cloudy day from shore. The visibility was close to 10 feet.

Coho salmon fishing remains good with fish being taken in the top 50 feet of water on spoons and flasher-fly combinations, reports Capt. Joe Oakes of Salmonboy Sportfishing out of Wilson. The best bottom depth has been 120 to 300 feet overall. Kings continue to come and go, with the best lures being spoons and meat rigs. It does appear that we are heading into the June transition time when salmon and trout will start to scatter. The next big derby will be the Summer LOC Derby, taking place from June 28 to July 27.

Congratulations to the Legacy team led by Capt. Rob Westcott of Hamlin in the Orleans County Open last weekend for the Pro Division, as well as the Roll with It team in the Amateur Division, who repeated as the champs. Second place in the Pro Division was Team Thrillseeker and Capt. Vince Pierleoni out of Olcott. Westcott and company fished in 75-180 feet of water. There was a decent surface and down break in 100-125 feet of water, and the fish were just inside and just outside it. Cut bait and flashers were the answer for the salmon on divers and on a deep downrigger; high Dreamweaver Super Slim spoons on shallow riggers for steelhead; and Hammerhead cowbells and Gambler rigs for the lake trout in the mixed format contest.

In the youth fishing department, Saturday is the 41st Annual Niagara County Kids Fishing Derby sponsored by the Wilson Conservation Club from 8 a.m. to noon in any county waters. Measuring will take place at the club located on Route 425 in Wilson.

Sunday is the Father’s Day kids fishing derby at Widewaters Marina in Lockport from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

June 21 is the Hooks for Harry Memorial Kids Derby in Newfane/Olcott on 18 Mile Creek from 8 a.m. to noon. The measuring station will be at the Town of Newfane Marina.

Sign up for a fishing tournament or derby in Niagara Falls USA. See the full schedule of events here.