Weekly Fishing Report
Each week, catch up on a full report on where to fish, popular baits and lures, weather conditions and upcoming fishing tournaments and derbies.
Niagara Falls USA Weekly Fishing Report for May 31, 2023
It’s National Fishing and Boating Week! Take a kid fishing! National Fishing and Boating Week, slated this year for June 3-11 across the country, is highlighted with several kids fishing contests here in Western New York. Each year, fishing and boating activities are celebrated on a national level to help increase awareness for these popular activities. You can find out more information through the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation here.
Over at the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, there are plenty of fishing opportunities. It all starts June 3 with a stop at the Visitor Center, located at 1101 Casey Road in Basom, any time between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Loaner fishing gear and free bait will be available for the day.
On June 10, there will be a Kid’s Fishing Derby sponsored by the Pendleton Lions Club at West Canal Park and Marina located on Tonawanda Creek Road, North Tonawanda from 9 a.m. to noon. More kids contests are coming next week.
In the fishing department, there is not too much Lake Ontario information available this week with the Niagara County Pro-Am out of Wilson and Olcott this Friday and Saturday. As a warmup, the Don Johannes/Pete DeAngelo Memorial 3-fish/Big Fish contest will be June 1 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. for $100 per boat. Call Capt. Mike Johannes at 523-1727 to sign up. We will have a recap for it all next week.
Capt. Nate Stephenson of Triple J Charters out of Wilson reports that he has been out the last few days, targeting 300 to 400 feet of water off 4 Mile Creek and caught a mixed bag of fish. Stephenson has been getting steelhead in the top 20 - 30 feet using 150 feet of weighted steel with a 6-inch spin doctor/peanut fly set-up. The salmon have been coming from 40 to 60 feet down. On Sunday, the fish were only biting on a west troll. Most of the fish came on spoons and spin doctors and flies.
In the lower Niagara River, the dreaded moss is starting to rear its ugly head, but it’s still manageable at this point. Capt. Frank Campbell of Lewiston reports bass and walleye are cooperating, but you must work for them on some days. Night fishing for walleyes off Lewiston Landing is producing some fish with plastics. Bass like tubes, swim baits, and Ned rigs during this artificial-only catch and release season. There are still a few trout hanging around, but they are on the way out.
Upper river action for bass and walleyes is producing a few fish, but for the most part the bass are starting to spawn. There are still a few pre-spawn fish around. Remember the bass season opens on June 15 for the regular season.
A State of Lake Ontario meeting will be on June 6 at the Irondequoit Fish and Game Club in Rochester starting at 7 p.m. The Lake Ontario Trout and Salmon Association will be holding its June 8 meeting at the North Amherst Fire Hall in Amherst and Captains Gary Katta of Kongo Sportfishing and John Forbes of Times Two Charters will be talking about Lake Erie walleye fishing. It starts at 7 p.m
Sign up for a fishing tournament or derby in Niagara Falls USA. See the full schedule of events here.