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 February 1, 2023
Wind is still creating some issues in and on the Niagara River this week to the dismay of shore and boat fishermen. And just when the waters look like they are starting to clear a bit from the muddy soup, an arctic blast hits the region with below zero temperatures just before the weekend – some of the coldest of the winter so far. It can only help the ice fishermen, but it will hinder soft water anglers.
A few trout were being caught according to Lisa Drabczyk with Creek Road Bait and Tackle in Lewiston, giving shore fishermen an outside option to make some casts with spinners, spoons, jigs and egg sacs or egg imitations like beads. It will be cold and most, if not all, fishermen will be staying warm this weekend.
One bright spot that Drabczyk pointed out was that tributary fishing off Lake Ontario is picking up. Matt Vogt of Newfane confirmed that. He took a walk down a couple tributaries and if the stream had water, it had fish. It appears there was another push of steelhead. Smaller tributaries were littered with fish. Some locals around are still getting trout at Burt Dam, too. A lot of different presentations seem to work. It all depends on the day and conditions. Egg sacs, imitations and jigs under a float were all taking fish.
The state’s Department of Environmental Conservation, in conjunction with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, has announced that the agencies have agreed to a 10% salmon stocking increase for Lake Ontario in 2023. The 10% increase will translate into just under 1 million king salmon from the Salmon River Fish Hatchery for New York waters. Lake managers agreed to the increase after the age-2 and older alewife biomass increased in 2022 and it was predicted that it would remain at similar levels in 2023 and 2024.
In addition, the average size of an age-3 salmon (measured in the lake during August) was 20.7 pounds. The minimum target size for a salmon being assessed at that time is 18.4 pounds. All salmon being stocked will be held in pens except for the Salmon River.
This may be an excellent talking point to discuss with lake managers and fisheries biologists at the DEC Open House scheduled for February 18 at the Niagara Falls Convention Center, being held in conjunction with the Greater Niagara Fishing and Outdoor Expo. Speaking of the Expo, things are set for February 16-19. A new Walleye Fishing School still has seats available. Click here for details.
The annual Birds on the Niagara Festival is set for February 17-20 with lots of in-person birding tours and recommendations on how and where to bird if you want to do things on your own. There is a new website at Birdniagara.org. There is also free parking and admission to the Cave of the Winds all weekend through Monday.
Sign up for a fishing tournament or derby in Niagara Falls USA. See the full schedule of events here.