Weekly Fishing Report

Niagara Falls USA Weekly Fishing Report for April 7, 2021

Fishing action is taking off throughout Niagara County and Western New York and novice and veteran anglers should take advantage of the long list of opportunities that are available. The Niagara County Bullhead Tournament is starting on Friday, April 9 at 5 p.m.  This is a shore fishing only event, with anglers vying for the best 2 bullheads total weight to win the prizes. Weigh in will take place on Sunday, April 11 at the Wilson Conservation Club from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more info call Eric at 628-6078. The tournament ends at 1 p.m. on Sunday. Fish will continue to be stocked in the state’s inland waters and we are still awaiting notification for some of the urban areas like Hyde Park Lake and Gill Creek in Niagara Falls, and Oppenheim Park Pond in Wheatfield. The fish stocking phone number for the Randolph Hatchery is 358-2050 if you want to see what has been stocked so far. New fishing regulations are now in place and the new regulations guide should be available at license-issuing agents this coming week. You can check those new regulations online. The New York Power Authority fishing platform in the lower Niagara River is now open. Lower river trout action has improved considerably the past week according to Mike Ziehm of Niagara Falls fishing the gorge from shore. He caught 9 steelhead his last outing using No. 5 chartreuse with orange dots or chartreuse and gold spinners. He found his fish out a bit deeper. In the NYPA Reservoir, diverted water from the Niagara River, Mike Rzucidlo of Niagara Falls says that he likes accessing off the NYPA Upper Mountain Road access behind the fire company. Action should be improving any day and his favorite baits include ¼ ounce white jigs or No. 3 spinners for a mixed bag of fish.  

Lisa Drabczyk of Creek Road Bait and Tackle in Lewiston reports that action has picked up in the river. Along Artpark, there has been a mix of steelhead, brown trout and lake trout being caught by anglers casting spoons or drifters using minnows, egg sacs or MagLips/Kwikfish. The same approach can work on the Niagara Bar if the winds cooperate. Capt. John DeLorenzo of Niagara Falls reports that fishing in the river has been fair. The combination of steelhead spawning and pods of smelt in the main river, it has been a more difficult bite. If you are looking for smelt from shore to dip at night, there has been very limited success. Some people have been checking out shoreline activity every night and the evidence that they have been there can be found the next morning from a few people. Please carry out what you carry in.

Karen Evarts with the Boat Doctors in Olcott reports that 18 Mile Creek and Burt Dam have been producing some trout on a mix of baits, but egg sacs and egg imitations are both working right now. Some fish are being caught in Olcott and Wilson Harbor. Capt. John DeLorenzo of Niagara Falls reports heading east to Olcott for some shoreline trolling for brown trout over the weekend. He noted that trollers should look for a distinct mud line and he found one just east of Olcott off Keg Creek in 10-12 feet of water, working his Challenger in 3.5-inch. The best color patterns were smelt and frog colors, running 100 feet behind an Offshore in-line planer board. One trip, Jon Sharipo of Toledo, Ohio managed to hook into a nice king salmon. According to DeLorenzo, fishing has been on and off in the lake. The net pens in Wilson and Olcott have received their fish this week.

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