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. So whether you packed your tackle box, or hire a charter captain in Niagara Falls USA, a fishing adventure awaits – along with that catch of a lifetime!

Niagara Falls USA Weekly Fishing Report for October 21, 2020

Over an inch of rain that fell the last couple of days has helped the local fishing situation in the tributaries. Burt Dam and 18 Mile Creek saw a fresh run of salmon push through this week along with some brown trout and steelhead. Karen Evarts at The Boat Doctors in Olcott reports that egg sacs, beads, wooly buggers, soft creatures, and eggs were all catching fish. The hot bait is egg skein for salmon. There was a report of someone spearing fish at the dam and that they were cited for violating the fishing law. Remember that anglers can only keep one steelhead (with a minimum size of 25 inches) and one brown trout now with new regulations. Off the piers, action has been slow in Olcott, but it could pick up now. Green Mister Twisters were working for Matt Becker of Wilson this week, fishing at night in Olcott Harbor. Wilson perch fishing action has been very good according to Evarts and some king salmon were seen jumping around Wilson Tuscarora State Park. Supplemental water from the Erie Canal has been a benefit to streams in Orleans and Monroe counties and it will help 18 Mile Creek starting Nov. 6. Scott Feltrinelli with Ontario Fly Outfitters reports the colder temps and recent rains have brought kings and browns into what were once "bone dry" creeks. Smaller tributaries on Lake Ontario saw a good push of anxious fish this week according to Feltrinelli.

Mike Rzucidlo and Mike Ziehm, both from Niagara Falls, were back at it in the lower Niagara River again this week. Whether they are fishing off the NYPA fishing platform, along Artpark or further up towards the Whirlpool area, they always seem to find success with either a No. 4 or 5 spinners in silver and chartreuse or with a jig. The jig produced some white bass and a big brown trout this week for Ziehm. Rzucidlo caught 3 steelhead and a lake trout off the NYPA fishing platform recently. Lake trout are in thick now so release them safely and quickly. While anglers are still getting some salmon off the platform and a few are being taken from shore and boats according to Lisa Drabczyk of Creek Road Bait and Tackle, the run is starting to slow down – unless the cold rain attracts a fresh run this week. Some steelhead were reported in the river, but most of the effort has been on smallmouth bass where they have been bulking up for winter. Mitch Grant with Rapid Fishing Solutions had these tips to share after fishing last week. Locate the fish and once you do, stay on them. Vertical jigging or drifting through the area will yield some nice bronzebacks. The fish have been tight to the grass and he found them in 8 to 20 feet of water depending on the area. His best tube was a Strike King peanut and jelly or a dark melon in 3/16 ounce to ¼ ounce. Ned rigs were working, too. All were 2-3/4-inch in size. Along the Stella drift, he would quiver a drop shot rig hooked with a Strike King Baby Z-2 in a “Deal” color. Out of the mouth of the river on the Niagara Bar, seek out 14 to 17 feet of water with a tube or Ned rig. They managed to catch 2 bass over 6 pounds and many between 4- and 6-pounds last week. They were imitating gobies or emerald shiners. Walleye have been hitting jigs and split-tail swimbaits according to Drabczyk. In the upper river, not too much has changed from last week with reports of decent smallmouth bass fishing and the occasional musky being taken.

Sign up for a fishing tournament or derby in Niagara Falls USA. See the full schedule of events here. Please note, some events are canceled due to COVID-19/Coronavirus crisis.

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