Fishing In Central New York:

information below provided by:  http://www.dec.ny.gov/index.html

April 30- May 7

Walleye, northern pike, pickerel and tiger musky season opens on Saturday, May 1st. Good opening day locations in Central New York for walleye are: Oneida Lake, Whitney Point Reservoir, Susquehanna River and Otisco Lake. For tiger musky try Otisco Lake, Cross Lake, Madison Reservoir and Lower Lelands Ponds. Northern pike can be found in Owasco Lake, Cayuga Lake and most Lake Ontario Bays. For pickerel try Big Bay on Oneida Lake, Tully Lake and Madison Reservoir.

Anglers may be interested in Stream Trout Fishing Techniques. Also, remember that Finger Lake tributary fishing is from sunrise to sunset from April 1 through May 15, see Finger Lakes Tributary Regulations.

Some sections of area streams and lakes will have been stocked by Saturday May 1st. These streams and lakes are:

Broome County – Artic Lake, Finch Hollow, Greenwood Lake, Little Choconut 2e, Nanticoke 7a, Nanticoke Lake, Palmers Pond, Patterson Pond, Oquaga Creek, Chenango Lake, Dudley Creek, Nanticoke Creek, and East Branch Nanticoke Creek

Cayuga County– Fall Creek, North Brook, Owasco Inlet, and Salmon Creek

Chenango County– Bowman Lake, Jeffrey Pond, Mill Brook Reservoir, Pharsalia Y Pond, Guilford Lake, Genegantslet Creek and the Otselic River

Cortland County– Casterline Pond, Little York Lake and the Otselic River

Madison County– Upper Lelands Pond, Eaton Brook Reservoir, Lebanon Reservoir, Beaver Creek, Canastota Creek, Chittenango Creek, Canasaraga Creek, Cowaselon Creek, Limestone Creek, Old Chenango Canal, Oneida Creek, Chenango River, Payne Brook, Otselic River, Stone Mill Brook and the Sangerfield River

Onondaga County-Green Lakes, Poole Brook, Spruce Pond, Limestone Creek, West Br. Limestone Creek, Furnace Brook, Spafford Creek, Fabius Brook, Geddes Brook, Butternut Creek, VanBuren Pond, Onondaga Creek, West Br. Onondaga Creek, Tannery Creek, Carpenters Brook, and Skaneateles Creek, Onondaga Counties carpenters Brook Fish hatchery stocking Hotline: (315) 689-0003

Oswego County– Black Creek, Rice Creek, North Branch of the Salmon River, Salmon River, and the West Branch of Fish Creek

Tioga County – Catatonk Creek, Cayuta Creek, East Branch of Owego Creek, Owego Creek, and West Branch of Owego Creek

Tompkins County – Enfield Creek, Virgil Creek, Buttermilk Creek, Salmon Creek, Fall Creek and Sixmile Creek.

For more stocking information view Spring Trout Stocking.

Region 7

Lake Ontario

When the weather, mainly the wind direction, cooperates near shore brown trout fishing has been good from Oswego to Mexico. A few coho salmon are also being reported. The early morning bite has been best. Flat lining with stickbaits like Smithwick Rogues, Rapala’s, and Storm ThunderSticks are producing fish. Color preference has been varying with bright colors like orange and firetiger working one day and more natural colors like black & silver or black & blue working the next day. Some fish are also being taken on spoons such as Stingers and Dreamweaver. The lake level is low at this time so use caution when trolling near shore. The lake has been pretty clear this spring and normal “mudlines” or cloudy water near shore and off river mouths hasn’t been stable. This has made finding the brown trout more difficult.

Oswego River

The river flow is back down and is currently at 1,460 cubic feet per second (cfs) as of 04/29. All areas are fishable but anglers fishing from the Utica Street Bridge to the harbor are catching brown trout, steelhead and even a few Atlantic salmon. Good baits remain the same with stickbaits, worms, minnows, egg sacs and pink PowerBait trout worms working. Sheephead (freshwater drum) are hitting crayfish. Some bullheads are still being taken around Wrights Landing on leeches. Walleye season opening Saturday, fishing large stickbaits (like Rapala #18’s) is a popular method of catching walleye in the river.

Salmon River

The river flow is running at 285 cfs as of 04/29. There are a few steelhead still spawning but most fish being caught are drop backs (fish that have finished spawning). Spawning fish can be found in the riffle areas and drop backs are being taken throughout the river. With the low water, fishing the heads and tails of the deeper pools is working well for the drop backs. Good baits are beads, egg sacs, pink PowerBait trout worms, streamers and egg imitating flies. There are continued reports of Atlantic salmon being taken in the lower section of river.

Oneida Lake

Walleye season starts Saturday. With the early spawn this year fish should be spread out more. Start your search shallow (5 feet of water) and work deeper until fish are found. Crankbaits, stickbaits, jigs and live bait should all work. Anglers fishing Toad Harbor are having good luck for black crappies on small minnows. Bullheads are being taken in bays and river mouths on worms and leeches.

Sandy Pond

The water level is low in the pond at this time. A few anglers are getting out in boats are getting yellow perch and crappie on fathead minnows fished under bobbers.

Cayuga Lake

Brown trout and Atlantic salmon are still hitting stickbaits fished off side planers on the south end. The early morning bite has been good in 10-20 feet of water. As the day progresses moving deeper to 50 feet of water and fishing with spoons has extended the action. Lake trout are being taken around Deans Cove in 140 to 180 feet of water for anglers vertical jigging or trolling. Yellow perch are being caught on the north end on fathead minnows in 10-15 feet of water.

Owasco Lake

Anglers fishing the north end are still getting some yellow perch on fathead minnows in 15-20 feet of water.

Skaneateles Lake

Anglers trolling with streamers are getting a few Atlantic salmon and shore anglers are still getting rainbows with marshmallow and worm rigs. Yellow perch are hitting in the south end in 15-20 feet of water on fathead minnows.

Otisco Lake

Smallmouth bass fishing has been good for anglers using Berkley PowerBait grubs and craws. Just a reminder that it’s catch and release and artificial lures only for bass until the 3rd Saturday in June. A few crappies and bluegills are being taken on the north end on fathead minnows and worms. Walleye season starts Saturday, May 1st, trolling with stickbaits or casting stickbaits after dark from the causeway are methods that often work on the lake. Fishing with large live minnows or casting with spinnerbaits or stickbaits works for tiger musky.

Whitney Point Reservoir

There are plenty of walleyes in the reservoir and it should be a good opening weekend. Bullhead and channel catfish fishing has really picked up in the last week. A 14-pound channel catfish was caught recently. Night crawlers and cut-bait have both been working. Crappie fishing remains slow but some nice sized yellow perch are being taken. Anglers are not getting many of them but when they get one their big.

Susquehanna, Chenango, Tioughnioga and Unadilla Rivers

Anglers using dark colored tube jigs are having good luck on the smallmouth bass. Just a reminder that it’s catch and release and artificial lures only for bass until the 3rd Saturday in June. Catfish were hitting well around the Nichols area on cut-bait. No bullhead activity to report.

Eastern Region 8

Sections of the following waters will have been stocked by Saturday, May 1st:

Chemung County -Elbridge Lake, Park Station Pond, Post Creek, Sing Sing Creek, Newton Creek, Cayuta Creek and Wyncoop Creek

Schyler County – Cayuta Creek, Potomac Pond, Foster Pond and Ballard Pond

Seneca County – Canoga Creek

Steuben County – Meads Creek, Canisteo River, Bennett Creek, Canaseraga Creek, Cohocton River and Post Creek

Lake Ontario

Brown trout are hitting real early in the morning for shore anglers casting spoons like Cleo’s, Krocodiles and Cyclops from Webster Park and the mouth of Bear Creek. The bite seems to end around 8:00 am as the day brightens. Anglers trolling with spoons and stickbaits are also getting brown trout close to shore in 15 feet of water. Spoons seem to be working better than stickbaits at the moment. A few coho salmon are also beginning to show up. Browns are also being taken from real shallow water, 3-6 feet, from Brockport Marina to Hamlin Beach for anglers casting blue & silver Cleo’s.

Genesee River

There are brown trout being taken in the river on spoons and egg sacs. Smallmouth bass fishing has been good in the river. Just a reminder that it’s catch and release, artificial lures only for bass until the 3rd Saturday in June.

Sodus Bay

Anglers fishing around the bridge are getting bluegills, rock bass and bullheads. Anglers getting out in boats are catching yellow perch, bluegills, rock bass and bullheads. The bluegill and rock bass bite has been very good on jigs and spikes. Bullhead fishing has been good one day and slow the next, the best bite continues to be after dark on night crawlers.

Irondequoit Bay

Yellow perch fishing has picked up during the last week for anglers fishing small minnows. Shore anglers are catching fish as are anglers getting out in boats.

Seneca Lake

Lake trout are being taken in a variety of ways; down riggers, Dipsy divers and wire. Spoons and flashers and flies are working. Fish are being taken 50-100 feet down over 100 to 150 feet of water. Anglers using wire are letting out 200-250 feet. Some Atlantic salmon are still hitting stickbaits trolled on the surface.

Canandaigua Lake

Anglers fishing on the south end are still getting yellow perch and crappies. Small minnows and spikes are working. Anglers top lining with spoons and stickbaits off planer boards are getting brown trout in the south end. Lake trout are hitting flashers and flies fished down 75-100 feet. Like last year Spin Dr’s. (flashers) and flies (like Big Weenies) in shades of green are working well.

Keuka Lake

Lake trout are being taken 80 to 110 feet down over 150 feet of water on flasher and flies and spoons. Anglers using wire are letting out 200-250 feet. Spin Dr’s. and Big Weenie flies in a variety of colors are working, with green still being productive.

Waneta and Lamoka Lakes

Bullheads are hitting before and after dark on night crawlers. A few yellow perch are being caught on small minnows.