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Lake Ontario Sport Fish and Fishing Methods
The stream fishing section of this site contains detailed background on the salmon and trout of this region. For additional information on these species, please see that section of this site.
Chinook, Coho and Atlantic Salmon and Steelhead Trout
Chinook and coho salmon have similar habits. Because they are so much larger, anglers tend to target chinook, and may pick up cohos in the process. Steelhead also behave and are taken similarly, except that steelhead enter the rivers several weeks later than salmon and survive the spawn and return to the lake in the spring. Atlantic salmon, also known as landlocked salmon, are being reintroduced into Lake Ontario. They are still an incidental catch and are not generally targeted specifically.
Chinook, coho and steelhead tend to avoid coming close to shore or into shallower water until they are ready to spawn. During the summer months, they will generally be only in deeper waters, and usually in waters over 100 feet in depth.
In the spring, winter run steelhead return from their spawning runs in the streams and can be taken near shore, generally near stream mouths. Skamania steelhead can also be found near shore during the summer, since they are summer run steelhead.
Generally, however, in the summer and early fall, these fish are scattered in the deeper waters of the lake. They are taken almost exclusively by trolling. Since they are rarely near the surface when far from shore, they are not usually caught with planer boards or on flat lines. These fish do not generally school during the summer and early fall. In the late fall, these fish begin to school off the mouths of the streams as they prepare for their spawning runs, and they can be caught just off shore. The salmon school first, usually beginning in mid to late August. The winter run steelhead typically begin to school in mid to late September.
Since salmon and steelhead are usually holding in deeper water, they are usually taken with downriggers or divers. Favorite lures for salmon and steelhead include plugs such as Hot-N-Tot, Hot Shot, and large spoons such as NK Magnums. Imitation plastic squids and cut bait rigs are also popular.
Dodgers, flashers and other attractors are often used when fishing for salmon, especially with squids. Popular dodger sizes are #0, #1 and #2. Dodgers are normally fished 4 to 12 feet back from the downrigger weight. The fly or lure is put 18 to 24 inches behind the dodger. Some anglers will use a "stacker" release and run a spoon or plug off a downrigger line above the dodger.
Fishing for salmon and steelhead in the fall near shore is done quite differently. Occasionally boats will anchor near the mouth of a stream and cast spoons (of the casting type, like a Little Cleo, not the trolling type). Most who fish from boats near the shore troll. These anglers use either planer boards or flat lines, since it is often too shallow to use a downrigger or diver. Downriggers can be used if you are in deep enough water. Many try to troll in very shallow water (sometimes less than 15 feet), and lures can be caught on the bottom if you are not careful. Plugs, especially J-Plugs, are popular. In the peak of the fall salmon and steelhead season, the water off the stream mouths can become crowded with boats trolling and weaving past one another. Be considerate when fishing in these conditions. All the boat traffic also scares the fish. As the day wears on and traffic increases, the fish tend to hit less and suspend at a lower depth.
Brown Trout
As explained above, there is an excellent brown trout fishery early in the season. When the lake becomes fishable, browns can be found very close to shore, and to depths of up to 20 feet. Early in the season when the water temperature is cold, the fish will be in the warmest water they can find. As the water warms above about 47 degrees, the browns begin to move out to stay in water temperatures in the 47 to 65 degree range. Browns are both structure and bait oriented, so look for them where there is both bait fish and bottom structure. Early in the season browns can be taken from shore. One of the best producers for brown trout is any location where the thermocline intersects the lake bottom. If this can be located, generally brown trout will be there too, especially if there is also structure present.
Many anglers fish for browns using lighter gear, which includes line between four and ten pound test. Browns are also light sensitive, so if the browns are in close to shore, fishing is better early or late in the day or when skies are overcast. Typical trolling speeds for browns is in the 1.8 to 2.3 m.p.h. range.
Popular areas for brown trout in the spring include the shoreline areas near the mouths of Otter and Catfish Creeks near Pleasant Point. When the water is cold, try the warm water discharge points off the Nine Mile power plant and the Fitzpatrick power plant.
Popular lures for browns include stick baits such as Rapalas, and spoons.
Lake Trout
Lake trout are native to Lake Ontario. They mature far more slowly than salmon and steelhead, and large lake trout can be more than ten years old. Because lake trout mature so slowly, there is a closed season for these fish on Lake Ontario during their spawning season. In addition, Lake Trout of a certain size must be released to permit them to spawn. See the Regulations page for more information.
Lake trout are one of the most consistently caught species in eastern Lake Ontario. They can be taken throughout nearly all of the off-shore angling season.
Lake trout are usually found on or near the bottom, except in the late May and early June when they may be near the surface and closer to shore. Nearly all lake trout are taken by trolling a downrigger close to the bottom. Spoons are the most popular lure for lakers. Typical troll speeds for lake trout are about two m.p.h. or less.
Smallmouth Bass
Smallmouth fishing is an often overlooked fishery in Lake Ontario. The lake holds very good populations of smallmouths of substantial size. It is likely this fishery will increase in both popularity and publicity in the near future. A recent DEC survey showed that in 1999 the number of boat trips targeting smallmouth nearly doubled from the year before and reached its highest point ever.
Smallmouth tend to hold over some type of structure, and are generally found near shore, in the 10 to 35 foot depth range. Popular spots for smallmouth include the near shore area off Butterfly Swamp, the rocky bottom areas off the mouth of Little Salmon River at Mexico Point, off "A Frame Point" west of the mouth of the Little Salmon (off from the A frame cabin), on either side of the mouth of Catfish Creek, at Nine Mile Point around the shallow water discharge from the Nine Mile 1 plant and the deep water discharge at the Fitzpatrick power plant, at the mouth of the Salmon River at Port Ontario and at the entrance to North Sandy Pond.
Some out-of-towners use traditional bass boats and fish as though they were in a reservoir or river. This can be quite dangerous, as these boats are not designed for big lake fishing. If you use a bass boat on the lake, use common sense, stay close to shore, watch the weather and be prepared to run for harbor if the waves pick up.
Smallmouth are taken by a variety of methods and with a variety of baits and lures. They can be taken by still fishing, drifting or trolling. Popular baits used when still fishing or drifting include minnows and soft-shell crayfish, usually fished near the bottom. Bucktail jigs tipped with a nightcrawler are also popular. Smallmouth can also be taken by the traditional method of casting a lure. However, the fish may be holding in more than 20 feet of water, so you must get the lure deep enough to present it to the fish. Smallmouth can also be taken by trolling. In mid-summer, smallmouths are occasionally taken much further off-shore in significantly deeper waters.
Walleye
Traditionally walleye populations have not been consistent enough to support a significant walleye fishery in eastern Lake Ontario. As a result, they are not frequently targeted in the lake. However, there is a distinct near-shore fishery for walleye off Oswego Harbor each spring, usually from the last half of May through the first half of June. From evening and into the night, walleye school just off the harbor mouth, and anglers in boats congregate in large numbers targeting the walleye. Most anglers use large floating stickbaits, such as size 18 Rapalas, to fish for these walleye. There is also some walleye fishing around Nine Mile Point, but again it is not nearly as popular as the fishery for trout and salmon.
Additional Resources
Special thanks to Captain Ernie Lantiegne of Fish Doctor Charters for his assistance with this description.
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