Fishing Report

The waters are not only receding, but are also clearing up. Those brave enough to endure the cold weather are starting to catch steelhead again.

There is no safe ice to report. Most areas are only reporting an inch or two, and what is there is not uniform. Anglers are encouraged to wait a little longer. The only safe fishing right now is for bluegills along the cuts and canals.

Has iced over and is making new ice every night. Anglers are encouraged to use caution and avoid the areas near the pressure cracks. Those fishing just off shore are catching northern pike on sucker minnows.

Has ice out to the drop off but the ice is NOT safe. Anglers are hoping by next week they will be ice fishing.

Anglers have started ice fishing, but caution still needs to be used. Those fishing near the State Park are catching perch on minnows.

Ice fishing has just started. As anglers start venturing out on the ice, they are reminded to use extreme caution. Rumor has it a few anglers fishing by the Junior High School were catching crappie on minnows. Quite a few small perch have been caught on minnows near the City Dock.

Steelhead fishing continues to be good. Those fishing up near Tippy Dam are also catching good numbers of brown trout, but the fish are small.

Anglers are still catching steelhead.

Steelhead can still be found in the river.

Though ice has started to form, the bays do not have safe ice at this time. Anglers could start fishing by next week if cold temperatures continue and the winds stay light.

Has good steelhead fishing. Anglers are trolling downstream from Taylor Bridge which is located on Garfield Road.

Good steelhead fishing continues in the upper section of the river. More walleye are starting to show up in the lower river.

Ice on the ramps is starting to hamper boat fishing efforts. Shore anglers casting Husky Jerks from the south side of the lake are catching walleye. Anglers at Heritage Landing are taking northern pike during the day and walleye at night. Minnows under a bobber worked best. Along the north and east shoreline, those wading have caught walleye and pike when casting.

Those fishing off the breakwall are still catching steelhead. Anglers need to use extreme caution and avoid the piers when they have become ice covered and slippery.

Anglers may still be able to find some steelhead above the Webber Dam even though the DNR did close the fish ladder. The closing of the fish ladder every year is temperature based. Once the water temperature falls below 45 degrees, no more fish will move through. The ladder should be reopened by March 1st.

Water levels are now receding and clearing up. Steelhead fishing continues to be good when using jigs with minnows or choker bags up near the Sixth Street Dam. Walleye have been caught off the Fulton Street Bridge and the East Wall when bouncing minnows off the bottom. Off Wealthy Street, anglers are catching walleye when floating shiner minnows under a bobber.

Only a few walleye, northern pike and whitefish have been caught in the harbor. Only a few perch were caught.

Has no ice fishing to report. Anglers are getting a few walleye on jigs with minnows when fishing near the Dow Dam and also at Gordonville Road.

There is no ice fishing to report yet. Walleye are still hitting on jigs with minnows but the fish are running small. Walleye were caught in the lower river in about 16 feet of water in front of the Coast Guard Station and the Bay Harbor Marina. Perch were caught in the lower river at the Bay Aggregate cut.

Walleye were being caught at the Hot Ponds when using body baits and spoons. Perch action is slower. Those fishing at the Quanicassee Bridge and off the end of Thomas Road are catching perch, but the fish are running small.

Has good walleye and perch fishing in the lower Trenton Channel. The better fishing has been upstream from Gibraltar. Those fishing the canals and marinas are catching perch and bluegills on worms or minnows.

Water levels are not only coming down but are also clearing up, so walleye fishing should improve.

Walleye anglers are still catching some fish, even with the onset of colder temperatures. Boat anglers are using reef runners and rapalas. Those fishing the cuts and canals are catching bluegills on minnows or wax worms.

The occasional boat anglers have caught some steelhead. Pier anglers and those surfcasting have also taken some fish.

Steelhead fishing has been good all winter, especially up near Tippy Dam. Anglers are reporting catches anywhere from a couple fish to a dozen in a days fishing. Rolling or fishing spawn under a bobber has been the best, but those running plugs have also taken fish.