Welcome to the Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers as they celebrate its 70th Anniversary with a conference on the lower Niagara River in Lewiston this week. The focus is outdoors in Niagara Falls USA and they are taking advantage of the long list of story opportunities that are available here.
The Lower Niagara River continues to offer anglers a wide variety of fish species to target. At the top of the list is king salmon and it’s been good to very good this past week for both shore anglers and those drifting from boats. Carter Andrews was in town this past week filming for his new show “Gone Again” which will debut on The Outdoor Channel in 2027. A few salmon were caught, and it did make for a great fight on film. He was throwing Yo-Zuri stick baits to catch his fish. The crew was also able to target some nice bass on similar Yo-Zuri baits.
Back up the river, drifters presenting treated egg skein fished off three-way rigs have been having the most success, while shore bound anglers have reported salmon on spinners, spoons, crank baits, and skein under a float. Top areas are from Artpark up into the Whirlpool. Please use caution while fishing from the bank as the rocks are slippery and conditions change quickly in the Niagara Gorge. Bass and walleye anglers are also having success throughout the river system on a variety of baits. For bass, shiners are leading the way for consistent action. However, good numbers have fish are still being caught on plastics presented on a drop shot set-up, along with jerk baits and swim baits. Best colors are those which imitate an emerald shiner as good numbers of those baitfish have shown up in the river. Walleye fisherman have utilized traditional methods such as three-way rigs with worm harnesses and jigging spoons. There are also some reports of perch being taken with live minnows in the historical perch areas such as the sand docks in Lewiston and Peggy’s Eddy near Joseph Davis State Park.
There are still a few charter boats fishing the lake, but weather has been the biggest issue. Head to the deeper, more stable water for a mix of salmon and trout. Capt. Mike Johannes of On the Rocks Charters found a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow on Tuesday off Wilson in 200 feet of water using spoons to help catch 7 nice steelhead for AGLOW media members in the top 60 feet of water.
In Olcott at 18 Mile Creek, Karen Evarts at The Boat Doctors and Tackle Barn reports salmon and trout are being caught off the piers and at Burt Dam. Orange and chartreuse beads, egg sacs, and black/white jigs are all working. Drifting egg skein under a float is working in the main creek. Off the piers, J13 Rapalas and Little Cleo spoons have been hot. Congratulations to 9-year-old Clayton Waldorf of North Tonawanda. He caught his first salmon ever by casting a J13 Rapala off the Wilson Pier this past weekend.
Frank Campbell
Director, Outdoor Promotions
Destination Niagara USA
10 Rainbow Blvd.Niagara Falls, NY 14303p: 1-877 FALLS US | 716-282-8992 x. 303f: 716-285-0809www.niagarafallsusa.com
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Photo captions:
9-year-old Clayton Waldorf of North Tonawanda caught his first salmon of his life while casting a J13 Rapala off the Wilson pier last weekend.
Karen Leatherwood of Texas shows off a decent steelhead she caught out of Wilson with Capt. Mike Johannes of On the Rocks Charters. She is the current president of AGLOW.
Serena Juchnowski of Ohio caught her first steelhead ever fishing with Capt. Mike Johannes of On the Rocks Charters in Wilson.
Carter Andrews of the new Outdoor Channel television show “Gone Again” that will air next year shows off a nice Niagara Bar smallmouth bass he caught with Capt. Frank Campbell of Lewiston on the right.
Mason Vertino of Buffalo with a Burt Dam brown trout he caught this week.
Paul Wujek, Sr. of West Seneca with a lower river salmon.
Paul Wujek, Jr. of West Seneca with a lower river salmon.
Joe Wujek of Cheektowaga with a lower river salmon.
Brian Hall of Youngstown caught this salmon in the lower Niagara River.
Dr. John Syracuse of Newfane shows off a chunky smallmouth bass he caught in the upper Niagara River last week fishing with Capt. Connor Cinelli.
Capt. Ned Librock of Pendleton (left) and Dr. John Syracuse of Newfane show off a smallmouth bass double on the upper river fishing with Capt. Connor Cinelli.
A triple bass threat as displayed by Capt. Ned Librock of Pendleton (left), Dr. John Syracuse of Newfane (center), and Bill Hilts, Jr. of Lockport while fishing with Capt. Connor Cinelli of Grand Island.
Gary Hall of Niagara Falls with a chunky lower Niagara River salmon he caught fishing with Capt. Frank Campbell of Lewiston.
Peter Mercer of Buffalo with a lower Niagara River salmon he caught this past week.
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