Ron Bierstine from Oak Orchard Tackle & Lodge reports:
"Only a smattering of anglers spread out in the Oak and other area tribs finding good salmon action for fish spread from rivermouth areas all the way upstream to fast water spots. On the backside now of higher flows from about a week ago – something like med to slightly high flows in the Oak and med in the smaller area waterways. Look for slowly dropping flows all around back to the baseline Canal and normal run of the river contributions. A small crush of people at the Waterport dam, but even by those standards really not that crowded. Look for angling pressure to build likely toward this weekend. The action at the Oak rivermouth is something like a few fish each prime period like dawn or dusk. Small boat trollers and casters both in on the action with glow hardware and/or plugs. Proceeding upstream thru the Oak downstream frog water areas the reports are quieter but I suspect guys are into a decent skein bite. Same for estuary slow water areas on the smaller tribs where guys have had on and off action. Last night at dusk I had no problem finding some Kings crashing and boiling around at the Bridges area on the Oak and even a few at Point Breeze. Pier head foot soldiers may want to at least occasionally do an about face from lakeside casting at times to check the scene in the channel. Hearing of legit salmon bites and even a few browns too in fast water areas on the Oak. Then there's the building King numbers at the dam, fish numbers probably outpacing the creeling pressure to this point. Most all fish in real nice shape, some legit fresh Kings after the last rain which isn't always a sure thing in our area low gradient tribs. So far a nice start to the action, forecast looking mostly dry and seasonably cool right thru the upcoming weekend. Check out the nice King recent catch pic above."
Ron Bierstine from Oak Orchard Tackle & Lodge reports:
"A little more rivermouth action now. There were a few Monday morning oh-dark thirty hook-ups at the Oak Orchard Rivermouth. Upstream action so far mainly for a few fish at the dam. On select evenings, I've seen a few fish crashing too like at the Bridges. Still hanging on to warm (hot) weather but there's a change afoot in the forecast with chance of significant rain mid week and a cool down. That could be the ticket to get some salmon migrations cranking. The other area smaller tribs have had some on and off estuary action and likewise look for Kings firing upstream there too if flows go high. On the Oak its been exceptionally weedy and duckweedy but some of that material is moving out now. More will with higher water. Not a lot of fishing pressure just yet, few guys on the piers and at the dam.
Be aware the east side Oak Orchard River Point Breeze boat launch is closed for construction (new ramp) so just go the west side launch."
The NYS Canal Corporation releases water from the Erie Canal into Lake Ontario Tributaries in Western New York for an extended period each fall to create a longer season and even better angling experience. Release began Sept. 16, 2021 for the Oak. View the calendar of releases at this link: CanalsNY Fall Fishing Program. Releases may change due to weather and other conditions.
This week's fishing report is from Ron Bierstine, Oak Orchard Tackle & Lodge:
No quick start to the salmon action yet. Lots of anglers anxious to get out there, and a few are, but the Kings are pretty much following a normal script as far as timing. Especially with the way the weather is proceeding. Its been pretty warm, and the near term forecast thru this week is continued warm with highs pushing the 80's F. Yes the area has been getting some precipitation lately, but no single rain event (yet) has been enough to move fish upstream. Chance of rain again on Wednesday. There's no obvious movement of fish around the Oak rivermouth either, although there has been a few Kings caught there by the casting foot soldiers. Most successful trollers are still a bit off shore at least in the 80+ FOW range or more for best action (pictured below).
At the Waterport Dam, its reported there are just a few fish and likely none holding in downstream fast water runs or holes. No obvious staged up concentration of staged up fish like at the Bridges. Stay tuned, potential for lots of good action ahead when we get some consistent cooler weather and good water flows. And Erie Canal "bolstered" flows (year 2) will be contributing to the fishy equation sooner then later in multiple tribs! Oak rivermouth dredging operations are likely days away from finishing. Hopefully they can move to and get in and out of the smaller area tribs that they are dredging next with minimal impact on salmon and trout migrations.
This picture was from Saturday morning about 1 mile east of the Oak.
This week's report is from Lou Borrelli from Get the Net Fishing Charters:
"The last few weeks out of Bald Eagle Marina we have been fishing offshore as there has been some good steelhead action with a few teenage kings in the mix. Fishing out deep has been hit and miss and no real pattern of lures to speak of. Fish have been taking mostly spoons with a few meat and flasher/fly mixed in. Saturday was a brief morning trip. With the lake conditions ideal for offshore fishing, we headed out to the 27 line and trolled north. The bite was not hot and heavy but we picked at a few steelhead as we approached the 30 line. Riggers were parked at 75 & 85 ft with fixed cheaters 10 ft above. As we hit 515 FOW the 85 rigger fires with a Warrior Lures "Blue Jeans" (on the 10 ft cheater). The bend in the rod didn't feel like an average steelhead and we were thinking a decent king salmon was on the line. After a few decent runs, the fish was starting to cooperate… That was until it got to the back of the boat. The monster steelhead was not coming in easy, and it took some "negotiating" to get it in the net. A beautiful 15 lb steelhead had hit the deck. It was the biggest steelhead that the man had caught and was excited to say the least. We ended the morning with all steelhead and a memory that will last forever."
Archer's Club Update (9/4/21) for 2021 Fall Stream Fishing
The Archer's Club will be open for parking 7 days/week beginning Oct 01 until Nov 11. The parking donation will be $10 per car. The gate at the top of the driveway will be closed at 2PM for no entry after that. No parking will be allowed at anytime on the road at the top of the driveway and therefore no walk in access down the driveway. On the dates not included above anglers can still fish any of the water adjacent to the Archer's Club but access will have to be by walking and wading from downstream at the Park Ave Ext Fishing Trail or from upstream at the Waterport dam and anglers cannot be on the Archer's Club grounds – only in the immediate bankside water. You can lay a rod down on the bank or net a fish or walk around a wading obstruction for safety – but anglers cannot be on the Archer’s Club grounds on the dates not included above. Many thanks to the Archer's Club for opening up the Fall fishing access. No prepared food will be served and the Catch and Release Fly Fishing Tourney will not take place for 2021. This is the available info at this time, "unless something changes, it will be enforced."
