This week's fishing report is from Ron Bierstine, Oak Orchard Tackle & Lodge:
With all the high water we've had previously, you might not have predicted any low flows this spring. Then again who would have guessed there'd be a few days in the end of March this cold! So for now, flows in the Oak have dropped back to low and clear. The in between moderate or medium and slightly stained flows came and went pretty quick! Its unclear if these lower flows will hang on, more then likely with temps rebounding thru this mid week that flows will rebound some with a little more stain. At this point rain or precipitation could help bring flows back up too. Seasonable cold today and dropping back below freezing tonight then a nice warmup mid week with chance of rain showers.
Fishing pressure is real light again on the Oak so far today. Just prior to the lowering of flows, guys reported steelhead hook ups at the dam and overflow pools and scattered downstream thru the fast water gravel stretches for spawning fish. Suckers were more numerous too. This is kind of a reset (at least when it warms back up) and with a return to some more inviting flows and stained water there should be new migrations of spring fish. Other area smaller tribs are dropping back like the Oak to low but may be hanging on to a little more color. Look for a bit of a temp shock there and the fishing action back on the rebound as things warm back up.
This week's fishing report is from Ron Bierstine, Oak Orchard Tackle & Lodge:
Flows in the Oak are on the drop slightly after a bump up from the past weekend's rain. Flows for now are slightly high or maybe one click less consisting of all turbine water at 2+ feet of visibility. You might expect the water color to be dirtier for the height it is. Look for flows to hang in or drop back another notch toward medium in the near term. Decent, fair weather days are forecast thru the beginning part of the week, then seasonably cool for mid and end of the week. Forecast is for precipitation again Wednesday and a chance of showers thru the end of the week. Any significant precipitation could bring flows quickly back up and off color. So, flows, weather and fishing action are somewhat up and down. Nothing new about that for steelhead angling!
Last week, on good flows, there was good action, then tougher again thru the past weekend on higher flows and now this week before another potential rise in flows there are a few more guys out there getting scattered hook ups. Looks like, just today, guys are paying more attention to the gravel spawning spots so they are finding those spread-out fish that were somewhat cloaked in the previous higher water. Those fish committed to spawn are pretty much going to continue to spawn with only minor stalling due to cold water. Water temps had bumped up into the 40's°F and the ice on Lake Alice is gone.
There should be a mix of spawning and staged fish in the holes with fresh fish trickling in anytime. Then there are those fish more or less landlocked in the overflow pools. Anglers might consider re-releasing those fish in the turbine channel. Without access back to Lake Ontario, those overflow fish are likely goners unless there's a perfectly timed spate of water later this spring. Fishing pressure is moderate right now and generally guys are moving around – offering chances to fish different spots between the swingers and the drifters be it fly, float or spin.
Other area smaller waterways are at about medium level and back on the clearing to slightly stained from the past weekend rain. Any new precipitation could likewise bring those flows back up and dirty. For now, cool weather and cool water action is hanging on and there's no serious warmup forecast in the near future. So come get in on the cold water action before the inevitable warmup. Only a sucker here and there reported. A few civilian small boat trollers noted in the near shore/good looking/semi stained waters off Point Breeze. Private launches are available while public launches wait to reopen. Good casting chances for light/med spinning spoon or plug chuckers from the foot brigade.
Another dose of spring feeling is in the air on a slight warmup forecast for this week! Chance of only rain showers with temps approaching 50°F+ on select days. Slightly cooler forecast for the upcoming weekend and hopefully the serious cold is a goner! Definitely breaking toward Spring so get those cold water steelhead drifts in while you can. Flows in the Oak are responding nicely to a few days of previous cold with dropping and clearing. An honest notch or so less (slightly high) then the previous wide open turbine flows with overflow levels diminished. Water color is real nice at slightly stained 2 ft of visibility so drift chances for now are the best they've been so far this late winter/early spring period. Hook ups on some fresh fish are coming a little easier then the previous few weeks – check out the latest catch pic below. Water temps are moving thru the mid and into the high 30's °F and look for 40°F ish+ as the weather warms. Lake Alice ice cover is probably days away from going away. Look for flows maintained around the slightly high/slightly stained for now. Drying out weather could lead to lower medium – ish or wetter weather could lead to higher/dirtier. Other area smaller tribs are at med and slightly stained. Steelhead should be spread thru the waterways and reports of a few fresh, silver browns too. Already hearing of small boat civilian trollers on the near shore Lake Ontario waters having success so casters at the pier heads should be able to get in on that action too. Point Breeze/Orleans County/east side boat launch is still closed while construction is hopefully soon to wrap up. West side state launch slated to open ASAP. The Olcott pier project is completed for land lubbers there to get back out there or the Oak Orchard piers.
This week's fishing report is from Ron Bierstine, Oak Orchard Tackle & Lodge:
A couple days of warm temps and some rain yesterday has the trib flows up and rolling again! Flows in the Oak are high, close to blown and dirty. Flows consist of lots of turbine water and overflow water that started to come back up for the end of the past weekend. Water color is one foot of visibility or less. Most of the area snowpack has now melted although some remains in protected areas. There's still lots of upstream headwater swamp supplies in the Oak. Flows will likely retreat in the overflow channel thru the mid and end part of the week while turbine flows remain high. Water color will be on a slow mend.
You can feel the Spring change in the weather now and with ice cover going away on Lake Alice, there will be the typical warming of water temps in the Oak. Likely there are some steelhead in the Oak now and the drift conditions remain challenging to get on them. There were some hook ups thru the past weekend right before this latest rise in flows. Even though I wouldn't look for turbine flows to change much in the near term, once the water temps begin to rise even a little the drift chances should improve and more fresh fish will hopefully be evidenced all around. Flows in the other area smaller waterways are high and dirty. Most all ice cover looks to be moved out. Those smaller tribs will drop and clear and warm up sooner then the Oak. Look for your fishing window sooner then later whenever reasonable conditions come together.
Forecast is for slowly warming up thru this week with chance of rain/snow showers mid week and precipitation again for end of week. Any significant precipitation will quickly raise all the trib flows up again with the chance for off color flows.
This week's fishing report is from Ron Bierstine, Oak Orchard Tackle & Lodge:
Peach of a day today and it looks like guys are more seriously getting out there this week. Temps forecast today in the 40's°F and a little bit cooler tomorrow with a chance of rain/snow showers later Wednesday. Seasonable temps for the end of week and chance for a quick significant warmup with rain again around the end of the upcoming weekend.
Flows in the Oak are staying high with some stubborn overflow water that should be receding by about today leaving just the full cranking turbine flows. The previous cold temps sure did clear up the water color with just a nice stain of about 2 ft of visibility. Look for flows to stay up with the stained water color. This mid week warmup should likely only stall the right of drop and clear in the Oak and other area smaller waterways. Any significant precipitation or melt off or runoff could bring all the trib flows right back high and off color again. Flows in the other smaller waterways are about medium and slightly stained, likely offering up a nice fishable window for now. Chance of some fresh steelhead migrations all around now and going forward. Looking forward to more angler reports and success but over all the fishing pressure has been real light. With the previous high and off color flows in the Oak it's been a bit of a challenge for good drifts and swings. Lots of water for fish to spread out and be anywhere they want to be, including the overflow pools. Cover lots of water and get the drift down and slow and you could find a chromer!
