July 2026 Reports
Wow! Of late there’s been some great fishing action off the Oak Orchard and Orleans County waters! With an agreeable stretch of summer weather at not too hot and not too stormy – trolling anglers have been into exceptional catches of Kings, especially in the offshore waters. Has it been fish jumping in the boat easy? Well not quite, it still takes reading the conditions, managing your spread and speed and sticking with it. But most anglers are dialing it in offshore with long leaders, a mix of rigger/wire/dipsey rods and definitely some meat in the program. Trolling anglers are boating lots of plump Kings. The salmon are probably averaging in the high teens - many in the 20’s and with the occasional bigger fish close to 30 like the grand prize summer LOC King of 29 lbs 14 oz that we reported on last week.
Now for some more Orleans County bragging rights!
It was almost a sweep for the summer LOC from Orleans County and nearby waters. There was the grand prize King of 29 lbs 14 oz… Then there was the top brown trout of 23 lbs 03 oz… And then the top laker at 24 lbs 10 oz… And also the top youth salmon of 25 lbs 08 oz… Only missing was a top fish in the steelhead division. Yet Orleans County waters still placed 5 top 20 steelhead in the division. That’s not too shabby a haul for the Oak Orchard home waters. Score one for the consistency that these WNY Oak Orchard, Johnson and Sandy waters can provide!
Jim K. from CT got his hawg 1st place brown trout fishing out of Sandy Creek on the Money Pit boat on July 10. It came on a 3 color lead core line in only 25 fow when some cool water moved near shore. It was a 15 – 20 minute battle at around 6:30 AM. Regular salt water anglers, fishing partners Jim and Jeff were definitely impressed with the Lake Ontario action and were first time LOC derby participants. They’ll be back for more big brown and salmon action!
Jon N. from Rochester got his 1st place laker fishing out of Bald Eagle on the Always Something boat on July 25. They were bottom bouncing cowbells and a gambler rig off a rigger east of the Devils Nose in about 113 fow. The rod popped and at first they thought that it was stuck on bottom until they felt some head shakes. After a good battle the big gomer came in and helped the boat place 2nd in the Sandy Creek Shootout. And in another chalk it up to first time derby participation, Jon gave away a bigger laker he caught earlier. He advises everyone in the derby to for sure read all the rules now!
Cade S. from Westfield in the youth division got a 25 lb 08 oz King fishing with his dad on the Smokey boat. Cade is a veteran salmon angler of sorts, because he knew after catching bigger salmon last year and not being in the derby, that this year he’d have a ticket. And it paid off for sure with smiles all around at the LOC awards ceremony at Rileys Bar and Grill on Sunday July 26.
Owen K. got his 11 lb 09 oz steelhead for 14 place in the summer LOC on July 25 fishing out of Bald Eagle Marina on the One More boat. They were out in 400 – 450 fow running a program for Kings and doing pretty well with 20 plus bites and 15 big Kings landed. The big steelie hit a 400’ copper A-Tom-Mik flasher fly and meat rig. It cleared the water completely on 2 jumps then tired and they got it in the net. A nice surprise among all the King bites!
It looks like mostly agreeable weather ahead, chance of winds enough for an advisory later today or tomorrow. There’s lots of good open Lake trolling time ahead, and even if its not a derby contending fish you're after – there’s good fishing memories awaiting you at the Oak and Orleans County.
Orleans County is still Home of the King! The Oak Orchard waters continue to pump out some trophy fish - like the current summer LOC Derby grand prize King of 29 lbs 14 ozs. More on this big salmon later… And the top brown trout of 23 lbs 03 ozs was also hooked here in Orleans County waters. Two exceptional fish and both weighed in at the beautiful Captains Cove Motel & Marina!
Talk with any trolling angler from the start of the spring season and they’ll say that the changing weather and variable fishing conditions has been a challenge. That hasn’t really changed even now when we are into the heart of summer big Lake action. Scattered action has been described as getting somewhat more consistent over the past few days and the LOC Derby results are following suit with some impressive home waters fish. There’s the likelihood of passing storms through today, Tue and then general clearing through the rest of the week. Chance of higher winds and waves with small craft advisory for the mid-week period.
The big summer LOC Derby King was caught by Melvin “Jim” Adams aboard the Get Hooked boat with Capt. Mike Grager. Melvin is a long time Orleans County Lake Ontario angler tracing his earliest charter trip days back to the 80’s and Lucky Charters. Now a happy client with Capt. Mike G. he was recently convinced to get in the derby, and he’s probably happy he did! The big fish came in 120 fow east of Point Breeze on a dipsey rod and an E-chip flasher and clean bait head. Capt. Mike G. says “the action has been real good the past few days for us from 120 feet of water out to the 26 line or 300 fow. There are groups of fish throughout with some guys working out to nearly 600 fow.” Just a few more days left in the summer LOC Derby for that trophy King to hang on to the top spot!
For those on the hunt for big browns the inside waters have been good. Capt. Jon F. of Mister Sportfishing has been finding them in 50 – 80 fow. He says “there’s also a great off shore salmon bite from the 26/27 line and on out.” Who might pull another 20 pound brown off the Oak Orchard ledges? All the signs area pointing toward good numbers of browns with big fish for the fall trib action too.
Over the past weekend Fish in the Box Charters (link) and Capt Tim H. was at the 28 line or around 400 fow where they found the best sonar picture and good temp. They took a couple matures, one on a Leonard Fly and another on a meat rig 90 ft down on the rigger.
Lots of summer left for you to get in on the Oak Orchard and Orleans County big fish action! Come on out and enjoy the now re-opened Black North Inn at Point Breeze too!
Most trollers report scattered action out there on the Orleans County Lake Ontario waters. The weather and winds are changeable and so that can lead to different water conditions almost daily. Some trollers are working inshore waters and some others are moving farther offshore looking for more stable conditions. Neither choice is bad, because good hook-ups can be found in or out. Some good browns are coming nearer shore at mid depths and on different days there’s good salmon action there too. Then off-shore even out to the 34 line or 500 – 600+ fow anglers are roaming about and can find salmon action. Remember it becomes a bigger Lake especially moving offshore to deeper depths so your spread has to cover all that water for any strikes!
The forecast is for hot and humid conditions for this mid-week period. Then just seasonably warm for end of the week but chance for more northeast winds. Many boats lately are starting out in the 50+ fow range for those browns or salmon and then heading north as the sun get higher and hotter. Not a bad strategy unless the winds get gusty from the west or southwest like today, Tue.
Capt. Dave S. from Tracker Charters has been searching for that scattered action and has found some real nice browns and some salmon. He says “real good browns are coming from 60 fow and we’ve found some fish suspended out at the 25 – 26 lines too. There can be a lot of skippers, so try to avoid those spots were they are heaviest if possible. What works one day to the next changes, one day its flies and then the next day its spoons.”
Another rec angler who regularly makes the trek from the southern tier NY just missed the summer LOC leaderboard from his past beginning of the weekend day out. The Getting Wet boat set up in 250 fow and started their troll on a NW pattern. They hit their first salmon in 300 fow and went all the way to 500 fow. Heading back in on a SW troll they hit another big King in 250 fow. The salmon came on a flasher fly on a chinook diver out 145’. For the days action they went 7 for 9 so all in all it was a decent day.
After a stretch of some exceptional hot and humid weather things have turned back seasonably warm with some passing storms. Heavier rains south of the area missed the Oak Orchard area for the begin part of this week. There have been medium east winds the past few days which are forecasted to last about thru the mid week. Warmer temps and building humidity with the chance of passing storms are expected through the end of the week.
As a whole the big lake open water action for the Orleans County waters is somewhat mixed. During the hotter weather recs and charters were scattered at the mid depths or offshore out front or east and west of Point Breeze. There’s the good likelihood colder water will be moving near shore or on shore with continuing east winds. So if it doesn’t go icy it could move some brown trout or salmon action in. Check out the latest Oak Orchard weather buoy info for the temp profile.
Capt. Chris V. from U-Betcha Charters fished browns this past weekend. “On Sunday we had a steady bite in the morning in 50 – 70 fow. Black and gold and black and glow Stingray spoons were best. We had riggers and divers 5 – 10 ft off the bottom. This east wind may bring in some cold water and move those browns in.”
Capt Jerry S. from Rod Benders Charters targeted salmon farther out. “We fished 150 – 250 fow east of the harbor. It was a good spoon bite with black and white best and we got some on meat too.”
Rec anglers Teresa and Mark L. had steady action on their weekend troll for nice browns and salmon. Their action was in 100 – 135 fow right out front with browns coming on divers and green/black combo spoons. They took some salmon on meat rigs down 55 – 75 ft.
Capt. Lou B. of Get the Net Fishing Charters fishing out of Bald Eagle Marina has been into pretty consistent action the past week. “We have mostly been working between 90 – 125 fow with some good fish caught as far out as 300 fow. It has been mostly a spoon bite with Moonshine seasick wobbler taking our fair share of fish. Lead cores with 6 – 8 colors out and 300 ft coppers have been very productive too. Most of our fish have come between Bald Eagle and the glass house.”
