May 2026 Reports
More rain! And some more stained water coming out of the Oak from a good batch of rain through the previous weekend. Along with the rain and storms there were some east winds. But it looks like we are headed back to prevailing or lite winds so far this week and a couple days of warm temps. A slight cool down (seasonal) and clear skies is forecast for the rest of the week.
Look for the previous good mid-depth action for Kings and deeper laker action to hopefully set back up. With some westerly winds all the west basin Niagara plume action might start sliding east towards the Orleans County waters and bring on even more salmon bites. Some of the Oak regular trollers and captains are starting their eastward migration back to home port! Over-the-all the trolling pressure has been easily manageable (light) here at the Oak.
CJO aka Troutman of Tightlines Charters says “when the Orleans County waters roll over its time to bottom fish for big lakers. My Fort Lee, NJ crew took a 38 inch, 23 pound slob on a cowbell setup downrigged at 90 ft. Otherwise double header action has been common on Kings when west winds set up off the Oak. The gorgeous Kings are hitting a spoon program in 75 – 150 fow half way down.”
Wow, what happened to spring?! And all that cool, wet weather we were experiencing? The area is in the midst of an unseasonable warmup that should last until Tue. Chance of rain or storms later Tue and Wed and then a return to cooler and seasonal temps. Longer range forecast is then calling for the chance at some easterly lake breezes through the upcoming holiday weekend. Look for near shore water temps on the rise for now but we’ll have to wait and see what the temp profile looks like at the mid depth ranges or after any upcoming easterly winds.
Fishing pressure and trolling traffic is mostly light, especially on weekdays. Many trollers and charters still targeting the west basin. For the Charters and rec anglers hanging in here around the Oak and Orleans County waters the action though remains real good. The good numbers of mid sized Kings has not gone away and hefty lakers and browns are filling in the mixed bag catches. The salmon seem hungry and are willing biters on basic rigger or dipsey spreads. Marking bait has been sporadic, but alewives did make a couple day appearance at the rivermouth mostly around the end of last week. Not surprisingly some Kings were caught as shallow as in 15 fow probably shadowing some of that bait in what was still cool water. There could be bait moved back farther offshore or east or west that we are just not hearing about.
Capts. Laura and Ken V. of Rusty Lure Sportfishing have been catching salmon averaging 10 – 15 pounds. “Most everything is working, fishing 60 – 100 fow with a hot spoon bite. Lake trout are mixed in too. We are getting busy with excited clients this weekend.”
Two anglers did just a few hour AM trip on the fishy rec boat Green Hornet and hooked about 10 -12 spunky Kings right out front around the weather buoy. Fishing 4 rods in 70 – 100 fow with riggers from 30 – 50 ft down and wire divers out 80 and 100 ft were all that was needed for the morning action. Spoons, various colors in mag sizes all worked. Surface temp was 54 – 56 F and down 50 ft it was 46 – 47 F. The down speed was 2.5 – 2.8 mph and hits came pretty regular with most fish landed. Just a few rods tripped that didn’t result in fun battles.
So far the action shows great promise for good numbers of Kings this season. We’ll see if the bigger mature fish start to become more regular in what’s so far really just the start of the summer trolling season.
Spring time weather is slow to warm here in Orleans County but good fishing is helping anglers forget about the cool temps! Most any troller you talk to that hasn’t made the westward migration toward the Niagara plume has been having good mixed bag action. Kudos to all the anglers hanging in here on the Orleans County waters who are taking advantage of willing biters and over-the-all light fishing pressure.
Cool weather is expected through the week and begin part of the weekend. In the forecast is the chance for +/- 0.50 inches of rain on Wednesday. Seems like every few days there’s some more rain and the higher Lake levels are showing that. Tributaries continue to run higher and with stained flows more often then not. There’s the likelihood of warmer temps for the end of the weekend and through next week.
One veteran small boat troller recently found fish in 70 – 80 fow and in an evening hooked up on about 10 Kings and 2 lakers. They didn’t even target any browns. The bites were 25 – 50 feet down on riggers, 5 color leadcore and divers out 80 ft and 100 ft. The Kings were 10 – 12 pounds with one around 16 pounds. Spoons were best both mags and standard. The water temps they found were 47 F in 50 fow and 49 F on top. They marked fish deeper on bottom that they figured were lakers.
One charter staying in home port said the fishing at the Oak is great! Capt. Mike L. of Intimidator Charters says “there are plenty of active Kings with a few browns and lakers in the mix. Fishing is in anywhere 50 – 250 fow at about 40 – 150 ft down. Best baits have been mag spoons in glo.”
Capt. Gerry S. from Rod Benders Charters has been catching salmon from 50 – 100 fow both east and west of the Oak harbor. “It’s been mostly a spoon bite running UV frog, snowflake and raspberry carbon.”
Spring weather continues to average on the cool if not cold side. Right now after a couple of warmer breezy days the forecast is for colder and wetter weather for the mid and end of week. We are due for another rain – it hasn’t rained in at least a few days! Lake nearshore temps slowly are edging up though and there could be some nearshore bait movements afoot. We will have to wait and see what the temp profile looks like after these latest 3 days of hard SW winds.
For those trollers and Charters who don’t make the westward spring migration looking for the Niagara plume the action around the Orleans County waters at the Oak remains a good mixed bag catch. Its browns in tighter, lakers at mid depths, and Kings and cohos mixed in. All those encouraging spring salmon hook-ups, yet where are the 20 pounders weighed in for the spring LOC Derby?!
Serious rec anglers Ben F. and Chris C. aboard a nicely decked out Crestliner recently LOC Derby fished for an afternoon outing. In just that few hour time it was 8 browns and 2 small Kings and some hefty lakers. After the shallow water brown trout bite didn’t give up any derby contenders they trolled north and doubled up on 16 + pounders. A real nice orange belly laker among them from 60 – 70 fow. A slow 1.6 mph troll on the bottom with a Stinger Diehard and cowbells/spin n glo did the brace of lakers.
Capt. Rob W. of Legacy Sportfishing says “all this spring rain seems to be bringing consistent fishing on the Lake. The majority of action still seems to be inside of 30 ft in the colored water with all trout and salmon species showing up. Browns are the highest catches but a good number of Kings are showing up. If you slide out a bit deeper the lake trout bite will keep you busy.”
