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It’s Not Too Late For Fall Fishing in Oswego County

posted by Teresa Farrell at 2018-11-10 05:07:00

I t’s no secret that some of the best fishing in the nation can be found in Upstate New York. But it’s not only a summer activity! Even as November settles in, there’s still plenty of excellent angling to be found along the lakes, rivers and streams of our state.


Have you heard of cold-water fishing? It’s exactly what it sounds like: fishing during the late fall, winter and early spring months, when the water is cold. Arguably more challenging than summertime fishing, thanks to the fact that fish become more lethargic in the colder months, cold water fishing has its rewards as well. Rivers and streams tend to be less crowded, for one thing, and since the summertime is prime time for smaller fish to become active, the winter can provide an opportunity for the patient angler to haul in the big one.


Luckily, from one end to the other, Upstate New York is home to some world-class waterways with fishing that only gets better as the season goes on. One of the hottest spots is along the seaway trail region, from Lake Ontario to the waters of the St. Lawrence River, and the other local waterways like the Black River and Salmon River, along with North and South Sandy Creek. This area is celebrated year-round for its fishing, but during late fall, up until November, salmon fishing really heats up here, thanks to the volume of Chinook salmon spawning in the fall. Though salmon are sought after, the waterways in this area are teeming with plenty of species of fish; trout and steelhead can be found in local streams this time of year especially, but the year-round inhabitants of the greater seaway also include bass, pike, muskellunge, various panfish, bullhead, perch and more.


Of course, cold weather fishing requires some care and consideration that summertime excursions do not. First and foremost, safety becomes a big concern. You have to have the right gear—icy waters and whipping winds can become dangerous quickly without it—and gauge the conditions carefully, take precautions, and err on the side of caution when it comes to things like deciding whether to go onto ice; it’s never worth it to step out onto ice that may not be frozen as solidly as it seems.



There are also variations in technique to consider—when you would normally fish shallower spots, switch to deeper areas in cold weather; alter the bait you choose and technique you use to account for the fact that the fish you’ll find this time of year are more lethargic and less likely to snap onto whatever shiny bit of bait catches their eye.



Photo Credits:
Two men fishing in Salmon River photo credit Ron Shawley
Salmon swimming photo credit Ingrid Taylar
Fishing from boat photo credit Ron Shawley
Winter fishing photo credit Joe deSousa
 

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