Weekly Fishing Report

Warm rain was helping clear up the shoreline earlier in the week, reports Alan Raymond with The Wicked Worm in Youngstown. With temperatures in the 20s again, it’s still cold but mild temps are in the forecast for Thursday. The guys who dare to go down to Artpark are catching lake trout by imitating natural forage such as emerald shiners. Rainbow/steelhead are being caught on beads. Colors may vary due to water clarity, but chartreuse and yellow/orange seem to be the best go-to colors. He is seeing some more brown trout by his shop and along the Coast Guard drift. They are hungry for live shiners.

Up in the gorge, Mike Ziehm of Niagara Falls hit the icy shoreline using his white bucktail jigs. Water visibility is about 6 feet plus and river ice was still heavy – posing a problem for both shore fishermen and boaters. However, you can catch fish with a proper presentation.

Capt. Matt Yablonsky of Wet Net Sportfishing reports winter steelhead fishing on the Niagara River doesn't come without challenges. However, despite the cold conditions, boat fishing has been good for a mix of steelhead, walleye, brown trout, and lake trout. He noted that there are a lot of fish in the river system this year.

Captains Chris and Connor Cinelli of Grand Island hit the lower river on a couple recent trips and did well on steelhead. One day it was pink egg sacs fished off three-way rights that caught fish. The next day it was Kwikfish lures, also fished off three-way rigs. On Tuesday the color was near-perfect and the ice was starting to subside.

Karen Evarts at Boat Doctors & Tackle Barn in Olcott reports there has been some consistent ice action in Wilson and Olcott. At Burt Dam on 18 Mile Creek, there is some open water for drifters. Wax worms are a must to connect with brown trout or steelhead. Fish them off a jig under a float.

Scott Brauer, Ice Team Pro from Gasport, checked out Wilson Harbor over the weekend and he kept a bag of bluegills and yellow perch. He noted that we’re almost in a midseason pattern right now. We must switch baits every couple of fish to keep them interested and keep them biting. Lighter colored baits worked best in Wilson.

The Greater Niagara Fishing Expo will be held at the Niagara Falls Convention Center Feb. 13-16, 2025. Admission is $11 per day or $25 for a show pass for all four days. Check out www.niagarafishingexpo.com for a full schedule of speakers and exhibitors.

Sign up for a fishing tournament or derby in Niagara Falls USA. See the full schedule of events here.