Upstate and Western New York Fishing Report – April 22 , 2021
Frank Campbell The smelt are still hanging on in the lower Niagara River and the white bass are starting to show, too. Salmon are beginning a spring feeding frenzy between the Niagara Bar and 30 Mile Point – just in time for some derbies and tournaments on the local front. Both Mike Rzucidlo and Mike Ziehm of Niagara Falls reported catching some of the first white or silver bass of the season, using 5-inch Zoom plastics on jigs and big No. 4 and No. 5 spinners. In addition to the white bass, they were also catching some big lake trout up to 15 pounds this week from shore. Some muskies and sturgeons are also showing up cruising the shoreline. Musky season is completely closed, and sturgeon are a protected species. It is illegal to target these fish. According to Ziehm, water visibility was 5 to 7 feet and he did catch some steelhead as well in the gorge including some fresh fish. Water levels were low, fishing with h