Olcott to Niagara Bar, etc.

[nhbasspro]

Coming up to Olcott April 10-16. (Hope it's not too early but it's the only week I could get off from work)

Couple of quick questions please if you'll indulge me..

I am definitely going to check out the Niagara Bar this year. How long a boat ride is it from Olcott? Is it worth fishing the ride or better just to run up there? Also, if the Niagara Bar was the target area of the day would it be better just to trailer up and launch closer?

One more... Although I am confident it will show up on the GPS, are there any visual markers to make sure you don't accidentally find yourself in Canada?

Thanks is advance guys.. GREAT SITE!!

[Tall Tails]

It may be a bit early for Olcott. It is 16 miles from Olcott to the Bar. However the Lake Trout should be stacked between 4 mile and the bar with some kings possible mixed in. 40-60ft of water is a good starting point. You may want to consider lauching at Fort Niagara on the Niagara river and saving the boat ride. Also a canadian lic this time of year may not be a bad thing, if its kings you are after. There are plenty of fish to be had between Olcott and the Bar however if you are not partial to just Kings. The BT fishing can be stellar out of Olcott during this time frame.

There is nothing that will tell you that you are in Canada other than a good GPS mapping system.

Good Luck to you!

Brian

[Storm Warning II]

We often launch out of Fort Niagara State Park, there is a nice ramp there, you just have to be careful of a few big boulders around before it drops into the "abyss" towards the Fort.

During that time you are heading up, you can troll all the way out to the can if you choose, there should be BTs, a few Steelies, Lakers, and maybe a few Coho around on the Bar.

You are probably going to be a little early for the big silver fishes. The current ice pack and the long term forecast make it look like there will be ice water coming down from Erie for a while, making a coldwater fence keeping the springers on the Canadian side. Barring some significant weather changes, the ice boom won't be removed for some time.

[Gill-T]

Your options would be browns, cohos and lakers off Olcott or launch in Youngstown and fish for kings, lakers, cohos. If it is too rough, you could drift the trench hole at the mouth of the river for lakers (near the green can).

[nhbasspro]

Thanks a lot guys. I appreciate the info.. Brown Trout are going to be our main target and the Cohos will be the back-up plan. We usually move out and go for them when the BT stop cooperating. Actually got a nice Atlantic out of Olcott last year but again, we were a week later. So this year we figured we'd try to hit up the bar one day. I don't expect anyone to give up a spot or anything but I've always wanted to target the Lakers. Can you give me an idea of a FOW to start out with? And are they always pretty much hanging on bottom? I am guessing big bright spoons and maybe a dodger/fly combo. Thanks again.

Tight Lines..

[rustyrat]

Start at 50 FOW head towards the Bar. dodger flies work the best for me but spoons work too. Fish the marks cant miss them.

RR

[Big Dave]

We often launch out of Fort Niagara State Park, there is a nice ramp there, you just have to be careful of a few big boulders around before it drops into the "abyss" towards the Fort.

During that time you are heading up, you can troll all the way out to the can if you choose, there should be BTs, a few Steelies, Lakers, and maybe a few Coho around on the Bar.

You are probably going to be a little early for the big silver fishes. The current ice pack and the long term forecast make it look like there will be ice water coming down from Erie for a while, making a coldwater fence keeping the springers on the Canadian side. Barring some significant weather changes, the ice boom won't be removed for some time.

Those boulders are old engine blocks they used to anchor out the sailboats with . Stright 8's and the like