Fishing trip with my Dad, need local advice!

[SBFD112]

Hi everyone,

     My Dad has been a big fisherman for as long as I can remember. He is retired with a 19 foot fishing boat that he keeps docked all summer at his house on Oneida lake. He has a trailer for it and has always deamt about fishing lake Ontario. This year for Christmas I want to gift him with a "Guys weekend fishing trip". What time of year are the best fishing seasons open and where would locals reccomend for a place to stay, Im interested in a cabin or hotel very close to a marina/ boat launch and also some good resturants nearby. Doesnt matter which town just the US side of the lake

 

Thanks!

[Tim Bromund]

Olcott or Oak Orchard any time in July. Great fishing for Kings, usually fairly close to shore. I keep my boat slipped in Olcott and there's not a port on the lake I'd rather fish out of in July. Kings are typically in 60-150/200 fow, brown trout just inside of them in 35-50 and all the steelies you want to catch if the lake is flat and you feel like running off shore.

Pretty much the same at the Oak, but I haven't fished there much so can't give specific details there.

Tim

[Richard]

I do a father /  son trip every May to the Niagara Bar and would not give it up for anything. Great fishing and fun times. I have done this trip on the holiday weekend for over ten years. There is several places to stay but we stay at the Youngstown Motel. Nice people. It is for sale though and we will have to see when it gets sold. We usually cook our own food so I do not know anything about where to eat.

 

If you are looking for more in the summer time I would suggest the Oak Orchard area. They have some of the best summer fishing. I stayed at the 4c's marina. They had several cottages to stay in. 

 

In the fall, late August through early September you can not beat the Mexico Bay area.

[Flanman]

Niagara Bar out of Wilson in May! Unbelievable fishing. Best of the year in my opinion. Planer Boards, divers and riggers all work. Nice mix of fish too!

[John Kelley]

July out of the Oak, hands down for big kings and plenty of steelhead.  You can stay at the Captain's Cove, and there are a handful of good places to eat.  If you want tons of Lakers, then I agree about the Niagara bar in April and May, but you will not get the amount or size of big kings as the Oak in July.  Browns are always available from 8'-65' depending on what time of day.   

[Gill-T]

Hell, stay home and commute from Oneida to Mexico Bay for early season shoreline trolling for browns. His 19' boat is perfect size for this type of fishing and you don't need to buy a lot of extra gear.

[rolmops]

There is a place in Olcott about a 100 yard walk from the marina where you can stay.Olcot has very nice amenities and probably the best  fishing in all of lake Ontario in May.

Can somebody come up with the name of those cottages on West Main street?

[Xxx]

I noticed that you are docked at Oneida, how about trying the Black River Bay, in May there is the best walleye fishing in the area, You could call Henchen marina, they have cabins for like $25/35 dollars a day that includes dockage, I've stayed there and the cabins are nice there is a restaurant right across the street it's owned by Bill Saiff, called Westview lodge, he also has lodging (315) 938-5285 and he has a marina with dockage. Henchens #(315) 938-5313 they are across the street from one and other. This will put you in Henderson Harbor, it's only a 15 minute drive over to the Black River to a public launch which is a free launch, there is B&J bait shop right there in the parking area, they are nice people and will tell you what's working for what ever you want to fish for but in May it's walleye haven, if you stay in Henderson you want to fish for browns fish the shore lines of Stoney Island, or about 31/2 miles south out of Henderson harbor go down to stoney Point that's where all the charter boats head for a mix bag of different species of fish.

[Chas0218]

I vote for black river or mexico bay.

 

I fish out of henderson a lot and do well.  There is a lot species in that area if you get bored or just want to change it up.  You can fish walleye in the AM, Browns, or Bass Midday, then back to walleye for the evening.  There is also large amounts of perch in the area if you want to do a little perch jerking.

 

A lot of people don't realize how great the fishery is on the east end.

Edited November 21, 2013 by Chas0218

[John E Powell]

The time of the year you want to go is generally going to dictate more than anything where you should go.

 

Fishing is best in the west in spring, this is why you see some guys mention Wilson/Niagara bar area in May. July is great at the Oak, and Fall fishing is best at the East end of the lake. If you look at where all the winning Salmon come from in the various derbies, the yearly West to East migration of fish from Spring to Fall is pretty consistent from year to year.

 

If it were me, and I was going to do one time trip, I would look for the nicest weather (the summer months) and go with July at the Oak. If you guys find you really like trolling compared to fishing a rod in hand, then future trips would certainly be warranted at other ports. My second choice would be May out of Wilson or Olcott. For me, Wilson would get the nod only because it is closer to the center of the Niagara region fishery than Olcott. If the fish are off the fort, that's a very long run from Olcott in a 19' boat.

 

On the other hand, if your dad is a hearty kind of guy and would shrug off cold weather, you could certainly consider an early spring late March/April brown trout trip out of some of the better east end ports. That might be a great way to kick off the season, and as one poster noted above, the gear required is pretty simple compared to what's needed later on in the year.

Edited November 21, 2013 by John E Powell

[SBFD112]

Thank you guys! You all have given great advice, I think I will look into the Henderson area as it is less of a drive and it will have fish species that my Dad is familiar with since the location will be new to him. I intend to follow up with the cabin recommendations that PAP made. I wish you all a Happy Holiday and great fishing!

Edited November 25, 2013 by SBFD112