Lake Ontario Fishing – Articles, Tips, Species & Seasons

Lake Ontario, one of the five Great Lakes, stretches over 7,500 square miles and is a popular fishing spot for people of all skill levels. From Toronto’s shores to New York’s countryside villages, it offers a variety of fishing experiences.

Find more of New York’s fishing hotspots.

Niagara River & Niagara River Gorge

Lake Ontario and the Niagara River are hotspots for salmon fishing, particularly known for the migration of Chinook and Coho salmon. The Niagara River, a vital Lake Ontario Tributary waterway connecting Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, plays a crucial role in the life cycle of these salmon.

In the autumn, anglers flock to the river, drawn by the opportunity to catch chinook and steelhead as these species make their way upstream to spawn. Fly-fishing enthusiasts find great success using egg patterns in the Niagara River during this time. These patterns effectively mimic the eggs laid by spawning fish, making them irresistible to salmon and steelhead.

Beyond the salmon runs, the Niagara River Gorge, located just below the magnificent Niagara Falls, offers a thrilling challenge for those targeting steelhead trout, particularly during their spring and fall migrations. The gorge’s swift currents and deep pools demand skill and the right approach, with spawn sacs or brightly colored lures often being the key to a successful catch.

Rochester Basin

Heading south to the Rochester Basin, the warmer waters teem with muskies and largemouth bass, each requiring specific strategies for a successful catch. For muskies, fishermen find success using large bucktail lures or jerkbaits, especially around weed beds and submerged logs, capitalizing on their ambush tactics.

Lake Ontario’s Rochester Basin reaches a depth of approximately 220 meters (721 feet) about 30 kilometers (19 miles) North of Sodus Bay.

Largemouth bass fishermen, meanwhile, target the shallow bays and tributaries with topwater lures like poppers and buzzbaits, drawing spectacular surface strikes. This area’s fishing scene offers both the thrill of the hunt and the chance to engage with these sought-after species in their preferred habitats.

Central Basin

The Central Basin of Lake Ontario, stretching from Oswego, New York, to Kingston, Ontario, serves as a dynamic middle zone where an array of fish species thrive. Among these, walleye stand out for their abundance and the unique fishing opportunities they present. Anglers targeting walleye in this region employ a variety of techniques to match the changing conditions of the basin.

Trolling with crankbaits and live minnow rigs proves effective near weed lines where walleye often hunt for prey, capitalizing on their predatory instincts. These areas, rich in aquatic life, provide the perfect backdrop for anglers looking to hook into a substantial catch. For those fishing deep water for walleye, downriggers become an invaluable tool, allowing fishermen to reach the walleye lurking in the cooler, deeper waters of the basin, especially during the warmer months when these fish descend to find more comfortable temperatures.

Notable hotspots for walleye fishing in the Central Basin include the area around the mouth of the Salmon River and the Orleans Bar. The Salmon River mouth, with its mixture of currents and water temperatures, attracts walleye as they migrate and feed, making it a prime location for casting or trolling. The Orleans Bar, known for its underwater structures and variations in depth, offers another key habitat where walleye congregate, especially for those using downriggers to target the deeper sections.

Eastern Basin

The Eastern Basin of the lake, protected by the Canadian Shield, has calmer waters and is good for catching cold-water fish like lake trout. You can find them by trolling downriggers near the Oswego Flats or Henderson Harbor‘s rocky areas. In the Thousand Islands area, with its many channels and bays, smallmouth bass and walleye are common. You can catch them using crankbaits and jigs near rocks or logs underwater.

The Oswego River flowing into the lake’s eastern basin, is a key place for walleye and salmon, especially during their spring and fall migrations. The riverbanks get busy with anglers using spoons and crankbaits. These fish put up a strong fight, so be ready.

Bay of Quinte

The Bay of Quinte in Canada is great for catching largemouth and smallmouth bass. The sheltered waters with lots of plants are perfect for these fish. Try spinnerbaits and jigs around weeds and logs for good results.

Thousand Islands

The Thousand Islands region, with over 1,800 islands, is a great place for northern pike fishing. These fish are aggressive and can be caught using jerkbaits and spinnerbaits.

Seasonal Fishing Guide for Lake Ontario

Spring (April – May)

• Brown trout: Trolling shallow-running stickbaits or spoons near shorelines or casting jigs around rocky structures is effective. Jigging in deeper water near drop-offs with soft plastics or swimbaits also yields results.
• Walleye: Start with drift fishing using live bait like nightcrawlers or minnows. Trolling deep-diving crankbaits or worm harnesses along contour lines in the eastern basin is productive.
• Salmon: Chinook, coho, king, and pink salmon are abundant. Drift spawn sacs in tributary mouths or cast spoons or crankbaits near river mouths like the Salmon River.

Summer (June – August)

• Smallmouth bass: Topwater lures such as poppers and buzzbaits around rocky outcroppings, including Sackett’s Harbor and the Thousand Islands, are effective. Drop-shot rigs with plastic worms or creature baits work well in deeper waters over rocky bottoms.
• Lake Trout: Deep trolling with downriggers using large spoons or flasher-fly combos at depths of 80 to 200 feet near the Niagara Bar or Oswego Flats is ideal.
• Muskellunge (muskie, musky) Trolling large crankbaits or bucktail spinners along weed edges or casting jerkbaits near fallen trees in Henderson Harbor or the Chaumont Bay is recommended.

Fall (September – November):

• Salmon: The salmon run peaks with chinook and coho moving closer to shore. Trolling larger spoons or flasher-fly combos near the surface, especially in the early morning or late evening, is effective.
• Steelhead trout: Fly fishing in tributaries like the Oak Orchard River with egg patterns, nymphs, and streamers is optimal. Focus on areas with current breaks and deeper pools.
• Walleye: Trolling with minnow-imitating lures or deep-diving crankbaits along drop-offs and in deeper basins of the eastern basin is effective.

Winter (December – March):

• Ice Fishing: Popular for targeting walleye and perch. Using tip-ups baited with live minnows or jigging with spoons and jigging minnows in areas with structure or drop-offs is productive. Perch are often found in shallower areas with sandy or muddy bottoms, while walleye tend to be in deeper areas, especially near Oswego or Sodus Bay.

Popular Fish Species:

• Salmon: Chinook, coho, king, and pink salmon are highly sought after during their spring and fall spawning runs.
• Trout: brown trout and lake trout thrive in cooler waters. Brown trout are near shorelines, and lake trout are found deeper, requiring precision trolling.
• Bass: Smallmouth and bass provide consistent action. Smallmouth bass are active with topwater lures in summer, while largemouth bass are found in shallow bays.
• Walleye: Known for their twilight activity, these fish are caught using tactics like jigging and trolling.
• Muskellunge: Muskie offers a challenging catch, best targeted in weed beds and near structures.