This week's fishing report is from Ron Bierstine, Oak Orchard Tackle & Lodge:
There has been light mixed precipitation thru today with highs in the 30's°F. Another warmup is forecast thru the mid week with highs in the 40's°F and another chance at rain Thursday. Flows in the Oak are slightly high consisting of a good head of turbine water. Water color is only slightly stained at 2 – 3 ft of visibility. There is plenty of water cover to hide fish or to encourage any late migrations of browns or early migrations of steelhead. Water level fluctuations are still common thanks to hydropower operations and at least in the downstream fast water areas when flows are reduced, there's been just a handful of mostly browns revealed. Nearer the dam and just downstream should show a few more fish.
Over all though, the brown trout action on the Oak is tough. A good day might be a couple of hookups with a steelhead thrown in. The other area smaller waterways offer as good or better action by virtue of smaller water courses with the fish probably more concentrated. To the west at Johnson Creek, flows are medium and mostly clear with reports of some brown trout hookups. To the east at Sandy Creek flows are reported to be medium or just a notch greater. Some days guys seem to do OK and other days are slower. Generally the most action has been to the east so that's where most anglers have been heading. Otherwise fishing pressure elsewhere is real light. Opportunities right now may not be for multiple hookup days but the chances are there for a few hard worked at bites with light fishing pressure in real nice flows and not bad weather conditions.
This week's fishing report is from Ron Bierstine, Oak Orchard Tackle & Lodge:
Still lots of water in the Oak at slightly high and slightly stained with about 2 ft of visibility. Water color has that swamp headwater tannic stain to it. Expect daily water level fluctuations thanks to leaf fall/wind and hydro power operations. Another shot of precipitation from a couple of days ago – forecast ahead thru the mid week looks seasonable cool and mostly clear with a slight warm up toward the end of week.
Fishing pressure is light with a few cars seen at each parking spot on the Oak. This amount of fishing pressure in these high – ish flows will put next to no pressure on the fish. Kings have for the most part given up the ghost and now some carcasses are seen seeding the waterway. That's more typical of what we would have normally seen a month ago. Now quietly too a few guys are reporting better action. Not a dozen hook ups for a morning effort, but at least a few that might include a couple steelhead or a couple browns. Patience and persistence on the Oak may finally be paying off. So it sounds a little like an improvement from a struggle for a hook up to getting a few.
Flows in the other area smaller waterways did bump up slightly from the most recent precipitation but seem to be sliding back to medium – ish for now. No significant icing on any waterway. Most fishing pressure has been to the east but even now that has started to ease up some. Second season trout action now with light fishing pressure and still reasonable weather with all kinds of water to fish seems like the name of the game right now!
This week's fishing report is from Ron Bierstine, Oak Orchard Tackle & Lodge:
Looks like all the area trib flows are on the rise from recent showers and continued run off. There was a little bit of snow showers too that is melting off today. Still on the cool and breezy side today with another brief warm-up forecast over the next couple days.
For now trib water temps are on their greatest fall so far this fall season. Coupled with the rise in flows, hopefully, that will bring on some more brown trout migrations in the Oak. Flows in the Oak are high with about 2 ft of visibility. Look for flows to stay up in the near term falling back probably only to slightly high.
Fishing pressure is light with most guys reporting a few steelhead and/or browns. Expect water level fluctuations thanks to hydro power operations and what's been a delayed leaf fall. When flows are reduced, guys are seeing a handful of browns and a few more steelhead nearer the dam. The other area smaller waterways have also bumped up in flows to medium-ish to the west and slightly high and stained to the east.
Sandy Creek has been the most consistent brown trout action so that's where most of the fishing pressure has been. All that cooler water we have again in the Oak could surely be spreading out the fish and drifts are going to need to be down and slow for best hook up chances. Low water, aka an "average" fall, short leaders, BB shot is not likely to cut it right now for presentations, especially on the Oak. Check the drift, slow the swing and/or put a longer leader on with some more shot if you want to get in the zone.
This week's fishing report is from Ron Bierstine, Oak Orchard Tackle & Lodge:
Flows in the Oak are still slightly high and water color has improved with 2 ft of visibility. Expect water level fluctuations thanks to hydro power operations especially as leaf fall is likely to accelerate soon. Even without any significant new precipitation, look for flows in the Oak to stay up thanks to strong swamp headwater supplies. Darker and some old moldy salmon are still around. Most Kings will be spawning or on zombie patrol with the occasional fresher fish. No doubt a lot of King action came and went on the previous higher and off color flows.
Fishing pressure looks more like the end of November than the beginning of November for this mid week period so far. Suspect some pressure has shifted to other area smaller waterways. Good high water drifters are getting a few brown trout hook ups each outing by covering some water. Lots of water cover has probably spread out the fish. Flow conditions right now are more like nice steelhead water and higher then typical fall flows. Flogging one spot like at the Archers Club may not yield more then off and on action.
To the east flows are also somewhat higher then typical fall flows with slightly stained water color. Slower action there reported just lately after some good quality fish were hooked in the previous higher and dirtier water color. Those fish should be somewhere in the system and may be spread out now farther upstream. To the west, there's not a lot of recent reports but flows should be more like moderate to medium and going toward clear. Weather is definitely agreeable right now and should last for another day or two. There's a change afoot soon with the forecast ahead for the end of week and weekend going colder with a chance of mixed bag precipitation. Actually that forecast sounds more normal by November standards. No serious snow accumulations expected with highs in the 40's°F.
This week's fishing report is from Ron Bierstine, Oak Orchard Tackle & Lodge:
Here we are into November with cooler temps and on the backside of higher flows. That sounds like a receipe for fresh fish migrations in all the waterways and the chance for brown trout and steelhead hook ups! The past days, since the weekend, rains and high water has been tough for most. After a cold night last night, look for a further drop in flows all around and clearing water color. Forecast is for continued seasonable weather thru the week with highs around 50°F and dropping back into the 30's°F at night. No significant Lake Effect Snow expected here on the WNY Lake Ontario Plain. There's a chance of an inch or two maybe south of the area off lake Erie.
Any emergency Canal drainage flows are now tempered and so that leaves tribs like the Oak and Sandy mostly to regular run of the river flows. Flows in the Oak are high and stained with about 1 foot of visibility. Without overflow levels now, some might be inclined to call it only slightly high. Either way, flows consist of a strong head of turbine water that could be close to full bore. Flows should stay up thanks to exceptional upstream supplies even as water color should continue to improve.
Plenty of salmon are spawning now in the higher flows and some of the post spawn zombies will be flushed out along with lots of other weeds and debris. (Some fresh salmon are still likely to be in the mix easily thru November). That should make for cleaner drifts, although with a late leaf fall, look for continued usually daily water level fluctuations thanks to hydro power operations.
Anglers started out with a tough bite yesterday but reported better later in the day. No doubt as flows drop and clear even a little guys should get onto more fish, especially brown trout. Other area smaller tribs east and west are coming back into slightly high and stained flows. Sandy Creek is probably remaining stubbornly stained from that Canal drainage but definitely dropping back some. Look for fish to be well spread upstream thru all the waterways with anglers wise to spread out too and try different spots to find fish.
