niagara Niagara Falls USA Fishing Forecast for Wednesday, April 4, 2018 from Destination Niagara USA

[Niagara County]

April 1 was the designated opener for the NY Power Authority Fishing Platform in the Niagara Gorge and the reservoir is now open for business as of April 1, too. However, a wind storm is ripping through the region today and a high wind warning is in place. Thanks to those winds, the Power Authority Platform is closed today. It’s under water. If you want to check before heading down there so you don’t waste a trip, call 796-0135 Ext. 45 for regular updates. We’d been told that the ice boom wasn’t going to be pulled until there was less than 250 square miles. Someone forgot to tell Mother Nature. The wind broke the ice boom loose today. We’ll have to wait and see what happens.

 

Lower River action has been up and down … like the water. Egg sacs, beads, spoons and spinners are all working from shore. Boaters are using egg sacs and minnows when the conditions call for it. Capt. Mark Vilardo of Kingfisher Charters reports that his last trip out saw clearer conditions in the Devil’s Hole area but varying degrees of stain further down river below the power plants. Clarity depends on wind and runoff. Finding the best color is key. When the winds aren’t a factor, the Niagara Bar has been productive for browns and lake trout. Large golden shiners have been the bait of choice on the bar according to Vilardo.

 

Out in the lake, Capt. Matt Yablonsky with Wet Net Charters has been working the shoreline from Wilson to Fort Niagara in 8 to 15 feet of water for cookie cutter browns with a few bigger ones mixed in. Aidan Pachucinski of Collins reeled in a 15 pounder while using a firetiger Rapala. Other hot baits have been Junior Challengers and MagLips in 2.5 sizes, all bright colors along the mud line using Offshore inline planers. Down off Olcott, best depths have been 12 to 18 feet of water with clown-colored Scatter Raps. At least that worked for John Van Hoff and Wade Winch of North Tonawanda over the weekend.

 

Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.