UTERBrown trout fishing in Lake Ontario
In Lake Ontario, brown trout peak March–May and October–November and are around year-round, spawning in October–November, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. March: Browns in 8–12 feet off Olcott and the Niagara Bar on stickbaits; steelhead spawning upriver.
Tail of the salmon run; browns and steelhead follow; St. Lawrence muskie. Brown trout and steelhead behind the spawning kings; big muskie on the St. Lawrence and the Niagara.
Brown trout in Lake Ontario, month by month
- JanuaryAround
- FebruaryAround
- MarchPeakSpring steelhead and the first nearshore browns. Browns in 8–12 feet off Olcott and the Niagara Bar on stickbaits; steelhead spawning upriver.
- AprilPeakBrowns and coho nearshore; Niagara Bar kings arrive. Troll shallow for browns; drift the Bar for spring kings from late April.
- MayPeakNiagara Bar kings; browns and coho everywhere shallow. The Bar and the river mouths — spoons and plugs in the warmer brown water.
- JuneAround
- JulyAround
- AugustAround
- SeptemberAround
- OctoberSpawningTail of the salmon run; browns and steelhead follow; St. Lawrence muskie. Brown trout and steelhead behind the spawning kings; big muskie on the St. Lawrence and the Niagara.
- NovemberSpawningFall steelhead and browns in every tributary. Beads and egg sacs; Lower Niagara steelhead from shore or boat through spring.
- DecemberAround
Where to fish brown trout near Niagara Bar, Olcott, Rochester
The trophy salmon lake: the Niagara Bar's spring kings, open-lake trolling for kings, coho, steelhead and lakers, the Salmon River at Pulaski with the biggest run on the lakes, the Oswego and the Lower Niagara for winter steelhead and browns, and the eastern basin's smallmouth around Henderson Harbor and the St. Lawrence.
Fish Scouter charts 31 lake spots in the Lake Ontario map area — the kinds brown trout hold on.
What to use for brown trout
- Minnows (fatheads, shiners)Hooked lightly through the lips or behind the dorsal on a #6 to #2 hook under a slip bobber for crappie, perch and walleye; a big golden shiner on a 2/0 to 4/0 for largemouth, pike and stripers.
- NightcrawlersWhole on a #6 to #2 hook under a bobber or on a bottom rig; threaded on a spinner harness drifted for walleye. The bait that catches everything in fresh water.
- CrayfishHooked through the tail on a #2 to 2/0 hook and dragged slowly along rock and gravel — the smallmouth bait, and good for catfish and walleye.
- Leader10–20 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook#2–3/0
- Jig head1/8–1/2 oz
- Braid10–30 lb
Feeds in 36–72°F water, best at 50–64°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch brown trout in Lake Ontario?
Peak season is March–May and October–November, with fish spawning in October–November (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). Brown trout are here year-round.
Where do brown trout hold in Lake Ontario?
Look on river, creek / stream, lake — around Niagara Bar, Olcott, Rochester, Sodus Bay, Oswego, Pulaski.
What is the best bait for brown trout in Lake Ontario?
Live bait: minnows (fatheads, shiners), nightcrawlers, crayfish. Minnows (fatheads, shiners): Hooked lightly through the lips or behind the dorsal on a #6 to #2 hook under a slip bobber for crappie, perch and walleye; a big golden shiner on a 2/0 to 4/0 for largemouth, pike and stripers. Tackle: leader 10–20 lb fluorocarbon, hook #2–3/0, jig head 1/8–1/2 oz, braid 10–30 lb.
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All about brown trout · Lake Ontario, the whole year