UTERNorthern pike fishing in Lake Ontario
In Lake Ontario, northern pike peak February–May and September–October and are around year-round, spawning in April, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. February: Drift beads in the Salmon River's pools; Sodus and Irondequoit bays for perch.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Northern pike in Lake Ontario, month by month
- JanuaryAround
- FebruaryPeakSteelhead in the rivers; perch through the bay ice. Drift beads in the Salmon River's pools; Sodus and Irondequoit bays for perch.
- MarchPeakSpring steelhead and the first nearshore browns. Browns in 8–12 feet off Olcott and the Niagara Bar on stickbaits; steelhead spawning upriver.
- AprilSpawning
- MayPeak
- JuneAround
- JulyAround
- AugustAround
- SeptemberPeakThe Salmon River run peaks. Pulaski — egg sacs and flies in the pools; Atlantics in the run too.
- OctoberPeak
- NovemberAround
- DecemberAround
Where to fish northern pike 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 northern pike hold on.
What to use for northern pike
- 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.
- Leader10–20 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook#2–3/0
- Jig head1/8–1/2 oz
- Braid10–30 lb
Feeds in 33–76°F water, best at 50–68°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch northern pike in Lake Ontario?
Peak season is February–May and September–October, with fish spawning in April (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). Northern pike are here year-round.
Where do northern pike hold in Lake Ontario?
Look on lake, river — around Niagara Bar, Olcott, Rochester, Sodus Bay, Oswego, Pulaski.
What is the best bait for northern pike in Lake Ontario?
Live bait: minnows (fatheads, shiners). 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 northern pike · Lake Ontario, the whole year