UTERSmallmouth bass fishing in Lake Ontario
In Lake Ontario, smallmouth bass peak June–October and are around May–November, spawning in June, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. July: Henderson Harbor and the eastern basin shoals.
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.
Smallmouth bass in Lake Ontario, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MayAround
- JuneSpawningKings go offshore; smallmouth season opens on the eastern basin. Downriggers on the temperature breaks; tubes on Henderson Harbor's shoals (check DEC's opener).
- JulyPeakHenderson Harbor and the eastern basin shoals.
- AugustPeak
- SeptemberPeakThe Salmon River run peaks. Pulaski — egg sacs and flies in the pools; Atlantics in the run too.
- OctoberPeakTail 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.
- NovemberAround
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish smallmouth bass 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 smallmouth bass hold on.
What to use for smallmouth bass
- 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.
- 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.
- LeechesHooked once through the sucker end on a #8 to #4 hook under a slip bobber or on a live-bait rig — walleye and smallmouth can't leave them alone.
- 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.
- Leader10–20 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook#2–3/0
- Jig head1/8–1/2 oz
- Braid10–30 lb
Feeds in 45–82°F water, best at 60–74°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch smallmouth bass in Lake Ontario?
Peak season is June–October, with fish spawning in June (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). Smallmouth bass are in Lake Ontario May–November. July: Henderson Harbor and the eastern basin shoals.
Where do smallmouth bass hold in Lake Ontario?
Look on river, creek / stream, lake, bridge — around Niagara Bar, Olcott, Rochester, Sodus Bay, Oswego, Pulaski.
What is the best bait for smallmouth bass in Lake Ontario?
Live bait: crayfish, minnows (fatheads, shiners), leeches, nightcrawlers. Crayfish: Hooked 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. 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 smallmouth bass · Lake Ontario, the whole year