UTERCoho (silver) salmon fishing in Lake Ontario
In Lake Ontario, Coho (silver) salmon peak April–May and September–October and are around April–November, spawning in September–October, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. April: Spring coho nearshore with the browns.
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.
Coho (silver) salmon in Lake Ontario, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilPeakSpring coho nearshore with the browns.
- 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
- SeptemberSpawningCoho run the Salmon River behind the kings.
- 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.
- NovemberLeaving
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish Coho (silver) salmon 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 Coho (silver) salmon hold on.
What to use for Coho (silver) salmon
- HerringCut-plug for salmon: head off at an angle, guts out, two hooks in tandem so it spins slow behind a flasher or a banana weight. Whole and live on a circle hook for stripers where the herring run.
- Anchovies (Pacific)Nose- or collar-hooked on a #4 to 1/0 hook and fly-lined with no weight, or on a dropper loop; a dozen tossed over the side as chum keeps the bass and bonito up.
- Salmon eggs (roe)A dime-sized spawn sac tied in mesh, or single eggs on a #10 to #6 egg hook, drifted along the bottom for steelhead, trout and salmon. Check the state's rule — bait is banned on many trout and salmon waters.
- Leader40–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook4/0–8/0
- Braid50–100 lb
Feeds in 46–62°F water, best at 50–58°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch Coho (silver) salmon in Lake Ontario?
Peak season is April–May and September–October, with fish spawning in September–October (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). Coho (silver) salmon are in Lake Ontario April–November. April: Spring coho nearshore with the browns.
Where do Coho (silver) salmon hold in Lake Ontario?
Look on fishing pier, river, creek / stream, lake — around Niagara Bar, Olcott, Rochester, Sodus Bay, Oswego, Pulaski.
What is the best bait for Coho (silver) salmon in Lake Ontario?
Live bait: herring, anchovies (pacific), salmon eggs (roe). Herring: Cut-plug for salmon: head off at an angle, guts out, two hooks in tandem so it spins slow behind a flasher or a banana weight. Whole and live on a circle hook for stripers where the herring run. Tackle: leader 40–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 4/0–8/0, braid 50–100 lb.
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All about Coho (silver) salmon · Lake Ontario, the whole year