UTERSteelhead fishing in Lake Ontario
In Lake Ontario, steelhead peak July–August and October–April and are around year-round, spawning in March–April, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. January: Salmon River and the Lower Niagara — winter steelhead.
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.
Steelhead in Lake Ontario, month by month
- JanuaryPeakSalmon River and the Lower Niagara — winter steelhead.
- FebruaryPeakSteelhead in the rivers; perch through the bay ice. Drift beads in the Salmon River's pools; Sodus and Irondequoit bays for perch.
- MarchSpawningSpring steelhead and the first nearshore browns. Browns in 8–12 feet off Olcott and the Niagara Bar on stickbaits; steelhead spawning upriver.
- AprilSpawningBrowns and coho nearshore; Niagara Bar kings arrive. Troll shallow for browns; drift the Bar for spring kings from late April.
- MayLeaving
- JuneAround
- JulyPeakOffshore summer steelhead on the temperature breaks.
- AugustPeak
- SeptemberArriving
- 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.
- NovemberPeakLower Niagara steelhead from shore or boat through spring.
- DecemberPeakSteelhead and browns, and the first bay ice. Salmon River and Oak Orchard; wait for safe ice on the bays.
Where to fish steelhead 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 steelhead hold on.
What to use for steelhead
- 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.
- 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.
- Ghost shrimpThreaded on a #4 to 1/0 baitholder hook on a Carolina rig in the surf or the bay — the surfperch, corbina and sturgeon bait.
- Leader20–40 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook#1–4/0
- Jig head1/8–1/2 oz
- Braid10–30 lb
Feeds in 38–62°F water, best at 44–56°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch steelhead in Lake Ontario?
Peak season is July–August and October–April, with fish spawning in March–April (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). Steelhead are here year-round. January: Salmon River and the Lower Niagara — winter steelhead.
Where do steelhead 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 steelhead in Lake Ontario?
Live bait: salmon eggs (roe), nightcrawlers, ghost shrimp. 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. Tackle: leader 20–40 lb fluorocarbon, hook #1–4/0, jig head 1/8–1/2 oz, braid 10–30 lb.
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All about steelhead · Lake Ontario, the whole year