Smallmouth bass lure anglers to Niagara River
The lower Niagara River is known for its outstanding trout fishing, which I have described in this column in the past. What isn't so celebrated is the river's exceptional smallmouth bass fishing.
Both resident bass and migrants from Lake Ontario are available in the spring, including some giants. Last year, I took my biggest smallmouth ever there, a 22-inch brown bass that weighted 7 pounds, 8 ounces.
"The spring smallmouth bass fishing usually gets going when the water hits 40 degrees," said expert guide Frank Campbell. "The timing of that temperature varies from year to year, but it usually occurs around mid April."
The 40-degree mark isn't just the level at which the metabolism of the bass perks up, though that is a factor. It also relates heavily to a primary food source.
"What happens is the warmer water pulls baitfish from the lake, including smelt, into the river," Campbell said. "It's also the temperature where the switch is thrown and the bass begin to get active."
Finding this warmer water is one of the keys to early season success. Campbell said that though water temperatures are more universal on the river (as compared to a lake), certain areas will heat up quicker. Calmer eddies — where little or no current is present — tend to be prime hot spots, both literally and figuratively.
Of course, variables come into play, such as cloud cover and wind, which influence the overall warming of the water. Most modern sonar units have a temperature gauge to make monitoring surface temperatures a breeze.
The lower Niagara's resident smallmouth bass population is comprised of fish that run about 3 pounds.
"It seems like the bigger fish start moving quicker than the smaller ones," Campbell said. "Usually, those fish are found not too far from their wintering areas, which entail deeper, calm water."
Campbell said finding these early season calm water areas isn't difficult. Rocky points and shoreline projections alter the river's flow, something that's quite visible to an angler looking for such places.
"What you need to look for are the back ends of points, bigger stretches of nonmoving water," he said. "That is probably one of the biggest keys. There are smaller areas that have low current areas, but there's just not enough room to hold a bunch of fish. Bigger is much better."
Water clarity fluctuates in the river, and though local rain can influence things, the primary factor is what's happening on Lake Erie. Strong winds will stir up the lake, which drains into the river.
"It will negatively affect the fishing if the water gets too dirty. But just stained water can be a good thing," Campbell. "Not only are the fish far less spooky, the stained water warms up much quicker."
Spring fishing on the lower river isn't limited to the resident population. As the river pumps warmer water into Lake Ontario, heavy lake-fed smallmouth move into the mouth of the river to feed on the bounty found there.
"The water in Lake Ontario is a lot cooler than the Lake Erie water that's flowing out of the Niagara," Campbell said. "Lake smallmouths will stack up at the mouth of the river. But it's a relatively small window and relies on stable weather. A strong north wind will push in cold lake water, driving those fish out of there."
Spring location patterns will hold true until after the spawning season, at which time the fish will disperse gradually into higher current areas. The lower river area referred to here flows from Lewiston, N.Y., to the mouth at Fort Niagara.
Public access sites on the lower Niagara are located at Lewiston and Youngstown, N.Y.
Campbell specializes in fishing the Niagara River and other local waters from a small boat. Visit www.niagaracharters.com to learn more.
Jeff Knapp is an outdoors columnist for the Butler Eagle.
