Winter Steelhead on the Niagara
By Bill Hilts Jr.

The line screamed as the fish came up like a bullet, out of the water for a brief tail walk and back down. It shot back to the left, then to the right as it struggled to gain his freedom back. Another airborne leap and then a charge toward the boat, realizing the fish isn't even close to being finished. This time it managed to wrap itself around the motor and for an instant I thought he smiled as he swam off to the churning waters of the Niagara. There will be another encounter, but this time I just sat and shook my head - admiring the tenacity of the fish and the beauty of the surroundings of Devil's Hole. It really doesn't get any better than this as far as I'm concerned.

The Niagara River - actually a strait that connects the Great Lakes of Erie and Ontario - carries with it a reputation as one of the top steelhead waters in the world. Not just for numbers of fish, but for size as well. The primary focus is on the 10-mile stretch of water that extends from Niagara Falls to Lake Ontario. Anglers will start catching steelhead in October and not let up until the waters warm enough to chase the fish out, which is usually early June. That's almost three-quarters of the year long, giving fish worshippers the ability to chase a specie that has gained a certain amount of reverence and respect as a fighter and as a quarry in these turbulent waters.

Waltonians can chase steelhead from either boat or shore in the Niagara River, even in the coldest months of winter. Western New York is known for snow and frigid temperatures, but the power of the flowing water helps to keep things open and accessible for cabin fever relief.

If you've never fished the Niagara from a boat, leave it to the professionals when the snow is flying and the water temperature is hovering around 32 degrees. Hire one of the many charter captains that work the river to get your hands-on experience and learn the ropes of drift fishing the Niagara.

The Niagara is unique, in more ways than one. It's a fish attractor in and of itself, drawing bait and predator fish in like a magnet. While it's normally part of the Lake Ontario regulations for almost all fish species, local fishermen who call Niagara their own fought hard to adjust the regulations. They asked for a three-fish limit of salmon and trout in the river before anyone else even thought about it and before the one steelhead limit that's currently in place in Lake Ontario tributaries. They got it.

While discussions continue among Lake Ontario stakeholders on what a limit should be for salmon and trout in the lake, Niagara River rats continue to do their own thing and enjoy some outstanding fishing in the process.

Several factors come into play when dealing with the Niagara when the surroundings are a winter wonderland. First, the waters are at the mercy of Mother Nature. With the water coming in from Lake Erie, heavy rains, high winds or significant snowmelt can all contribute to turbid water and difficult conditions.

Once Lake Erie freezes and the natural ice bridge forms below Niagara Falls, conditions become more predictable and consistent. However, clear water will eventually become a problem and fishermen will need to adjust accordingly.

Boat Tactics From the Pros -
Capt. Bruce Blakelock of Lewiston, who owns and operates the Riverside Motel with his wife, Andrea, has been guiding on the river for over a decade. Steelhead trout are his favorite fish to catch and he loves the challenge they pose. But because he's dealing with a wide range of people, the first most important thing to worry about is to make sure his customers are comfortable.

"Flotation type clothing or survival suits are a smart buy if you plan on fishing the river come winter on a consistent basis," says Blakelock, who calls his fishing business Riverside Sportfishing. "These waters are very unforgiving," says Blakelock. "Also, layer your clothing so that you can keep the heat in. If you start getting too warm, make clothing adjustments."

Even when the weather is cold, the hot action of the fish can help keep your mind off the surrounding conditions. After Lake Erie freezes over and the natural ice bridge forms at the base of Niagara Falls, the water can actually become too clear for fishermen. When that happens, Blakelock immediately downsizes his program - including leader, hook size and bait. He'll also fish different depths of water, eliminating areas through trial and error.

Medium-light action rods outfitted with bait cast reels are the normal set-ups for these captains as they use three-way rigs to bounce the bottom. A three-way swivel allows them to run a drop weight down a foot with varying leads for the bait depending on that water clarity. Leads may extend out to eight feet, six pound test fluorocarbon leader and hook sizes as small as a No. 14. Single egg patterns seem to work best when the water is likened to the clear qualities of Tangeray. Yarn balls or glo bugs are favorite baits to use.

Capt. Jim Taylor of Lyndonville has operated his Hawgmaster Charters for nearly two decades. He, too, loves winter steelheading - but he doesn't complain about the other trout available in the river, browns and lakers. His bait arsenal consists of fresh egg sacks, Kwikfish lures and emerald shiners when he's fishing steelhead.

If the wind is from the south or southwest, Kwikfish take center stage as he controls his boat for a steady wobble on his plugs. While the normal size is K-8 or K-9, he'll run K-11 if the wind is stronger to avoid any spinning. Best colors are silver, silver-green, silver-pink or gold. He'll also use his trolling motor to help slow his drift or quicken the speed to give the rod throb he's looking for.

With egg sacks, he prefers to use pink or chartreuse mesh with small floats inside among fresh trout eggs to add some buoyancy. The size of a dime is about the right size sack for most conditions. What's critical for Taylor is a perpendicular presentation with the speed of his boat moving at the same speed as the river current. Again, the trolling motor plays an important role to give him the proper control that he needs to catch fish.

Capt. Jeff Draper of Grand Island is one of the new kids on the block who's been putting in plenty of time on the water. The elusive steelhead is a favorite target of his as he operates Jeff's River Charters throughout the year. Learning to deal with what the weather dishes out is more an educational process every year. While he normally runs favorite 7-foot All Star rods, he's found that by running his older Browning rods with the larger guides in the colder weather the eyes don't freeze up as easily.

When the water turns clear, he's run with lighter line and smaller baits. Egg sacks or egg imitations are personal preferences. He'll also enhance those baits with some Smelly Jelly anise that seems to work for him when fish become tight lipped.  Last year he found a flame red yarn fly that really produced well for him.

"It's important to pay attention to detail," says Draper. "What color was working, how long a lead you were using, what pound test line, what size hook, what part of the drift you were in and how deep the water was. You need to duplicate that same presentation on that drift all over again or on a similar drift in the river." For complete map of the lower Niagara River drifts, visit www.niagarariveranglers.com for more information.

Shore Fishing Options -
While boats are the way to go for winter steelheading in an effort to seek out active fish, shore fishermen can actually do very well despite their limitations. Best places to fish include along the Artpark shoreline in Lewiston, Devil's Hole and the Whirlpool area. In Devil's Hole, the New York Power Authority has constructed a $1.5 million fishing platform in a prime location on the river. The Greater Niagara Hot Spot Fishing Map is an excellent source of information for these spots and you can request one by calling toll-free at (800) 338-7890. That same phone number can also be used for weekly updates on the local fishing action. The website for Niagara Tourism and Convention Corporation is www.niagara-usa.com. Another good fishing website for the Niagara River is www.outdoorsniagara.com.

The group to be a part of, if the Niagara River gets into your blood, is the Niagara River Anglers Association. With nearly 900 members, this pro-active organization gets the job done in more ways than one. They've been coordinating a pen-rearing project that now includes steelhead in an effort to help the stocking effort along and make fishing even better than it already is. Keep your fingers crossed!