Oswego County, New York has a well earned reputation as being the trophy fishing capital of the northeast. Whether you’re out to win a trophy, trying to catch dinner for the family, or just enjoying a little relaxing fishing on your vacation, the perfect place can be found here.
Fishing in Oswego Country can be divided into four regions. Let’s look at each region separately, seeking out the best places to fish.
Lake Ontario: Lake Ontario is the smallest of the Great Lakes but one of the best for fishing. There are abundant opportunities to catch fish both offshore and on. One of the best places is Oswego Harbor itself. If you own a boat or can charter one, consider fishing on the north side of the harbor for best results. The spring brings steelhead and brown trout. In the summer, there are walleye and bass, and in the fall, this is the gathering for large amounts of salmon before they head upstream.
Salmon River: The Salmon River is not only a good place to fish for salmon in the fall but also for trout and smallmouth bass in the summer and steelhead in the spring. There are many excellent fishing spots starting at the estuary just before it empties into Lake Ontario and continuing up to Orwell Brook, a tributary entering the Salmon River many miles upstream. The Trestle Pool is located where the Orwell Brook empties into the Salmon River. This is an excellent fishing spot! Although it can be a bit crowded during Salmon season, it is a quiet place the rest of the year and a great fishing hole for other species in the spring and summer. There are parking lots on the north and south side, with the north side being a bit quieter and more out of the way. The mouth of Orwell Brook is located between Pulaski and Altmar with access by way of Sheepskin Road. The Trestle Pool is identifiable by the old crumbling railroad trestle stretching across the water.
Oswego River: In the spring when the weather first warms, the Oswego River is teaming with bullhead, carp, catfish, crappies, white bass, and white perch. Although there is excellent fishing in the harbor area, if you are looking for a place off the beaten track, try the mouth of Ox Creek just south of Fulton. This is an excellent place for largemouth and smallmouth bass as well as northern pike in the summer and salmon in the fall. Largemouth bass and northern pike tend to congregate in the calm weedy areas while the smallmouth bass are more likely to be found in deep holes.
Oneida Lake: Oneida Lake has been named the Walleye Lake of New York State. It is the biggest lake in the state and has the most fish per acre! The north shore of this lake is in Oswego County and has many excellent fishing spots. You can catch bass, perch, and walleye in the spring; perch, smallmouth bass, and largemouth bass in the summer; and more walleye in the fall. Cleveland bar is an excellent spot to fish, especially for walleye. Shallow, weedy areas around the bar provide prime fishing especially at dawn and dusk when the fish feed.
If you are looking for a truly out of the way spot to fish in Oswego County try Little Sandy Creek. Although it isn’t as productive in dry years, in wet years it is a great place to catch salmon and steelhead. Access to the creek, which is located north of the Salmon River, can be difficult, making it less fished, but the quiet, uninterrupted fishing opportunity is worth a little effort. Try accessing it within the towns of Sandy Creek or Lacona or anywhere in between and have a peaceful, productive fishing trip.
