Orleans County Fishing Report 3/28/23
Orleans County Tourism
March 29, 2023
Oak Orchard Creek - Freshwater Fishing Report
Spring means pen rearing time for both Kings and steelhead. This Saturday, the salmon and steelhead pens will be assembled with fish anticipated to arrive from NYSDEC next week for their one month or so rearing in the Oak Orchard. Volunteers needed for help this Saturday at 9 AM and for feed and care after that. Pens will be assembled and will soak at Ernst's Lake Breeze Marina. Many thanks for all the help that the marina has given for pen rearing help.
Trib flows all around on a slow drop for this mid week period after the past weekend precipitation. Emphasis on slow. There were some showers thru yesterday. Chance of more rain/snow showers later Wednesday and precipitation again for end of week ending in
you guessed it wind again! Seems like we can't shake the every weekend wind advisory forecasts. So we'll have to wait and see how much precipitation is realized out of the upcoming forecast and if it will mean flows holding steady or going back up high and off color. Either way it seems unlikely that trib flows in the near term will be approaching anything like low and clear or even medium and slightly stained. Look for at a minimum slightly high and stained.
Flows in the Oak are high and dirty. Overflow levels are just about diminished again and it still looks like a full head of turbine water. Water color is about 1 foot of visibility with still lots of stained water upstream in Lake Alice. Fishing pressure looks light with just a handful of cars parked at the access spots. Without that ripping overflow water now and as visibility goes on the positive side of one foot, guys should be able to make some productive drifts. Look for some fish to be set up in gravel spots and/or adjacent holes. The other area smaller tribs have slightly high flows trying to ease back toward medium with 1 2 ft of visibility. Its likely going to be a hunt and peck scenario there with a mix of drop back browns/steelhead and a few fresh steelhead.
All that same wind that has been making the weekend conditions challenging is likewise making the near shore open Lake action tough at times too. Acres and acres of mud won't allow for narrowing down the trolling or casting spots. But on the backside of the windy days like about now for this mid week period you can target the green water or mud lines. When boat anglers or casters have intercepted that tasty water there have been some browns hooked up.
Target Species:
Steelhead, Brown Trout
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