You launched before sunrise, ran straight out from Sodus Bay, and found the surface temperature crashed after Saturday’s northeast blow. Now your marks are scattered, your downrigger weights are hunting, and you are wondering if the staging king salmon moved deeper, shallower, or simply left. The fish did not leave; they repositioned into the colder water that rolled in along the south shore, and the boats putting kings in the box are trolling the new temperature edge with the right depth and the right spread. Here is the practical game plan for Lake Ontario staging king salmon after the September northeast blow, from Sodus Bay east to the Salmon River.
Quick links
- Where the kings are holding now
- Trolling spread and speed
- Gear that matches the bite
- Tributary and pier preview
- Regulations and safety reminders
In-stock leader material for this bite
Staging kings demand dedicated Great Lakes trolling rods, line-counter reels, downriggers, divers, and proven flasher, fly, meat, or spoon programs. Shorette’s current online catalog does not have enough salmon-specific hardware for us to pretend otherwise. What we can verify in stock today is 50-yard fluorocarbon leader material in useful breaking strengths for rebuilding leaders before the next trip.
| Product | Current price | Best use | Image |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beyond Fluorocarbon Leader Material 50YD, Clear | From $12.95 | Clear leader material for rebuilding trolling leaders; 10 to 100 lb options are currently listed in stock |  |
| Beyond Fluorocarbon Leader Material 50YD, Pink | From $12.95 | Pink fluorocarbon option for rebuilding leaders; 10 to 80 lb options are currently listed in stock |  |
Choose breaking strength for your exact rig, terminal hardware, and conditions. Inspect every knot and leader after a hard fish, contact with a diver, or abrasion against the boat.
Where the kings are holding now
After a northeast blow in September, the first thing to do is stop fishing yesterday’s water and start reading temperature. The wind pushed colder surface water in along the south shore, and the staging king salmon slid into the comfort zone. That zone is generally where you find 45 to 50 degree water, and right now that means working a fairly wide depth band depending on how far east you are.
Straight out from Sodus Bay, the recent word is to troll between 200 and 300 feet of water and focus your baits from 60 to 110 feet down. Flasher flies, meat rigs, and UV spoons are all taking fish. Carbon 14 has been a hot spoon color. Some steelhead and a few brown trout are mixed in, so do not be surprised if a rigger pops with something silver or bronze instead of chrome green.
Farther east toward Oswego and Olcott, crews are starting in roughly 100 feet of water at first light and trolling north as far as they want, catching fish all the way out toward 180 feet. Out in that 100 to 180 foot zone, meat rigs fished 75 to 100 feet down are producing when the fish are keyed in on a specific temperature. White meat has been the call on overcast days and early mornings; switch to chrome or UV finishes once the sun gets up.
Off Niagara and Orleans counties, the depth range opens up to 100 to 450 feet of water. The first few hours of daylight are still the best bet for mature staging kings at the shallow end of that range. By late morning, the more consistent action usually slides offshore into deeper water. If you are running a full spread, put your shallow offerings where the light is low and move your deeper rigs out as the sun climbs.
Trolling spread and speed
The fish are not spread randomly. They are holding on the temperature break and following bait schools, so your spread should cover the zone from just above the cold water up through the thermocline. A good starting point is to run downriggers 60 to 90 feet down with flasher flies or paddles and flies, and set divers back 185 to 220 feet on a 2.5 setting to cover the outside edges.
Meat rigs are earning their name right now. Run white on gray days and early, then rotate to chrome, UV, and glow patterns as the sun builds. Proven spoon colors include green jeans, hulk, green glow alewife, rodfather, and carbon 14. Double glow white 8-inch paddles paired with A-Tom-Mik mirage flies have also been a strong combination for staging kings.
Speed matters as much as color. Start around 2.5 miles per hour and watch your rods. If you are getting follows but no takers, speed up a tenth or two. If the fish are short-striking, slow down. Let the fish tell you what they want, and do not be afraid to change one rod at a time so you know what actually triggered the bite.
Inside Sodus Bay
If the big lake is too rough or you want a change of pace, Sodus Bay is worth a look. Perch are being caught at the north end, between the islands, and along the east side before the channel on minnows. Largemouth bass are active around weeds and shorelines; a wacky-rigged Senko or an old-fashioned spinnerbait will get bit. The perch will get better as more fish move back in from the lake, but it is still early for a full return.
Tributary and pier preview
The Salmon River and the other Lake Ontario tributaries are not fully fired up yet, but they are close. River temperatures need to drop a little more before a big push of kings moves in. In the meantime, the lower Niagara River has already seen the first king salmon of the season, mostly on hardware such as spinners and spoons fished in the whitewater around the NYPA fishing pier. Low light periods are best, and the rocks are slick, so wear proper footwear and use caution.
Once the run gets going, expect the Salmon River to produce the usual chaos. For now, keep an eye on flow and temperature, and be ready to switch from trolling spread to drift gear in a hurry.
Regulations and safety reminders
Great Lakes tributary regulations apply on Lake Ontario tributaries, including the Salmon River. The daily limit is three trout and salmon in combination, and that limit may not include more than one rainbow trout or steelhead and one brown trout. Check the current New York State DEC regulations before you fish, because rules can change and special sections have additional restrictions.
A few other reminders that are easy to overlook in the excitement of a hot bite: snatching and attempting to snatch fish is prohibited, all foul-hooked fish must be released, gaff hooks are not allowed except when ice fishing or bowfishing, and using fish eggs for chumming is prohibited. From November 1 through May 1, anyone in a boat under 21 feet must wear a securely fastened life jacket. In September the rule is not yet in effect, but fall water is cold and the wind can build fast, so wearing one is still smart.
Before you head out, check our free Fishing Intelligence tool for a live weather, tactics, and gear report built for your water.
If you need leader material or want a straight answer about where the kings are sitting after this blow, stop by Shorette's Bait & Tackle. We fish the same water you do, and we will set you up with what is actually working right now.