Similarly, Lake Ontario tributaries are reportedly yielding good steelhead catches, including Twelvemile, Keg and Eighteenmile creeks and the lower Niagara River.

Great Lakes waters are open to year-round fishing.

WEST-CENTRAL & WESTERN
FINGER LAKES REGION
Predicting the famed spawning run of Finger Lakes rainbow trout is difficult. Just before the season opens, a three-day warm spell or a two-week deep freeze will affect the timing of the run. But on average, enough lunker rainbows will be in the tributaries around the first week of April to make it possible for the season’s first trout to be the largest of the year!

For a trophy steelhead catch, the best locations are Naples Creek, Catherine Creek and Springwater Creek. Also, early-season fishing from the shores of the western Finger Lakes produces rainbows and brown trout. Recommended locations include Hemlock Lake along the eastern shore, Keuka Lake at Keuka Lake State Park, Seneca Lake at the south end piers and the shore of Canadice Lake.

Stocked and wild trout will be taken this spring from a number of regional streams. Those at the top of the list are Oatka Creek and Spring Creek near Caledonia, the Cohocton River from Cohocton to Bath, and Cayuta Creek near Odessa.

Steelhead fishing should be going full tilt throughout April in Lake Ontario tributaries including Oak Orchard Creek, Sandy Creek, the Genesee River and Irondequoit Creek.

CENTRAL & EASTERN
FINGER LAKES REGION
Pre-season attention has focused mainly on steelhead in the Lake Ontario tributaries. While warmer days and thawing conditions in late March will have attracted more fishermen, their numbers will plummet in April, when the regular trout season opens.

That’s unfortunate, according to some expert steelheaders who continue to have success on these streams until May. Also, fishing success has improved for a couple of years in the Salmon River, as well as some of the other tributaries.

The Salmon River is noted nationally as a steelhead-salmon river. Most nonresident anglers fish near Pulaski, although there are excellent fishing opportunities all the way from the estuary upstream to the Lower Reservoir at Bennett Bridge.

There are several public access sites, a pay-to-fish section downstream from Pulaski, and two fly-fishing-only stretches at Altmar.

Other steelie hotspots are Sandy Creek, Little Sandy Creek, Grindstone Creek, and the Oswego River at Oswego, where a fishing park provides shoreline fishing.

At the April 1 opening, rainbow fever hits the eastern Finger Lakes. Several Cayuga Lake tributaries are recommended, including Salmon Creek, Cayuga Inlet, Yawgers Creek and Fall Creek.

Owasco Lake streams will be less crowded. Good bets here include Hemlock Creek, Dresserville Creek, Decker Brook and Owasco Inlet.

From Skaneateles Lake, Grout Brook is a favorite with Syracuse-area rainbow fanatics.

Popular trout streams receive periodic stockings, mainly of brown trout, starting before the season opens if weather conditions permit and continuing for several weeks into the open season. These streams include Ninemile, Limestone and Butternut creeks; Oquaga and Nanticoke creeks; the Otselic River; Chittenango Creek; Factory Brook; Genegantslet Creek, plus Fall and Virgil creeks.