Lake Ontario kings staging; Niagara’s fall Chinook push is on

Staging Chinook are the Sept. 17 sheet across Lake Ontario, and the Niagara is starting to see its fall push. On The Water’s upstate and western New York report dated Sept. 17, 2026 says king action is excellent while early river fish build. Capt. Vince Pierleoni of Thrillseeker Sportfishing has lake salmon mostly in 60 to 150 feet and still feeding after northwest storm winds scattered them. Meat rigs, flasher-fly combos, and spoons are the troll mix; warm water has left only occasional pier fish.

On the Niagara Bar, Capt. Joe Cinelli of Grand Island has staging kings on the drop in 60 to 70 feet. Good temperatures stretch to Four Mile Creek, with white and green flashers and flies working best above the thermocline. In the lower river, Frank Campbell calls it a homecoming for pen-reared and stocked Chinook — numbers increasing daily, best off the NYPA fishing platform on jigs, jigging spoons, and eggs. Fish are staging at the red can; Devil’s Hole has movers but boats have not piled on yet. Cooler nights or a rain would pull more kings up. Walleye and smallmouth remain good on the river and the Bar.

The photo fish of the report is a 33-pound king: Nathaniel Rey of Hamburg, off Olcott in 68 feet with Pierleoni, on a DW Flip Fin flasher with a 3L meat rig and DW bait head. Other named kings include Justin Monin’s 28-pounder between Wilson and Olcott with Capt. Dave Scipione, plus Cinelli’s Bar kings and browns. Orleans County’s Ron Bierstine still has strong open-lake king action, 70–100 feet off Oak Orchard, and a few pier and Waterport dam hookups. In front of the Salmon River, trollers are working 50 to 90 feet on flashers, flies, and plugs.

DEC’s delay of the Salmon River lower fly-fishing section (Route 52 bridge in Altmar up to the hatchery line) is still in that OTW roundup. That delay is already on this desk from the Sept. 14 DEC notice — this brief is the lake and Niagara staging sheet, not a reprint of the fly-water close. Confirm current DEC tributary rules before you keep a king.

Photo: On The Water (Nathaniel Rey of Hamburg with a 33-pound Olcott king, Sept. 8, 2026, Thrillseeker Sportfishing).

This is a The Gillnet news desk summary, not a reprint.

Source: On The Water — Upstate and Western New York Fishing Report, September 17, 2026 (OTW Staff, Sept. 17, 2026).