A bridge on Route 98 past (or north) of Orleans Outdoor and just before the left turn onto Park Ave is under construction. Travelers will see detour signs for Route 98 before (or south) of Orleans Outdoor that direct you east or away from the Oak Orchard River. You can still get to Orleans Outdoor directly on Route 98. Coming from the south the easiest way to get to the Oak Orchard River off Route 98 would be to go through the first detour signs and to turn west (a left going north or a right going south) onto Waterport-Carlton Rd which is located just before (or south) of Orleans Outdoor. Once on Waterport-Carlton Rd you make the next right onto Park Ave which will lead you to or past the dam parking and to the Park Ave Fishing Trail parking.

The long winter and bridge construction has left us overstocked on our trib gear. Check out our SUMMER SALE. Our goal is to sell as much gear as we can during the summer months. These offers will not apply during fall 2008.

Buy any flyrod or reel or line, spinning rod or reel or mono, float rod or reel or mono, breathable or neoprene waders, wading boots or wading jacket at a regular price of >$99 and receive 20% OFF.

Take advantage of this one time offer for tremendous savings on in stock items including St. Croix(rods), GLoomis(rods, reels), Redington(rods, reels, waders, jacs), Echo(rods), Cortland(rods, reels), Raven(rods, reels), Sheffield(rods, reels), Okuma(rods, reels), US Reel Supercaster(reels), Ross Worldwide(rods, reels), Bauer(reels), Lamson(reels), Hodgman(waders, jacs, boots), Korkers(boots), William Joseph(waders), Stearns(waders), Chota(waders, boots) and Pacific Fly(jacs).

We'll be on our summer operating schedule now - open Thu, Fri, Sat and Sun. Lodging is available everyday and all telephone calls will be returned promptly. Thanks for your support. For May there are still plenty of good opportunities at trib and lakeshore trout and salmon action from your own two feet.

Conditions as of April 30, 2008...
The area received some light rain Mon. Previously it had been dry and unseasonably warm for over a week. Cold temps have returned for the begin part of this week with highs in the 40's. All the trib flows have been on the drop and going toward low and clear, and the little precip the area has received should not raise the smaller area trib levels much. Oak Orchard overflow levels are diminished and the water color is only slightly stained without any heavy precip lately. The water temp has warmed up thru the 50's and into the 60's F. Steelhead are dropping out of the Oak Orchard slowly, but hanging around long enough giving anglers chances at some aggressive fish. With the Oak Orchard water temps having been in the 50's+ for over two weeks now, most of the fish are in a spawning mode. All the trib water temps came up sharply and so lots of fish were on the gravel areas and suckers became numerous. Some nice smallmouth bass have begun to show up too and anglers are reminded that it is legal to fish for those big lake spawners on a catch and release basis.

There has been some good steelhead fishing in the Oak Orchard and there will still be some opportunities for hookups through any remaining cool spring weather ahead - especially on spawning & dropback steelhead or smaller jacks in the lower river sections. Hook-ups on hard fighting steelhead have been the reward for anglers getting their licks in so to speak before the spring action is over. The trib flows fell quickly from the last bit of high water, and the vegetation is starting to green out. There was a nice window of fishability in the tribs two weekends ago and the week before when anglers found lots of spawning action. After that it seems like the fishing pressure fell way off even as most of the best action remained in the Oak Orchard with the smaller waterways having warmed up and most of the spawning activity complete. Anglers looking for the last bit of spring trib action can also look to the largest tribs like the Niagara R, Genesee R and Cattaruagus Creek hanging on to cooler water temps and spawning or drop back fish.

There has been some good steelhead fishing in the Oak Orchard, since Feb really on the backside of numerous spates of higher flows. The begin and mid part of Mar brought back good flows in the Oak Orchard that were stained and anglers were into some steelhead action. Water flows have generally been up since about that time with the resultant migrations of fresh fish. For the begin of Apr there was some of the typical action for mostly spawning fish with the water temps in the 50's F. With dropping and warming flows for the middle part of the month, some of the drop back fish in the Oak Orchard were active and aggressive with a few fresh fish migrations too. Now for the end part of Apr, the flows are back up thanks to timely precip and Erie Canal water feed leaving plenty of cool flows for good steelhead fishing. With the wide swings in weather conditions generally this whole trib season, there is no reason to think that there won't be some action through the begin of May. Deep slow drifts can still be the ticket for hook-ups in the holes or a lighter swing in the shallower gravel spawning areas. Over the course of the whole past winter there has been pretty good consistent action at the Waterport dam, now those fish will be dropping back looking for gravel areas. Any more spates of water during this spring season could draw a few more fish into the Oak Orchard.

Overflow levels are diminished for now in the Oak Orchard without any more precip. Anglers fishing primarily float techniques have been into some fish in that overflow channel. Anglers may consider re-releasing any fish caught in the overflow channel back into the turbine channel in order to give those fish a legitimate shot at getting back into the lake now that the overflow levels have receded.

Flows in the Oak Orchard are high and slightly stained. Overflow levels are diminished making for easier drifts in the lower part of the river. The Erie Canal is being filled for the season. Supplemented with Erie Canal water, the Oak Orchard will flow at least at a mod - med level (with stained water color thru most of the spring). The other area smaller tribs have low - mod and mostly clear flows. Trib water temps in the area smaller waterways had moved thru the 60's, so look for the spawning action to be on and over for most fish. Anglers who didn't fish the previous higher water in the smaller tribs might find a few of those post spawn drop back fish now.

Fishing pressure is light. Many anglers appear to have given up on the last bit of trib action?! Earlier higher trib flows have discouraged some anglers not realizing that high flows are best for steelhead action. Since approx the begin of Feb, the flow conditions really couldn't have been better in allowing for a good push of water for migrations and for fish to distribute themselves through the upstream water of the Oak Orchard. The higher flows coupled with an increase in the trib water temps brought in fish that immediatley set up on the gravel stretches. Steelhead are after-all a high water fish and if anglers didn't take advantage of some of those high water opportunities a lot of good fishing was missed.

Rivermouth and shoreline casters and small boat trollers are into some action for hungry brown trout and cohos. Casting the shoreline or rivermouth and the hard strike of a spoon eating brown trout is a nice way to extend the trout action thru the later spring. The lakeshore water will be warming with the more abundant sunshine and drawing the trout and salmon into reach of the angler from his own two feet. Look for mostly calm or light prevailing westerly or south winds and semi-stained water color that affords the fish some cover in the shallow water. Hit the early or last part of the days. Overcast days can be good producers too anytime of the day. Fish are generally scattered but can concentrate at the trib mouths or anytime cool water and stained water and bait come together.

At Eighteen Mile Creek at Burt look for low - mod and slightly stained flows there. Anglers are reportidly picking up just a few fish. The Genesee River has produced some good steelhead hookups through this past fall season and lastly again with a return to fishable conditions around the end of Jan/begin of Feb thanks to colder temps. Look for med and stained flows there again and a return back to fishable conditions now with a period of little precip.

Lodging dates are available for spring/summer 2008. Reservations now accepted for fall 2008. Call soon to reserve some prime dates.

Sportman's Archers Club of St. Mary's Fly Fishing Contest on Oct 22, 23 and 24, 2008. Come experience the fun and hospitality of the Archers Club and join them for the three day contest including breakfast and lunch with lots of prizes and parking. Sign up early and park and fish all week. We have applications at the shop or email us.

Tributary Fly Fishing class on Oct 04, 2008. Beginning and intermediate fly fishers can learn how easy it is to get started fishing for the trophy sized trout and salmon of the Great Lakes tributaries. The all day class includes a power point presentation, fishing techniques, casting, lunch and on the water demos. Call or email soon to pre-register for the fall class. Spring 2009 class also offered.

The NYSDEC concluded a two year Lake Ontario tributary angler creel survey started in the fall 2005 through 2007. The survey will help DEC to continue to effectively manage the important trib fishery and gather info on population trends, habitat preferences, angler effort and more. Many anglers voiced their opinions about brown trout creel limits in the tribs with support for a regulation change (similiar to the current steelhead trib limit) building for the next appropriate reg cycle.

So how do you know if trophy trout and salmon will be catchable upon your travels to the Oak Orchard and WNY area? All the best web info, bulletin boards, angler skill and top notch equipment cannot replace getting out there and actually fishing! Plenty of fantastic fishing goes unreported by those who choose to keep it under wraps, and we often only learn of good action after the fact. The nuances of fish migrations is an inexact science and we cannot predict the future. Fish as soon as reasonable conditions allow instead of waiting for supposed better conditions that may or may not materialize. Be one of the lucky few that experiences good fishing as it takes place instead of hearing that famous quote, "you should have been here yesterday!"

Tight lines and smooth drags!
Licorice Man