Lodging dates are available for the 2013/2014 trib season. There's lots of good fishing for salmon, steelhead and brown trout ahead! Stay at the Licorice Lodge in the heart of the fishing action!

The Oak Orchard Pen Rearing Association received approx 25,000 steelhead placed in the Oak Orchard River Apr 19, 2013. Approx 105,000 King salmon will be delivered shortly to be placed in net pens for a few weeks and hopeful imprinting on the Oak Orchard River. Those numbers represent just some of the total number of trout and salmon stocked here in Orleans County annually. Many thanks to Bob Songin and other local stakeholders for their efforts of securing, feeding and monitoring the fish. More tributary anglers are invited in 2013 to help with feeding the fish and cleaning the pens. Contact us for how and where to help out.

The Sportsmen Archer's Club Fly Fishing Only Catch and Release Contest will be held Oct 16 - 18, 2013. Everyone is sure to enjoy the great hospitality and comradorie of the Archer's Club and experience some real good fishing. Their cooperation with out of the area fishermen is truly above board and greatly appreciated by all. Please contact us or see the Club for registration.

Tributary Fly Fishing Class was held Sat, March 16, 2013. Students where helped by our great instructors NYSLOG Paul Jacob from Reel Action Fly Fishing and Capt. Jason Franz from Trout 'n' About and RonB aka the Licorice Man. Come join us in 2014 for an informative and fun filled day where we can help shorten the learning curve for you. Lunch is provided. Call or email for more info and pre-registration!

On April 29, 2012, Sunday, LOTAC (Lake Ontario Tributary Anglers Council) and Orleans Outdoor sponsored an Oak Orchard River clean-up and streamco willow tree planting along the river downstream from the Waterport Dam to the Park Ave Fishing Trail. After a hard days work shouldered primarily by the unselfish LOTAC guys there was a cookout at the Archer's Club with eats and refreshments provided by Orleans Outdoor. Thanks again for all who helped and gave something back to the Oak Orchard. Watch for spring 2013 stream clean-up dates.

Hojack Bar and Grill now open. Patrons can find great food and drink right next door. Try the smoked wings! Plans seem to be to return that restuarant location to a fair priced and high quality grill and bar that was so successful some years ago. Anglers can look forward to stopping by this great compliment to the Orleans Outdoor Licorice Lodge.

CHECK OUT THE BIG TACKLE SALE PAGE ABOVE OR ON THE HOMEPAGE FOR UPDATED END OF SEASON GREAT SAVINGS UP TO 50% OFF!

Point Breeze is in the running to be named #1 Fishing Town in the US by the World Fishing Network. First place could mean a nice grant to be used for area fishing improvements. You can vote more then once at www.worldfishingnetwork.com.

end May 2013...
Flows in the OOrchard are mod consisting of a good portion of seasonal Erie Canal water feed. Without that 24/7 seasonal water feed, flows would otherwise be pretty low. Over-the-all, spring precip levels are so far light and so the other area smaller tribs have low and clear flows. Water color is stained with about 2 - 3 feet of viz in the OOrchard. Water temps are warming thru the 60's with more warming ahead for the summer till the once again fall cool down. There could still be steelhead opportunities possibly in the Salmon River or Niagara River or casting action for brown trout at Point Breeze or the Lakeshore wwhen favorable combinations of wind, cool water and bait might come together. Anglers report catchable numbers of hard fighting chunky smallmouth bass in the OOrchard. The shop is now on summer hours and we are open Thu, Fri, Sat and Sun mornings or you can call anytime. Please leave a message and we will call you back.

Apr 29...
Seasonal Erie Canal water feed is commencing thru the Oak Orchard so flows should be mod - med with stained water color of 2 feet or so of viz. In the OOrchard there is still the chance for a few late season steelhead and now some hard fighting, chunky Lake run smallmouth bass that anglers can target on a catch and release basis. Other larger tribs like the Genesee, Niagara or Catt Creek can hang on to some steelhead action well into May. As winds allow there is good rivermouth and lakeshore casting opportunities for brown trout as those fish look to take advantage of warmer and baitfish rich shallow waters for the spring time.

weekend Apr 27...
A nice weekend of weather is forecast for late in the season steelhead action. Fishing pressure is pretty light, but for the few persistent anglers still on the OOrchard there are some hook-up chances on a few drobacks and spawning fish. There is still the chance for fresh fish and there have been just recent reports of fresh fish in 18 Mile Creek at Burt dam. Flows in the OOrchard are mod with just slightly stained water color. Erie Canal water feed could commence real soon and that would make the flows a little more stained. A few brown trout have been caught along with a few smallmouth bass. Suckers are fairly numerous. The other area smaller tribs have generally low and clear flows with the chance for a few scattered fish.

Apr 26...
There was a little more maintenance rain yesterday so flows should hang in at mod levels with slightly stained water color of 3 feet or so of viz in the OOrchard. Night time temps are still dropping back in the 30's F so trib water temps are not spiking warm yet and are allowing for some drop back and spawning steelhead to hang around. Suckers are fairly numerous while a few Lake run silver brown trout and smallmouth bass have been reported. The other area smaller tribs have low - mod flows with mostly clear water color and a few scattered fish. Winds have been challenging for rivermouth casters, but as winds drop back and shoreline water color improves anglers should have hook-up chances on some football browns. Larger waterways like the Niagara, Catt Creek or Genesee River can hang on to later spring steelhead action as water levels allow for fishable conditions.

Apr 25...
Flows are mod with 2 - 3 feet of viz in the OOrchard. There was some rain thru yesterday that hasn't affected water flows much here on the Niagara Frontier tribs. Weather is seasonal in the 50's F for the end of this week with the chance for rain or showers tonight. The other area smaller tribs have low - mod flows and are mostly clear. There is enough emerging greenery to help combat flows becoming dirty from run-off now. The Erie Canal navigation season is opening soon and some parts of the Canal are being watered-up already. Erie Canal water feed in the OOrchard via upstream supply could commence soon if not by the first part of May. The few anglers left on the OOrchard are into a few dropback and spawning steelhead. Cool - cold night time temps are still keeping trib water temps cool enough for fish to hang around. A few silver Lake run brown trout and smallmouth bass are reported. More bass migrations will be underway thru May especially with Erie Canal water feed.

Apr 24...
Flows are mod with 2 feet of stained viz in the OOrchard. No major precip for the Niagara Frontier so far today, but there is the chance for more rain in the forecast later tonite. A good maintenace rain would be great to keep flows up and stained. Persistent anglers are still finding some steelhead, mainly dropbacks in the OOrchard. Fresh or spawning steelhead could still be encountered anytime with so far relatively cool water temps. The other area smaller tribs have low - mod flows with likely a few scattered fish. A few silver or Lake-run brown trout are also reported along with some hard fighting chunky smallmouth bass. Lakeshore and rivermouth casting action for brown trout as winds cooperate and later season bigger trib action on the Niagara, Catt Creek or Genesee River when those waterways are fishable will round out the later spring big trout action.

Apr 23...
Anglers are finding some steelhead action in the OOrchard. With the flows up and stained some and goodly amounts of harassing suckers it takes some persistence for a few hook-ups. Some good fish are still being landed, reports of some bigger fish in the teens. Flow conditions are good, mod - med and slightly stained. There is the chance for rain or showers tomorrow, and anymore significant precip could cause flows to go higher. A nice maintenance rain would be great to keep flows up. Look for water temps to be on the inevitable climb thru the 50's with warm and sunny weather forecast today.

Apr 22...
Flows are med with nearly two feet of stained viz in the OOrchard - good drifting conditions for most anyplace thru the rivercourse. Fish seem to be scattered with pods here and there of dropbacks, some spawners and a few fresh fish. Thru the past weekend anglers reported some hook-ups, slower later on Sun afternoon. Suckers are numerous especially in the riffles and a few smallmouth bass and silver brown trout are being caught. Water temps remain cool at 47.5 F late on Sun. Water temps should be moving thru the 50's this week. The other area smaller tribs have mod flows with slightly stained water color with likely scattered numbers of a few fish.

weekend Apr 20...
The area escaped any major precip over the past couple days, so flows in the OOrchard and other tribs continue to drop and clear. Flows are nearly ideal in the OOrchard at slightly high and stained with 1 - 2 feet of viz. The other area smaller tribs have mod - med flows with stained water color of about 2 feet of viz. The weather has turned cool - cold again with the chance for below freezing temps Sat and Sun night that will allow flows to drop and clear some more. Windy conditions persist today but the forecast is for calming winds and warmer temps Sun and thru the begin of next week. Over-the-all the fishing pressure is light and reports are light especially from the smaller waterways, but anglers have been back into some steelhead action in the OOrchard since the end of the past week. Suckers are more numerous with hook-ups also on spawners, dropbacks and some fresh fish. The winds have the lakeshore pretty well boiled up too, but that should be calming down and there is the clearer plume of OOrchard River water that casters can target for spoon feeding some brown trout.

Remember you have to get out and fish. Come experience great fishing as it takes place instead of solely relying and waiting on internet reports. Anglers who find the best fishing often anticipate when the right conditions will come together. Internet bragging seems a lot less prevelant then it was a few years ago, and our reports tend to be even keeled - not reporting fish numbers great enough that they would be jumping in your waders - even if they were! Good water flows will be the biggest factor in bringing trout in the Oak Orchard River and in the area smaller tribs and pushing them upstream. Weather is the biggest factor in bringing angler numbers out. There have been some exceptional fish caught this trib season, just check out the pics below and in the archives. Come on out and get in on some trout action this fall, winter and spring and add to the photo collection!