Spring brings an exciting and very productive start to some of the best brown trout fishing opportunities within Lake Ontario waters. The massive water flow that is the Oswego River acts as a water driven magnet luring hungry browns to congregate in, near, and around the Port City waterfront. Simply put, the warm, nutrient rich river water fills the harbor and surrounding near shore lake area with brown trout and salmon attracting flows

  that big fish love. In the spring, the magic words are, warm water and colored water. Combine these two ingredients and you will find terrific brown trout fishing.
   
     The Oswego Harbor offers early season opportunity as fish roam within the walled structure of the harbor in search of food. During the early spring, trout and salmon will call this large area home as they prowl the nutrient rich confines gorging on bait in the enhanced food chain situation. The fish are like a kid in a candy store, gobbling up the goodies we call baitfish.

     A big location advantage comes with the protection offered by the harbor walls. The mighty Big O can be churned by stiff breezes causing the open waters to become unfishable, however the protected harbor offers the early season angler a comfortable "honey hole." In early spring the Oswego Harbor is almost always fishable, while the near shore lake spring fishing is definitely a “no-no" when breezy west, north and east winds blow. It is nice when you plan a fishing trip and you can fish comfortably even on windy days.

     Since Brown Trout do not have the wandering, bait chasing tendencies, attributable to their brethren salmon, they can usually be found in warmer near shore spring waters. Biologists tell us that their radio telemetry studies indicate browns range 3 to 4 miles from their stocking site. Westerly breezes move the river plume east of Oswego with warmer, colored water and becomes a beacon attracting hungry browns. Easterly winds move productive waters to the west, so when you venture into the lake in early spring go right or left depending on the wind direction and you do not have to go far. A wise old brown trout angler once told me that salmon will chase the bait, while brown trout will wait. 30 years of trolling for browns have proven to me, he was right.

     It is no secret that the Oswego area is a great place to fish. Weekends can get pretty busy on the water as recreational boats and part time weekend charters zoom in the on the Oswego bulls eye. Here is a tip, if you can, try to fish the Monday through Thursday time frame. As the area clears out on Sunday afternoon, you can bet that Monday will play to fewer boats and terrific fishing. Things will remain that way throughout the week weather permitting, then the weekend migration will return and fishing will segue to crowded, noisy, boat traffic situations. I'm just sayin.