King Salmon

• King salmon have blue-green backs and silvery sides. Their elongated mouths can be hard and narrow, which makes them difficult to hook. They are migratory fish, traveling between Lake Ontario and its tributaries in Oswego during annual fall runs for the purpose of spawning. Adults in the Oswego region are typically 20 to 30 pounds, but fish in the area can grow to be 40 pounds or more. Many of the king salmon that inhabit Lake Ontario were raised at the Salmon River Hatchery in Oswego County.
  
  

Bait and Tackle

• King salmon are large, powerful fish, and those in Lake Ontario spend most of their time in deeper waters. Trolling with spoons or plugs on down riggers from 50- to 120-foot depths is effective during summer months. When the waters are cooler in the spring and late fall you can cast for them with a medium action spin rod; 12-to 20-pound test line is recommended, depending on the size of fish biting.
  
  Chinook feed on schools of alewives and smelt found in Lake Ontario, and tipping jigs or spinners with these fish can be effective. If you are trying to catch king salmon on their runs to and from Lake Ontario tributaries, egg sacs, artificial flies and streamers are your best bet.
  
  

Locations

• Lake Ontario access points in Oswego County include Oswego Harbor, Catfish Creek, Dowie Dale, Mexico Point, Port Ontario and North Sandy Pond. Major Lake Ontario tributaries in Oswego that feature annual king salmon runs include the Salmon River, Oswego River, Genesee River, Niagara River, Black River and Eighteen Mile Creek.
  
  

Fishing License

• A New York fishing license is required to fish in New York's portion of Lake Ontario if you are 16 years of age or older. A fishing license for the 2010 season costs residents $29 and nonresidents $70; the license year runs from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30. A one-day license is $5 for residents and $15 for nonresidents. Licenses may be purchased at bait and tackle shops, sporting good stores and town and clerk offices.
  
  

Regulations

• Lake Ontario is open to salmon fishing year-round, and a New York fishing license allows you to catch up to three king salmon per day, but each fish kept must be 12 inches or longer. Fishermen may only use one hook with a single point. A fish not hooked in the mouth must be immediately released. Use or possession of gaff hooks is prohibited.