|
Sandy Creek is a lesser know Lake Ontario tributary located west of Rochester and should not to be confused with the Little Sandy, the North Sandy, and the South Sandy which are located on the eastern end of Lake Ontario north of Pulaski. Sandy Creek provides wonderful fall fishing for Coho Salmon, Brown Trout, Chinook Salmon, Atlantic Salmon, and steelhead.
Each year the state of NY will stock over 100,000 chinook salmon, 26,000 coho salmon, and 14,000 steelhead in Sandy Creek. These fish are stocked as fry or fingerlings and will imprint on the stream. They will then migrate into Lake Ontario where they will spend a few years devouring alewives and smelt before returning to spawn in Sandy Creek.
September heralds the earliest run of fish into the Lake Ontario tributaries. October brings on the main run of fish with spawning becoming completed by early November. Then after spawning is complete the salmon will die off completing their life cycle.
Once the fish start to return to the river they may be enticed to hit a variety of baits. Egg sacs or plastic imitation eggs are among the most common used. Sponge in various colors can also be very productive. Artificial flies and streamers will also entice fish to strike. The longer the fish are in the river the more interested in spawning they become. A fresh run fish is more likely to hit your fly or egg sac. Major Lake Ontario tributaries having Chinook salmon runs include the Salmon River, Oswego River, Genesee River, Black River, Niagara River, Oak Orchard Creek, Sandy Creek, and Eighteen Mile Creek.
|
