By LEO MALONEY
Outdoors Columnist

Snow flurries occasionally fill the air as the anglers in the boat turn up their collars and pull their hats down to protect against the chill of the winter breeze. Bundled up in warm clothing and personal flotation devices, the fishermen concentrate not on the weather but watching their rod tips as the boat drifts along the dark current. Suddenly the rod tip plunges down; the angler sets the hook, and gives a cry of joy. With rod tip held high and the reel screaming as line strips out, the angler knows that he is in for an exciting fight while battling a powerful fish in the strong flow of the river current.

While many anglers are aware of the fantastic fishing that the Niagara Region offers, not all are aware that there is great fishing to be had even in the dead of winter. But scenes like the one described above are fairly common along the lower Niagara River in the Lewiston area when the wind and snow are not too nasty. However, even if the weather is a bit cold, lots of anglers feel it is a small price to pay for fishing this hot.

The lower Niagara River from the Devils Hole down to the Niagara Bar is a hot spot for fishing in winter for steelhead and brown and lake trout. The area around the Artpark down to Lewiston is a popular drift with charter captains and skilled anglers who know the river and have the proper equipment and boat.

Drifting this area and fishing with Kwikfish, egg sacks or minnows is a proven method of getting into action with the trout mentioned above. Most of them will probably average 8 – 12 pounds and when you combine a fighting fish this size with the strength of the current you are in for excitement. Of course many larger fish between 15-20 pounds are also taken in each of the three species.

When I was fishing the lower river earlier this fall with Capt. Ernie Calandrelli, one of our anglers was less than enthusiastic about the prospects of catching lake trout. Ernie just smiled and said wait and see. After hooking his first laker, an 11-pound fish, Frank had all he could handle and changed his opinion of lake trout.

Some people think that lake trout do not put up much of a fight. But that usually comes from their experience of catching them on heavy duty salmon rigs and winching them up from the depths of over 200 feet in Lake Ontario. In addition to the heavy tackle, these fish usually have the “bends” and are unable to put up much fight. By contrast, when caught on lighter tackle in shallow water, especially the current of the Niagara River, they put up a spectacular fight.

On a side note, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has determined that these lake trout spawn in the Niagara River. This is the first instance in New York State and only the third location in the U.S.

Steelhead are always exciting and the large size of these acrobatic fish only adds to the thrill and fun. It is possible to fish from shore in this area, but anglers should use extreme caution because of slippery conditions.

After reading a story that I had earlier about the lower Niagara River, Bud Sheedy was kidding me to keep it a secret since he enjoyed fishing there. Matt White just laughed and said that this fantastic fishing was hardly a secret, as he prepared for another trip out there. An article by Doyle Dietz on fishing this area in winter appears in the current issue of Lake Ontario Outdoors.

For more information on fishing the lower Niagara or the Niagara Bar contact Ernie Calandrelli (ernieqb@yahoo.com or 716-523-0013), Dan Evans (CaptainDan@LoneWolfSportfishing.com or 716-863-0018), or Frank Campbell (frank@niagaracharter.com or 716-284-8546). All of these are great guides with lots of experience to make your outing a special one.

But fishing isn’t the only fun you can experience in Niagara County during the winter season. Despite popular belief, Niagara Falls does not freeze. The water still flows over the brink at a rate of 600,000 gallons per second. Several portions of the park are open in winter and you can watch the Falls illuminated at 5 p.m. every evening.

The Niagara Falls Culinary Institute offers a state of the art demonstration kitchen, a fine dining restaurant, a N.Y. style deli, a Barnes and Noble culinary themed store and more. An aquarium, several art museums, N.Y. Power Authority Discovery Center, and other attractions beckon in all kinds of weather. For complete information on attractions, accommodations, and more contact the Visitors Center at www.niagara-usa.com or call 1-877-FALLS US.

But above all you can enjoy a very different and exciting fishing experience for steelhead and brown and lake trout. Even in the heart of winter Niagara fishing is hot!

Short Casts

Unsafe Ice: The recent warm weather and rising water levels have made the thin ice even more unsafe. Anglers, snowmobilers, and others are all urged to stay off the ice. Most places did not have safe ice, but even those few that did probably are unsafe now.

VNSP Winter Schedule: Vernon National Shooting Preserve still has openings in the Five Stand League on Tuesday evenings or Sunday mornings. Tuesday night is steak night and Sunday morning is pancake breakfast. They are also open Wednesdays and Saturdays 9 a.m. to 2 p.m, subject to weather conditions. Call 315-982-7045 or contact bonnybean@vernonnational.com for more information.

Outdoor Show Trip: The Chittenango Rod and Gun club will sponsor a bus trip to Harrisburg, Pa. to visit the giant Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show on February 9. This is the biggest sports show in the Northeast and has an incredible number of attractions, seminars and special guests. The bus will leave Shoppingtown Mall at 5 a.m. and return at 10 p.m. Cost of $60 includes bus, refreshments and ticket to the show. Make reservations with Bruce Bream at 439-0260.

New York Sportsman’s Expo: The N.Y. Sportsman’s Expo returns to the State Fairgrounds on January 25-27 with double the size of last year’s successful show. A wide variety of fishing charters, outfitters, manufacturers, sportsmen’s organizations and retailers will be on hand. There will be a full schedule of seminars, exhibits to appeal to every type of outdoorsmen and special attractions such as the Realtree Reunion of outdoor TV personalities, calling contests, casting pools and the popular dock dogs. Hours are Friday 12-9 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Check out www.newyorksportsmansexpo.com for more details.

CNY Sportsmans Show: Save the date of Feb. 3 for the always popular Central NY Sportsmans Show. There will be the usual mix of tackle vendors, conservation groups, guides and exhibitors. You will have the chance to meet and talk with expert hunters and fishermen such as Jim Massett, the Salerno Brothers, Todd Mead, Bob Dick, Jay Peck and others. Among the new attractions this year will be Feather Art Studio with well known artist Deb Brosen and wildlife photography by Angie Berchielli. Youngsters can also sign up for the special youth turkey hunt with an ECO, as well as the ever popular exhibit by the Utica Zoo. The new lineup of seminars will be publicized in the next few weeks.

Adirondack Exposure Hits Florida: Scott Locorini, owner of Adirondack Exposure, will be offering a variety of kayaking adventures in Florida this winter. Some of the trips through the Everglades involve camping while others like Cedar Key are based in motels. For the complete list check www.adirondackexposure.com or call 315-335-1681, but hurry because only a few spots remain.

Crossbow Coalition: The Crossbow Coalition is actively working to gather support for the NYS Legislature to pass a bill that would allow the use of crossbows during the regular archery season. They are available to come and give a presentation to any organization that is interested in learning more about the issues. Contact Rick McDermott at 315-822-1540 for more information.