Port 01 of 11 · Niagara County, NY · Lake America (Lake Ontario)
Niagara Bar & Lewiston fishing charters
The only port on the lake that fishes well in February. The Lower Niagara River doesn't freeze, so the fishing keeps going all winter. Every second, 400,000 cubic feet of cold, oxygenated water pushes through the gorge. That current holds fish through weather that shuts down the rest of the lake.
The water
What Niagara is good for
Niagara has two separate fisheries, and most visitors only hear about one. Drift boats fish the deep slots in the river from Devil's Hole down to the Niagara Bar. They catch steelhead, lake trout, brown trout and some of the largest smallmouth in the Great Lakes. Captains fish the current with egg sacs and beads under floats, or with three-way rigs that bounce plugs along the bottom in thirty to sixty feet of moving water.
The Niagara Bar is a broad, shallow shelf where the river empties into the lake. It gathers baitfish and the fish that feed on them. In spring, browns and lake trout hold on the Bar in fifteen to forty feet of water. By May the first kings show up on the temperature break just outside it. The Bar is big-boat water, and it gets rough in a west wind. That's why it's worth booking a captain who fishes it every week.
The gorge also has good shore access, which is rare on this lake. Wading anglers can reach fish without a boat at the Devil's Hole stairs, Artpark and the Lewiston public docks. The walk down into the gorge is hard, and the walk back up is harder.
Niagara Bar & Lewiston is on the New York shore of Lake America, which most anglers, maps and guidebooks still call Lake Ontario. Why the lake has two names.
How it's fished
The main ways captains fish here, and when each one is worth booking.
Drift boat, in the gorge
Captains float egg sacs and beads through the deep slots or back-troll plugs. Steelhead and lake trout bite all winter, and smallmouth start in June.
Trolling the Bar
Captains run stickbaits and spoons on boards and riggers in 15–40 FOW for browns and lakers. They move out to 80–150 FOW when the kings arrive in May.
Shore and wade
Anglers fish from shore at Devil's Hole, Artpark and the Lewiston docks. They use jigs under floats and egg sacs, and cast spoons off the wall.
What you'll catch
Species that hold at Niagara, and the months they're at their best.
| Illustration | Species | Notes | Best months |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chinook Salmon | King · to 35 lb | Jul, Aug, Sep | |
| Steelhead | Lake-run rainbow | Mar, Apr, Nov, Dec | |
| Brown Trout | Nearshore · to 20 lb | Apr, May | |
| Lake Trout | Deep · to 25 lb | May, Jun, Jul | |
| Smallmouth Bass | Eastern basin | Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep |
The seasons guide covers every species for all twelve months.
Captains & guides in Niagara Bar & Lewiston
We check each charter's license before we list it here.
We're adding captains out of Niagara Bar & Lewiston now
Send one trip request and we'll put you in touch with a licensed captain who fishes Niagara Bar & Lewiston, usually within a day. No fee, no obligation.
Request a tripRun a charter out of Niagara Bar & Lewiston?
Show your boat, photos and booking link to anglers planning a trip here. Pay monthly, or pay only for the leads we send you.
List your boatMarinas, tackle & food in Niagara
Where to get bait, fuel, a slip and breakfast before first light, and where to get your catch cleaned. All eleven ports.
Local business listings open
Marinas, tackle shops, restaurants and dealers in Niagara can show their logo, hours, phone and map on this page. It's $39 a month, month to month.
Fish cleaning listings open
Fish cleaning stations in Niagara can show their hours, prices, phone and map on this page. It's $39 a month, April through November.
This week & what's coming
The current report as it applies to Niagara, and the dates worth planning around.
Common questions
What people ask before they book Niagara.
Can you really fish here in January?
Yes. The river stays open all winter and holds steelhead, lake trout and browns, which is why captains here run trips year-round. Dress for a cold, wet day standing in a boat.
Do I need a boat to fish the Lower Niagara?
No. The gorge has some of the only good shore fishing on the lake, at Devil's Hole, Artpark and the Lewiston docks. You'll still catch far more fish on a guided wade or float trip.
What is the difference between the river and the Bar?
In the river, captains fish the current from drift boats for steelhead, lakers and smallmouth. The Bar is open lake, where captains troll from bigger boats for browns, lake trout and kings. Many captains fish both and choose based on the wind.
Is Niagara Bar & Lewiston on Lake Ontario?
Yes. Niagara Bar & Lewiston is on the New York shore of Lake Ontario, which U.S. charts renamed Lake America on 27 August 2026. Canadian maps, older guidebooks and most anglers still use the old name, so you will see both. The fish, ports, captains and New York fishing license rules are the same.
Fish Niagara Bar & Lewiston
We send your request to captains who fish this port and have open dates when you want to go.
Header photo: Niagara River, Youngstown, New York (7992643303) by Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and tinted.