Port 05 of 11 · Monroe County, NY · Lake America (Lake Ontario)
Rochester fishing charters
Rochester has three different fisheries within twenty minutes of downtown. It's the only port on this shore where you can leave a city hotel, be on the water in fifteen minutes and reach three hundred feet of salmon water soon after. The bottom drops off quickly near the Genesee River, so half-day trips are worth booking here.
The water
What Rochester is good for
In spring, browns feed in the warmer water of the Genesee River plume close to shore. From June through September the fleet runs north into deep water for Chinook, coho and lake trout. Deep water is close, so you spend less of your trip traveling than at almost any other port.
The bays offer a different kind of fishing. Irondequoit Bay holds smallmouth, largemouth, northern pike and walleye, and it has a strong winter perch fishery. Braddock Bay, to the west, is shallow and weedy and known for pike and spring bass. You can fish it from a small boat in weather that keeps the big boats at the dock.
If some of your group want to troll for kings and others would rather cast for bass, Rochester handles both better than any other port on the lake.
Rochester 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.
Offshore trolling
From June through September, captains fish riggers, wire divers and copper over 150–400 FOW for Chinook, coho and lake trout.
Spring nearshore
In April and May, captains run boards and stickbaits in 10–30 FOW on the Genesee plume for browns.
Bay fishing
Anglers cast and jig Irondequoit and Braddock Bays for smallmouth, largemouth, pike and walleye. In winter they fish for perch through the ice.
What you'll catch
Species that hold at Rochester, and the months they're at their best.
| Illustration | Species | Notes | Best months |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chinook Salmon | King · to 35 lb | Jul, Aug, Sep | |
| 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 | |
| Walleye | Bays & rivers | Jun, Jul | |
| Northern Pike | Weed edges & bays | Jan, Feb, May, Jun, Sep, Oct, Nov |
The seasons guide covers every species for all twelve months.
Captains & guides in Rochester
We check each charter's license before we list it here.
We're adding captains out of Rochester now
Send one trip request and we'll put you in touch with a licensed captain who fishes Rochester, usually within a day. No fee, no obligation.
Request a tripRun a charter out of Rochester?
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 Rochester
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 Rochester 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 Rochester 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 Rochester, and the dates worth planning around.
Common questions
What people ask before they book Rochester.
Is a half-day trip worth it out of Rochester?
Yes, more than anywhere else on the lake. Deep water is close to the river mouth, so on a four or five hour trip you still get plenty of time with lines in the water.
What can I fish if the lake is too rough?
Irondequoit and Braddock Bays. You can fish them from small boats in weather that cancels offshore trips, and they hold good pike, bass and walleye. A lot of captains offer a bay trip as the backup plan.
Can I fly in for this?
Yes. Rochester's airport is twenty minutes from the water, and the city has hotels at every price. It's the easiest port on the lake to plan a trip around.
Is Rochester on Lake Ontario?
Yes. Rochester 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 Rochester
We send your request to captains who fish this port and have open dates when you want to go.
Header photo: Lake Ontario from Rochester, New York by Magnolia677, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and tinted.