Niagara Bar & Lewiston
Lewiston, New York
Stay in Lewiston or Youngstown. Niagara Falls is 15 minutes upriver.
Where to stay
Lodging is different at each of the eleven New York ports on Lake Ontario, now charted as Lake America. Rochester is a city with hotels. Point Breeze is a marina with a restaurant. Pulaski in October is the hardest place to book a room on this lake. This page covers where to stay and how far ahead to book.
The October run
Pulaski books up a year aheadIf you want to fish the Salmon River run, book your room before you book your captain. Pulaski has a limited number of rooms, and everyone wants them for the same three weeks. Prices go up sharply, and minimum-night stays are common. Anglers who book lodging last end up staying in Syracuse and driving forty minutes each way.
When to book
How far ahead to book rooms on this lake, by season.
| When you want to fish | Book by | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-September to late October | 6–12 months | This is the salmon run. Pulaski books up a year ahead, and prices go up sharply. |
| August (staging kings) | 3–4 months | Oswego and Mexico Bay fill around the derbies. |
| July (offshore season) | 2–3 months | At Fair Haven and Sodus, you're competing with beach vacationers for rooms. |
| April to June (spring browns) | 4–6 weeks | The west end is quiet in spring, and it's the easiest time of year to book. |
| November to March (steelhead) | 2–4 weeks | Rooms are at their cheapest and emptiest of the year. You can often book when you arrive. |
| Any derby weekend | As soon as dates post | Whole towns sell out. Check the events calendar before you pick dates. |
By port
We don't list properties we haven't verified. Each link below searches the right town. Several ports are hamlets, so for those the search points at the nearest town with lodging.
Wilson
Wilson, New York
Stay in Wilson village, or in Lockport, 20 minutes inland.
Olcott
Olcott, New York
Stay in Olcott, or in Lockport, 15 minutes south, where there's more lodging.
Point Breeze / Oak Orchard
Albion, New York
Point Breeze is a small marina hamlet. The nearest towns with lodging are Albion and Medina, 20 minutes inland.
Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester has plenty of city hotels, 20 minutes from the water.
Sodus Bay
Sodus Point, New York
Stay in a Sodus Point cottage or in one of the villages around the bay.
Fair Haven
Fair Haven, New York
There's a state park campground, plus cottages and rentals. Beach visitors fill them in July.
Oswego
Oswego, New York
Oswego is a small city with hotels, 45 minutes from the Syracuse airport.
Pulaski & Mexico Bay
Pulaski, New York
Pulaski has motels, cabins and lodges built for the salmon run. It's the hardest place on the lake to book a room.
Henderson Harbor
Henderson Harbor, New York
Stay in Henderson or Sackets Harbor, or in Watertown, 25 minutes inland.
Cape Vincent & Chaumont
Cape Vincent, New York
Cape Vincent is very quiet. The nearest towns with more lodging are Clayton and Alexandria Bay.
Stay & Fish with captains who have lodging
Some captains also rent out cabins, rooms or houses. If you book one, you get the boat and the room from the same person. That's the easiest trip on the lake to plan.
Stay & Fish packages are coming
We're adding captains who have their own lodging, one port at a time. If you want one now, send a trip request and say you'd like lodging with your charter.
Request a Stay & Fish tripCaptain with lodging?
Add your cabins or rooms to your captain listing for $19.95 a month, the regular lodging price. Your lodging shows up here, on your port page and in every boat-and-room trip we plan.
Add lodging to my listingBefore you go
Get your New York fishing license
Everyone 16 and over needs one, on a charter boat, in the river or on shore. New York State (NYSDEC) sells them. It takes about five minutes online, and you can show the license on your phone. We don't sell licenses or add a fee. Your payment goes straight to the state.
Prefer to call or buy in person? 1-866-933-2257, or any license agent. Most tackle shops and many town offices sell them.
Which one do I need?
NYSDEC sets these prices. Check them again at checkout.
What to ask before you book
A fishing trip needs things from a room that a normal vacation doesn't. Asking these questions ahead of time can save you a miserable morning.
Trailer parking
Will a truck and a 21-foot boat fit, and is the lot lit? Plenty of places say yes when they only have room for a compact car.
Can you leave at 4am?
Some places gate the lot or lock the lobby overnight, and you need to be on the water before first light.
Late check-in
A good day on the water runs long. Ask what happens if you arrive at 10pm.
Fish cleaning and freezer space
A fish cleaning station is best. At the least, you need a hose and somewhere to keep a cooler of fillets. Ask before you fill the cooler.
Breakfast before 5am, or a fridge
Almost nowhere serves breakfast that early. A fridge and microwave in the room are worth more than a breakfast buffet that opens after you've left.
Minimum-night stays
Many Pulaski places require a two- or three-night minimum through October. Plan your budget around it.
Launch or river?
The harbor and the river aren't in the same place. If you're trolling, stay near the harbor. If you're fishing the Salmon River, stay near the stretch you'll fish. Altmar and Pulaski are twenty minutes apart, and that matters at dawn.
Cancellation terms
Wind can keep the boats in port. Before you pay a deposit, ask what happens if you can't fish.
For lodging owners
Anglers often book lodging before they book a captain
People who read this page are planning a fishing trip here and need somewhere to stay. If you run a motel, cabins, a lodge or a rental near a port, a listing here shows your place to them while they're choosing where to stay.
It's $19.95 a month, month to month. Your listing includes photos, what you offer, a map, a phone number and a direct booking link. We'll also note the things anglers care about, like trailer parking and whether they can leave at four in the morning.
One booked room over a long weekend covers the year.
List your propertyAlready take fishing parties? Say so when you get in touch. For anglers, late check-in, a place to clean fish and room for a cooler matter more than a pool.