Kinzua Water Temperature

[Kaz]

Can anyone tell me what the water temperature of Kinzua is at the present time?

Thanks,

Kaz-

[Red Childress]

Currently, Kinzua temps are 55 at the Dam and possibly as high as 60+ in the larger/Southern bays.

[Chris Streich]

PAmusky is correct. I have been fishing the north end of the lake and temp has been reading 55 in the morning and as high as 60 later in the day and in some bays

[Kaz]

Wow. I figured it would be warmer than that. Lake erie buffalo harbor is about the same temperature right now. Has any one ever casted the rock structure in Sugar Bay about 1/2 way down on the left side, the 3 giant rocks that are 1/2 in the water? That seems like a good structure for musky. I have caught several bass and walleye of good size there. I'm taking a trip down there this weekend and I'm trying to figure out what hit spots to hit. I was thinking Sugar, Noth South Bay and the arm to chappel. Kinzua has so little structure, but it does have some big rock structures in a few areas. Just wondering if anyone has had luck casting those.

Kaz~

[Red Childress]

I used to cast those rocks in the mid to late-90's but did not do any good. That certainly does not mean there aren't fish using it either. There really is not a good shallow water casting bite up there (due to the clarity) EXCEPT during Spring......then it is marginal at best. I truly believe the fish are suspended or on bottom the majority of the time. I have caught/seen smaller fish (40" and under) clinging to the small amount of shoreline timber that has not been used for firewood by the ice fisherman. It appears to me that the "shoreline timber" fish pull out at around 62-65 degrees and probably head to points, humps, bottom stumps, open water, secondary breaks and/or schools of bait fish. (How do you like that for narrowing down the options?)

The majority of the muskies should be finished spawning, IMO.

I have not logged much time up there for a few years so maybe I am the wrong guy to be giving an opinion.

[Kaz]

Hmmmm. Kinzua is hard. The only musky I ever caught there was long ago using a bass firetiger fat rap trolling when I didn't know much about fishing in general. It was only 38 inches, but a beautiful fish. It was taking back in the late 90's. My cousin told me he has caught a few in the upper river on the Indian Reservation, and when I say the river, I mean north of the bridge in high banks, in the actual river. Have you heard of anyone catching any musky on the mouth of kinzua, up north, on the indian res? I was thinking of trying that area. A lot shallower and I figure there is much more structure there. I would need to get a reservation fishing license, but I do know that New York State Fishing Regulations do not apply on the Res and I catch and release regardless. I figure the water would be warmer too.

Kaz~

[Red Childress]

There are fish "all over" Kinzua.....they are caught in the Upper Allegheny, around the 17/86 bridge, and the Reservation.

If I were going up there knowing what I know now, I would just attack one bay and stay on it. Watch the graph, mark your WPT's and set up your milk run. Do not let the total size mess with your mind. Fish one big bay from top to bottom, fish it at prime times and repeat those steps until your hands bleed or you run out of gas. :)

That is my .02 cents.

[Kaz]

Agreed. I will do just that. I'm going to try the upper allegheny. I will stick to that area and fish it all day. How much is a res fishing license? I haven't had one in years.

Kaz~

[Kaz]

Sunday looks good. New Moon Phases. I will hit those Moon Rise and Moon Set times.

Kaz~

[Red Childress]

I think a Res license is around 30.00 now......the last one I bought cost me 10.00.

You could hit a fish up there at anytime in most any place.......take your rabbit's foot along with you.

[Kaz]

I will definitely bring my lucky horseshoe thats for sure! I need to find someplace to fish musky out of state or on an indian res, since the season doesn't open for another month up here! I figure allegheny is my best option. I've tried fishing Findley for Tigers with no luck. I'm getting severe iches to fish musky. I was also thinking of trying the lower allegheny where you are but I would be worried losing a prop or messing up my outdrive in really shallow areas. I have an aluminum tracker boat, so I can be in about 1 & 1/2 feet of water, but I have heard horror stories of people losing props in the lower allegheny where it jumps from 10 feet to 10 inches.

Kaz~

[Red Childress]

You will not want to mess with a prop on this section of river.....we are on the Middle stretch but the actual Lower section is ok for props but is also another 130 miles South of Warren.

[Kaz]

Thats kinda what I figured. I will post my progress from this weekend on Tuesday. I will fish northern kinzua and the upper allegheny. Wish me luck. I will need all I can get.

Kaz~

[Kaz]

Well, I got a Indian res license, but I found out the indian res musky season is the same dates as New York's so I couldn't fish them yet. Bummer. Looks like I am waiting till June 20th.

Kaz~

[toothyfishman]

So...........that means your not going?

Lots of Pa water to fish, I was hoping for a report.

[Kaz]

yeah, but then I need a PA license. $50 bucks. Which I am considering doing since I still have a month till season opens. We will see. I will share something interesting I found out with you. I talked to Mike at the NYS DEC at the Allegheny office who told me that the DEC stocked 1200 fingerlings into the upper Allegheny Just before Salamanca, and stocked 400 in the upper Allegheny at Olean. I'm sure fishing the North End will not be so much a needle in a haystack if I get a Res License and fish the river. Mike also told me about an article he has from the late 80's showing 5 fish in Excess of 35lbs that came from the upper Allegheny in deep hole just before Salamanca. I think I may be willing to try it. Not many musky fisherman fish there since the depth is like the lower Allegheny. No musky fisherman that I know of. I will bet there are a few good size fish in there as well as some big ones in that wandered into North Kinzua from there.

Kaz~

[toothyfishman]

Back in the day I floated the area from route 86/219 bridge down to the beginning of town in Salamanca and never did well on muskie but always pike. But, that was when I wasn't really throwing muskie tackle and once you start throwing muskie gear instead of large rapala's , stuff starts to happen! I'd like to try it again now but didn't want to cough up the $$$ for the indians once they bumped it up, was like $12.......

I just took my jet over and fished the Olean area about 3 weeks ago for ahhhh..............pike.......yea, pike but didn't see anything. I didn't have any problems getting around, the launch sucks! Stayed away from the res. area.

I should try Salamanca area sometime, lots of nice water there with some really nice holes. At the end of town there is a nice launch and I had floated to the dam once from there....lots of flat water but some good holes.
I should launch there and go up sometime. I'm always scared to go down on new waters in case I bust soemthing up.

I guess I have a partner with a res. lic. burning a hole in his pocket if I need one. I just have to decide to pay up myself. Our season is open so I'm not having the blues your having......

[toothyfishman]

Oh, never saw anyone fishing from a boat!
Only bank yankers and not may of them. Larger holes you could drive to...the ole' "Y" stick in the sand kind of thing.

It maybe a good area to try? I've been wanting too.
So much water, so little time!

[toothyfishman]

If I was you I'd fish as planned and if anyone asked your fishing for pike.
The third week in June is just stupid anyway.

Maybe NY should divide up the state like they did with the slug/rifle for hunting. Have the southern section open up sooner than cooler northern section? Even first weekend in June would be fine. That's what PA seaon was.

[Kaz]

I agree, the third weekend in June is a little late for the season to start. But, Tigers are open the same time as pike! If there are pike and musky there, there is a chance there are Tigers as well. Pike are open year around on the res. I think the res license was $15. I will call and check again. I am afraid of fishing Salamanca too, due to the very shallow spots. But I have a 16 foot aluminum bass tracker. I think I will be ok as long as I use my trolling motor, in the front of my boat, to get around. I think I may try it here either this weekend with my father or next weekend. If I do, I will keep you posted as to if we raise fish or even catch anything.

Kaz~

[toothyfishman]

With the crazy rain we had yesterday that will be rolling mud!!!
It's been years since I seen rain like that!
This weekend would not be a good time to try the river area at all.

I wouldn't even think that the weekend after the water would clear up.
Guys from work drive over the allegheny way up near Eldred which is mostly mud bottom and keeps the lower half mucked up so I can get reports from them, if it's muddy where they are it will be muddy down below. Some settles out.

I can let you know closer to next week. If the res. lic is $15 I might consider doing it. I've wanted to try it again. I though of doing a float trip with my jon boat before I try and tackle it with the jet since it's been so long since I've floated it.

Trying a new area of river when it's muddy is tough you never know what depth your fishing, whether or not your on the deep side, etc etc etc.

Normal flow for Eldred that is nice and fishable is around 500....right now I just checked it for you and it's 2970, not a good weekend.

Maybe fish the res waters and stay away from the river.

[Kaz]

Thanks Toothy. I was going to try it, but if its muddy, I would rather not. I like my boat to be in working order, heh. If the river is muddy, northern Kinzua will be too. I think I will wait till maybe next weekend. If you go out on Kinzua let me know how you do. I will probably try the buffalo harbor for small mouth. I wish there was someplace to fish musky closer to here this time of year, or atleast tiger muskies.

Kaz~

[Red Childress]

If I am not mistaken, I think someone told me that the Reservation license really spiked over the past few years and runs around 40 beanos now. I hope I heard wrong.....

[b.bent66]

i got mine at Brenda Gibson's notary and paid 35 for non resident reservation licenses