Niagara River (American Falls), NY Fishing Guide

Species at Niagara River (American Falls)

• Chinook salmon

  staging kings stack at the river mouth ahead of the fall spawning run

  Season: Aug–Oct · Tide: moving water · Light: low light · Water: 45–58°F

• Coho salmon

  cohos follow the kings into the current seams ahead of the spawn

  Season: Aug–Oct · Tide: moving water · Light: low light · Water: 45–60°F

• Lake trout

  cold-water structure fish, shallow enough to reach the channel in spring and fall

  Season: Apr–May, Oct–Nov · Tide: moving water · Light: any light · Water: 40–55°F

• Steelhead

  the fall and spring runs stack steelhead in the current below the first barrier

  Season: Mar–May, Sep–Dec · Tide: moving water · Light: low light · Water: 38–55°F

What's biting at Niagara River (American Falls), month by month

Typical seasons for this stretch of coast — a warm or late year shifts them by a few weeks. The live forecast scores today's actual conditions.

How Niagara River (American Falls) fishes

This is an inshore station — bay, river or lagoon water rather than an open ocean mouth. Tide stage and water temperature drive the bite here far more than swell does.

Tides here are read from NOAA station 9063009 at 43.0810, -79.0610 — see it on NOAA CO-OPS.

Shops & partners near Niagara River (American Falls)

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Common questions about Niagara River (American Falls)

What fish can you catch at Niagara River (American Falls)?

Chinook salmon, Coho salmon, Lake trout, Steelhead. Each has its own season, preferred tide and water-temperature window at Niagara River (American Falls).

When is the best time to fish Niagara River (American Falls)?

October has the most species in season (4 of 4) — Chinook salmon, Coho salmon, Lake trout, Steelhead. Seasons shift by a few weeks in a warm or late year.

Is there anything biting at Niagara River (American Falls) in winter?

January, February, June, July are the quiet stretch — none of the species we track are in their window then. The bite picks back up in March.

What tide is best for fishing Niagara River (American Falls)?

4 of the 4 species here feed best on moving water. Moving water is what pulls bait through the mouth, so the hours either side of a tide change usually beat dead slack.

Where are the tides for Niagara River (American Falls) measured?

NOAA CO-OPS station 9063009, at 43.0810, -79.0610. What Inlet? scores the live tide, current, solunar and weather for that station.

Inlets near Niagara River (American Falls)

• Niagara River (Ashland Ave) 1 mi
• Niagara River (Intake) 2 mi
• Buffalo 17 mi
• Olcott 24 mi
• Sturgeon Point 27 mi
• Rochester 73 mi
• Erie 82 mi
• Oswego 131 mi

Fishing a different inlet today? Every one has its own species roster and bite pattern.

See Niagara River (American Falls) on the map

The national heat map opens centred here, every inlet coloured by today's score. Zoom in for satellite imagery and the NOAA chart — depth soundings, the channel and the bars.

Browse every inlet in New York, or the full inlet directory.