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Devil's Hole through the gorge to Youngstown: winter steelhead, lake trout and world-class fall drifts. The river tops out around 40 ft. Bathymetry on this water is estimated from its real outline and maximum depth. Use it to shortlist water, then verify with your electronics — and never navigate by it. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Niagara River (Lower) maps at 1,192 acres behind 17.7 miles of shoreline. With a shoreline index of 3.7, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. 38% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft), per the model — cover, weeds and forage water. Figure 8.3 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.7 mi at the beam. It sits in Niagara County. If the bite dies, Lake Gibson is 11 mi to the southwest.
In spring, steelhead run shallow here, mostly 3 to 20 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 4 to 40 ft before dropping to 4 to 15 ft for winter. Summer steelhead concentrate at Current seam (mile 5.6), a prime-rated current seam around 22 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than an orange dodger + fly high in the column or a thin spoon off boards most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 5.6) (22 ft) | Small spoon or spinner at the mouths, Jig + waxworm under float |
| Summer | 4 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 5.6) (22 ft) | Orange dodger + fly high in the column, Thin spoon off boards |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Tailout eddy (mile 1.7) (22 ft) | Spinner (silver/blue), Casting spoon |
| Winter | 4 to 15 ft | midday | Current seam (mile 5.6) (22 ft) | Float jig (black/purple), Bead rig |
Come spring, look for lake trout tight to the bank in 10 to 40 ft. Through summer count on 12 to 40 ft; the winter hold is 10 to 40 ft. Start at Tailout eddy (mile 1.7). It's an eddy pocket holding about 22 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in early morning. A white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 5.6) (22 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 12 to 40 ft | dawn | Tailout eddy (mile 1.7) (22 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Current seam (mile 5.6) (22 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | dawn | Tailout eddy (mile 1.7) (22 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Spring puts brown trout in skinny water — 3 to 25 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 12 to 40 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 35 ft. Current seam (mile 5.6) is the standout, a current seam at roughly 22 ft, rated prime for summer brown trout. Plan around after dark and early morning in the warm months. A spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Tailout eddy (mile 1.7) (22 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 12 to 40 ft | night & dawn | Current seam (mile 5.6) (22 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Tailout eddy (mile 1.7) (22 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Robert Moses Power Plant tailrace (34 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
When the water first warms, chinook salmon slide up into 5 to 40 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 12 to 40 ft, winter 12 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Robert Moses Power Plant tailrace: a dam tailrace around 34 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a flasher + fly (green/white) or a magnum spoon on downrigger rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Robert Moses Power Plant tailrace (34 ft) | Trolled spoon (orange/gold), Stickbait off planer boards |
| Summer | 12 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Robert Moses Power Plant tailrace (34 ft) | Flasher + fly (green/white), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Robert Moses Power Plant tailrace (34 ft) | J-plug (glow), Flasher + fly |
| Winter | 12 to 40 ft | midday | Robert Moses Power Plant tailrace (34 ft) | Small spoon on a slow troll, Stickbait deep |
Come spring, look for smallmouth bass tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 12 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Current seam (mile 5.6): a current seam around 22 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 5.6) (22 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 5.6) (22 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Current seam (mile 5.6) (22 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 12 to 40 ft | midday | Current seam (mile 5.6) (22 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Spring puts walleye in skinny water — 4 to 15 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 15 to 35 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 40 ft. Robert Moses Power Plant tailrace is the standout, a dam tailrace at roughly 34 ft, rated prime for summer walleye. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Robert Moses Power Plant tailrace (34 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Robert Moses Power Plant tailrace (34 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Robert Moses Power Plant tailrace (34 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Robert Moses Power Plant tailrace (34 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Structure-wise the chart holds 9 features, led in depth by Devil's Hole drift at roughly 35 ft.
Access data: New York State DEC — Boat Launches (FishNY). Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for New York waters are set by the New York DEC — and special regulations can apply to Niagara River (Lower) specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New York fishing regulations →
Niagara River (Lower) is about 40 ft (12 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target steelhead, lake trout, brown trout, chinook salmon, smallmouth bass, walleye on Niagara River (Lower).
Current seam (mile 5.6) is the top-rated area: a current seam in about 22 ft of water that rates prime for steelhead in summer. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For steelhead, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Niagara River (Lower) is regulated by the New York DEC. Check the official New York regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Lake Gibson 11 mi, ON · Martindale Pond 11 mi, ON · Lake Moodie 12 mi, ON · Lake Ontario - Niagara Bar and Western Shore 24 mi · Dils Lake 27 mi, ON · Lake Ontario - Toronto Waterfront 33 mi, ON · Grenadier Pond 38 mi, ON · Lake Ontario - Hamilton Harbour 40 mi, ON · Christie Reservoir 49 mi, ON · Lake Erie - Eastern Basin 52 mi, PA/NY/ON · Loafers Lake 53 mi, ON · Heart Lake 53 mi, ON
See how Niagara River (Lower) stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in New York · best walleye lakes in New York · best chinook salmon lakes in New York · best steelhead lakes in New York
Browse all New York fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.