Port 07 of 11 · Cayuga County
Fair Haven fishing charters
The August port nobody talks about. Little Sodus Bay is a deep, sheltered notch in the shoreline with an unusually short run out to the mid-lake temperature break. Fair Haven does not have the fleet size of Oswego or the fame of Pulaski, and for a certain kind of angler that is the entire appeal.
The water
What Fair Haven is good for
The bottom drops off quickly outside the bar here, which means a summer trolling trip spends less time running and more time fishing. From June through August this is straightforward, high-quality open-lake work: riggers down on the thermocline, wire divers and copper out to the sides, hunting Chinook, coho and lake trout in 48 to 52 degree water.
Traffic is the real difference. The mid-lake grounds off Fair Haven see a fraction of the boats that work the water off Oswego in August, and on a lake where fish get educated by a hundred boats running the same spread, that matters.
Fair Haven Beach State Park gives the town a second life as a summer beach destination, so lodging exists but books up in July and August for reasons that have nothing to do with fishing.
How it's fished
The programmes that actually produce here, and when each one is worth booking.
Mid-lake trolling
Riggers, wire divers and copper on the thermocline for Chinook, coho and lake trout, June through August.
Bar and break
Working the drop just outside Little Sodus Bay early and late in the day when fish move up.
Bay fishing
Little Sodus Bay for bass, pike and panfish when the lake will not allow a run out.
What you'll catch
Species that hold at Fair Haven, and the months they're at their best.
| Illustration | Species | Notes | Best months |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chinook Salmon | King · to 35 lb | Jul, Aug, Sep | |
| Coho Salmon | Silver · 6–15 lb | Aug, Sep | |
| Steelhead | Lake-run rainbow | Mar, Apr, Nov, Dec | |
| Lake Trout | Deep · to 25 lb | May, Jun, Jul | |
| Smallmouth Bass | Eastern basin | Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep |
Full twelve-month picture across all species: the seasons guide.
Captains & guides — Fair Haven
Listings for this port. Every charter is licence-verified before it appears.
Featured slot 1 of 2 — open
Top of this page, above every other listing, plus first call on every trip request for Fair Haven.
$149/mo — see detailsFeatured slot 2 of 2 — open
Same placement, second position. Both slots sell as a pair or singly, month to month.
$149/mo — see detailsFree basic listings — open
If you run a boat for Fair Haven, get your name on this page at no charge while we build the directory.
Claim a free listingThis week & what's coming
The current report as it applies to Fair Haven, and the dates worth planning around.
Common questions
What people ask before they book Fair Haven.
Why choose Fair Haven over Oswego?
Less boat traffic on the same general water, and a comparably short run to depth. If you have fished a crowded August weekend off Oswego, the difference is noticeable.
Is there anything to do if the lake blows out?
Little Sodus Bay fishes for bass and pike, and Fair Haven Beach State Park is right there. It is a better weather-day town than most ports on the lake.
Is this a salmon-only port?
Largely, in summer. The bay adds warmwater options and there are steelhead around, but the reason to book here is the offshore trolling.
Fish Fair Haven
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