Seeing the crescent moon like a hanging lamp above the St. Lawrence River Bridge at Ogdensburg, New York while eating a mouthwatering filet at Susan Duffy’s immaculate Off the Hook Bed and Breakfast (315-393-7238) was enough to capture me! That was even before I had a chance to sample the cornucopia of fishing opportunities with Capt. Mike Seymour (315-379-0235) on the beautiful St. Lawrence River.
Susan has converted her personal home that sits on a bluff overlooking the St. Lawrence River into one of the most picturesque and exquisite B &Bs I have ever experienced. The views are spectacular and the food is fantastic! Both the sunsets and moonsets over the river and the bridge leading to Canada are unforgettable! Each room has a different decor and beautiful art works by Remington and other famous masters are seen throughout the house. Top all that off with Susan’s tasty homemade Belgian waffles and fresh fruit for breakfast, and you will want to stay forever!
Also, within a mile of the home are amazing and diverse fishing possibilities that become reality with Capt. Mike Seymour. In less than 4 hours, we were able to catch numerous smallmouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch, and walleye using live bait in the current, casting spinners in the coves, and trolling diving crankbaits off main river points.
Flowing through the town of Ogdensburg, the Oswegatchie River is known as a hot spot for smallmouth bass where it empties into the St. Lawrence River. This tributary also has excellent populations of walleyes, northern pike, catfish, and panfish which can be caught from the shore, by wading, or from small craft like canoes or kayaks.
The shoals at the Ogdensburg International Bridge are famous for huge musky and great numbers of walleye when the river is flowing. During winter when the river is frozen, however, a small city of ice shanties appears. Anglers jigging through the ice for northern pike and yellow perch often catch perch exceeding 3 pounds. These are the largest perch caught on any part of the river and make this kind of fishing one of the most popular winter sports in the area. Read more….