Fishing Historic Upstate New York | S18 E10

Join On The Water’s Chris Megan and the New York Canal Corp’s Bill Sweitzer as they explore the historic Erie Canal, and encounter world-class fishing opportunities along the way as part of the Reimagine the Canals program. On Day 1 Chris met up with Bill on top one of the locks that comprises the Flight of Five, a series of five locks that boast the highest lift of any canal system in the world. Bill, along with canal historian Art Cohn show Chris the history that surround them as they fish. Together, Chris and Bill travel by boat through the Cayuga-Seneca canal onto Seneca Lake, where they hop on board with Captain Steve Japp of Roy's Boys Charter to troll of late season lake trout. After putting a laker in the boat, they decide to target one of New York's hidden fishing gems. The carp fishing in New York is nothing short of world class. Anglers come from all over the world to target the common carp that swim in the Erie Canal's lakes and locks. The On The Water crew spent a night on the banks of Onondaga Lake with Paul Russell of Carp Fishing New York landing carp up to 27 pounds. On Day 2, Bill and Chris stopped into Oak Orchard Tackle and Lodge to get outfitted by owner Ron Bierstine before heading out on Oak Orchard Creek in search of king salmon and giant brown trout. It didn't take long for Chris to tie into the fish of a lifetime.