№ 01
Lake Ontario at Point Breeze
Charter boats out of the harbor, pier fishing where the river meets the lake, and beach access at Lakeside Beach State Park.
Distance7 min · 4.1 mi
The lower Oak Orchard is one of the best-kept secrets in western New York. Here's what to do with your time on it.
The lower Oak Orchard widens below the dam at Waterport, slows over a gravel run, and bends past the property before opening into the long flats above Lake Ontario. The USGS station near Shelby tracks every change in flow and temperature, and four species rotate through the calendar like clockwork — steelhead from November through April, chinook salmon in the fall run, brown trout in late autumn, and smallmouth bass through every warm-water month.
What makes it different from the bigger-name rivers in the region isn't the fish — it's the access. Two acres of private river bank to fish from, the river mouth at Point Breeze a five-minute drive, and the public wade-in at St. Mary's Archers Club a short walk up the road. People drive two hours to fish a stretch like this. You're already here.
The other thing about the lower Oak: it's quiet. Not empty — there are guides, drift boats, the occasional pair of waders sharing the run with you — but quiet. You'll hear the riffle before you hear another voice. That, more than the fish, is what brings people back.
Run timing on the Oak Orchard. The four target species overlap just enough that there's never a dead month — and a couple of weeks each spring and fall when three species share the river at once.
See live conditions →Honest, dock-side guides to each of the three serious target species on the lower Oak Orchard — run timing, where to fish, gear, license, what to expect.
Drive times measured from the cottage door. Most of these are within twenty minutes — Orleans County is a small and quiet corner of the state, and a lot of it is worth a half day.
Charter boats out of the harbor, pier fishing where the river meets the lake, and beach access at Lakeside Beach State Park.
Calm water above the dam. Kayaks rent in town. Sunrise paddles when the river bend is fogged in. Family-friendly fishing from shore.
Part of the Seaway Trail. Historic cobblestone houses, the Cobblestone Society Museum in Childs, and a couple of antique shops worth an hour.
2,500 acres of wetland and forest. Hiking trails, birding hides, and bald eagle nesting — best viewing December through March.
Downtown shops and a few good restaurants. The Erie Canal towpath runs through. Don't miss Culvert Road — the only road that goes under the canal.
Formerly Narby's. Live bait, licenses, and the kind of local intel you can't get from a website. Open early in season.
Where most fishermen who stay with us actually wade out. A small parking fee gets you down to the river — public access, popular run, the spot to wade out from since the water in front of our property is too deep.
The non-romantic stuff. What to throw in the truck before you leave home, and where to point you for a guided day on the water if you want one.
Several licensed guides operate on the Oak Orchard, both wading trips and drift-boat days. We don't take commissions — we just want you to have a good trip — so we keep the list quiet and current.
Tell us what you're after and we'll send three names that fit.
Two acres of private river bank to fish from, the river mouth at Point Breeze five minutes by car, and St. Mary's Archers Club a short walk up the road for wade-in access. Most weekends fill four to six weeks out; Salmon season starts filling a year out.
Check availability →2+ ac