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CHAUTAUQUA LAKE
Walleye have been biting well along weed edges in 10-12 feet of water. Trolling with worm harnesses or jigging with blade baits have both been productive. Musky fishing has been a little slow. Target musky outside weed edges by trolling large stickbaits along weed edges or casting stickbaits over weed beds and retrieving toward open water. Weedy flats and bays have been hot spots for keeper-sized sunfish. Quality yellow perch fishing continues almost lakewide. Regular bass season opened Saturday and largemouth bass are typically available in nearshore areas and around docks. Shallow diving stickbaits, spinnerbaits, tube jigs, plastics, surface plugs and live shiners are good bass bait.
LAKE ERIE AND TRIBUTARIES
Channel catfish are available in the low end of Cattaraugus Creek, from the train trestle down to the mouth. Nightcrawlers, chicken livers, raw shrimp or cut bait on the bottom works well, especially at night.
Walleye fishing was relatively slow this week, with the exception of the Barcelona area. Trollers out of Barcelona Harbor saw good walleye action on Monday, with boats returning with 5-6 walleye on average. Sixty feet of water is a good starting point out of Barcelona with stickbaits or worm harnesses run close to the bottom. Anglers working 45 to 65 feet of water between Silver Creek and Sturgeon Point had to work hard for a few fish or less. The area off Buffalo from the windmills to Seneca Shoal in 30-45 feet of water is usually a top spot at this time of year. However, fishing has been hit or miss this past week. Bottom bouncing with worm harnesses tended to be more productive. Anglers fishing east of Sturgeon Point also reported catching many short walleye, which bodes well for future seasons. Handle and release small walleye with care.
Yellow perch fishing has been spotty recently, but Friday's action out of Cattaraugus Creek is a different story. Anglers are doing very well straight off Cattaraugus Creek in 45-60 feet of water, with seemingly better action at the deeper end of that range. Some boats returned with limit catches of large perch. Some decent perch catches have also been reported off Sturgeon Point starting in 50 feet of water. Live emerald shiners fished near the bottom work best for perch.
Anglers report good catches of smallmouth bass around Seneca Shoal. Other good spots to try include Myers Reef, Evans Bar and Van Buren Reef. Many smaller reefs, rock piles and humps will hold bass as well. Tube jigs, jigs with twister tails, deep diving stickbaits, live minnows and crayfish are good bass bait
LOWER NIAGARA RIVER
The water temperature are still slowly creeping up there. Only a few steelhead and lake trout are still holding on. Mostly bass were caught this week on jigs, Kwikfish and MagLips. The regular season opened Saturday and live bait can then be used again. Shore casters in the gorge have been using tubes, swim baits and marabou jigs. Inline spinners will work, too. Moss hasn't increased that much. The worse is yet to come. Take advantage of the clearer water while you can.
UPPER NIAGARA RIVER
Regular bass and muskellunge seasons opened Saturday. Live bait such as minnows and crayfish are permitted for use when the regular bass season opens, and are top baits for Niagara River bass. Early season musky are often found near emerging weeds in spawning areas. Casting large stickbaits and spinnerbaits are good bets in early season.
LAKE ONTARIO AND TRIBUTARIES
Despite record high water levels in Lake Ontario, salmon and trout fishing continues to be good in the lake. There have been reports good numbers of fish in the area off Olcott and Wilson, but you have to adapt and locate the fish. Heavy current and winds have scattered fish. A mix of salmon and trout can be found in 100 to 300 feet of water. Flasher-fly, meat rigs and spoons like Dreamweavers and Michigan Stingers have been producing fish on a consistent basis.