Trending
By Craig Robbins
LAKE ERIE AND TRIBS
Late-season yellow perch action can be excellent, and this year has been no exception. Some good catches have been reported this week outside 60 feet of water off Cattaraugus Creek. In addition, recent DEC trawling surveys have shown large numbers of perch in 60-80 feet between Silver Creek and Eighteenmile Creek, especially off Sturgeon Point.
Boaters have a good opportunity to catch steelhead near the mouths of the tributaries. Anglers have done well in 4-10 feet of water off the mouth of Chautauqua Creek by casting spoons.
While much of the later part of the last week saw high winds and rain which lend to muddy fast water in the tribs, by Sunday afternoon anglers were lining the mouth of the Catt and Walnut Creeks.
On the tribs, especially Walnut and Chautauqua, anglers have begun to see the fall run start to move up the creeks, with Chautauqua Creek showing signs of more consistent action.
The forecasted rain should help. Tributary steelhead commonly hit natural baits like egg sacs or worms, flies such as egg imitations, streamers and bugger patters, and lures like minnow-type stickbaits, smaller spoons and in-line spinners. Anglers can also target steelhead from the Cattaraugus Creek breakwall or off creek mouths by casting spoons, spinners and stickbaits.
UPPER NIAGARA RIVER
The upper river is a great smallmouth bass option in fall as waters cool and bass go on the feed. Also, conditions on the river are often more manageable than the open lake in the fall, and boat launches on the river remain open late into the fall. Traditional smallmouth bass baits like golden shiners, crayfish, tube jigs and plastics work well when drifting with a bottom bouncing rig, however casting spinnerbaits and stickbaits is another option. Cooling river waters in fall usually turns on the muskellunge fishing. Drifting along weed edges with large 8-10 inch tube jigs or casting large stickbaits are top methods. Emerald shiners have produced some decent yellow perch catches at Broderick Park and Ontario Street boat launch.
CHAUTAUQUA LAKE
There still continues to be a great muskie bite on Chautauqua Lake. While it can be challenging in regards to weather, the time on Chautauqua Lake is well worth the effort. Successful anglers are still trolling outside weed edges with large perch-pattern stickbaits being a good bet. Drifting and casting around weed beds has also produced musky catches. Anglers were recently catching some walleye in the deeper holes of the north basin. Vertical jigging with spoons, jigging Rapalas or medium-sized shiners are good tactics. Some walleye have also been caught along weed edges, by drifting with shiners. Smallmouth bass fishing is picking up along points, with catches reported at Warner Bar, Maple Springs and Long Point.
With the water temperatures continuing to drop, smallmouth bass have moved into the areas like deep rocky points with a shallow rocky shoreline structure close by.
Shallow areas and around docks are still top spots for largemouth bass. Try live shiners, tube jigs, power worms, senkos or topwater lures. Slightly deeper areas of 10-15 feet off weedlines are better for smallmouth bass. A drop-shot rig with a minnow or crayfish is a good bet. Weedy areas in Bemus and Ashville Bays in 6-10 feet of water are good spots for bluegill.