Local Sports

Fishing Report

CHAUTAUQUA LAKE

It has been a great summer for muskellunge fishing. Both trollers and casters are seeing a good bite along weed edges with large stickbaits, crankbaits and bucktail spinners. The west side of the north basin has been a top musky spot. Trollers are also catching some suspended musky over deeper waters of 25-30 feet. Largemouth bass catches are common around docks, weedlines and open pockets in weed beds. Live shiners, weedless rigged power worms, wacky rigged senkos and topwater lures work well. Anglers continue to catch some nice-sized yellow perch around weed beds with small minnows. The flats off Mayville have been a top spot for perch.

UPPER NIAGARA RIVER

Anglers have seen a good smallmouth bass bite in the upper river. Some productive areas include the head of the river, around Strawberry and Motor Islands, along the west side of Grand Island and around Navy Island. Boaters target smallmouth bass outside weedlines, often over rocky or gravel bottom. Live shiners or crayfish work well for bronzebacks. Some walleye catches have also been reported between the head of the river and Strawberry Island. Anglers can target muskellunge along weed edges with large stickbaits or 8-10 inch tube jigs. Live bait produces mixed catches from shore sites, including black bass, perch, sunfish, rock bass, white bass and sheepshead. Be aware that the ferry street bridge to Broderick Park is closed for repairs until early 2016. Currently, Squaw Island is only accessible from the bridge at the north end of the island

LAKE ERIE AND TRIBS

Walleye anglers have seen good action much of the past two weeks. Suspended walleye are biting in any direction out of Barcelona Harbor in 65-85 feet of water. Stickbaits or worm harnesses run 40-50 feet down is a good bet. From Evangola to west of Dunkirk, trollers are also picking up quality catches of suspended walleye, primarily outside 65-70 feet of water. Between Sturgeon Point and Buffalo, the best action has been from about the 40 foot contour out to the international line. Worm harnesses have worked well for both trollers and bottom bouncers.

Smallmouth bass action is best outside 25 feet of water. Target structure areas around reefs, rock piles and drop-offs. Near Barcelona, anglers recently reported good bass action in 30 feet of water off the “red roof.” Off VanBuren, anglers also reported a good smallmouth bass bite in 30 feet, with some walleye catches mixed in. Drop-shot rigs combined with crayfish, minnows, plastics or tubes works well.

Some anglers have recently found cooperative perch in 50-55 feet of water off Cattaraugus Creek and Dunkirk Harbor. Emerald shiners are the top bait if you can find them.

July and August are traditionally the top months to target lake trout in Lake Erie. Head for prime depths over 90 feet deep, northwest of Dunkirk to the PA line. Downriggers with spoons run near the bottom is a productive method, although lakers may also be suspended within the water column.

Local Sports

Fishing Report

CHAUTAUQUA LAKE

Muskie casters are picking up toothie critters off Warners Bar, Ashville Bay and Lighthouse Point. Perch colored over-size jerk baits and black/silver buck tails thrown of the weed edges are working best.

Jig and pig bite for largemouth bass is hot on Lakewood Bar and southeast out of Long Point Marina. Lilly pad bite is starting to take off with plastic frogs and weightless plastic worms.

Perch and other pan fish are being caught off Mayville Flats and the narrows,

The basic technique of night crawlers under a bobber is working best.

Walleyes are still being caught in the south basin along weed edges and in deeper water. Target walleye by trolling with stick baits and worm harnesses or by jigging with blade baits or jigs with night crawlers or leeches.

UPPER NIAGARA RIVER

Anglers have seen a good smallmouth bass bite in the upper river. Some productive areas include the head of the river, around Strawberry and Motor Islands, along the west side of Grand Island and around Navy Island. Boaters target smallmouth bass outside weedlines, often over rocky or gravel bottom. Live shiners or crayfish work well for bronzebacks.

Some walleyes have also been reported between the head of the river and Strawberry Island. Anglers can target muskellunge along weed edges with large stickbaits or 8-10 inch tube jigs. Live bait produces mixed catches from shore sites, including black bass, perch, sunfish, rock bass, white bass and sheepshead. Squaw Island is only accessible from the bridge at the north end of the island.

Target walleye by trolling with stickbaits and worm harnesses, or by jigging with nightcrawlers or leeches. Largemouth bass are avaliable in shallow areas around weed beds and docks. Live shiners, weedless rigged power worms, wacky rigged senkos and topwater lures work well. Anglers are catching good numbers of keeper-sized sunfish and yellow perch on live bait in shallower areas around weed beds.

LAKE ERIE AND TRIBS

The Hometown walleyes are still hanging out of Dunkirk Harbor. This past week’s storm has laid a nice mud line on Lake Erie, which should clear up by late weekend or the first of the week if conditions remain good. Good numbers are still being caught in 60-70 foot of water just northeast of the harbor just outside of the Dumping Grounds.

The occasional lakers are being picked with the use of spoons.

There’s been a report of school walleyes headed right up the lake in deep water and now holding off Buffalo Harbor in 100 feet of water.

Walleye are scattered within the water column from about 20 feet down, to the bottom. Anglers have located some fish off Dunkirk in 50-65 feet of water and west of Cattaraugus Creek in 60-70 feet of water, also.

The smallmouth bass action remains steady. Target bass in 15-30 feet of water around rocky bottom structure like reefs, rock piles and drop-offs. Reliable spots include Bourne’s Beach, Van Buren Reef, Evans Bar, Myers Reef, Woodlawn Bar and Seneca Shoal. Anglers are also catching bass around the breakwalls at Dunkirk and Buffalo harbors. Tube jigs, jigs with twister tails, deep diving stick baits, swimbaits, live minnows and crayfish are good bass baits. A drop-shot rig with tubes, plastics or live bait is a good bet when fishing deeper water for smallmouth

Trollers have enjoyed a hot walleye bite out of Barcelona for much of the past week. Direction doesn’t seem to matter, as anglers are doing well to the east, west and straight out of the harbor. Walleye are suspended in 65-85 feet of water, with the most productive strike zone about 40 feet down. Stickbaits have worked best, with Renosky and Bay Rat lures getting top mention. White bass have been harassing worm harnesses.

Local Sports

Fishing Report

CHAUTAUQUA LAKE

ABA anglers this past weekend were able to find what some hadn’t been able to only a few days earlier. With a smallmouth bass tipping the scales over 5 pounds to big bass honors for co-anglers, spoiler alert there are smallies to be caught on Chautauqua Lake. The key is stay off the shoreline. Smallmouth are holding in the deeper water with structure nearby. Warners Bar, Lighthouse Point and Bly’s have been producing good numbers with several 4-plus pounders.

Perch and other pan fish are being caught off Mayville Flats and the narrows,

The basic technique of night crawler under a bobber is working best.

Walleyes are still being caught in the south basin along weed edges and in deeper water. Target walleye by trolling with stick baits and worm harnesses or by jigging with blade baits or jigs with night crawlers of leeches

UPPER NIAGARA RIVER

Smallmouth bass are available throughout the upper river. Target areas outside weed edges in 10-20 feet of water. Traditionally productive spots include the east side of Strawberry and Motor Islands, and the west bank of Grand Island near Beaver Island State Park. When fishing the west side of Grand Island, be aware that the international line runs quite close to the island. Live crayfish have been the top smallmouth bass bait since the season opened last Saturday. Drifting with a three-way bottom bouncing rig and crayfish works great. Shallower weedy areas, harbors and marinas are a better bet for largemouth bass. Anglers can target muskellunge along weed edges with large stick baits or 8-10 inch tube jigs. Live bait produces mixed catches from shore sites, including black bass, perch, sunfish, rock bass, white bass and sheepshead. Be aware that the ferry street bridge to Broderick Park is closed for repairs until early 2016. Currently, Squaw Island is only accessible from the bridge at the north end of the island

LAKE ERIE AND TRIBS

Hometown walleyes out of Dunkirk Harbor, are still boating good limits and of keeper ‘eyes’ in 60-70 foot of water just northeast of the harbor just outside of the dumping grounds.

The occasional lakers are being picked with the use of spoons.

Barcelona trollers are seeing a good walleye bite about 6 miles west of the harbor near the “red roof” in 70-80 feet of water. Walleye are scattered within the water column from about 20 feet down to the bottom. Anglers have located some fish off Dunkirk in 50-65 feet of water and west of Cattaraugus Creek in 60-70 feet of water.

The smallmouth bass action remains steady. Target bass in 15-30 feet of water around rocky bottom structure like reefs, rock piles and drop-offs. Reliable spots include Bourne’s Beach, Van Buren Reef, Evans Bar, Myers Reef, Woodlawn Bar and Seneca Shoal. Anglers are also catching bass around the breakwalls at Dunkirk and Buffalo Harbors. Tube jigs, jigs with twister tails, deep diving stick baits, swimbaits, live minnows and crayfish are good bass baits. A drop-shot rig with tubes, plastics or live bait is a good bet when fishing deeper water.