CHAUTAUQUA LAKE

Anglers are catching walleye along weedlines both night and day. Boaters can troll with stickbaits or worm harnesses, or drift and work jigs with nightcrawlers. Shore anglers can connect by casting stickbaits, especially near stream inlets

Chautauqua Lake is still producing good number of crappie in Ashville and Mayville. Ashville Bar has been producing best numbers, but Mayville Flats has been giving up the larger crappie, with true black crappie taking over creels.

The bullhead bite still running strong for anglers fishing from shore in the outlet and lower Celoron.

LAKE ERIE & TRIBUTARIES

Sturgeon Point Marina was still closed at mid-week, but all other Lake Erie launches are open. The walleye night bite has been decent to good, with some limits reported. Popular night-time spots include Shorehaven Reef, Bournes Beach, Green Hills, Van Buren Bay, Evans Bar and the area off Hamburg and Smokes Creek. Trolling minnow-type stickbaits at around 2 mph over rocky areas of 8-15 feet of water is the typical program. Walleye are available during the daytime, too. Target depths of 20-35 feet of water can be found off/near the popular nighttime spots and off the windmills. Try trolling, bottom bouncing or vertical jigging. There were some vague reports of yellow perch closer to Buffalo, however the area east of Cattaraugus Creek in 50-60 feet of water remains the best bet for a bucket full of perch. Perch schools are moving around, and with it the bite. Anglers who have been able to stay on an active school have been rewarded.

Dunkirk and Barcelona Harbors are good bets for smallmouth bass. Water temperatures are still relatively cool, so look for the bass action to really take off as the temps come up. Water temperatures are even colder in the outer Buffalo Harbor, and bass have not started to show in numbers yet. There are good numbers of bass around the inner Buffalo Harbor, including lots of hefty largemouth bass. Keep in mind that the there is no fishing from the docks, or from the shoreline immediately adjacent to the boat slips in Buffalo Harbor.

With the exception of Cattaraugus Creek, all Lake Erie tributaries are currently in good fishing shape with moderate flows. There are still some steelhead hanging around, but smallmouth bass now provide the best action with all streams fishing well for bass. Woolly buggers and streamers are good bets for fly anglers, and spinning anglers do well with stickbaits, minnows and jigs with grubs or plastics fished under a float. The lower section of Cattaraugus Creek is a good spot to target channel catfish. Nightcrawlers, chicken livers or raw shrimp fished on the bottom works well, especially at night. The deeper holes down low in the other creeks may hold catfish as well. Anglers can also catch catfish along the Lake Erie shoreline on calm nights, especially near stream inlets.

LAKE ONTARIO AND TRIBS

According to Mark Vilardo of Kingfisher Charters in Olcott, fishing has been good, with a mix of kings and lakers. Start in 70 to 80 feet of water, his best depth, fishing near bottom. Last weekend was a good king bite, according to Vilardo. One productive setup was a glow fly with a white e-chip flasher. Karen Evarts at The Boat Doctors reports decent salmon and trout action at the 28-line, too. Black and glow spoons and meat behind a flasher are both working. Some kings were reported in shallower on Tuesday. However, specific details are limited due to the LOC Derby going on and the Wilson Harbor Invitational Tournament, which was held Saturday. Water levels are continuing to rise.

LOWER NIAGARA RIVER

In the Niagara River, water levels continue to pose a problem for shoreline anglers. Mike Rzucidlo of Niagara Falls was 6 for 8 on trout — steelhead and lake trout — using No. 4 spinners and jigs on Monday. His biggest fish was a 13-pound lake trout that he caught and released. On Tuesday, jigs were the hot ticket as he went 5 for 12. The NYPA fishing platform was closed on Monday due to the fluctuating water levels. Call 796-0135 Ext. 45 to find out if it’s open. Walleye have been hitting around the Lewiston sand docks area at night according to Lisa Drabczyk of Creek Road Bait and Tackle. Boaters can still do well on trout. The steelhead fishing is good up in Devil’s Hole if you have the patience and good boat control with the high water, according to local charter captain Jim Rores of Grand Island. Fish are eating egg sacs and minnows up there. There are silver bass around Artpark, eating emerald shiners. The smallmouth on the river are really starting to show up. Minnow imitation tubes are best. Rage swim baits also do well. Try around Fort Niagara..