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Fishing Report

CHAUTAUQUA LAKE

The walleye bite continues to be good by jigging along weed edges around the deeper weed lines and holes in the north basin. As the leaves fall, so do water temperatures but will trigger excellent fall action for muskies over weed beds and along edges. Trollers continue to do well looking for muskellunge along weedlines, or suspended 10-15 feet down over 20-35 feet of water. Fishing along weed edges and in pockets with live minnows and worms is a good bet for a mix of yellow perch, white perch, white bass and bluegill.

LAKE ERIE & TRIBS

Stream fishing has picked up this past week as temperatures drop, with steelhead to move into the creeks, but most stream levels remain low. The forecasted rain late this week will help get water in streams. Cattaraugus Creek is still running at a moderate, stained flow. The Catt is a top option, when conditions permit, as it was previously producing steelhead catches in the lower section. Eighteenmile Creek currently has slightly low flow, while Canadaway and Chautauqua creeks remain low. Catching fish as they stack up at the mouth of the streams is always hit or miss, but can be a lot fun just off the Cattaraugus Creek breakwall or by wading off creek mouths and casting spoons and spinners.

LAKE ONTARIO & TRIBS

Burt Dam and 18 Mile Creek could use a little help in the water flow department, but there are salmon and the occasional trout available, according to Karen Evarts at The Boat Doctors. Anglers are now being charged for parking at Fisherman’s Park. The piers are also producing some salmon and trout at both Olcott and Wilson. The short pier at Wilson at the foot of Route 425 was yielding a few brown trout this past week. Orange was the hot color this past week in the streams and off the piers. It was red prior to that. Pink could be the next hot color. It all depends on the day. Yellow perch action continues to be good in both Wilson and Olcott. This weekend forecast of rain should be a huge help.

NIAGARA RIVER

For Niagara River salmon fishing, the place to be in the river has been Devil’s Hole, from boat and from the NYPA fishing platform, according to Lisa Drabczyk of Creek Road Bait and Tackle. Things are starting to slow down a bit for the boat guides. One day they might see four or five salmon in the boat and the next day it might be one or two. Treated egg skein off three-way rigs is the bait preference for boats. From the platform, Mike Rzucidlo of Niagara Falls prefers to use a No. 4 spinner. Not only does he catch salmon, but he also caught three steelhead this week in one outing. Yes, steelhead are starting to move into the river. The other surprise this week was some lake trout being caught. Mike Ziehm of Niagara Falls, fishing from shore in the gorge, also used a No. 4 spinner to take his first lake trout of the year. Remember that lake trout season is closed. Make sure you take care of those fish and release them quickly after you catch them. The lake trout season will re-open on Dec. 1. Down river, some trout are showing up, but walleye and bass continue to dominate. Capt. Ryan Shea of Tonawanda has been mixing things up between salmon and bass in the lower river. Bass have been taking Ned rigs and crayfish consistently. He also picked up a salmon casting a crankbait. In the upper river, it has been mostly smallmouth bass hitting shiners and minnows.

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