CHAUTAUQUA LAKE

Hard-water anglers are finding success in the Northern Basin off Mayville for perch. The Islands in the Southern Basin are producing perch and gills. The hot bite seems to be grubs.

LAKE ERIE AND TRIBS

Not much to report from the tribs, but the harbor in Dunkirk has seen lots of action off the pier.

LAKE ONTARIO AND TRIBS

The region had a little blast of winter that blanketed Niagara Falls USA with up to five inches of the white stuff on Tuesday. Some cold temperatures are in the forecast and we may see some more snow by the weekend. The cold temperatures are locking up the smaller streams, and your only tributary option may be Fisherman’s Park at Burt Dam in the Town of Newfane. Jigs, jigs tipped with a wax worm, egg sacs or egg imitations like beads are all good options if you fish there. Ice anglers are also waiting for Wilson and Olcott to lock up. Make sure you take all the necessary precautions if you see ice cover and want to give it a try.

NIAGARA RIVER

While the lower Niagara River is not a tributary, we have seen anglers back fishing again, according to Lisa Drabczyk of Creek Road Bait and Tackle in Lewiston. Conditions have been on and off as far as water clarity and the cooperation of the trout. Action has been decent for a mix of steelhead, lake trout and brown trout. Artpark has been one of the better spots for catching steelhead, although some are being caught in Devil’s Hole, too. From the boat, use live bait, eggs or beads.

Capt. Ryan O’Neill of Orchard Park hit the Niagara Bar Monday and found the action to be a little slow. He reported that the bait moved up into the river after the fast and dirty water pushed bait out last week. O’Neill thinks that the clearer conditions should hold up through the weekend if you want to battle the colder temperatures. Steelheads were hitting beads and minnows in the river and on the bar. From shore, use spinners, jigs, jigs tipped with plastic shads, beads and sacs. Mike Ziehm of Niagara Falls braved the cold on Monday and did OK in the gorge, using jigs with a lake trout and a steelhead to show for his efforts. There was three feet of visibility from shore. Mike Rzucidlo of Niagara Falls reports he finally got out for some casting from shore on Monday. He landed three rainbows using spinners at Artpark, along the gorge trails. Visibility was 3 to 4 feet.