Fishing in Western New York, for many reasons, is the one of the best times of the year to be on the water. With that said, there are several things that one needs to consider.

They include: Do you want to spend time on the water or swing from a tree? Are the cool temperatures worth the time out of the deer woods? Is chasing a monster muskie worth a crack at that buck?

Sportsmen are always making decisions, including which stand to use, what path to walk in on, what area to fish or which bait to use. For many of us, a morning on the water when the deer woods are quiet is the perfect time to put fresh fish away for the cold winter nights.

Late summer into early autumn can be a tricky time to tackle walleyes, as “eyes” transition between their summer and fall seasonal haunts. But with the right game plan, anglers can still enjoy some of the year’s finest fishing.

From mid-September until November, it’s best to target structures such as the fish-rich transitions from rock to sand or gravel, typically in deeper water.

Rigging nightcrawlers is the best way to go right now. We have found success with a size 4 red hook tipped with crawler, which trails along tethered to a long Snell like the 42-inch Lindy Rig X-Treme.

With either the floating or standard rig, a 3/8-ounce walking sinker is perfect for maintaining bottom contact in these depths, at slow speeds, such as .4 to .8 mph. Try using an electric trolling motor to idle along transition lines, watching the sonar for baitfish and walleyes.

As the leaves begin to drop, so do the water temperatures and we head deeper, like troughs that connect sunken humps or saddles between the tip of a long point and any offshore structure that will attract baitfish, hence larger predators. Depths of 30 plus feet in the northern basin of Chautauqua are great places to look for larger fish. Proper rigging for deep water “eyes” is important. Try the same red Snell hook but in a larger size — 2 hook and a half-ounce walking sinker. Minnows, as long as you can, are hot baits in autumn, attracting the attention of hungry “eyes” that are feeding heavily in the cooling water.

We have found that nose-hooking your minnows works this time of year, but it’s important to be careful to keep the bait alive. Using a 7-foot, medium-light spinning combo spooled with a 6- to 8-pound test line and dropping the rig to bottom, let out about 10 feet of extra line and begin slow-trolling at the same pace used for crawlers, up to .8 mph max.

Here is an old guide’s fall fishing trick. It takes some practice, but when you master it, you will put more fish in your boat. As you let your line, don’t close the reel’s bail, keep it open, holding the line with your finger. When you detect a bite, feed the fish line until you think it’s time to set the hook. The severity of the strike, along, with how much time to allow before closing the bail, reeling down and driving the hook home depends on the walleye’s mood. Oftentimes, the fish really nail it, and you can set almost right away, while other times, a bite feels like you snagged a wet towel, and you have to wait. I’ve waited as long as a minute and half before setting the hook during tough bites.

Remember, with minnows we have lip-hooked them so they are still alive. Knowing they are about to be dinner, they get nervous and panic when eyeballed by a hungry walleye. It’s a really good sign when your rod tip starts to shake, because you know a walleye is moving in for the kill.

The deep-rigging game is deadly all day, but at first and last light speed-trolling crankbaits in shallow water can produce well.

If late-season bass is on your fall to-do list, then you have picked one of the best times to chase these line-tightening critters. Once the water cools, it triggers the feeding frenzy that gives anglers nearly effortless fishing.

With the right techniques, you can make the fall fishing season your best time for catching heavy-hitting, hard-fighting bass.

During late fall, the water starts to cool, but rocks and boulders, which store heat better than any other structure in the lake, will hold schools of fish. Both bass and baitfish want to be near the warmer water, so any area with a lot of rocks is a great place to start your fishing. Rock piles, erosion barriers, and other stone structures can give you plenty of action from bass that are looking to warm their bodies and catch a meal.

Sticking to the same warm-water principle as before, looking for shallower waters is often a smart practice for fall bass fishing. Shallow waters will warm faster, so bass will swim out of the deep spots and into the shallow areas, usually spots that are three to five feet deep.

Bass love the shallow waters in fall, but they also want to be near deeper waters, which can hold available food. Areas that have a shallow spot with a steep ledge nearby will produce some of the best bass fishing in the fall. Use your depth finder to identify steep drop offs, and then use large crankbaits to run a lure along the ledge.

During the summer months, bass will slow down their activity to conserve energy, so slowing down your retrieve is often a good technique. The fall, however, calls for a faster retrieve. This will give the lure more action, attracting the attention of bass, who have lots of feeding options in the fall. Bass are going to be more aggressive in the fall, so you really don’t have to worry about losing one because your retrieve was too fast.

Crankbaits are a great choice for catching fall bass. They resemble the fish that bass eat in the fall, especially wide-bodies shad, and they give off plenty of noise and vibrations, attracting the attention of aggressive bass from yards away. Crankbaits can be difficult to use in the summer, when weeds get caught on the numerous hooks, but these weeds recede in the fall, opening up the waters for a rattling crankbait. Most seasons, bass don’t school together, so when you catch one it’s best to move on to a different spot. Throw that piece of wisdom out in the fall. Bass will actually school together during the autumn, so when you catch one, continue to hit that spot and you’ll likely catch one after another, one after another and so on. Fall is the last chance for soft water anglers and is more than worth the extra effort. Also, there is nothing better than going to the freezer on a winter evening and pulling out walleye fillets. The sight of anglers in the snowstorm grilling walleye makes my heart jump a beat, plus it also makes me thank my lucky stars for an indoor grill.

When pan fishing, look for similar areas where there is warmer water and structure. Late-season perch and crappie are best caught under a bobber with colored jig heads tipped off with crawler or minnow. Working this offering will generally strike at first light and just before dark.

If trophy muskies are keeping you out of the deer woods, then trolling should be your best bet. Oversized crank or lipless baits close to any reminding structure is good first thing in the morning. Remember this is where we look for the fish that muskies eat, so it makes sense to stay in the same general areas.

Casting for muskie, while not really popular, has its place in the fall. Working over structure on a warm day will bring a muskie, attempting to fatten up for winter ice-over, a quick meal or two.

Whether it’s summer or fall, remember boater safety this fall and just wear your life jacket.