Late February in Western New York always feels like a standoff. Just last week, that deep, bone-stiffening freeze had a solid grip on everything from farm ponds to the big water. It built a welcome runway for hardwater anglers, turning cautious “maybe” ice into miles of safe opportunity for those willing to drill, jig, and wait. But as quickly as it arrived, that winter super-freeze has loosened its hold. The long-range forecast says “seasonal cold” will hang around a bit longer, yet we all know what’s coming. Spring is already pacing in the wings, and whether winter likes it or not, Easter Sunday is on the calendar. Mother Nature always keeps the appointment.

So what’s a good sportsman — or sportswoman — to do when the melt begins? Simple: shift gears before the transmission grinds.

As ice edges retreat and tributaries wake up, starting this week, Lake Erie steelhead streams will begin to pulse with fresh run fish. Snowmelt will swell the creeks, water temperatures will inch upward, and suddenly those chrome-bright steelhead visitors from Lake Erie will be nosing upstream again. It’s a shoulder-season gift, often less crowded than peak fall runs, often with cooperative fish for anglers who dress in layers and can pack a little patience.

At the same time, the harbors and Buffalo breakwall ice will begin to open. As safe ice becomes a memory, those protected harbor waters along Buffalo, Dunkirk and Barcelona start to give up early spring yellow perch, often sharing space with lingering trout and steelhead cruising bait-rich edges filled with smelt and other forage. For shoreline anglers, it can be one of the easiest transitions of the year: the right time to trade your spud bar for a spinning rod and stay in the game.

Not sure about any of the details, the fishing gear, or the how-to-stay-warm secrets? It’s OK. Visit community hub places that can share expertise. Visit the Hairy Trout Barbershop and Tackle Shop on Seneca Street in West Seneca, or Colville Outfitters and Custom Tackle on Lakeshore Road in Blasdell. These folks understand centerpin reels and rods to match, but more importantly, specialize in tactics and techniques that can help anyone who wants to learn more about fishing at this time of year. Hairy Trout even offers fly-tying classes where locals can rub elbows to share fishing talk or hackle scissors. Look ’em up. Closer to the Chautauqua County harbors of Lake Erie, visit Geri Begier at Bill’s Hooks on Route 5 in Dunkirk or Mike Sperry at Chautauqua Reel Outdoors in Chautauqua Lake.

But here’s the big thing, maybe the biggest thing that many outdoors folks still don’t do each year: They don’t plan. Are you one of those folks who spend hours studying a topo map before a backcountry hunt or swapping out leaders before a steelhead drift, yet when it comes to the trips we dream about most, whatever they are — fishing Alaska, chasing caribou in Quebec, glassing for kudu on the African plains, an alligator hunt in Florida, or simply camping with the grandkids in a local county or state park — we tend to “wing it.” That works sometimes. But more often, it costs us time, money, or the chance to do it right.

In the old days, the first step toward adventure meant a quiet walk into the local library and a stack of travel magazines spread across a wooden table. Today, most of us reach for a cellphone or laptop to let our thumbs do the traveling. Online research has opened doors that once took months of letter-writing to crack. Destination websites, guide services, seasonal reports, licensing requirements–it’s all out there.

If the digital internet maze isn’t your thing, there’s no shame in going old school. A reputable travel agency can still be worth its weight in venison.

Coordinating flights into remote locations, managing trip insurance, or syncing vacation time with peak fishing or hunting seasons can make the difference between a storybook trip and a story you’d rather not tell twice. You know, “You shoulda been here yesterday,” or, “The good fishing doesn’t start until next month.”

For regional information closer to home, organizations like the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation offer up-to-date regulations, stocking reports, public access maps, and seasonal forecasts for both anglers and hunters. Tourism partners such as I LOVE NY can help connect you with lodging, outfitters, and family-friendly outdoor destinations across the state. If you haven’t done this yet, get a copy of the free 100-plus page Chautauqua County Visitors Guide. Maps, locations, tips, tricks, eats, lodging – who to call, it’s all in there. And yes, even if it’s snowing outside your window, right now is the time to start sketching in next winter’s ice trip or next fall’s big-woods hunt.

Speaking from experience, I didn’t always do this planning stuff. My excuse? No time. Of course, you know, that’s just an excuse. It takes some time to save more time. In my younger years, the annual plan was no plan at all. Opportunities came and went, sometimes missed by a paycheck, sometimes by poor timing. But now, approaching my eighth decade of outdoor adventure and survival, my better half and I sit down and rough out the next week, the next month, and even the next year.

It doesn’t have to be complicated. Balance the scale between time and money. Identify your mission–be it bigger fish, better timing, a trusted guide, or simply more laughter around a campfire. Maybe it’s heading south for a warm week in Florida before the inland trout season kicks off here at home on April 1 (those spring baseball training camps are inexpensive fun). Maybe it’s finally booking that bucket-list float trip in Wyoming or Montana, or reserving a lakeside campsite at a local state park before they’re all spoken for when summer arrives. A little forethought can turn a wish list into a wake-up call and a good idea into a great memory.

Winter’s grip may be loosening, but the next adventure season is already knocking. You know it. The best way to answer? Have a plan.

Gotta love the outdoors.

CALENDAR

Feb. 28: Southtowns Walleye Association Outfitters Fair, 5895 Southwestern Blvd., Hamburg, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Free admission.

Feb. 28: Hunting Seasons Close: Pheasant, Cottontail Rabbit, Ruffed Grouse. See dec.ny.gov for details.

March. 3: Children in the Stream, Youth Fly Fishing program, free, Costello Room, Rockefeller Art Center, SUNY Fredonia, 7-8:30 p.m., 12 years old and older, info: 716-410-7003 (Alberto Rey).

March. 6-8: WNY Sport and Travel Show, Hamburg Fairgrounds, see: https://renmarevents.com/wny-sport-show/.