Chasing autumn giants: WNY’s frightfully good king salmon run
Chautauqua County charter captain Brayden Kneer recently traveled from Mayville to Newfane to fish Eighteenmile Creek. He landed this 45-inch king salmon weighing just shy of 35 pounds, his personal best ever. Submitted photo
Mark Plennert of Niagara Falls caught this brown trout on a spinner while fishing the lower Niagara River in Youngstown. Photo courtesy of Frank Campbell
Chautauqua County charter captain Brayden Kneer recently traveled from Mayville to Newfane to fish Eighteenmile Creek. He landed this 45-inch king salmon weighing just shy of 35 pounds, his personal best ever. Submitted photo
Mark Plennert of Niagara Falls caught this brown trout on a spinner while fishing the lower Niagara River in Youngstown. Photo courtesy of Frank Campbell
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Every fall, anglers travel from across the country to Western New York for a chance to battle one of freshwater fishing's most exciting challenges: the mighty king salmon. Forget haunted houses and spooky attractions -- around here, the real heart-pounding scares can happen when a monster fish grabs your line and heads for the next county.
As Halloween approaches, the season offers its own version of fright night. While kids ready for Beggars Night, hoping to score a pillowcase full of candy, anglers head for Lake Ontario, the lower Niagara River and nearby tributaries, hoping for a different kind of treat: a fish that might nearly pull them into the water. King salmon.
One favorite destination is Eighteenmile Creek at Burt Dam in Niagara County, where accessible parking and a walk down a shallow gorge bring anglers close to the action. As waters cool, Chinook (king) salmon and brown trout make their seasonal appearances, giving fishermen plenty of reasons to brave the chilly air.
Chautauqua County charter captain Brayden Kneer recently traveled from Mayville to Newfane to test the creek's stained waters. Drifting a homemade, hand-tied egg sac with his Eba Calibre II Bergeron reel and 10-foot, 6-inch FishUSA Flagship medium-action rod, Kneer hooked into a fish worthy of its own Halloween costume. Using an 8-pound test Seaguar fluorocarbon leader, he landed a 45-inch king salmon weighing just shy of 35 pounds, with a girth of nearly 26 inches. That's one monster that didn't need a mask to be frightening.
Captain Frank Campbell reports plenty of salmon action elsewhere, too. In the Niagara Gorge, anglers are working homemade spinners in clear water, while guide Mike Marisa of Niagara River Adventures has been finding success with treated salmon skein beneath floats and casting lures. The shoreline crowds show just how irresistible this seasonal fishing tradition can be.
Of course, the biggest reward isn't always the biggest fish. It's the crisp autumn air, the camaraderie among anglers, the beauty of our waterways and the stories shared long after the tackle is put away. Recent visits by outdoor media professionals attending the 70th anniversary conference of the Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers have helped showcase these memorable WNY experiences.
This Halloween, enjoy the candy, the costumes and the spooky fun -- but consider adding a fishing adventure to your fall traditions just north of us an hour or so. Just remember: the ghosts may be pretend, but a 35-pound king salmon pulling on the other end of your line is very real. Lake Erie does not support a king salmon fishery, overall, it's too shallow, but the tributary steelhead in Lake Erie are about ready to get going shortly.
Healthy streams, clean water, responsible angling and respect for fish habitat help keep these extraordinary fisheries thriving for generations. Whether you live nearby or travel from afar, Western New York's fall fishing season offers thrills, fresh air and memories that are anything but scary.
If your fishing buddy screams when the line starts peeling off the reel? Don't worry. Around these parts, that might just be part of the Halloween tradition.
Gotta love the outdoors.
CALENDAR
Nov. 1: Fall Shoot, open to public, 11 a.m. start, raffle prizes, fun competitions, Westfield Fish and Game, 8150 Ogden Road, Westfield.
Nov. 3: Children in the Stream Youth Fly Fishing/4-H Program, Fly tying/fly fishing classes, 7-8:30 p.m., free, Costello Room, Rockefeller Art Center at SUNY Fredonia, For info: email Alberto@albertorey.com.
Nov. 4: Fly Tying Class, 6-8 p.m., free, Falconer Rod & Gun Club, 329 Falconer St., Jamestown; info: 716-467-0782.
Nov. 5: WNY Walleye monthly meeting, Knights of Columbus -- Hamburg, 36 Pierce Ave., 5:45 p.m. food start, 6:30 p.m. meeting begins.
Nov. 7-8: NYS Handgun Class, Westfield Fish and Game, 8150 Ogden Road, Westfield; 20-student max, $225 fee, register at RASGROUPTRAINING.COM or call 716-499-6959.