Jump to content

Niagara County

Counties
  • Posts

    230
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by Niagara County

  1. The Buffalo News provides updates and information on a variety of topics of interest to outdoor enthusiasts. See below for details and links! “New Great Lakes regulations proposals draw mixed reviews” from The Buffalo News In this article from The Buffalo News called “New Great Lakes regulations proposals draw mixed reviews,” Bill Hilts Jr. shares information about five proposals relating to Great Lakes fisheries that are up for discussion. The proposals could effect changes by April 1, 2020. Click here for details! "The Fishing Beat (Jan. 30)" from The Buffalo News In this edition of "The Fishing Beat" from The Buffalo News, Bill Hilts Jr. provides details about the fishing conditions and latest happenings throughout the region. Bodies of water discussed include Lake Ontario and tributaries, the Niagara River, Chautauqua Lake, and Lake Erie and tributaries. Click here to see! "Scattershots (Jan. 30)" from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. provides updates and information on several topics of interest to outdoor enthusiasts in this edition of "Scattershots" from The Buffalo News. Topics discussed include "Upper River enhancements to be discussed," "Southtowns Walleye Outfitters Fair Feb. 9," "Coyote Hunt hosted by Sullivan Co." and "Alberto Rey Talk at Orvis." Click here to read more! The Buffalo News Shares “Catches of the Week (Feb. 1)” The Buffalo News shares photos and stories of some of this week’s catches throughout the region in this edition of “Catches of the Week.” Click here to see.
  2. The Buffalo News provides information on a variety of topics of interest to outdoor enthusiasts. See below for the most recent details and links. “Scattershots (Jan. 23)” from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. provides updates and information about a variety of topics of interest to outdoor enthusiasts in this edition of “Scattershots” from The Buffalo News. Topics discussed include “Community aids Coast Guard Station Niagara,” “Iroquois Arms Collectors hold gun show,” “WNY TU changes meeting location” and “Bass Pro Hank Parker featured at BBB Dinner.” Click here to read more! "The Fishing Beat (Jan. 23)" from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. provides details about the fishing conditions throughout the region in this edition of "The Fishing Beat" from The Buffalo News. Bodies of water discussed include Lake Ontario and tributaries, the Niagara River, Lake Erie and tributaries and Chautauqua Lake. Click here for details! The Buffalo News Shares "Catches of the Week (Jan. 23)" The Buffalo News provides photos and stories about some of the fish caught in the region in this edition of "Catches of the Week." Included are steelhead, brown trout and more! Click here to see!
  3. After the heavy rains yesterday, much of the Niagara River shoreline snow and ice was melted away. However, more cold weather is on the horizon and we saw about an inch of snow this morning to make the going a little slippery along the Niagara River rocks. Be careful out there. Spinners in orange and chartreuse are still working to take a mix of trout that include steelhead and lake trout. Jigs will also produce some fish according to Mike Rzucidlo of Niagara Falls who caught lake trout on orange and steelhead on white in the Niagara Gorge area. From boats, add in brown trout and walleye to the mix depending on where in the river you are fishing. Pink egg sacs, kwikfish, MagLips and minnows will all produce fish for you. If you run plugs, make sure the lures are working properly. Fishing was very good yesterday in the rain for Ely Moskal and Matt Yonkin of Albany. They caught all 3 trout species on Pautzke brined eggs and MagLips while fishing with Capt. Frank Campbell of Niagara Falls. It should continue into the weekend. The Niagara River Anglers Association will be hosting the Roger Tobey Memorial Steelhead Contest on Saturday, Feb. 2 from sunrise to 2 p.m. Sign up at the Lewiston Landing launch ramp the morning of the event or register at Creek Road Bait and Tackle or The Slippery Sinker in Olcott. You must be a NRAA member to participate. Eligible waters include the lower Niagara and Niagara County tributaries off Lake Ontario. www.niagarariveranglers.com. In the upper Niagara River, we have to mention the huge lake trout caught by Denis Kreze of Fort Erie when he reeled in a 30-plus pound fish this week. We are trying to find out more details. What a trophy! For the Lake Ontario tributaries, the heavy rains yesterday opened up some water in the creeks, but we’ve not had any reports on turbidity or fish cooperation. The precipitation event should have pulled some more fish into the streams. Egg sacs, jigs tipped with wax worms, egg imitations like Lick-em Lures should all work to catch you a trout or two. Streamers and woolly buggers can also be very effective. We’re not sure what the rain did with the ice in the harbors. With more cold weather on the way, you might want to wait until things are safe again. Use a spud to check ice thickness. Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.
  4. The 6th Annual Greater Niagara Fishing Expo is almost here, set for Jan. 18-20 at the Conference and Event Center Niagara Falls. The website is www.niagarafishingexpo.com. There is a winter storm advisory but it appears to be more of a southern track right now with 6-7 inches expected Saturday night. Don’t let that scare you off! The show will go on!! Here are a few small tidbits worthy of consideration in making your way to the Cataract City with over 200 seminars, 96 speakers and over 170 vendor booths: Antique Fishing Tackle - Mark Schmitkons of Wilson will be showing off some of his antique fishing tackle. More importantly, he will be happy to appraise your own old/antique fishing equipment to see if it’s of any value. He will even store your old gear, so you don’t have to walk around the show with it. Capt. Lance Valentine of Walleye 101 is a Pro Staff representative for Lowrance Electronics and Sonar/GPS whiz. If you have a Lowrance unit on your boat that is Gen 2 or newer, his booth will be offering free updates and set up on Lowrance Sonar/GPS units. DEC Bureau of Fisheries Chief Steve Hurst will be mingling with anglers at the show. He will be sitting in on Capt. Bob Songin’s Lake Ontario Niagara Bar salmon seminar at 5 p.m. and answer some questions then. He will also have his own Q and A on Saturday at noon, fielding questions from the audience. Lake Erie Unit biologists Dr. Jason Robinson and James Markham will be around on Friday to give talks on walleye movement and steelhead study updates. Make sure you check the website out at www.niagarafishingexpo.com and print out the $5 parking voucher. Pay just $5 for the day. Park in the city ramp. The Expo will go on no matter what the weather or conditions. Four different Bass pros will be hanging out in the Rapid Fishing Solutions booth, at the Hawg Trough and in the seminar rooms. They are Billy McDonald, John Murray, Brad Knight and Mark Menendez. There are also many other local bass experts sharing their insights on fishing local waters. Need a fishing license? Stop in at The Boat Doctors booth at the show and pick one up. Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.
  5. The Buffalo News provides updates and information on a variety of topics of interest to outdoor enthusiasts see below for the most recent details and links. The Buffalo News Shares “Catches of the Week (Jan. 16)” The Buffalo News shares photos and stories of some of the best fish caught recently in the region in this edition of “Catches of the Week.” Fish caught include steelhead, brown trout and more. Click here to see! “Local anglers help DEC, other fishermen with special projects” from The Buffalo News In this article from The Buffalo News called “Local anglers help DEC, other fishermen with special projects” Bill Hilts Jr. discusses the record year of fishing just experienced on Lake Ontario, and some of the factors that play into the fishing conditions from year to year. As the article states, “There are many factors that interact with one another that help to produce a good-to-great fishing season. Weather, fish stocking, wind direction and more affect the fish, fish movement and, ultimately, the fishing. However, there is a lot of hard work that goes on behind the scenes to help maximize the fish being stocked for the benefit of all.” Click here for details! The Buffalo News Shares “The Fishing Beat (Jan. 16)” In this edition of “The Fishing Beat” from The Buffalo News, Bill Hilts Jr. provides details about the fishing related happenings throughout the region. Bodies of water discussed include Lake Ontario and tributaries, the Niagara River, Lake Erie and tributaries and Chautauqua Lake, as well as an ice fishing update. Click here to see! “Scattershots (Jan. 16)” from The Buffalo News In this edition of “Scattershots” from The Buffalo News, Bill Hilts Jr. provides information about several topics of interest to outdoor enthusiasts. Topics discussed include, “Niagara Fishing Expo offers more highlights,” “WGRZ environmental forum Jan. 23” and “Sportsmen’s Feast Jan. 26 in Lockport.” Click here to read more!
  6. It’s hard to believe that the 6th Annual Greater Niagara Fishing and Outdoor Expo is here already Jan. 18-20 at the Conference and Event Center Niagara Falls. And it’s also hard to believe that it keeps getting bigger and better with even more education to teach Western New York anglers. If you are someone who enjoys fishing but would like to learn more about this popular outdoor pastime, this is the show for you. If you want to get started with fishing, look no further. Want tips on bass fishing? Four professional bass fishermen will be sharing their insight. Want to learn how to walleye fish? There are more than 20 seminars on different aspects of going after old marble eye. Some of the top experts in the country will be sharing their knowledge on fly fishing, salmon and trout fishing, tributary fishing, electronics, boat rigging, kayak fishing and more. All told there will be more than 200 seminars on fishing over the three days, plus over 170 booths of top quality fishing equipment and expertise. It can all be found at www.niagarafishingexpo.com. It’s $10 a day or $20 for the weekend. See you there! Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.
  7. The Buffalo News provides articles and information about a variety of topics of interest to outdoor enthusiasts. See below for details and links. "Greater Niagara Fishing and Outdoor Expo offers education, exhibits and fun" from The Buffalo News In this article from The Buffalo News titled "Greater Niagara Fishing and Outdoor Expo offers education, exhibits and fun," Bill Hilts Jr. provides details about the event, taking place January 18-20, 2019 at the Conference and Event Center Niagara Falls. As he states in the article, "the 6th annual Greater Niagara Fishing and Outdoor Expo will educate and entertain angling interests from novice to advanced." Click here to read the full article or visit www.niagarafishingexpo.com for more information about the Expo! The Buffalo News Shares “Scattershots (Jan. 9)” Bill Hilts Jr. provides details about several topics of interest to outdoor enthusiasts in this edition of “Scattershots” from The Buffalo News. Topics discussed include “Nominations sought for NYS Outdoorsmen Hall of Fame,” “Adult ed fly fishing and fly-tying class in West Seneca,” “Lower Niagara River trout fishing class” and “Roger Tobey Memorial steelhead contest Feb. 2.” Click here to see! "The Fishing Beat (Jan. 9, 2019)" from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. provides updates about the latest fishing conditions and happenings throughout the region in this edition of "The Fishing Beat" from The Buffalo News. Bodies of water discussed include Lake Ontario and tributaries, the Niagara River, Chautauqua Lake, and Lake Erie and tributaries. Click here for details! The Buffalo News Shares "Catches and Hunts of the Week (Jan. 9)" The Buffalo News provides photos and stories of some of the fish caught throughout the region in this edition of "Catches and Hunts of the Week." Fish showcased include brown trout, steelhead and more. Click here to see!
  8. The Buffalo News provides updates and information on a variety of topics of interest to outdoor enthusiasts. See below for the most recent links. The Buffalo News Shares “Scattershots (Jan. 2)” Bill Hilts Jr. provides details on several topics of interest to outdoor enthusiasts in this edition of “Scattershots” from The Buffalo News. Topics discussed include “Allied Sportsmen Trap League starts Jan. 6,” “3-D Archery League begins Jan. 6,” “Niagara bird festival weekend set for Jan. 25-26” and “Public comment sought on Cattaraugus Creek fisheries plan.” Click here for details! “The Fishing Beat: Mother Nature throws anglers a curve” from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. discusses the latest fishing related happenings throughout the region in this edition of “The Fishing Beat” from The Buffalo News. Bodies of water discussed include Lake Ontario and tributaries, the Niagara River, Lake Erie and tributaries, Chautauqua Lake, as well as an ice fishing update. Click here to see! “Remembering and appreciating the people who help make the outdoors great” from The Buffalo News In this article from The Buffalo News titled “Remembering and appreciating the people who help make the outdoors great,” Bill Hilts Jr. reflects on many of the individuals who have had an important impact on the outdoor community. The article provides a great tribute to many individuals, recognizing their contributions. Click here to read more! “Catches of the Week (Jan. 2)” from The Buffalo News The Buffalo News shares photos and stories of some of the fish caught in the region recently in this edition of the “Catches of the Week.” This edition includes steelhead, brown trout and more. Click here to see!
  9. Happy New Year’s! Now that the ball has dropped on 2019, area fishermen should be aware of some changes in regulations. Lake trout season is now open below Niagara Falls in the Niagara River and on the Niagara Bar in Lake Ontario. Also, walleye fishermen must note that the daily limit drops from 3 to 1 fish per person from Jan. 1 to March 15 in the lower river. If you fish the Canadian side of the river, in either the upper or lower stretches, the new license year also started up Jan. 1. Be aware of these changes if you take advantage of the mild winter conditions we are now experiencing. As far as Niagara River fishing conditions, it was a little spotty before the last wind and rain storm New Year’s eve. Fortunately, water conditions weren’t destroyed. Action should be good going into the weekend with mild conditions in the forecast. Lisa Drabczyk at Creek Road Bait and Tackle in Lewiston says there are steelhead, brown trout and walleye all being caught. Anglers seem to be using more pinks and oranges when using egg sacs, beads and spinners. Kwikfish and MagLips are also hot lures off three-way set-ups at times. Minnows are working to take fish, too. In the Upper Niagara River, lake trout and walleye are being caught around the Thompson’s Hole area on jigs. In the Lake Ontario tributaries, Gianni Etopio of Youngstown caught a dozen trout to start off the New Year using jigs, egg sacs and beads in 18 Mile Creek. His biggest brown was 28 inches and his biggest steelhead was 29-1/2 inches. Karen Evarts at The Boat Doctors in Olcott reports that wax worms are also producing a few trout – on a single hook or on a jig and fished under a float. The Greater Niagara Fishing and Outdoor Expo is Jan. 18-20 at the Conference center in Niagara Falls. Check out www.niagarafishingexpo.com for details. Mark your calendar for the new “Birds on the Niagara” Festival set for Jan. 25 and 26. More to come on that one before the event. Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.
  10. The Buffalo News provides information on a variety of topics of interest to outdoor enthusiasts. See below for details and links to some of the most recent articles. “2018 was a very good year for fishing, outdoors” from The Buffalo News In this article from The Buffalo News called “2018 was a very good year for fishing, outdoors” Bill Hilts Jr. provides a recap of this year's outdoor activities. The article states that "The past 12 months, representing 2018 in New York, was an above average year overall in the great outdoors. At the top of the list was the incredible walleye fishing on Lake Erie and the phenomenal salmon fishing on Lake Ontario." Click here to read the full article! The Buffalo News Shares "The Fishing Beat for Dec. 26, 2018" Bill Hilts Jr. provides an overview of the latest fishing news and conditions throughout the region in this edition of "The Fishing Beat" from The Buffalo News. Bodies of water discussed include Lake Ontario and tributaries, the Niagara River, Lake Erie and tributaries as well as an ice fishing update. Click here for details! "Catches of the Week (Dec. 26)" from The Buffalo News The Buffalo News shares photos and stories of some of the best fish caught recently in this edition of the "Catches of the Week." Click here to see! "Scattershots for Dec. 26, 2018" from The Buffalo News In this edition of "Scattershots" from The Buffalo News, Bill Hilts Jr. provides updates on several pieces of outdoor related news in the region. Topics discussed include "Scholarships Announced from Fly Fishers International," "Capt. Bob’s Outdoors Fall Derby Results," "North Forest 5-Stand League Starts Jan. 5" and "Winter Classic Tourney Kicks Off Jan. 1." Click here to see! The Buffalo News Shares the "BN Outdoor Calendar for Dec. 26, 2018" Bill Hilts Jr. provides dates and details for several upcoming events in this edition of the "Outdoor Calendar" from The Buffalo News. Dates included range from now through January 13. Click here for more information.
  11. The Buffalo News provides updates on a variety of topics of interest to outdoor enthusiasts. See below for details and links. “Outdoors: Ice fishing offers winter fun” from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. provides an overview of how to start ice fishing in this article from The Buffalo News called “Outdoors: Ice fishing offers winter fun.” He provides pointers on the best times to fish, safety and more. Click here for more information! “Scattershots (Dec. 19)” from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. provides details on a variety of topics of interest to outdoor enthusiasts in this edition of “Scattershots” from The Buffalo News. Topics discussed include “Holiday shoot at North Forest Dec. 22,” “Three men nabbed in Steuben County deer poaching ring,” “DEC’s mobile app expands usage” and “'Fishing 411' fishing trip drawing set.” Click here for details! “The Fishing Beat (Dec. 19)” from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. provides updates on the latest fishing conditions throughout the region in this edition of “The Fishing Beat” from The Buffalo News. Bodies of water discussed include Lake Ontario, the Niagara River, Lake Erie, Chautauqua Lake and Kinzua/Allegheny. Click here to see! The Buffalo News Shares the “Catches and hunts of the week (Dec. 19)” The Buffalo News provides photos and stories of some of the best fish caught in the region in this edition of the “Catches and hunts of the week.” Species include a brown trout, steelhead and more. Click here to see!
  12. Christmas is only a few days away. If you are looking for a last minute gift item, consider a lifetime license (if you are a state resident). If you need a present for dad or grandpa and they are 70 or older, you can pick up a lifetime license for just $65 – hunting and fishing together! Also, a guided fishing trip from area charter captains is a great way to get the family out for some fun in the sun – river fishing or lake fishing! Check out https://www.niagarafallsusa.com/things-to-do/outdoor-adventure/fishing/charters/ … and don’t rule out a gift certificate from your local tackle shop, too. Many of the tributaries off Lake Ontario have been low and clear with the lack of precipitation. That said, there will be a significant rain event tonight that could bring up to an inch of rain. Today the high is 50 degrees but it will get cooler by the weekend. Ray Richards of Amherst has been hitting the tributaries several times a week, picking up browns and a few steelhead. When the water is stained, he will use a jig, normally tipped with a wax worm or a salted minnow. However, this week when he went out, he thought he forgot the waxies and still produced a big brown on his marabou jig. The rain should pull some fresh fish into the system and don’t forget about some of the smaller streams like 12 Mile in Wilson, Keg east of Olcott and 4 Mile in Porter. Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.
  13. The Buffalo News provides articles on a wide variety of topics of interest to outdoor enthusiasts. See below for details and links to recent stories. "Last-minute Christmas gift ideas for the avid (and not so avid) outdoorsperson" from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. presents "Last-minute Christmas gift ideas for the avid (and not so avid) outdoorsperson" in this informative article from The Buffalo News. The article provides ideas for outdoor enthusiasts with a variety of interests. Click here to check out the list! "Catches and Hunts of the Week (Dec. 12)" from The Buffalo News The Buffalo News shares photos and stories of some of the fish caught in the region in this edition of the "Catches and Hunts of the Week." This edition includes a wedding proposal, a fish-shaped gift found at the mall, steelhead, brown trout, and more. Click here to see! The Buffalo News Shares “The Fishing Beat (Dec. 12)” In this edition of “The Fishing Beat” from The Buffalo News, Bill Hilts Jr. provides updates and information regarding the fishing conditions throughout the region. Bodies of water discussed include Lake Ontario and tributaries, the Niagara River, Lake Erie and tributaries, Chautauqua Lake and Lake Simcoe in Ontario. Click here for more information! “Scattershots for Dec. 12, 2018” from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. provides details about a variety of topics of interest to outdoor enthusiasts in this edition of “Scattershots” from The Buffalo News. Topics discussed include “Park Blinds for Late Waterfowl Season,” “Fur Handling Seminar Dec. 29,” “Cormorant Hunting Season in Canada?” and “DEC Conservation Camps Open for Applications Jan. 23.” Click here to see!
  14. Brown trout and steelhead are dominating the fishing report this week, with walleye not far behind. Buffy Frank of Lockport caught a monster brown trout yesterday while fishing a favorite Niagara County Lake Ontario tributary. Using a black marabou jig tipped with wax worms, she hauled in a 34-inch brownie that tipped the scales at better than 15 pounds. She didn’t get an actual weight because she wanted to get it back into the water and release it as quickly as possible. She did get a quick photo though. Nice fish! Tributaries seem to be offering moderate to medium flows. Egg sacs, single eggs, egg imitations and a variety of flies are all working to take fish. Surprisingly, there hasn’t been a lot of fishing pressure the past week. We could see a little bit of rain and temperatures into the 40’s over the weekend. In the lower Niagara River, fishing was good from both boat and shore. Brown trout, steelhead and walleye have all been caught with consistency. Boaters are using three-way rigs to entice fish to hit with MagLips, Kwikfish, beads, egg sacs and minnows. A minnow is what worked for Matt Gerhart of Spring Mills, Pa. when he was fishing with Capt. Chris Cinelli of Grand Island. He reeled in an 11-pound walleye fishing the lower river. Some nice browns and steelies into the double-digits have also been caught by drifters. Shoreline casters in the gorge are using spinners, jigs and egg sacs to take trout and the occasional walleye, too. Even a few late salmon are hanging around. Musky season ends on Saturday, Dec. 15. Above Niagara Falls in the upper river, Rich Pisa of Kenmore grabbed his boat and hit some favorite spots with his dad, Richard of Tonawanda. Using jigs, they managed to catch 3 lake trout up to 16 pounds, 10 walleye and some silver bass. Water conditions were near-perfect. We’re only a month away from the Greater Niagara Fishing and Outdoor Expo, set for Jan. 18-20, 2019 at the Conference and Event Center Niagara Falls. Check the website out at www.niagarafishingexpo.com and see what all the buzz is about. Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.
  15. After some muddy water slowed things up earlier in the week, anglers are catching fish again in the lower Niagara River. You never know what you are up against after a storm in Western New York. Winds, rain and snow can have an effect on water conditions, especially in the Niagara River. There is a difference, though, and fishermen and fisherwomen need to be cognizant of that difference between stained and dirty conditions. Mark and Jake Romanack of the Fishing 411 TV Show that appears on the World Fishing Network showed up in town on Monday to try and put a show together on the lower Niagara. The water was stained, but definitely fishable. Capt. Frank Campbell of Niagara Falls met up with them and they fished the afternoon using 3.0 MagLips in Double Trouble and Green Machine colors. In 2 hours of actual fishing time they boated 9 browns on 9 hits, enough for a show. The next day the water was dirty. After 4 hours, not a single hit, but the crew was able to take some drone footage and film some tech tips before they headed back to Michigan. As of today, the shore guys were already catching fish again according to Lisa Drabczyk of Creek Road Bait and Tackle in Lewiston. Along Artpark, pink and chartreuse spinners are working for steelies, orange for the browns. Chartreuse egg sacs and beads are also producing for the shore guys, as well as the boat drifters. Shore casters are out-fishing the boat guys right now, but that will change a bit as the waters start to clear a bit more. In the Niagara Musky Association John Henning Memorial Musky Contest last Sunday, Andrew Lacko of Kenmore took top honors with a 41-inch fish caught on a Bondy bait. It was the only fish caught for the event held in the lower Niagara River. Musky season continues in the lower river and Lake Ontario until Dec. 15. Lake trout season is now open on the Canadian side of the lower river, but closed until Jan. 1 on the New York side of the river. For the Lake Ontario tributaries, weather conditions have not been the best with a mix of rain, snow, wind, warm and cold temperatures. Still, trout are being caught. Not too many anglers have been hitting the streams according to Karen Evarts at The Boat Doctors in Olcott but for those that are making the effort to wet a line, they have been rewarded with some nice brown trout, a few steelhead and even some late salmon. Spikes and wax worms are the baits being talked about most, usually tipped on a small jig and fished under a float. Fishing your bait slow with the slightly cooler conditions could help increase your chances for a hook-up. Scott Feltrinelli of Ontario Fly Outfitters caught some impressive fish yesterday in a favorite Lake O. stream. You might have to do a little searching. When you find them, though, the rewards are great. Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.
  16. The Buffalo News provides information on several outdoor related topics via the stories below. Read on for details and links. “Scattershots (Dec. 5)” from The Buffalo News In this edition of “Scattershots” from The Buffalo News, Bill Hilts Jr. provides details on a variety of topics of interest to outdoor enthusiasts. Topics discussed include, “LOTSA Salmon School sold out,” “Ladies Shoot N’ Hoot features shooting champs,” “SCI game dinner Dec. 7,” “Holiday promotion to help habitat, access,” and “Pa. bear take nearly 2,000.” Click here to read more! “The Fishing Beat (Dec. 5)” from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. provides information on the latest fishing conditions and happenings throughout the region in this edition of “The Fishing Beat” from The Buffalo News. Bodies of water discussed include Lake Ontario and tributaries, the Niagara River, Lake Erie and tributaries, and Chautauqua Lake. Click here for details! “Catches and hunts of the week (Dec. 4)” from The Buffalo News The Buffalo News provides photos and stories of some of the great fish caught in the region in this edition of “Catches and hunts of the week.” Click here to see! The Buffalo News Shares the “BN Outdoor Calendar (Dec. 2)” Bill Hilts Jr. provides dates and details about several events of interest to outdoor enthusiasts in this edition of the “BN Outdoor Calendar (Dec. 2)” from The Buffalo News. Dates included range from now through December 22. Click here to see!
  17. It’s November 30 and there are quite a few noteworthy occurrences that take place. For example, muskellunge season closes today with one exception – the lower Niagara River and Lake Ontario. The upper Niagara River produced a few nice late-season fish like the 50 inch trophy reeled in by Rebecca Gaulteri of Hamilton, Ontario. She was fishing with Capt. Chris Cinelli of Grand Island over the weekend and managed to catch a fish of a lifetime. Joining her was her husband, Francesco and her dad Chris Mills (who also caught a 45-inch fish the same morning). John Anthone of Sanborn hit a 30-plus pound 49 incher on Nov. 29, also fishing with Capt. Chris Cinelli. Below Niagara Falls, water was stained but still fishable after the most recent storm. The lower river had been hot the past week as waters cleared and trout fishing took off. Lisa Drabczyk at Creek Road Bait and Tackle in Lewiston reported that beads, egg sacs and Kwikfish/MagLips lures fished off three-way rigs from boats has been good to very good for a mixed bag of trout. Just ask 87-year-old George Gregory of Lewiston who was fishing with his son Kurt and Capt. Joe Marra of Lewiston. They caught double-digit trout over the long weekend using primarily egg sacs, catching steelhead up to 13 pounds and some nice browns. What had them talking, though, was a lake trout that both father and son caught at the same time. Remember that lake trout season is closed on the NY side until Dec. 31. However, on the Canadian side of the river, the lake trout season opens on Dec. 1. Shore fishermen are still doing well with the good conditions, especially off the NYPA fishing platform. However the platform closes as dusk on Nov. 30. Nancy Colavecchia of Niagara Falls caught her first-ever steelhead with a green egg sac while fishing off the platform. She was fishing with Mike Rzucidlo of Niagara Falls who caught nearly double-digit steelies on egg sacs and 4 walleyes on jigs. Drabczyk also reported that spinners and beads are also working in chartreuse, orange and pink colorations. The Niagara Musky Association will be hosting the John Henning Memorial Lower River Musky Tournament, a catch-and-release event that will be held Dec. 2 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. You must be a member of NMA. Contact Scott McKee at 225-3816. Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.
  18. The Buffalo News provides stories on a variety of topics of interest to outdoor enthusiasts in this edition. See below for details and links. “The Fishing Beat: Musky season in upper Niagara River closes Nov. 30” from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. provides updates on the fishing related news throughout the region in this edition of “The Fishing Beat: Musky season in upper Niagara River closes Nov. 30” from The Buffalo News. Bodies of water discussed include Lake Ontario and tributaries, the Niagara River and Lake Erie and tributaries. Click here for details! “Scattershots (Nov. 28, 2018)” from The Buffalo News In this edition of “Scattershots” from The Buffalo News, Bill Hilts Jr. provides details on a variety of topics of interest to outdoor enthusiasts in the region. Topics discussed include, “Henning Memorial Musky Tourney Dec. 2,” “DEC announces photo contest for ladies,” “NYPA fishing facilities close Nov. 30” and “CWD test negative on Chautauqua deer.” Click here for more information! The Buffalo News Shares the “Catches and Hunts of the Week (Nov. 28)” The Buffalo News shares photos and stories of many of the fish caught recently in the region in this edition of the “Catches and Hunts of the Week.” Among the species caught are lake trout, brown trout, Chinook salmon and steelhead. Click here to see.
  19. The place to be this week is the Niagara River both above and below Niagara Falls. At the top of the list the past week in the lower river has been the steelhead and brown trout. As of Monday, river conditions were near perfect according to Capt. Chris Cinelli of Grand Island. Pink egg sacs were the ticket for steelhead in Devil’s Hole and along Artpark. Head down river for brown trout. Egg sacs were working on them as well. Gary Hall of Niagara Falls had a good day fishing with Capt. Frank Campbell on Monday and he was rewarded with a big musky on a MagLip lure in silver and chartreuse. Remember that musky season is open until Dec. 15 in the lower river and Lake Ontario. The Niagara Musky Association will be hosting the John Henning Memorial Musky Tournament on Dec. 2. Call Scott McKee at 225-3816. You must be a member to participate. Lake trout continue to be caught, too, as part of an incidental catch. Lake trout season is closed until the end of the year. One popular fishing spot will be closing for the winter on Nov. 30 at dusk. The NYPA fishing platform in the gorge, as well as the parking area and stairs, will be shutting down for the season due to the winter conditions. This also includes the Upper Mountain Road access point for the reservoir. Mike Rzucidlo of Niagara Falls is still picking up a few fresh salmon and some walleyes at the platform on spinners and jigs. Swimbaits work, too. In the Upper Niagara River, Capt. Ted Kessler was reporting some good musky action recently, including a double-header for two brothers – Virgil Mosiman of Kenai, Alaska and his brother Brad from Warsaw, NY with 47-inch and 38-inch ‘skies while fishing with Capt. Ted Kessler of Grand Island in the Upper Niagara River. The season closes on Nov. 30 in the upper river and Lake Erie, as well as the rest of the state, except for the lower river and Lake O. Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.
  20. The Buffalo News provides updates and information on a variety of topics of interest to outdoor enthusiasts in this edition. See below for details and links. “Author chronicles dealing with daughter's loss through fishing in Western New York” from The Buffalo News In this article from The Buffalo News called “Author chronicles dealing with daughter's loss through fishing in Western New York,” Bill Hilts Jr. provides a beautiful overview of a recently published book. In "Strong is the Current," author Joel Spring shares the story of how fishing helped him through an incredibly difficult time. Click here to read more! "The Fishing Beat (Nov. 14)" from The Buffalo News In this edition of "The Fishing Beat" from The Buffalo News, Bill Hilts Jr. shares details about the latest fishing conditions and happenings throughout the region. Bodies of water discussed include Lake Ontario and tributaries, the Niagara River, Chautauqua Lake, Lake Erie and tributaries, and Capt. Bob's Outdoors Contest. Click here for more information! The Buffalo News Shares "Scattershots (Nov. 14)" Bill Hilts Jr. provides details about a variety of topics of interest to outdoor enthusiasts in this edition of "Scattershots" from The Buffalo News. Topics discussed include, "Kustich to speak at WNY TU meeting," "USA bass team wins gold," "'Let Young Bucks Go, Watch Them Grow,'" and "Three-F Club Winter Skeet League starts." Click here for details! The Buffalo News Shares the "Catches and Hunts of the Week (Nov. 13)" The Buffalo News provides photos and stories about several of the fish caught recently in this edition of the "Catches and Hunts of the Week." Catches include brown trout, Atlantic salmon, and more. Click here to see!
  21. After a week of muddy water in the Niagara River, the fishing is slowly starting to improve to the delight of boaters and shore anglers. Mike Rzucidlo of Niagara Falls saw a slight green tint show up in the lower river on Tuesday and he grabbed his gear to head down to the New York Power Authority (NYPA) fishing platform in the gorge. Using a pearl zoom swimtail, he took a couple of walleyes. He switched to a No. 4 spinner and caught a couple of late-run king salmon. When he switched to a jig he managed to catch a small rainbow trout. The fishing platform is normally shut down for the winter on Dec. 1, unless we see some ice. If we do, the platform will be shut down early. Keep that in mind. A couple of boats hit the lower river yesterday under marginal conditions and the fish were hungry. Gold 3.0 MagLips worked off three-way rigs, as did beads and egg sacs. They caught a mixed bag of fish that included steelhead, brown trout and lake trout. Remember that lake trout season is closed so be sure to release those fish quickly and unharmed. Bass are still available in the lower river, too. If you want to try and target smallmouth, head down river from Lewiston and bounce swim baits off the bottom. Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.
  22. The Buffalo News provides updates and information on several topics of interest to outdoor enthusiasts in this. See below for details and links. “Scattershots (Nov. 7)” from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. provides information about a variety of topics of interest to outdoor enthusiasts in this edition of “Scattershots” from The Buffalo News. Topics covered include “Niagara River Habitat projects meeting Nov. 15,” “Deer Check Station announced for WNY,” “Take it, Tag it, Report it for Big Game,” and “Ladies Shoot N’ Hoot Nov. 10.” Click here for details! The Buffalo News Shares "The Fishing Beat (Nov. 7)" Bill Hilts Jr. discusses the latest fishing conditions and news throughout the region in this edition of "The Fishing Beat" from The Buffalo News. Bodies of water discussed include Lake Ontario and tributaries, Niagara River, Lake Erie and tributaries, and Chautauqua Lake. Click here for more information! "Catches and Hunts of the Week (Nov. 7)" from The Buffalo News The Buffalo News provides photos and stories of many of the fish caught in the region in this edition of the "Catches and Hunts of the Week." Photos of brown trout, steelhead, and more are included. Click here to see.
  23. Make sure you mark Nov. 11 on your calendar. That’s now a “free fishing day” in New York State. No license is required and it’s a great opportunity to reach out and take a vet fishing. Remember you do have to abide by the fishing regulations wherever you are going to wet a line. Winds are continuing on the local front today which created a mess of the water conditions in the lower Niagara River. If the shore casters can locate a little clean water along the shoreline, you might have a chance at catching a trout. For sure the land-bound fishermen will be fishing before the boaters in the lower Niagara River. Just prior to the winds, action in the lower river was good for trout. Steelhead were hitting MagLips and beads for boaters and shoreline anglers were tossing spoons, spinners, jigs, eggs or egg imitations to take fish. Along Artpark, steelhead are available, but the lake trout have been very aggressive. Remember that lake trout season is closed and fish should be released quickly and unharmed. Downriver, bass are still hitting swimbaits on a consistent basis. Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.
  24. The Buffalo News provides updates and information on a wide variety of topics of interest to outdoor enthusiasts on an ongoing basis. See below for details and links. “The Fishing Beat (Oct. 31)” from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. provides updates and information about the latest fishing conditions in the region in this edition of “The Fishing Beat” from The Buffalo News. Bodies of water discussed include Lake Ontario and tributaries, the Niagara River, Chautauqua Lake, and Lake Erie and tributaries, as well as an update on Capt. Bob’s Outdoors derby. Click here for details! “Scattershots (Oct. 31)” from The Buffalo News In this edition of “Scattershots” from The Buffalo News, Bill Hilts Jr. provides updates on a variety of topics of interest to outdoor enthusiasts. Topics covered include “Coho salmon study ongoing,” “Bills’ Murphy helps Venison Donation Coalition,” “Swartz scholarship offered by fly fishers,” and “Wittek Memorial Musky contest set for Nov. 4.” Click here for more information! The Buffalo News Presents the “Catches of the Week (Oct. 31)” The Buffalo News provides photos and stories about many of the fish caught recently in the region in this edition of the “Catches of the Week.” Featured photos include salmon, brown trout, and more! Click here to see!
  25. Burt Dam and 18 Mile Creek continue to be good for king salmon, brown trout and steelhead according to Karen Evarts at The Boat Doctors in Olcott. Skein, egg sacs or egg imitations are the way to go. Maribou jigs and beads are also working. Chartreuse, orange and pink egg sacs have been working, along with nymphs, glo bugs and woolly buggers in purples, browns and blacks. Peach and orange beads have been catching fish, too. The Olcott and Wilson piers have been producing some pike and steelhead for casters using spoons and spinners. Water flow is still an issue in many of the smaller streams in the lake. When they do get water, it pulls fish in and many times those fish will be stranded in some of the deeper holes. If you notice any illegal activity, use your phone to call 844-DEC ECOS. Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.
×
×
  • Create New...