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Niagara County

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  1. Much warmer temperatures blanketed the area this week, bringing winds and some thunderstorms the tail end of the week. The temperature spike did trigger some fish to hit for the 23rd Annual Niagara Spring Media Event that was happening all week in Western New York waters. Because of the winds, one of the better spots this week was the lower Niagara River. It was a mixed bag of fish as a variety of trout, walleye and bass were all being photographed by the influx of outdoor media. Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.
  2. The Buffalo News provides a wealth of information and updates of interest to outdoor enthusiasts. See below for details and links! The Buffalo News Shares the “Catches of the Week” The Buffalo News provides photos and details about some of the fish caught this week in this edition of the “Catches of the Week.” Click here to see! The Buffalo News Provides the “Outdoors Calendar” The Buffalo News provides dates and details for several upcoming events in this edition of the “Outdoors Calendar.” Click here for more information! The Buffalo News Highlights the Greater Niagara Spring Outdoor Media Event Bill Hilts Jr. highlights the Greater Niagara Spring Outdoor Media Event in this article from The Buffalo News called, “Outdoors event unites writers, sponsors to celebrate WNY fisheries.” He states that it’s been 23 years since the event first started, and it’s still providing a great opportunity for those involved in the outdoor industry to connect. Click here to read more! Details about the Lewiston Smelt Festival from The Buffalo News In this article from The Buffalo News called “Lewiston Smelt Festival Friday,” Bill Hilts Jr. provides information about the upcoming event. As the article shares, “they have already secured 400 pounds of smelt that will be deep fried and handed out to the public for a sample of these tasty baitfish starting around 5 p.m. Friday night.” Click here for details! The Buffalo News Discusses Upcoming Spring Border War In this article from The Buffalo News called “Spring Border War set for May 5,” Bill Hilts Jr. discusses the upcoming event. According to the article, “Each year, the Western New York Bassmasters and the St. Catharines Bassmasters of Ontario, Canada face-off for a head to head skirmish on the water to see who walks away as the top club. This is an open tournament and the New York contingent has been short-handed in recent years.” Click here for more details! LOC Derby Date Updates from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. provides details about date changes for this year’s LOC Derby in this article from The Buffalo News. As this article, called “LOC Derby Date Changes,” states “For years and years, the Lake Ontario Counties (LOC) Trout and Salmon Derby held its spring event for 10 days, starting the first Friday in May. This year, the popular kick-off event will be held May 11-20, which could be perfect for the salmon and trout fishing in the lake.” Click here for more details! “Olcott Ultimate Fishing Expo on deck” from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. discusses a new event that will be helping to kick off fishing season on Lake Ontario in this article from The Buffalo News called “Olcott Ultimate Fishing Expo on deck.” As the article states, “The Olcott Ultimate Fishing Expo will be held on May 6 at the Olcott Gazebo on Main Street from noon to 5 p.m. This is a free event for fishing enthusiasts.” Click here for more details! The Buffalo News Discusses Plans for the Upcoming LOTSA Meeting In this article from The Buffalo News called “A LOTSA meeting with a twist,” Bill Hilts Jr. provides details about the upcoming gathering of this group. He states that, “The Lake Ontario Trout and Salmon Association (LOTSA) will be changing things up a bit in May for its monthly meeting. Instead of the club’s normal meeting site in Lockport, the group will be heading to the Wilson Boat Yard for a special meeting.” Click here for more information! The Buffalo News Shares "The Fishing Beat" Bill Hilts Jr. provides updates about the latest fishing conditions 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 inland streams. Click here to see!
  3. It looks like the weather is finally breaking. Lower river drifters were doing well again according to Capt. Frank Campbell of Niagara Falls. He has hit steelhead and lake trout all week using minnows, egg sacs, MagLips and Kwikfish throughout the river, all fished off three-way rigs. Water conditions have been good. The smelt could be running any day in the lower Niagara River if temperatures are the main trigger point. However, the Lewiston Smelt Festival is still on the calendar for May 4 at Lewiston Landing starting at 5 p.m. There will be over 400 pounds of smelt cooked up by the Niagara River Anglers Association. Speaking of the lower river, the NYPA fishing platform has re-opened. Mike Rzucidlo of Niagara Falls was 5 for 8 on steelhead using jigs on Wednesday. For Lake Ontario and tributaries, flows were back to normal at 18 Mile Creek and Burt Dam according to Wes Walker of The Slippery Sinker in Olcott. However, the water was still a bit stained and temperatures were in the mid-40’s in the creek. Those temperatures will start to rise and trout will drop back and leave the creek soon. Fish are still available for now. Egg sacs, egg imitations and jigs are all good baits to try. Out in the lake, it’s been a tougher go with the winds. A mud line extended to 120 feet off Olcott earlier in the week but things should start to settle a bit more by the weekend. Winds have kept people off the piers and smaller boats from chasing salmon and trout. Remember that some of the bigger fishing contests have been pushed back by a week or two. The Lake Ontario Counties Trout and Salmon Derby (www.loc.org) for the spring will be held this year from May 11-20. The Wilson Harbor Invitational Tournament is May 19 (www.wilsonharborinvitational.com) and the Lake Ontario Pro-Am Salmon Team Tournament is June 1-2 out of Wilson and Olcott. Check out www.lakeontarioproam.net. The Don Johannes/Pete DeAngelo one fish-three fishing contest is May 31. Stop in at the Gas Shack in Wilson or the Slippery Sinker in Olcott for details. If you can make it on the lake, the shoreline trolling for browns, the occasional Coho and steelhead can be caught on stickbaits like Bay Rats, Challengers and Live Targets. For those of you looking for kings, they’ve been picking up a few, but exact details are sparse with the first tournament of the year kicking off this weekend in St. Catharines. Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.
  4. The Buffalo News provides updates and information on a number of topics of interest to outdoor enthusiasts. See below for links and details! The Buffalo News Discusses "The Fishing Beat" Bill Hilts Jr. provides information about current fishing conditions on several bodies of water 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 more information! "Catches (and Hunts) of the Week" from The Buffalo News The Buffalo News provides photos and details about some of this week's best catches and hunts in this edition of "Catches (and Hunts) of the Week." Click here to see! The Buffalo News Shares that "Lapa to speak at Niagara Musky meeting" In this article from The Buffalo News called "Lapa to speak at Niagara Musky meeting," Bill Hilts Jr. shares that Chad Lapa will be the featured speaker at the Niagara Musky Association's monthly meeting taking place on May 1. Chad's talk will be themed around the topic of "Three Small Observations of BIG Muskies." Click here for details! The Buffalo News Shares that "Niagara conservation group reschedules banquet" Bill Hilts Jr. provides details about the Niagara County Federation of Conservation Clubs, which has rescheduled its awards banquet for May 19 due to the recent ice storm in this article from The Buffalo News. Click here for details! The Buffalo News Reports that "WNY loses two leading conservationists" Bill Hilts Jr. tells the stories of two local conservationists who recently passed away in this article from The Buffalo News called "WNY loses two leading conservationists." Click here to read more about Paul Stoos and Gordon Botting!
  5. The Buffalo News provides a variety of details of interest to outdoor enthusiasts! See below for link to some of this week's stories! The Buffalo News Shares “The Fishing Beat” Bill Hilts Jr. provides updates and information about the fishing conditions on several bodies of water 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, inland waters of WNY, and Chautauqua Lake. Click here to see! The Buffalo News Shares the “Catches of the Week” The Buffalo News provides photos and stories about some of this week’s best catches in this edition of the “Catches of the Week.” Click here to see!
  6. If you are looking for some sort of a fishing update, the easiest way to describe our situation right now is that it’s a mess. Mother Nature took a few weeks to play some April Fool’s chicanery by throwing up a complete smorgasbord of weather wizardry that included excessive rains, high winds, snow, ice, sleet and unseasonably cold temperatures. Just prior to this last round of severe weather, some decent trout fishing was reported in the lower Niagara River for boat drifters and shoreline casters. Mike Rzucidlo of Niagara Falls was tossing some No. 3 spinners to take some steelhead in the Devil’s Hole area and boaters were drifting minnows on three-way rigs to take a mix of steelhead, brown trout and lake trout. There was a report of some smelt taken along Artpark two nights ago, but most of the reports are showing very limited numbers if any at all. Some of the boat captains have reported seeing large pods of baitfish showing up on their fish finders and they suspect smelt. Water temps were around 37-38 degrees as of Tuesday and it won’t be long. The big smelt celebration is May 4 at Lewiston Landing for the annual Lewiston Smelt Festival. Come on out at 5 p.m. and join in on some of the festivities. The Niagara River pen rearing project for salmon and trout will be starting up the week of April 25 and if you would like to lend a hand, give Capt. Frank Campbell a call at 716-523-0013. The project will be housed in Youngstown next to Youngstown Yacht Club. The NYPA fishing platform is still closed. For Lake Ontario and the tributaries, no one has been able to get on the lake to work the shoreline for browns, steelhead and Coho salmon. The piers have been empty because of all of the northerly winds and every tributary is high and muddy. It should bring in any remaining steelhead attempting to spawn this spring and open up any creek mouths that have been closed because of earlier northerly winds. Bullheads should still be available around Wilson in both branches of 12 Mile Creek and when the waters start to clear, perch should be available again, too, in both Wilson and Olcott harbors and off the piers. Everything is in a holding pattern right now. Pen projects in Wilson and Olcott are underway and hopefully this weather event will not impact those numbers. The Lake Ontario Counties Trout and Salmon Derby has pushed its dates back to May 11-20 this year and the Wilson Harbor Invitational tournament is May 19. The Lake Ontario Pro-Am Salmon Team Tournament is June 1-2 and the Don Johannes and Pete DeAngelo 3 fish-1 fish contest is May 31. Get those contests on your fishing calendar. The weather looks clear and 50 this weekend and if things don’t change too much and the waters settle down, it could be good enough for some fishing. Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.
  7. The signs of spring are all around us. The New York Power Authority started pulling the ice boom at the head of the Niagara River where it meets up with Lake Erie and remaining ice is minimal due to the extreme wind event last week. There is still a pile of ice hanging around the base of Niagara Falls, but the warmer temperatures and rain should break that up in the coming week. Lower Niagara River trout action took back off when the waters cleared this week and Capt. Frank Campbell of Niagara Falls had a banner day earlier this week with double digit trout with a mix of steelhead, browns and lake trout. Minnows fished off three-way rigs were the bait of choice. No reports on the shore fishing action and the NYPA fishing platform is still closed due to the high water and potential for ice coming down the river still. Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.
  8. The Buffalo News provides updates and information on a variety of topics of interest to outdoor enthusiasts. See below for details and links! The Buffalo News Discusses the History of Lake Ontario Salmon Fishing Bill Hilts Jr. provides an overview of how salmon fishing became so popular on Lake Ontario in this article titled, “Credit the Coho with starting Lake Ontario’s salmon craze” from The Buffalo News. Bill states in the article, that “The lake has come a long way since those very first 1968 Coho stockings.” Click here to learn more! The Buffalo News Shares “The Fishing Beat” Bill Hilts Jr. provides details about the fishing conditions on several bodies of water 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 inland streams, as well as the Wilson Bullhead contest results. Click here to see! The Buffalo News Shares the “Catches of the Week” The Buffalo News shares photos and stories about some of this week’s best catches in this edition of the “Catches of the Week.” Click here to see! The Buffalo News Shares Outdoorsman Hall of Fame Inductees Bill Hilts Jr. provides details about this year’s inductees into the New York State Outdoorsmen Hall of Fame in this article from The Buffalo News called “Outdoorsman Hall of Fame Inductees Announced.” Click here to see this year’s honorees! The Buffalo News Shares the “Outdoors Calendar” The Buffalo News provides dates and details for several upcoming events of interest to outdoor enthusiasts in this edition of the “Outdoors Calendar.” Events from now through May 30 are included. Click here to see!
  9. April 1 was the designated opener for the NY Power Authority Fishing Platform in the Niagara Gorge and the reservoir is now open for business as of April 1, too. However, a wind storm is ripping through the region today and a high wind warning is in place. Thanks to those winds, the Power Authority Platform is closed today. It’s under water. If you want to check before heading down there so you don’t waste a trip, call 796-0135 Ext. 45 for regular updates. We’d been told that the ice boom wasn’t going to be pulled until there was less than 250 square miles. Someone forgot to tell Mother Nature. The wind broke the ice boom loose today. We’ll have to wait and see what happens. Lower River action has been up and down … like the water. Egg sacs, beads, spoons and spinners are all working from shore. Boaters are using egg sacs and minnows when the conditions call for it. Capt. Mark Vilardo of Kingfisher Charters reports that his last trip out saw clearer conditions in the Devil’s Hole area but varying degrees of stain further down river below the power plants. Clarity depends on wind and runoff. Finding the best color is key. When the winds aren’t a factor, the Niagara Bar has been productive for browns and lake trout. Large golden shiners have been the bait of choice on the bar according to Vilardo. Out in the lake, Capt. Matt Yablonsky with Wet Net Charters has been working the shoreline from Wilson to Fort Niagara in 8 to 15 feet of water for cookie cutter browns with a few bigger ones mixed in. Aidan Pachucinski of Collins reeled in a 15 pounder while using a firetiger Rapala. Other hot baits have been Junior Challengers and MagLips in 2.5 sizes, all bright colors along the mud line using Offshore inline planers. Down off Olcott, best depths have been 12 to 18 feet of water with clown-colored Scatter Raps. At least that worked for John Van Hoff and Wade Winch of North Tonawanda over the weekend. Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.
  10. The Buffalo News provides updates and information regarding a variety of topics of interest to outdoor enthusiasts. See below for links and details. The Buffalo News Shares the “Catches of the Week” The Buffalo News provides photos and stories discussing some of this week’s best catches in this edition of “Catches of the Week.” Click here to see! The Buffalo News Discusses “The Fishing Beat” Bill Hilts Jr. provides updates and information about the fishing conditions on several bodies of water in this edition of “The Fishing Beat” from The Buffalo News. Bodies of water he discusses include Lake Ontario, the Niagara River, Lake Erie and tributaries, Chautauqua Lake, and inland waters. Click here to see! “Pierleoni to speak at LOTSA meeting April 12” from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. provides information about how Capt. Vince Pierleoni with Team Thrillseeker will be the featured speaker when the Lake Ontario Trout and Salmon Association (LOTSA) re-starts its monthly meetings on April 12 in this article from The Buffalo News. Click here for more information! The Buffalo News Shares the “Outdoors Calendar” Bill Hilts Jr. provides details about several upcoming events in this edition of the “Outdoors Calendar” from The Buffalo News. Events are included between now and April 29. Click here for more information!
  11. We finally saw some warmer temperatures this week as the thermometer hit the 50 degree mark for the first time in March. We also received some rain which should draw in some more trout into the tributaries. More rain is expected tonight. In the lower Niagara River, conditions have been clear and you have to work for trout. Minnows and egg sacs were working for local guides drifting the river this week. Late March seems to be a time for big brown trout in Niagara. Last year it was Bob Klemm’s 31 pounder that shook things up from the lower Niagara River. This year, Jack Mings hit a 27 pounder while fishing with Capt. Matt Gantress out in the lake. We had no other details other than a photo of the impressive fish. Mings has had a pretty good week. Earlier he caught a 17-plus pound, 35 inch lower Niagara River steelhead on a peach-colored egg sac – again with Capt. Matt. He should buy a lottery ticket! Shoreline trolling for browns with stickbaits like Bay Rats, Live Targets, Rapalas and Challenger lures can all be effective. Use planer boards or inland boards to get your baits close to the shoreline and away from your boat. A good place to start is 100 to 125 feet back in 10 to 15 feet of water around creek mouths. Look for stained water and a distinct mud line. Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.
  12. The Buffalo News provides information of interest to outdoor enthusiasts through the articles below. Click the links that follow for details! The Buffalo News Discusses the Opening of Trout Fishing Bill Hilts Jr. provides details about the beginning of trout fishing in this article from The Buffalo News titled “Inland trout opener best experienced on the fly.” As the article states, “Fly fishing and trout represent a near-perfect marriage in the world of angling. April 1 is the traditional opening day for inland trout enthusiasts across the Empire State.” Click here to read more! The Buffalo News Shares the "Catches of the Week" The Buffalo News shares photos and stories of some of this week's best catches in this edition of the "Catches of the Week." Click here to see! The Buffalo News Discusses "The Fishing Beat" Bill Hilts Jr. provides updates and information about the fishing conditions on several bodies of water in this edition of "The Fishing Beat" from The Buffalo News. He discusses Lake Ontario and tributaries, the Lower Niagara River, Lake Erie and tributaries, Chautauqua Lake, the inland trout opener, and an upcoming Bullhead Contest. Click here to see! "New book divulges trout tips for WNY" from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. discusses a recently released book called "Trout Streams of Western New York" by J. Michael Kelly in this article from The Buffalo News called "New book divulges trout tips for WNY." Click here for more information! The Buffalo News Shares "The where and when of trout stockings in WNY" Bill Hilts Jr. shares information about trout stocking in western New York in this article called "The where and when of trout stockings in WNY" from The Buffalo News. Click here for details!
  13. Despite a lack of precipitation, steelhead and brown trout are still being caught with regularity in the Lake Ontario tributaries. Water conditions have been low and clear. Small egg sacs, small jigs tipped with a wax worm, and egg imitations are at the top of the list. In 18 Mile Creek, there’s been good trout action from the piers to the dam according to Wes Walker at The Slippery Sinker. When you can get on the piers (northerly winds from the most recent Nor’easter have kept people off the last few days), casting spoons or spinners can produce browns or steelhead. They have been getting some big perch off the piers and in the harbor, too. In fact, they were catching perch all the way to the dam until the gobies moved in. Steelhead were also being caught in Keg Creek. Over in Wilson, there is steelhead in 12 Mile Creeks. In the harbor, perch and bluegills were being caught. Bullhead started to hit in Wilson, too. No sharing on the hot spots because the Wilson Bullhead Derby sponsored by the Wilson Conservation Club is just around the corner. The derby will run from 5 p.m. on April 6 to 1 p.m. on April 8. Sign up at the Slippery Sinker in Olcott or CMC Auto Repair in Wilson. Call Eric at 628-6078 for more information. Out in Lake Ontario, small boaters have been hitting the shoreline for brown trout. With the northerly winds, the shoreline has a distinct mudline. Working stickbaits in and out of the line is one approach, using planer boards. Keep your lures 100 to 125 feet back. Chartreuse and orange have been good colors lately. And if you aren’t getting hits, try bumping your speed up. That’s was John Van Hoff of North Tonawanda and Adam Gierach of Pendleton did last Sunday. Their speed was as high as 2.8 in the cold water and they caught browns up to 10 pounds inside of 15 feet of water. Walker reports that come boats have been catching browns, steelhead and Coho salmon as deep as 40 feet of water and from 40 to 80 feet of water they have been picking up some lake trout. Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.
  14. The Buffalo News provides updates and information in the following articles. See below for details. The Buffalo News Presents the “Catches of the Week” The Buffalo News shares some of this week’s best catches in this edition of the "Catches of the Week." Click here to see! The Buffalo News Presents “The Fishing Beat” Bill Hilts Jr. provides updates about the fishing conditions on several bodies of water in this edition of “The Fishing Beat” from The Buffalo News. Bodies of water discussed include Lake Ontario and tributaries, the Lower Niagara River, Lake Erie and tributaries, inland streams, and other ice fishing updates. Click here to see! “Niagara County Bullhead Tournament April 6-8” from The Buffalo News In this article from The Buffalo News, Bill Hilts Jr. discusses the Fifth Annual Niagara County Bullhead Tournament sponsored by the Wilson Conservation Club, taking place in early April. Click here to see! “Final Results for Capt. Bob’s Outdoor Derby” from The Buffalo News In this article from The Buffalo News, Bill Hilts Jr. discusses Capt. Bob’s Outdoor Fishing Derby, which ended on March 15. Click here to see the results!
  15. It’s March 15 and it’s the final day of the walleye, northern pike, tiger musky and pickerel fishing seasons in New York. We’re also less than a week from the arrival of spring. However, someone forgot to tell Mother Nature. We were dumped on again with another 6 to 8 inches of snow in Niagara. Despite the late white stuff, there are trout in most all of the streams, and in the Niagara River. Mike Rzucidlo of Niagara Falls has been crawling around the rocks in the gorge area and he picked up a few fish in the lower Niagara River this week using a white and silver jig in the Devil’s Hole area. Water was high and visibility was about 10 feet. Water clarity has been an issue for Capt. Mark McGranahan of Sparky’s Charters, too. He was offering trout some egg sacs, minnows and plugs like Kwikfish and MagLips and managed to hook into a few. Action was not consistent though. And it appeared there was a large amount of bait in the river, too. If this weather continues to stay cold with a chance of snow or ice, they may not open the New York Power Authority fishing platform or the NYPA reservoir access points. You can check by calling 716-796-0135 Ext. 45. March 18th is the 13th Annual John Long, Sr. Memorial Raffle and Feast to be held at Niagara Active Hose on Lockport Road in the Town of Niagara from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. This is the big fund raiser for the year with the Niagara River Anglers Association. Call Paul Jackson at 731-4780 for more information. In the Lake Ontario tributaries, conditions have been fair to good for trout. White flies and jigs have been working well. Jig tipped with a wax worm also have been catching some fish. Next rain or melt off should produce a solid push of fish. Water has been cold so fish low (deep) and slow according to Scott Feltrinelli, a local fly fishing guide out of Rochester area. Both steelhead and brown trout are being caught depending on where you are fishing. If you can make it on the lake, you can troll the shoreline for browns with stickbaits. Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.
  16. The Buffalo News provides a variety of updates and information of interest to outdoor enthusiasts. See below for links and details! The Buffalo News Shares “The Fishing Beat” Bill Hilts Jr. provides updates and information about the fishing conditions on several bodies of water in this edition of “The Fishing Beat” from The Buffalo News. Bodies of water discussed include Lake Ontario tributaries, the Niagara River, Lake Erie tributaries, and Chautauqua Lake. Click here to see! “Niagara County Federation Announces Conservation Awards” in The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. provides details about the awards being given this year by the Niagara County Federation of Conservation Clubs in this article from The Buffalo News called “Niagara County Federation Announces Conservation Awards”. The awards dinner will take place on April 14; for more information and a list of this year’s winners click here! The Buffalo News Shares the “Catches of the Week” The Buffalo News provides photos and information about some of this week’s catches in this edition of “Catches of the Week” from The Buffalo News. Click here to see! Click here for more information from ILoveNYFishing.com!
  17. It’s starting to feel like spring a bit. The time changes on Saturday as we “spring” ahead, the days are growing longer, and the sun is a little higher in the sky. The WNY Sport and Travel Expo is also here, the final big trade show of the season – slated for the Erie County Fairgrounds in Hamburg March 8 to 11. Kids day is Saturday and the first 100 kids to the door on Saturday morning (March 10) will receive a fully-rigged cane pole. We are slowly starting to turn the corner on a variety of fronts. On Lake Ontario, the first trollers have started pounding the surf with in-line planers and stickbaits like Bay Rats and Live Target plugs. At least, that’s what was working for Capt. Vince Pierleoni of Newfane recently when he ran a shakedown cruise out of Olcott. While most of the fish were brown trout, he did catch his first salmon of the year – a shaker, but still a salmon. It should be a good year for kings after a record-breaking performance last year in the lake. In 2017, the catch rate for salmon was the best ever in the 32-year history of the open lake creel census. You can find out more about how the fishery fared in 2017 and what the plans are for 2018 when the State of Lake Ontario meeting comes off on March 14 at Cornell Cooperative Extension Niagara, 4487 Lake Ave., Lockport starting at 6:30 p.m. The tributaries off Lake Ontario have been low and clear for the most part. The snow storm last week dumped some significant snow around, but there was no real warm off to melt it off quickly. It’s been more of a slow drain, adding some flow to the systems. There are trout available, but you may have to use a stealthy approach with the clear conditions. Egg sacs, jigs tipped with wax worms and some different fly patterns will catch you fish. Mostly steelhead are being caught but there are a few browns around, too. Remember that pike season closes on March 15 if you are fishing in the harbors of Wilson or Olcott. If you want to help out with the Lake Ontario Trout and Salmon Association’s pen rearing project for salmon and trout, they will be organizing the pens and getting them in the water on April 7 at the Town of Newfane Marina in Olcott starting at 9:30 a.m. Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.
  18. The Buffalo News provides a wide variety of information of interest to outdoor enthusiasts in this edition - see below for details and links! The Buffalo News Shares “The Fishing Beat” Bill Hilts Jr. provides updates and information about the fishing conditions on several bodies of water 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 to read more! “Stream Guide to Speak at Fly Fishers International” from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. provides states that “Lake Ontario and its tributaries will be the focus of the next meeting of the Lake Erie Chapter of Fly Fishers International on March 15” in this article from The Buffalo News called “Stream Guide to Speak at Fly Fishers International.” Click here for more information! Information about Boater Safety Classes from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. states that “The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 3-1 will be holding its first Boating Safety Class of the year Saturday at the Fort Niagara Officer’s Club in Youngstown. The class runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.” in this article from The Buffalo News called “Boater Safety Classes on Tap.” Click here for more information! The Buffalo News Shares the "Outdoors Calendar" The Buffalo News provides dates and details about several upcoming events in this edition of the "Outdoors Calendar." Information is provided about events between now and March 25. Click here to see! The Buffalo News Shares the "Catches of the Week" The Buffalo News provides photos of some of this week's best catches in this edition of "Catches of the Week." Click here to see!
  19. The Buffalo News provides a variety of articles and information of interest to outdoor enthusiasts in this edition. See below for details and links. “Bass pro DelVisco all about educating kids on fishing” from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. shares information about fisherman Mike DelVisco in this article from The Buffalo News called “Bass pro DelVisco all about educating kids on fishing.” As the articles states, “Delvisco is one of the featured seminar speakers at the Western New York Sport and Travel Expo, scheduled for the Erie County Fairgrounds in Hamburg March 8-11.” Click here to read more! The Buffalo News Shares “The Fishing Beat” Bill Hilts Jr. provides updates and information about the fishing conditions on several bodies of water in this edition of “The Fishing Beat” from The Buffalo News. Included is information about Lake Ontario and tributaries, the Niagara River, Lake Erie tributaries, and Chautauqua Lake, as well as the need for Finger Lakes diary cooperators. Click here to see! The Buffalo News Shares the “Catches of the Week” The Buffalo News provides photos and details about many of the fish caught this week in this edition of the “Catches of the Week.” Click here to see! The Buffalo News Shares the "Outdoors Calendar" The Buffalo News provides dates and details about many events of interest to outdoor enthusiasts in this edition of the “Outdoors Calendar.” Events are included between now and March 25. Click here for more information!
  20. Today is the final day of the NYS Winter Classic competition. That doesn’t mean the fishing will stop though. Lower river action has been good to very good for boaters bouncing bottom with three-way rigs. When the wind is out of the south or southwest – like it is today – go with MagLips and Kwikfish lures in silver and green or chartreuse. Silver and pink will also work. When the wind isn’t there to help you, switch over to minnows or egg sacs. Use the same three-way set-up if you are fishing from a boat. If you are fishing from shore, tossing jigs or fishing a jig under a float and tipped with a small worm is very effective. If the water is clear, you may have to get your bet out a bit deeper. Anthony Henley of Buffalo was using a slip bobber to get his offering as deep as 14 feet with his jig under a float. You can also cast spinners or spoons to get your bait out and into the fish zone. Steelhead, brown trout, lake trout and walleye are all available in the system. If you venture into Canadian waters, make sure you have a current license. The new license year started on January 1. And know your seasons. Walleye season closes Feb. 28 on the Canadian side of the river but closes March 15 in New York. Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.
  21. It’s been a roller coaster ride for sure from the fishing end of things due to the ups and downs associated with the weather. Earlier in the week, record-breaking temperatures shot up to 66 degrees. It’s back down to the 30s but back up to the 50s by the weekend. Lower Niagara River action for trout had been good. The tributaries off Lake Ontario and Lake Erie opened back up again and anglers were catching trout consistently … before the rains came. All the tributaries were high and muddy but as of this morning both 12 Mile Creek in Wilson and Keg Creek were flowing nicely according to Wes Walker at The Slippery Sinker in Olcott. Over at Burt Dam and 18 Mile Creek, water flow has already started to come down and there was about a foot visibility. There should be some fresh fish around. Ice fishing is questionable. Caution is advised any time you are heading out onto the hard water due to the wind and rain we received last go-round of warmth. Getting back to the Niagara River, the water condition was affected by the dirty water coming out of the streams but there was no indication that fishing had stopped. Condition was stained from the power plants on down but was more manageable above the plants. Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.
  22. The Buffalo News provides updates and information about a variety of topics of interest to outdoor enthusiasts in the stories below! Click the links below for details! The Buffalo News Shares the Fishing Beat Bill Hilts Jr. provides a variety of updates about the fishing conditions in this edition of “The Fishing Beat” from The Buffalo News. Bodies of water discussed include Lake Ontario bays and tributaries, Lake Erie and tributaries, the Niagara River, and Chautauqua Lake. Updates are also provided about the NYS Winter Classic and Capt. Bob’s Outdoors contest. Click here for more information! Details about the WNY Trout Unlimited Meeting in The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. provides details about the upcoming meeting of the WNY Chapter of Trout Unlimited in this article from The Buffalo News called, “WNY Trout Unlimited Meeting with DEC’s Cornett.” Click here for details! The Buffalo News Shares the “Catches of the Week” The Buffalo News shares photos and information about some of this week’s catches in this edition of the “Catches of the Week.” Click here to see! “The Outdoors Calendar” from The Buffalo News The Buffalo News shares dates and details about several events of interest to outdoor enthusiasts in this edition of the “Outdoors Calendar.” Events are included from now through March 18. Click here to see!
  23. With Lake Erie some 90 percent ice covered, the Niagara River is becoming very clear, making things a bit more difficult to be consistent on the water. One tip is to downsize your presentation with slightly smaller baits like egg sacs or smaller MagLips in 2.5 or Kwikfish in K8. A silver-green Kwikfish was the hot lure on Wednesday as Terry Belke from WGRZ did some filming for Channel 2 out of Buffalo, fishing with Capt. Frank Campbell of Niagara Region Charters. Wobbling baits fished off three-way rigs were the most effective enticements due to a southwest wind that was blowing in some warmer temperatures. Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.
  24. The Buffalo News provides a variety of information of interest to outdoor enthusiasts through the articles below. Click the following links to see! The Buffalo News Shares the “Catches of the Week” The Buffalo News shares pictures and details about some of this week’s best catches in this edition of the “Catches of the Week.” Click here to see the photos and captions! The Buffalo News Discusses “The Fishing Beat” Bill Hilts Jr. provides updates and information about the latest fishing conditions in this edition of “The Fishing Beat” from The Buffalo News. Bodies of water discussed includes Lake Ontario and tributaries, the Niagara River, Lake Erie, Chautauqua Lake, and Oneida Lake. Click here to see! The Buffalo News Shares the “State of Lake Ontario Meeting Sites” Bill Hilts Jr. shares the information that the DEC has announced where this year’s State of the Lake meetings will be held in this article from The Buffalo News called "State of the Lake Ontario Meeting Sites". Click here for dates, locations, and details! “Nominations Sought for Conservation Awards” from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. provides information about the Niagara County Federation of Conservation Clubs’s search for nominations for its annual conservation awards in this article called "Nominations sought for conservation awards" from The Buffalo News. Click here for more information! The Buffalo News Shares the “Outdoors Calendar” Bill Hilts Jr. provides dates and details for several upcoming events of interest to outdoor enthusiasts in this edition of the "Outdoors Calendar" from The Buffalo News. Dates provided range from now through March 10. Click here to see!
  25. Temperatures continue to put a damper on open water anglers in the Niagara River and in area tributaries. However, that’s going to change for the better this weekend as temperatures will shoot up into the 30s and it may even hit the 40 degree mark next Tuesday. Whether you are fishing in the river or the streams, there’s no rush to get on the water. Let things warm up a little bit. Greg Schloerb of Amherst reported that fishing improved once the slush off the top of the water was gone at 18 Mile Creek at Burt Dam. He caught some dandy steelhead using his homemade olive-colored jigs tipped with a wax worm and fished under a float. He caught steelhead to 12 pounds. In the lower Niagara River, action has been a bit more difficult with ice floes coming down through the system. If you can find areas that offer a better drift, take them. Gary Hall of Niagara Falls and Gary Fiori of Lewiston both hit the water last Wednesday and caught some nice steelhead … before they got too cold. Dress accordingly. That water is 32 degrees coming down the river. Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.
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