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The Buffalo News provides a variety of information of interest to outdoor enthusiasts. See below for details and links! “Lake Ontario salmon catch rate sets record” from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. shares the news that “salmon fishing was the best it’s ever been in 2017” in this article from The Buffalo News called “Lake Ontario salmon catch rate sets record.” Click here to see 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 and tributaries, the Niagara River, Lake Erie and tributaries, and Chautauqua Lake. Click here to see! The Buffalo News Shares “Catches of the Week” The Buffalo News provides photos and and details about some of this week’s best catches in this edition of the “Catches of the Week.” Click here to see! “Niagara River Anglers contest results” from The Buffalo News In this article from The Buffalo News, Bill Hilts Jr. provides a recap of the Roger Tobey Memorial Steelhead contest, which was held by the Niagara River Anglers Association on February 3. Click here to see an overview of the tournament, which had 32 participants! The Buffalo News Shares the “Outdoors Calendar” The Buffalo News shares dates and details for a variety of upcoming events of interest to outdoor enthusiasts in this edition of the “Outdoors Calendar.” Click here to see!

As this is being written, it’s February 1 and the temperature is near 40 degrees. The sun is shining. However, before the day is over the temperatures will plummet into the teens and it is supposed to be cold all weekend. That will continue into next week. In the meantime, fishing action has been very good in the lower Niagara River for boaters drifting egg sacs or minnows off three-way rigs. If the winds are out of the southwest (like they are today), throw on a 2.5 or 3.0 MagLip or a K8 or K9 Kwikfish to get a trout to hit. Steelhead, browns and lake trout are all being caught with regularity. And if you are using minnows, add in walleyes. There has been good walleye fishing all week but you have to pick your spots for them. Actually you can catch trout and walleye from Devil’s Hole to the Niagara Bar. If you do catch some walleye, remember that the minimum size is 18 inches and from Jan. 1 to March 15 the daily creel is one fish per person per day. The intent there is to protect the females that are getting ready to spawn soon. While shore fishing is still an option in the gorge, caution is advised due to the shelf ice. Be careful out there. That water is 32 degrees flowing down through the river. Things are looking promising for the Niagara River Anglers Association’s Roger Tobey Memorial Steelhead Contest on Saturday, Feb. 3. Sign up at the launch ramp in Lewiston early Saturday or stop in to Creek Road Bait and Tackle or The Slippery Sinker. If you are interested in musky, the Niagara Musky Association will be holding their monthly meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 6 at the Eldredge Club, 17 Broad Street in Tonawanda starting at 7 p.m. Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.

The Buffalo News provides a wide variety of updates and information of interest to outdoor enthusiasts through the following articles. See below for links! The Buffalo News Shares “The Fishing Beat” Bill Hilts Jr. shares updates and information about the fishing conditions on several bodies of water in this edition of “The Fishing Beat” from The Buffalo News. He states that, “Another January thaw brought anglers out of house to wet a line and make a few casts in open water. Many times the fish cooperated nicely. And there was still some great ice fishing going on as well.” Bodies of water discussed include Lake Ontario tributaries, the Niagara River, Lake Erie tributaries, Chautauqua Lake, and Keuka Lake. Ice fishing tidbits as well as leaders of the Winter Classic are also discussed. Click here to see! “Southtowns Walleye Elects First Female President” from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. provides details about the new president of the Southtowns Walleye Association in this article from The Buffalo News called “Southtowns Walleye Elects First Female President.” As the article states, “Sue Guenther of East Aurora made history in late January when she was elected president of the Southtowns Walleye Association of WNY. She is the first female president of the club, the largest walleye association in the country.” Click here for more information! The Buffalo News Shares the “Catches of the Week” The Buffalo News provides photos and details about several of this week’s catches in this edition of “Catches of the Week.” Click here to see! The Buffalo News Provides Details about the Upcoming WNED Kid Fest Bill Hilts Jr. shares information about an upcoming event in this article from The Buffalo News called, “WNED Kid Fest includes fishing presence.” As the article states, “Looking for something to do with the kids this weekend (Feb. 3-4) that has an outdoor twist? WNED-TV will be hosting a Kid Fest at the station’s studios located at 140 Lower Terrace, Buffalo, from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday.” Click here for more information! 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 are included between now and February 25th. Click here for details!

In the ice fishing arena, it’s been a good ice fishing year so far but with the recent rain and warm weather, you will really want to be very careful out there. The last time this happened a few weeks ago, the ice in Olcott Harbor was affected due to the excessive flow coming through the 18 Mile Creek system. Wilson was not as severely affected and at last report there was up to 6 inches of ice. There is quite a bit of water open right now at Burt Dam and 18 Mile Creek and with the added flow of water, it should be pulling in some fresh fish into the system. Anglers are reporting steelhead with the occasional brown trout mixed in. White or black jigs tipped with a wax worm and fished under a float was working for Greg Schloerb of Amherst this past week. Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.

This edition of The Buffalo News provides several articles, updates, and overviews of interest to outdoor enthusiasts. See below for details!! “WNY Native Turns Fly Fishing into a Soul Endeavor” from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. provides a biography of Jerry Kustich, an avid fly fisherman and author, in this article from The Buffalo News titled, “WNY Native Turns Fly Fishing into a Soul Endeavor.” The article discusses how fly fishing can be a way of life, and guide throughout one’s life. Click here to read the full article! The Buffalo News Promotes Upcoming Fly Fishing Educational Events Bill Hilts Jr. provides details about a few different fly fishing programs that are coming up in this article from The Buffalo News titled, "Fly fishing classes, changes and presentations." Included is a talk by Jim Budny at the next meeting of the Western New York Chapter of Trout Unlimited, a class hosted by the Lake Erie Chapter of Fly Fishers International, and a class by Alberto Rey who founded the Children in the Stream Youth Fly Fishing Program. Click here for details! The Buffalo News Shares “The Fishing Beat” Bill Hilts Jr. provides an overview of the fishing scene on several bodies of water in this edition of “The Fishing Beat.” Bodies of water discussed include Lake Ontario and tributaries, Oneida Lake, Keuka Lake, the Niagara River, Lake Erie, and Chautauqua Lake. Click here to see! The Buffalo News Shares “Leaders in the Capt. Bob Fishing Derby” In this article from The Buffalo News titled, “Leaders in the Capt. Bob Fishing Derby” Bill Hilts Jr. shares details about the standings of this popular fishing event. Current leaders in several species and from several bodies of water are included. Click here to see! “Catches of the Week” from The Buffalo News 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! “Outdoors Calendar” from The Buffalo News The Buffalo News provides dates and details for several upcoming events of interest to outdoor enthusiasts in this edition of the “Outdoors Calendar.” Events are included from now through February 18. Click here to see!

Yes, people are catching fish … but you do have to work for them. More importantly right now is the fact that the Greater Niagara Fishing and Outdoor Expo is about to open, slated for Jan. 19-21 at the Conference and Event Center Niagara Falls. Check out the website at www.niagarafishingexpo.com for all the details and make sure you print out your $5 parking voucher for the city lots. With 70 speakers, 120 seminars and clinics, as well as over 150 booths, this is a fishing extravaganza like no other. I can’t emphasize enough how good this event is from an educational standpoint. You are guaranteed to learn something new. There are too many quality speakers to list. Simply click on the website and be amazed. Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com

The Buffalo News provides photos and details about some of the fish caught recently in this edition of "Catches of the Week." Click here to see.

The Buffalo News provides details about several fishing related topics. See below for links to the articles. “Knowledge is Everything with Fishing and the Outdoors” from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. discusses the importance of experience when it comes to outdoor activities in this article called, “Knowledge is Everything with Fishing and the Outdoors” from The Buffalo News. As he states in the article, “It’s important to be a student of the outdoors, always willing to learn with every cast, every step. And as you collect that knowledge and store it away for that right set of circumstances, it can lead you to rewarding experiences that can also push to further life lessons.” Click here to see! "Scattershot" from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. provides updates on a variety of topics that will be covered at the upcoming Greater Niagara Fishing and Outdoor Expo in this edition of "Scattershots" from The Buffalo News. Click here for more information about the show and click here to see the full article! The Buffalo News Discusses "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, Chautauqua Lake, the Niagara River, Lake Simcoe, and Lake Erie. He also states that, “If you really want to see some angling excitement, though, make sure you stop down to the 5th Annual Greater Niagara Fishing and Outdoor Expo Jan. 19-21 at the Conference and Event Center Niagara Falls.” Click here for more information about the show, and click here to see the full “Fishing Beat” article. The Buffalo News Shares the "Outdoors Calendar" The Buffalo News provides dates and details for several upcoming events in this edition of the "Outdoors Calendar." Dates included run through February 10th. Click here to see!

The Buffalo News provides information on a variety of topics of interest to outdoor enthusiasts. See below for details! The Buffalo News Highlights Upcoming Greater Niagara Fishing and Outdoor Expo Bill Hilts Jr. provides important details in this article titled, “Niagara Fishing Expo is filled with reel knowledge” from The Buffalo News. As the article states, “Slated to be held Jan. 19-21 at the Conference and Event Center Niagara Falls, it’s a consumer fishing show like no other. If you are an avid fisherman, weekend warrior or thinking about taking up the popular pastime, this is the perfect show for you.” Click here to read more! The Buffalo News Shares A Safety Reminder Bill Hilts Jr. tells the story of a dangerous situation in this article from The Buffalo News titled, “Close Call for Duck Hunter in Finger Lakes.” He reminders readers that, “Enjoying outdoor activities like hunting and fishing in the middle of severe winter conditions should raise a warning flag for participants. Follow the rules and don’t take any unnecessary chances should be at the top of everyone’s list.” Click here to read what happened! The Buffalo News Shares the Current Fishing Beat Bill Hilts Jr. provides an overview of fishing conditions on a variety of bodies of water in this edition of "The Fishing Beat" from The Buffalo News. Included are updates from Lake Ontario, the Niagara River, and Lake Erie, as well as Capt. Bob's Outdoor Derby and the NYS Winter Classic. Click here to see! "Catches of the Week" from The Buffalo News The Buffalo News provides photos and stories about many of the fish caught in this edition of "Catches of the Week." Click here to see! The "Outdoors Calendar" from The Buffalo News The Buffalo News provides dates and details for several upcoming events in this edition of the "Outdoors Calendar." Events are listed through February 4. Click here to see!

A January thaw is already underway in Western NY and it could spell good news all the way around for anglers. For starters, the lower Niagara River is back in business for boaters and shoreline casters. The gorge area has been producing lake trout, steelhead and walleye for casters using jigs in green and white. Lake trout to 13 pounds and steelhead to 12 have been reported. Wear ice creepers when walking the shoreline. Boaters started catching fish on Monday and today was pretty good for many of the captains plying the waters in search of trout and walleye. Kwikfish and MagLip lures fished off three-way rigs have been the most effective. Beads and egg sacs will catch fish, too. Be careful of any chunk ice floating down. Fish can be found from Devil’s Hole to the Niagara Bar. The streams are slowly starting to open back up again and while the openings are limited, you can do well. Shawn West of Lockport caught his personal best brown trout this week, an 18 pound bomber that hit a bead. Jigs will also work, tipped with wax worms and fished under a float. Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.

The Buffalo News provides a wealth of information of interest to outdoor enthusiasts in the following articles. See below for details! From The Buffalo News: “The passing of iconic Charlie Alsheimer creates a void” Bill Hilts Jr. reflects on the life of Charlie Alsheimer in this article from The Buffalo News called, “Outdoors: The passing of iconic Charlie Alsheimer creates a void.” The article also discusses many of this year’s highlights, and looks toward the coming year, including the Greater Niagara Fishing and Outdoor Expo coming up on January 19 - 21. Click here to see! “Catches of the Week” from The Buffalo News The Buffalo News provides photos and stories about 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 an overview of the fishing conditions on several bodies of water in this edition of “The Fishing Beat” from The Buffalo News. Details are included regarding Lake Ontario and tributaries, the Niagara River, Lake Erie, Chautauqua Lake, and inland lakes. Click here to see! Details about the “NRAA Steelhead Contest Feb. 3” from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. provides details about the upcoming Roger Tobey Memorial Steelhead Contest hosted by the Niagara River Anglers Association in this article from The Buffalo News. Click here for more details! The Buffalo News Highlights the Upcoming Southtowns Walleye Association Outfitters Fair Bill Hilts Jr. provides details about the Southtowns Walleye Association’s Outfitters Fair, taking place on January 13, in this article from The Buffalo News. Click here for more information! The Buffalo News Highlights Upcoming DEC Angler Survey The Buffalo News provides details about the upcoming DEC survey, stating that, “The state’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced that that a new angler survey will be conducted in 2018. It’s been more than 10 years since the last survey (2007), an outreach designed to learn more about angler attitudes, preferences and opinions on fisheries management issues.” Click here to read more! The Buffalo News Provides Updated “Outdoors Calendar” The Buffalo News provides dates and details for several upcoming events of interest to outdoor enthusiasts. Details are included for events happening now through February 3. Click here to see!

Record-breaking cold and other adverse conditions have put a hamper on fishing action in Western New York. The lower Niagara River was too stained to fish on Tuesday but there is hope for the weekend if not before. However, extreme cold may keep people from being on the water or casting the shorelines in the Niagara. Just before this most recent cold snap, some walleye were hitting jigs both above and below Niagara Falls. Perch were hitting in some of the marinas in the upper river and trout were cooperating below the falls from Devil’s Hole to the Niagara Bar. MagLips and Kwikfish lures were working off three-way rigs. Egg sacs also produced some steelhead, browns and a mixed bag of other fish species. In the tributaries of Lake Ontario, the only hope was 18 Mile Creek at Burt Dam but flow has been slow. By the time you read this, there will probably be ice to the trestle at Fisherman’s Park. The only good news could be for hard water anglers. Wilson and Olcott harbors could have some safe ice by the weekend, but make sure there is at least 4 inches. Follow all of the safety protocols. The New Year is here on Monday which means that lake trout season will be underway in the lower Niagara River, the walleye limit in those same lower river waters will be one per person and the new license year in the Province of Ontario waters will be in effect. From a competitive fishing standpoint, the New York State Winter Classic Fishing Tournament will be going on (starting Jan. 1st) for the next two months until February 28th. Check out www.nyswinterclassic.com for details. At the same time, Capt. Bob’s Outdoors in Clarence has a derby going on Jan. 2 through March 15. You will need to stop down to the Main Street store to register. In three weeks the Greater Niagara Fishing and Outdoor Expo will be held at the Conference and Event Center Niagara Falls January 19th to the 21st. The three-day event is a must-attend if you want to learn more about fish and fishing. With 70-some speakers and over 120 different seminars to choose from, the education during this event is second to none on the Great Lakes. Bass fans will be clamoring over the likes of Bass Elite pros Shaw Grigsby and Mark Menendez. Walleye chasers will be able to learn from Mark Romanack, Lance Valentine, Sam Cappelli, Joe Fonzi and Don Ruppert. For salmon there’s Dan Keating, Mark McClutchey, Greg Amiel, Matt Yablonsky and Rick Hajecki. In the trout arena, there’s Frank Campbell, Danny Colville, and Drew Nisbet . And the sold-out show floor has 150 top quality exhibitors, too. Check out www.niagarafishingexpo.com for all of the details. Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.

The Buffalo News provides updates and information on a variety of outdoor-related topics. See below for details! “The Fishing Beat” from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. provides details about fishing conditions on several bodies of water in this edition of “The Fishing Beat” from The Buffalo News. Included are reports from Lake Ontario and tributaries, Lake Erie tributaries, the Niagara River, and Chautauqua Lake, as well as updates on the New York State Winter Classic, Capt. Bob’s Winter Derby, and ice fishing. According to the article, “Long term cold weather has arrived, getting ice fishermen eager and stream anglers looking for any place with open water. The beginning of the New Year means some regulations changes as well as the start of a couple important fishing contests.” Click here to read more! Reflections on 2017 from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. provides reflections on 2017 in this article from The Buffalo News called “From fish to fowl to big-game hunts… ah, the memories.” Included are thoughts from Bill and others on the fishing, hunting, and other outdoor activities from the past year. Click here to see! “Catches and Hunts of the Week” from The Buffalo News The Buffalo News provides photos and details about several fish caught in this edition of “Catches and Hunts of the Week.” Click here to see! The Buffalo News Reports on Upcoming Regulation Changes Bill Hilts Jr. provides details about some upcoming adjustments in this article from The Buffalo News called “Lower Niagara Regulation Changes for Early 2018.” Information is provided about the lower Niagara River as well as Lake Ontario. Click here to learn more! “Outdoors Calendar” from The Buffalo News The Buffalo News provides dates and details for several upcoming outdoor related events in this edition of the “Outdoors Calendar.” Information is included for events between now and January 21. Click here to read more!

The Buffalo News provides information about a variety of topics that are of interest to outdoor enthusiasts. See below for this week's topics. The Buffalo News Reports on the Need for Respect for Niagara River Lake Trout Bill Hilts Jr. reports on the status of lake trout in the Niagara River in this article from The Buffalo News, stating that “Lake trout once prowled these Lake Ontario waters with an attitude, a native species that was highly regarded among fishing circles, as well as sought after among commercial operations. However, when native lake trout were wiped out from the system, they were replaced with stocked fish.” Click here to read more! “The Fishing Beat” from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. provides updates on the fishing condition on a number of bodies of water including Lake Ontario and tributaries, the Niagara River, Chautauqua Lake, and Lake Erie and tributaries in this edition of “The Fishing Beat” from The Buffalo News. In addition, results from Capt. Bob’s Derby are included. Click here to read more! “Scattershots” from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. provides updates on a number of topics of interest to outdoor enthusiasts in this edition of “Scattershots” from The Buffalo News. Click here to see! “Outdoors Calendar” from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. provides dates and details about several upcoming events for those interested in the outdoors in this edition of the “Outdoors Calendar” from The Buffalo News. Dates are included for events between now and January 14th. Click here to see!

While weather forecasters are calling for a white Christmas followed by a blast of Arctic air from the North Country, anglers right now have been limited in where they can get a line wet. High winds, rain and snow melt contributed to muddy conditions in the Niagara River both above and below Niagara Falls. Shore fishermen should be the first to be able to target trout in the lower river from the Whirlpool to Artpark. Jigs, egg sacs or egg imitations like trout beads fished under a float are good options for drifters. Casters can use spoons, spinners or jigs to hook up with a steelhead or brown trout. Lake trout are still around, too. Remember that laker season opens on January 1. January 1 is also the start of a special walleye regulation. The daily limit drops from three to one until March 15 to help protect spawning females. Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.

Back-to-back storms in Western New York had an impact on some of the fishing opportunities last week and weather continues to influence where and when you can fish. As this report is being written, it is 15 degrees out with a wind chill in the single digits. It is cold! The high winds last week led to terrible conditions in the Niagara River. As of mid-week, though, shore casters were using egg sacs to take some nice steelhead in the gorge area with three feet of visibility. Other baits worthy of consideration are spinners, trout beads and even wobble baits like Kwikfish or MagLips. Boaters should be able to get out this weekend if the weather cooperates. Egg sacs, those same wobbling baits and beads will all work from a three-way rig as you drift from Devil's Hole down to the Niagara Bar - not one big drift but a series of smaller drifts. Before the water muddied up, they were doing pretty good on brown trout around the Coast Guard drift and out on the Niagara Bar. Lake trout season is open on the Canadian side of the river. It opens in New York on Jan. 1, 2018. Musky season in the lower river and Lake Ontario closes Dec. 15 so essentially that is over for the year until the season reopens the third Saturday in June. Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.

The Buffalo News provides updates and information on a wide variety of topics for those interested in the outdoors this week! See below for details! “Catches of the Week” from The Buffalo News The Buffalo News features photos and stories about some of this week’s best catches in this edition of “Catches of the Week.” Click here to see! “The Fishing Beat” from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. provides up-to-date details about fishing conditions on Lake Ontario, the Niagara River, Chautauqua Lake, and Lake Erie and its tributaries in this week’s “The Fishing Beat” from The Buffalo News. According to the article, “Winter finally arrived in Western New York, accentuated nationally through last Sunday’s Buffalo Bills snow fight. There’s nothing quite like a good old fashioned lake effect snow storm to play in. For fishing success you will need to find open water or water that is not too stained to fish. It may be a challenge.” Click here to see! Gift Ideas from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. provides his thoughts on presents for those interested in outdoor activities in this article from The Buffalo News called “Gift ideas for the dedicated (and not-so-dedicated) outdoorsperson.” Ideas presented include gift cards to local or national stores, DVDs, reading material, or time at the Greater Niagara Fishing and Outdoor Expo (www.niagarafishingexpo.com), set for Jan. 19-21 at the Conference and Event Center Niagara Falls. Click here to read more! “Outdoors Calendar” from The Buffalo News The Buffalo News provides dates and details for a number of upcoming events in this edition of the “Outdoors Calendar.” Dates are included for now through January 14th. Click here to see!

A good old-fashioned snow storm hit Western New York this week. In fact, it’s still going on south of Buffalo. So far, it hasn’t touched Niagara Falls USA with snow … but it did impact water conditions in the Niagara River. Rain and high winds hit first, creating a muddy mess in the Niagara River that was quite severe. Just prior to the change, though, the Niagara River was on fire with a focus on steelhead but offering anglers a mixed bag of fish all the way around – from Devil’s Hole to the Niagara Bar. Capt. Frank Campbell of Niagara Region Charter Service was using MagLip plugs in 3.0 size to take steelhead, brown trout, lake trout, Atlantic salmon, walleye and Coho salmon just prior to the storm. The plugs were fished off three-way rigs. Along Artpark and in Devil’s Hole, boat drifters were also using egg sacs and beads to take trout. Shore fishermen have been picking up trout, too, but it had slowed a bit. With the storm still going on, we don’t know if anyone will be able to fish by the weekend. We may see some of the white stuff by then, too. Water temperatures were still in the low 40’s. In the John Henning Memorial Musky Tournament, Frank Alcorn of Pennsylvania won the Niagara Musky event last Sunday with a fat 47-inch muskellunge trolling with a Legend perchbait. Also just prior to the storm, Mike Rzucidlo of Niagara Falls used egg sacs and spinners to take some small trout in the smooth water before the upper rapids area just before the water plummets over the falls. Remember that lake trout season is closed in the lower river and bass season is now catch and release only all around the state (except Lake Erie). Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.

The Buffalo News provides updates about the latest outdoor-related events in this series of articles. See below for details! The Buffalo News Highlights the Salmon River Bill Hilts Jr. discusses New York’s Salmon River in this article from The Buffalo News. He provides a recap of his recent fishing trip there stating that, “ If you’ve never fished the Salmon River, it should be on your bucket list.” Click here to read more! “Catches of the Week” from The Buffalo News The Buffalo News provides photos and stories about many of the fish caught this week in this edition of “Catches of the Week.” Click here to see! The Buffalo News Provides Details about the Winter Classic Bill Hilts Jr. provides details about the New York State Winter Classic Fishing Tournament in this article from The Buffalo News. The tournament runs from January 1, 2018 and ends on February 28, 2018. Click here for more information! “The Fishing Beat” in The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. provides updates and details on the fishing scene in the region 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. Also included are details about Capt. Bob’s Outdoors Fishing Derby and the John Henning Memorial Musky Tournament. Click here to see! “Outdoors Calendar” from The Buffalo News The Buffalo News provides dates and details for a number of outdoor-related events in this edition of the “Outdoors Calendar” from The Buffalo News. Dates are included from now through January 1. Click here to see!

At the time of this report, it was starting to rain. After a very windy day yesterday, the wind and/or rain combo could negatively affect water clarity in places like the Niagara River or some of the smaller streams off Lake Ontario. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t catch fish. The lower Niagara River was stained yesterday but a few captains decided to give it a go since their customers were already in town. Capt. Vince Pierleoni of Newfane managed to hit double digit trout – half steelhead and half lake trout – using egg sacs off three-way rigs. Use bright colored baits when the water is stained. MagLips and Kwikfish in silver and chartreuse will also work when drifting from a boat. When the water is stained, though, there is no guarantee you can catch fish from a boat. Shore fishermen can actually do a little better than the boaters in that some cleaner water can sometimes be found closer to the shoreline. Egg sacs or egg imitations work well, as do spoons and spinners. You need something to get the attention of the fish. Today is the final day of the musky season in most of the state. However, the lower Niagara River and Lake Ontario are both open until Dec. 15. To take advantage of the extra couple of weeks of action, the Niagara Musky Association will be holding the John Henning Memorial Lower River Musky Tournament on Dec. 3 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. We’ll have to see if Mother Nature – and the fish – cooperate for the anglers. Dec. 1 is the opening of lake trout season in the lower river and Lake Ontario for the Province of Ontario. New York’s laker season opens on Jan. 1, 2018. If you do catch a lake trout, be sure to release it quickly and unharmed. The NYPA Fishing Platform, as well as the other NYPA fishing access points like the reservoir and water intakes, will be closing down for the season after Dec. 3. They will not re-open until the spring. Speaking of the platform, Mike Rzucidlo of Niagara Falls caught a 16 pound salmon on 8 pound test line earlier this week and it took him an hour and 20 minutes to reel in! Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.

The Buffalo News provides a variety of information of interest to outdoor enthusiasts in its latest editions. See below for details! “The Fishing Beat” from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. provides updates and details about current fishing conditions on a number of bodies of water in this week’s “The Fishing Beat” from The Buffalo News. Updates from the Lake Ontario tributaries, Niagara River, Lake Erie tributaries, Lake Erie off Ohio, inland trout, and Chautauqua Lake are included in this week’s report. Click here to see! The Buffalo News Reports that "NYPA Fishing Platform Set to Close for Season" Bill Hilts Jr. provides details on the New York Power Authority’s fishing platform in the Lower Niagara River, stating that it is scheduled to close December 3rd in this article from The Buffalo News. He also provides contact information if you’d like more details. Click here to see! "Outdoors Calendar" from The Buffalo News The Buffalo News provides dates and details for several upcoming events in this edition of the "Outdoors Calendar." Information is provided about events between now and December 26th. Click here to see!

The Buffalo News shares photos and stories of some of this week’s best catches in this edition of “Catches of the Week.” Click here to see photos and details about each catch.

In Lake Ontario tributaries, there have been good numbers of fish and not too many fishermen at Burt Dam and the Fisherman’s Park area of 18 Mile Creek. The final day of charging at the park will be today. Good numbers of fresh Coho salmon are still working their way up to the dam with eggs, egg imitations (like trout beads), and jigs tipped with wax worms all working under a float. Live bait could catch some fish, too. Move around to find the active fish. Four mile and 12 Mile were both high and muddy on Tuesday. No report out of Keg Creek but that had fish last week. Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.

The Buffalo News provides a wide variety of helpful information this week. See below for details and links to several stories of interest “Catches of the Week” from The Buffalo News The Buffalo News shares pictures and details of some of this week’s best catches in this edition of “Catches of the Week.” Click here to see! “The Fishing Beat” from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. provides the latest information about fishing conditions in this edition of “The Fishing Beat” from The Buffalo News. Included are details about Lake Ontario and tributaries, the Niagara River, Chautauqua Lake, and Lake Erie and tributaries. Click here to see! “Devil’s Hole Stairs Opened” from The Buffalo News Bill Hilts Jr. shares the news that the stairs at Devil’s Hole, which were supposed to be closed for renovations until Spring 2018, are now open in this article from The Buffalo News. Click here to see details about this project of interest to anglers and hunters alike! “Outdoors Calendar” from The Buffalo News The Buffalo News provides dates and details for several outdoor-related events in this edition of the “Outdoors Calendar.” The calendar features information for events now through December 17th. Click here to see!

There’s another storm blowing in this weekend but Niagara County could luck out on some of the rain and white stuff should it arrive. Keep your fingers crossed! This just in from state parks: The stairs into the Niagara Gorge at Devil’s Hole State Park will be reopened on Saturday, November 18 after having been closed all summer so that they could be rebuilt. The stairs had been expected to be closed until Spring 2018. This is great news for shore fishermen who like to cast for trout in the Devil’s Hole area. Click here to see the rest of this report on ILoveNYFishing.com.