Weekly Fishing Report

Memories of the 70th Anniversary Conference of the Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers are being re-lived on social media outlets as the media professionals share their stories on the water while fishing in area waters earlier this month. What a fall it’s been!

Change is on the way, though. Just how fast it happens is up to Mother Nature. As we move deeper into fall, salmon fishing is winding down, and we are looking forward to welcoming trout action to the lower Niagara River. In the meantime, anglers can enjoy a variety of species, from bass and walleye to trout and salmon. The most active species shift almost daily, but the exciting part is that your next cast could yield a personal best fish.

In the lower river, smallmouth bass are being caught on live bait and bait imitations, according to Alan Raymond with the Wicked Worm in Youngstown. He’s still seeing a decent amount of salmon and brown trout swimming around the docks every day. A few browns have been caught near the Coast Guard drift. Salmon are still available, and they are being caught on treated salmon skein and beads (size 14mm). He is also seeing some trout action, but it’s just getting started.

In the Niagara Gorge, Mike Rzucidlo of Niagara Falls was back at it targeting salmon from shore, using his homemade No. 4 spinners. Because of the super clear water conditions, he had to decrease in pound test for his fishing line, and that made a difference. Guide Mike Marisa of Niagara River Adventures has been working salmon skein treated with Pro-Cure under floats and casting Thundersticks to hit double-digit salmon from shore, but there has been a crowd of fishermen working the shoreline.

Karen Evarts at The Boat Doctors and Tackle Barn reports that one of the most difficult things to do right now is keeping up with tying egg sacs for anglers trying to take advantage of the fantastic fishing at Burt Dam and 18 Mile Creek. The focus continues to be on brown trout, but king salmon and a few steelhead are still in the mix. Beads and jigs will also work. Pier action has been good, as well as in the harbor. She noted that over in Wilson there have been some salmon, brown trout and bowfin in 12 Mile Creek. Perch, bass and bowfin are also available near the creek mouth.

Matt Vogt of Newfane reports there are plenty of trout and salmon available now at Burt Dam, but there are plenty of people, too. Kings, browns, and steelhead are up for grabs. The flow of the creek has improved since he was last there. The water was slightly cloudy but clear enough to see fish here and there. He caught one salmon on an egg sac and netted a steelhead for another angler.

Capt. Chris Cinelli of Grand Island has started his pursuit of fall muskellunge, but the waters are too clear for any consistency. Local fly-fishing expert Rick Kustich of Getzville worked the waters in the upper river with some of his hand-tied flies, and he did have five follows – but no hook-ups. Cinelli insists the best is yet to come. In the meantime, bass fishing continues to be outstanding, according to Cinelli. Golden shiners fished off three-way rigs are doing well, producing plenty of smallmouth bass.

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