Plenty to do in Western New York

Although we have great fishing in this area, many other regions of the state offer excellent fishing in a different environment. It is always fun and exciting to try different areas or types of fishing.

Last weekend and early this week I had the opportunity to fish Chautauqua Lake, Lake Erie and the Lower Niagara River. Although I fished primarily for smallmouth bass at each location, the fishing was very different. I had to chance to fish for other species but I opted for smallmouth bass since they are one of my favorites, no matter where or how I fish for them.

The occasion was the NYS Outdoor Writers’ Association (NYSOWA) Fall Conference held at Peek n’ Peak Resort in southwest Chautauqua County. Following the conference my wife Carol and I stayed at the Niagara Falls area and spent time with our good friend, Bill Hilts Jr.

One of the mornings during the conference I had the chance to fish on Lake Erie with Scott Gault. We lucked out and had beautiful weather and calm seas. Scott is a very pleasant and interesting person in addition to being a very skilled and successful fisherman. We discussed the Lake Erie fishery at length and also found time to converse about teaching history, fishing in the Adirondacks, kayaking and many other things.

Lake Erie is known for its great smallmouth bass fishing. It also produces large walleye and steelhead. Dan Ladd was fishing for walleye at the same time and caught a six and an eight-pound walleye. That particular morning my friend Ed Noonan was fishing for bass nearby with Scott Callen. A few days earlier both Scott Gault and Scott Callen had fished and scouted the area and found lots of fish on underwater humps or ridges at depths of 20-30 feet.

However, a stiff northern wind followed by a southern breeze had scattered the fish so we had to work to find them along these humps. Once we hooked up with them they were definitely worth the effort. That particular morning we had our