New York Fishing Report: Lake Erie

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Lake Erie Sponsored by
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Date	01-Nov-09
Water Condition
Water Temperature

Conditions : Lake Erie: Lake Erie and Tributaries - The smaller tributaries are currently in good fishing shape. Medium sized tributaries may be a little turbid, but are fishable and will improve throughout the day. Cattaraugus Creek flow is about 800 cubic feet per second and dropping. Forecasts indicate the Lake Erie region may receive up to a half inch of rain on Saturday. The added rain will keep Cattaraugus Creek muddy for a number of days. Chautauqua, Canadaway, Eighteen Mile and Buffalo Creeks are all good bets tomorrow morning at least. There are good numbers of steelhead and a few brown trout spread throughout the system, even in the upper sections of the creeks. Catches are good and steelhead are averaging about 24 inches long this year, which is larger than normal. There are also many fish in the 26-30 inch range that can easily go over 10 pounds. Spinning anglers do well with egg sacs or spinners and fly anglers see strikes on egg patterns and streamers (minnow patterns, woolly buggers, egg-sucking leeches). When fishing during low and clear conditions, it is best to move stealthily and use small hooks and light lines to fool wary steelhead. Small egg patterns in sizes 12-18 coupled with fluorocarbon tippet in 7-8 pounds are good bets in clear conditions. Anglers can also still catch steelhead by casting spoons from the Cattaraugus Creek breakwall.

The use of spoons, spinners and other sinking lures is a favorite of many anglers, but their legal use in or upon Lake Erie tributary streams requires comprehension. Below the bridge closest to a stream mouth, use of sinking lures with a treble hook (3 points) is permitted. From that first bridge upstream to the first barrier impassible to fish, the use of sinking lures that have a free-swinging hook with no more than 1 hook point and a hook gap of no more than 1/2 inch (between shank and point) is permitted. Convert your spoons and spinners with split rings and single hooks. In the creeks, smaller lures are best with size 6 or smaller hooks. Size 1 and 2 hooks are around the legal 1/2 inch hook gap regulation, but are overkill. Not to mention, one snag on a rock or log can widen the hook gap enough to set you up for a violation.

The open lake fishing is winding down, however there is opportunity for good action if weather permits. Yellow perch catches can be good in fall as schools tighten up and move a bit shallower. Try depths of 50 feet plus off Cattaraugus Creek, Foxes Point, Evangola State Park, Point Breeze or Sturgeon Point. Anglers can also give their favorite nearshore springtime areas a go for late season walleye. Walleye typically move back inshore at this time of year to feed before the onset of winter. For smallmouth bass, key on reef and shoal areas in 15-30 feet of water (fow). A drop-shot rig with live crayfish or shiners works well, but tubes or plastics that imitate crayfish, gobies and shiners will also produce.

Reported by: NYDEC