Brookdog Fishing

Buffalo NY Fishing Report – 05/17/2026

brookdog — Sun, 17 May 2026 19:56:49 +0000

Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Observations from 05/11 – 05/17/2026

Here’s our latest Buffalo NY fishing report: Another seven days straight on the water — and another week touching all the big water around the Buffalo Niagara Region. That puts me at 33 consecutive days, a personal record, and I’m fully in the zone. Seasonal shifts are happening slowly but unmistakably: river bass are getting spawny and sliding shallow, Lake Erie fish are staging on sand and ready to go, and the king salmon bite on Lake Ontario remains ridiculous. It’s starting to feel like summer out there — it’s pushing 80 degrees as I type this — but there’s still a little spring insanity left before we make the full transition.

Days on the water: 7

Who we fished with: friends/clients

Where we fished: Lake Ontario, Lower Niagara, Upper Niagara, Lake Erie

What we caught: lake trout, smallmouth bass, walleye, king salmon, musky, freshwater drum

Tactics: trolling spoons, casting finesse baits

Detailed Reporting/Daily Observations

05/11/2026 – John and Crew (Day 1)

Fished Lake Ontario and the Lower Niagara with John, Bill, and Jesse. We spent the morning pulling plugs on the bar. I marked a ton of fish, but the bite came in flurries. It wasn’t a grind, but there was enough space between bites to make it frustrating at times. We followed that up with a Lower Niagara bass session. We caught mostly small fish, but made some connections to a couple nicer ones.

05/12/2026 – John and Crew (Day 2)

Fished the Upper Niagara with John, Justin, and Jesse. As per usual, I executed the 360 circuit around Grand Island, NY. The bite was consistent. However, fish are moving around – the spawn draws near. Fish were shallower that in recent sessions and some bigger females are showing up. I also noticed a terns and cormorants destroying schools of smelt there and there – a few bass threw those up during fights too.

Water temperature is always a good gauge for when bass start spawning – conventional wisdom suggests temps in the mid-50s. Natural cues stand out to me as well. Under water, schools of smelt start showing up, emerald shiners begin migrating back to the lake, big female smallies arrive seemingly out of nowhere, and the fish start setting up shallow. Above water – all trees are fully leafed and the migratory songbirds are at their peak. Although the songs of oriels are beautiful, when I start hearing them, I get a sense of urgency – the spawn is nigh.

05/13/2026 – John and Crew (Day 3)

Fished Lake Erie with John, Justin, and Jesse. There was a big S blowing that turned into an even bigger SW (and eventually a due W). I had been looking forward to getting out on Erie in these conditions since the start of the season. Big waves usually equal big fish in big numbers. However, that’s not how it turned out.

The water was dingy at best – not sure how that happened – but we only had a couple feet of visibility out there. There were plenty of fish around, but bites were few, far between, and all the fish were small. After a few hours of frustration and lackluster action, we went back to the harbor and worked all the reliable zones. A few big fish were caught – but the wind got to be prohibitive – “waves inside the walls inside the walls.” Still, Justin and Jesse landed their personal best smallies – so it wasn’t a bust out there/worth the grind.

05/14/2026 – “We Never Cancel”

Fished the Upper Niagara with the Whisperer and the Silent Assassin. A stiff NW greeted us the moment we got out there. That direction is the worst. I said something like, “Well, we fish a lot together and wind can only come from four directions — there’s a 25% chance we’ll get a NW.”

The response was something along the lines of, “We get NWs way more than 25% of the time.” I don’t know if that’s actually true, but NW days tend to be brutal. I think we feel like it happens more often because the misery sticks in the memory longer. Either way, it’s an ongoing joke among us.

Oh, and on top of that wind, a steady drizzle hung around and temps hovered in the 40s. At one point, the Whisperer’s glasses were completly “misted up.” He was blind casting, and catching fish. It didn’t take long for shivering to kick in.

Lately, when it gets cold and wet like this and my dexterity starts to dwindle, my left thumb is the first finger to seize up. I end up staring at it and yelling at it to move when I’m trying to tie knots. I’m sure those of you who have fished with cold hands can relate to this – you can tie knots with your eyes closed, but your fingers won’t do what you want them to do. It’s frustrating – and comical. So yeah, it hurt.

Still, we had a good time like we always do — nonstop conversation and catching fish despite the adversity. It’s days like this that build character and make those summer walleye trips feel that much sweeter.

05/15/2026 – Back out with Shari

Fished Lake Ontario out of Lewiston, NY with long time client/friend, Shari. We’ve been fishing together for over 5 years now, yet somehow, I’ve never taken her out to Lake Ontario for salmon. Well, she got the perfect introduction.

It’d been about 6 months since our last trip so, we spent the first 30 minutes catching up and combing some water looking for kings. Right away, I marked many but wasn’t getting bit. Then, BANG. Once the action started, it didn’t stop. Numerous doubles, and one triple (somehow we landed all 3 too), plus a couple matures in the mix. Absolutely insane session.

We followed that up with a few pulls on the bar and a short smallie session in the river. The bar was a dud – only one fish in 4 pulls, but the river fished well for bass. No biggies – lots of small males – but good times.

05/16/2026 – NOT Golfing

Fished Lake Ontario out of Lewiston, NY with Nick and Jay. There’s usually a third guy in this crew. However, he was forced to commit to a day of golf. It took us a bit get a steady bite going, but when we got into them, we caught our limit quickly. Nick hauled in a tanker too. Good times!

We finished up the day with a couple pulls on the bar and some bass fishing up river. The wind was howling and thunderheads loomed. We caught a few fish – mostly small – and bailed before getting rained on.

05/17/2026 – Frushour Bros (Day 1)

Fished Lake Ontario and the Lower Niagara out of Lewiston, NY with Paul and Doug. They fished with me for the first time last year for a few days, and it was great to have them back. Both are excellent sticks and very much “rod‑in‑hand” anglers, but I talked them into spending a little time trolling for kings on Lake O.

When we set up, a thin layer of fog hung over the lake, and it was dead calm. Not long after I got all the rods in, a yellow‑rumped warbler fell out of the sky and splashed down next to the boat. He fluttered on the surface for a few seconds, then mustered enough energy to lift off and land on my stern. I picked him up and sat him on my bow seat — soaked, exhausted, and clearly disoriented by the fog. He sat there with his eyes closed for about 20 minutes.

Quick note: when it’s calm on Lake O and the water temps are above 50, the midge hatch is insane — they cover everything. So, when our little passenger started to perk up and open his eyes, I started feeding him midges. He took them right out of my hand. A little while later, with his wings dry, he began working his way around the boat, devouring midges on his own. It was a blast to watch. And yes — he had a front‑row seat for a salmon hammering session before flying off with a full belly.

We boxed a quick limit, spent a little time looking for a few big ones, then slid into the river. It was a grind, but a little magic still found its way into the day.

Seasonal Assessment/General Observations

Another copy and paste from last week’s notes with a small modification – I’ve been going 33 straight days, folks. My record was 27, and I’m going to keep this streak going for a long as possible. Please forgive me if I don’t have much to elaborate beyond the daily play by play above. Body and mind are going strong – sleep, clean diet, short gym sessions here and there to keep the blood flowing beyond what the days on the water do. I’m feeling good – just in the zone.

One note on what’s changing – the smallies are close to being in spawn mode. Already, the river action is getting picky. A couple of factors are in play:

A lot of angling pressure is a huge factor. Shitty etiquette to include low holing and spot locking is in full effect. It’s that disgusting greed the infects the mind of anglers sometimes. It makes sense if you’re harvesting fish – but this is catch and release fishing folks – WTF?!? I’m also seeing more and more one-eyed fish and messed up mouths. Come on!!! Please replace your treble hooks with inline circle hooks. It takes 1 minute to do it, and you help protect the fish (and yourself). 1/0 is the best size for all baits.
The other factor is water temperature/timing. The water temp is over 50 degrees now. Mid-50s is spawning time. With the impending heat wave, I bet we’ll see our first beds this week.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUCEMENT REF SMALLMOUTH BASS: I put this out every year. Pressure on the bass is high, folks. Please cover water – find new areas to fish – challenge yourself to NOT beat up on the same groups all the time. Consider this – if you fish the same zone every time you go out, you might as well start naming fish, because you’re catching the same ones repeatedly. Also, when you see beds, avoid them and let them protect their eggs/fry. Besides, it’s an act of supreme laziness targeting a fish that won’t move from a nest and is compelled to attack anything near it. Go walleye or salmon fishing until the spawn is done.

Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Forecast for 05/18/2026 – 05/24/2026

The forecast for this week is interesting. Except for Wednesday, the wind looks very manageable throughout the week. Rain will make an appearance here and there. So will a couple days with highs in the 40s. However, for more days than not, it’ll be borderline hot out. The bibs and jacket might be replaced by shorts tomorrow. I’m booked daily and will keep the stretch going so long as everyone is ready and willing!

Stay healthy, my friends. Mentally and physically,

Ryan

P.S. Trees are budding, more migratory birds are showing up, lawnmowers are out — spring is in full swing. Actually, we’re mid‑season as of this writing. I bring all this up because until now, it felt weird to encourage folks to think about the summer when it’s been freezing.

Summer walleye fishing is only a couple months away, and my schedule is starting to fill up. I have zero doubts that the walleye action this year will be as good as last year. They might not flood the Buffalo part of the basin again, but they’ll be loaded by the Catt and Barcelona regardless.

Call soon to reserve your spot — I have a couple openings in late June, more than a handful in July, and plenty of opportunities in August. Get on the docket while you can – I’d love to have ya!

The post Buffalo NY Fishing Report – 05/17/2026 appeared first on Brookdog Fishing.

Buffalo NY Fishing Report – 05/10/2026

brookdog — Sun, 10 May 2026 19:52:19 +0000

Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Observations from 05/04 – 05/10/2026

Here’s our latest Buffalo NY fishing report: Another 7 days straight – and another week touching all the big water around the Buffalo Niagara Region. Mother Nature was moody —howling winds, stained water, cold snaps, even the occasional dead‑calm grind—the only real pattern was constant adaptation. Letting conditions dictate the plan and relying on the fishery’s diversity to keep the rods bending was the only play. What stood out wasn’t just the variety of species or locations, but the people: families reconnecting, anglers chasing bucket‑list fish, and groups grinding through tough conditions without losing an ounce of enthusiasm. Persistence paid off every day, and the mix of challenge, instruction, and shared moments – that’s spring fishing around here for ya!

Days on the water: 7

Who we fished with: friends/clients

Where we fished: Lake Ontario, Lower Niagara, Upper Niagara, Lake Erie

What we caught: lake trout, smallmouth bass, walleye, king salmon, northern pike

Tactics: trolling stick baits and spoons, casting finesse baits

Detailed Reporting/Daily Observations

05/04/2026 – The Experience Day 1

Fished Lake Ontario and the Lower Niagara with Michael and David. These gentlemen were in town from Michigan for 3 days for a Multispecies Experience I’ve been doing with the support of Cabelas for a few years now. There were 4 other anglers, a cameraman, and a host. The other captains that participated were Mike Trifilietti of Riverborn Fishing Company, and Joe Srouji of Anglers Edge Outdoors.

We faced some harsh conditions – HUGE SW winds. Thankfully, these guys were adventurous, so we spent a few hours blasting through waves on the Lake Ontario bar. Action was consistent – the guys had a blast. We followed that up with a session on the river targeting smallmouth bass. Boat control in that wind was brutal, but we made it work.

05/05/2026 – The Experience Day 2

Fished the Upper Niagara with Mike and Dave. An even bigger SW wind bared down on us on day 2. Thankfully, our fishery is large enough to give us some places to tuck out of the wind on the wildest days. With a little bit of instruction, the guys caught fish on drop shots – out of some tough spots too.

A little safety note – as I said above, the river is always an option in some big wind. However, launching/retrieving your boat, especially in a big W or SW can be dangerous. After a couple of wild (borderline irresponsible) retrievals many years ago, I only launch my boat in safe harbors when the wind is howling. Big 6 on Grand Island, NY and Griffon Park in Niagara Falls, NY are the best options for this. Also, be aware that large stretches of the river will have 3’+ standing waves in big W and SW winds. The Warrior plows through those with ease (as Mike and Dave got to experience) – but if you’re running a bass boat, be careful.

05/06/2026 – The Experience Day 3

Fished Lake Erie and the Upper Niagara with Mike and Dave. Finally, a day without wind. Well, some wind would’ve been nice. However, adversity came in the form of a big drop in temperatures and scattered showers. The water was stained out there due to 2 days of huge wind/waves. There was a slight north blowing, and when it kicked up a little chop, we caught fish.

Wanting to get these guys on a consistent bite/avoid the grind that often accompanies a windless day on Lake Erie, we pushed to the Upper Niagara. The guys employed their newly developed finesse techniques to great success.

Note: for 3 days, these guys encountered wildly adverse conditions – and kept their head in the game the entire time. It’s a testament of their character, as well as the quality of our fishery.

05/07/2026 – Early Father’s Day – Garcia Style

Fished Lake Ontario out of Lewiston, NY with Kristina, Ed, and Matt. I’ve been fishing with this family for a few years now. Our previous outings have been for walleyes over the summer – a Father’s Day gift from the kids to Ed. This year, Father’s Day came early as the family wanted to try something different.

I started off fishing where I’ve been getting them for weeks but only caught a couple. The water was heavily stained – that dirty water from Lake Erie waves finally made it down there. I told them they might hear me talking to myself – my mantra to never give up and keep looking. We trolled our way out to deep water and water clarity improved as we made the transit. Then – chaos ensued. Always a good time with the Garcias!

05/08/2026 – Bucket List Achieved

Fished Lake Ontario out of Lewiston, NY with Larry and Jim. If you’re a regular reader, you’ve seen Larry in my reports before. Jim — his son‑in‑law — has been out with me too, but it had been years since our last trip. Larry’s daughter/Jim’s wife bought them a gift certificate to make sure they’d carve out the time to get on the water together.

Neither of these guys had ever caught a king salmon, so we made that the mission. It took a little while to get on them, but once we did, we boxed our limit quickly. Since both of them prefer rod‑in‑hand fishing, we decided to head back to the cleaning station, take care of the kings, and then transition to the Upper Niagara for a couple hours of smallmouth fishing.

05/09/2026 – Reconnecting with John and Family

Fished Lake Ontario out of Lewiston, NY with John, Mike, and Keanu (John’s son). I’ve been fishing with John for 9 years now – he’s more of an old friend than a client. We stay in touch throughout the year. He and his wife, Mercy, live in the Philippines most of the year. However, he makes it a point to visit his family in Ohio a couple times per year and tries to stop by WNY to fish whenever he can.

He, like me, is a busted up old veteran (lol). We’ve been aging and making old man sounds more and more these days. Like me, he’s living life to the fullest while he can. Which is why he brought his son and brother on this trip – quality time bending rods on kings and smallies.

The salmon bite was good. It came in flurries – we put a nice box together but dropped some heartbreakers throughout the day. John let his brother and son do all the fighting – it was a blast watching the excitement every time they hooked up.

We followed up our deep-water session with a few pulls on the bar and a short smalljaw sesh. The wind kicked up in the last hour – a sign it was time to end the day. As always, quality time spent.

05/10/2026 – Variety is the Spice of Life

Fished Lake Ontario and the Lower Niagara out of Lewiston, NY with Joe, Lincoln, and Joe. Joe and his son, Lincoln, fished with me for the first time last summer – we targeted walleyes and had a blast. For this trip, he wanted to do something new. As we pushed away from the dock in the morning, he asked me what I like to fish for most around here. I replied that variety is the spice of life – it’s all a blast – so long as I don’t do the same thing day after day. Joe’s choice to fish this spring was in the same spirit.

We started off on Lake Ontario – she was rolling – a stiff wind out of the NW made it a little rough out there. It took me a little while to find the salmon. When I did, we connected to a few – but seasickness ended up becoming a problem.

So, we made the move to the Lower Niagara to target bass. They were in a good mood – the guys and the fish.

Seasonal Assessment/General Observations

Copy and paste from last week’s notes with a small modification – I’ve been going 26 straight days, folks. My record is 27, and I’m definitely going to beat that and then some this week. Please forgive me if I don’t have much to elaborate beyond the daily play by play above. Body and mind are going strong – sleep, clean diet, short gym sessions here and there to keep the blood flowing beyond what the days on the water do. I’m feeling good – just in the zone. It’s insane out there – I’ll leave it at that.

Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Forecast for 05/11/2026 – 05/17/2026

Scattered showers, wind from a few directions, cool temperatures – typical spring conditions are in store for us this week. Every day looks fishable and, barring any last-minute cancellations, I’ll be out there every day. Once again, I’ll spend time on everything from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. With water temperatures on the slow rise, I think the smallmouth bass bite will be awesome. The salmon will likely continue to move around a lot – but we’ll get on them. Looking forward to another awesome week! Stay tuned.

Stay healthy, my friends. Mentally and physically,

Ryan

The post Buffalo NY Fishing Report – 05/10/2026 appeared first on Brookdog Fishing.

Buffalo NY Fishing Report – 05/02/2026

brookdog — Sun, 03 May 2026 20:18:46 +0000

Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Observations from 04/20 – 04/26/2026

Here’s our latest Buffalo NY fishing report: This past week, I managed to chalk another 7 days straight and once gain, spent time on everything from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario, to the Niagara in between. It was one of those rare stretches where every day had a story worth telling. Everything from redemption on the Upper Niagara, chaotic salmon/multi‑species sessions on Lake Ontario, giant‑hunting on Lake Erie, a personal best numbers day for me, and everything from calm sunrises to cold rain and nautical chaos in between. Awesome week!

Days on the water: 7

Who we fished with: friends/clients

Where we fished: Lake Ontario, Lower Niagara, Upper Niagara, Lake Erie

What we caught: lake trout, smallmouth bass, walleye, king salmon, northern pike

Tactics: trolling stick baits and spoons, casting finesse baits

Detailed Reporting/Daily Observations

04/27/2026 – Day 2 – Andy and Maks Trip

Fished the Upper Niagara with Andy and Maks. Last June, this father‑and‑son duo made the trip up from VA to chase smallmouth bass. When they booked, I told them it wasn’t an ideal time for smallies around here, but I was confident we’d still have a good time. We caught fish — but more importantly, I got to know them and saw right away that they were excellent anglers.

When we got off the water that day, I encouraged them to come back in late April this year and told them the action would be a completely different story. They took the advice, returned, and as promised, the action was awesome. Perfect weather, steady bite, and I got to watch them put in work and rack up numbers with some quality fish mixed in.

Redemption.

4/28/2026 – Day 2 – Andy and Maks Trip

Fished Lake Ontario out of Lewiston, NY with Andy and Maks. After a day of excellent smallie action, the guys wanted give king salmon a shot. These guys are rod-in-hand anglers – meaning they aren’t huge fans of trolling. However, both are meat eaters, so the opportunity to harvest some fresh salmon grabbed their interest – regardless of the method of capture.

The weather was NOT what we had the day prior. A big SW had us rocking around, so boat control was an issue at first. I adjusted, we got their limit quickly, and decided to try to follow that up with a multi species slam. Mission accomplished.

4/29/2026 – A Little Bit of Pleasure, a Little Bit of Pain

Fished Lake Erie out of Buffalo, NY with Larry, Jim, and Tom. The mission was to hunt giant smallies. The harbor produced well, so I did what I always do and left fish to find fish. It took us a little bit, but we found them. Action was consistent – Jim had one on that would’ve been the giant of the year, but she came unbuttoned. No matter, he landed a couple biggies anyway.

That was the pleasure part – then came the pain. It was a chilly day, highs in the mid-40s. Those temperatures were tolerable – until the rain arrived. It was only supposed to be a light and sporadic sprinkle. That’s not what we got. At one point, Jim looked at me and said, “Take me back to the dock. I’m a popsicle.” I obliged and took Larry and Tom back out for another hour. They caught fish – which kept their mind off the miserable conditions – but were happy to get into the car Jim had warmed up at the end of the day.

04/30/2026 – New Boat Personal Best

Fished the Upper Niagara with Rick and Von. These gentlemen have been fishing with me for over 7 years now. Every year, they hammer – incredible sticks. Well, on this date, they set my boat personal best for numbers. We’ll keep that number to ourselves, but we pulled up to the dock awestruck and exhausted. Numbers were insane, size was solid too. Von managed to boat a 6lber – true tank for the upper this time of year.

05/01/2026 – What More Can You Ask For?

Fished Lake Erie out of Buffalo, NY with Rick and Von. Still blown away from the day prior, the guys were content to float around and target biggies. We did just that. There was a lot of boat pressure out there, but it didn’t matter. When the rain and cold breeze kicked up, things began to get painful – but we still caught fish. Barely able to bend my fingers on my left hand, I asked the guys if they were ready to call it. Both remarked they thought I’d never ask. When we pulled up to the dock at the end of the day, Rick said something like, “I’m all fished out. My arms and shoulders are sore.” What a couple of days!

05/02/2026 – Your Legs Work, Greg!

Fished Lake Ontario out or Lewiston, NY with Greg and Tanner. These guys have been fishing with me for a long time. Father and son duos can be tough a lot of times – getting a conversation going can be like pulling teeth. That’s never been the case with these two. Every trip is full of trash talking and telling stories. This one was no different.

The first time I took Greg and Tanner fishing for kings, there was a big NW and we hammered. It was “nautical” out there to say the least, and Greg’s mind was blown, well, frantic might be a better description. He had a hard time maintaining composure while reeling in kings in the 2-4’ waves. Well, on this day, it was no different.

The forecast was way off – Lake O was cranking out there. I looked at Greg after hitting the first wave and told him he better keep his shit together. He tried his best – I’ll leave it at that. As always, we had a blast.

5/03/2026 – NOT Yesterday

Fished Lake Ontario out of Lewiston, NY with Greg and Tanner. We started bright and early – Lake Ontario greeted us with calm conditions and a gorgeous sunrise. Greg was relieved that we wouldn’t be riding the roller coaster again – he was beaming with confidence when we deployed our rigs. It didn’t take long before we got bit.

Action was consistent throughout the day. We had one long lull, but once we started crossing them again, it was on fire. I’ll let the pictures tell it.

Seasonal Assessment/General Observations

I’ve been going 19 straight days, folks – and I’m booked solid into late June. Please forgive me if I don’t have much to elaborate beyond the daily play by play above. Body and mind are going strong – sleep, clean diet, short gym sessions here and there to keep the blood flowing beyond what the days on the water do. I’m feeling good – just in the zone. It’s insane out there – I’ll leave it at that.

Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Forecast for 05/04/2026 – 05/10/2026

Monday and Tuesday look a little hardcore (big SW wind) – river and bar weather for sure. Beyond that, take your pick of options. I’m booked daily and expect to execute all those trips. It’ll be another week of bouncing around between Lake Erie, the Upper, the Lower, and Lake Ontario. Looking forward to it!

Stay healthy, my friends. Mentally and physically,

Ryan

The post Buffalo NY Fishing Report – 05/02/2026 appeared first on Brookdog Fishing.

Buffalo NY Fishing Report – 04/26/2026

brookdog — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 20:39:17 +0000

Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Observations from 04/20 – 04/26/2026

Here’s our latest Buffalo NY fishing report: I chalked all 7 days this past week and managed to fish the entire system – from Lake Ontario to Lake Erie and both sections of the Niagara. I encountered a fair amount of friction throughout — north winds that trashed the river, big seas on Lake O, mechanical failures, cold rain, and a tournament that humbled me. Still, every crew showed up ready to put in work, and we found windows to make good things happen: kings for longtime clients who’d been chasing that moment for years, smallmouth sessions that put me right in my happy place, and a Lake Erie action so good it made enduring a little misery worth it. Despite some of the drama – it’s safe to say spring insanity is in full swing, folks.

Days on the water: 7

Who we fished with: friends/clients

Where we fished: Lake Ontario, Lower Niagara, Upper Niagara, Lake Erie

What we caught: lake trout, smallmouth bass, walleye, king salmon

Tactics: trolling stick baits and spoons, casting finesse baits

Detailed Reporting/Daily Observations

04/20/2026 – 3 Generation Outing (Day 1)

Fished the Lower Niagara, Upper Niagara, and Lake Ontario with Tim, Andy, and Noah. Short version of the story – we bounced around a lot at first. Those big north winds that kicked up the night before kept blowing through the morning, and I’m pretty sure they pushed the mud that usually hugs the east bank across the entire system. Even the west branch — which almost always stays clear when the east goes dirty — was trashed.

The forecast showed that those N winds were supposed to calm down later in the day. So, we took a few hour break, had some lunch, and linked back up around 2:30PM. We launched from Lewiston, NY and drove out to Lake O. It was gorgeous out there – and we did well.

It ended up being an emotionally and physically taxing day, but quitting wasn’t an option for me – and I knew it wouldn’t be for Tim and Noah. I’ve been fishing with them for years – they’re always ready to put in work.

4/21/2026 – 3 Generation Outing (Day 2)

Fished Lake Ontario out of Lewiston, NY with Tim, Noah, and Andy. With the water clarity in the river still being trashed, fishing Lake Ontario again was the only option. I got set up and started pulling when the impeller on my kicker failed. Devastating. That forced me to troll on the main, and since idle on that engine is around 3 mph, I had to use the trolling motor to slow us down — not optimal at all. Boat control was a constant fight.

We still caught a few, but I had to call it around 11:30 AM and run the boat to the emergency room (Collins Marine). I can’t afford to be handicapped like that during the season.

It was a trying couple of days for these guys, and I’m not happy about it. But at the very least, I confirmed what I hope they already knew — I’ll always put forth max effort, even past the breaking point. They’re already booked for the fall – as always, I’m looking forwardf to having them back.

Big shout‑out to Collins Marine for getting me operational within a few hours. Their service team has saved me more than once.

4/22/2026 – My Happy Place

Fished the Upper Niagara with Troy and John. When we talked the night prior, I told Troy that I had yet to spend a day targeting smallmouth bass with clients this year. I also told him, as I mentioned in last week’s report, that I poked around the upper last Thursday with my buddy Joe in crappy conditions and was disappointed with the result. Finally, I let him know that I had been doing well on king salmon lately. He took all that in stride and replied that he’d rather cover water and target smallies – my man!

It took a little instruction up front – the fish weren’t very aggressive – bites were light. However, once they got the hang of it, they proceeded to hammer. Watching it all unfold put me in my happy place. There’s nothing I love more than fishing smalljaws in the spring on the upper. It’s magical on the toughest days. The guys did well.

04/23/2026 – Mission Accomplished

Fished Lake Ontario out of Lewiston, NY with Steve, Ethan, and Conner. Steve and Ethan have been fishing with me for years – in the spring and fall. Throughout their visits, they’ve caught 8 species of fish. However, their timing was always off to get the one they wanted the most – king salmon. Well, we finally made it happen.

It was crowded and kinda grindy where we fished. We never really got a consistent bite going – lots of strikes and long periods of inactivity. Still, they closed the deal on some beauties – Steve landed my biggest of the year so far.

After a few hours of salmon fishing, we fished the Lower. It was slow there, but we managed to land a few beauties.

04/24/2026 – High Seas

Fished Lake Ontario and the Upper Niagara with Ryan and Chrissy. I love fishing with this couple – always a blast. Ryan really wanted a shot at kings and I was happy to oblige. However, when I spoke with him the night prior, I informed him that it was going to be sporty out there. The NOAA maritime forecast called for 2-4’ waves – Warrior weather for sure. He was down to give it a shot. Chrissy was too – maybe just a little hesitant.

The forecast wasn’t wrong – it was big out there. Unfortunately, action was slow. Boat control in those big waves was problematic. We got a few bites and landed a couple of fish – then it got really big and seasickness became a problem. So, we took the boat out of the water and pushed to the Upper Niagara. It was cold and breezy up there too – but far more tolerable and the action was good.

4/25/2026 – Bonding Through Pain

Fished Lake Erie out of Buffalo, NY with first time clients Jon, Brandon, and Zach. At the start of the week, the forecast was full of questionable days — cold temps, big winds, the usual spring chaos. But this day looked the worst, and it kept degrading right up to the night before. When I talked with Jon, I gave him an out: “It’s gonna be cold and very wet — NOT optimal. I completely understand if you want to reschedule.” He said his sons‑in‑law were down to fish regardless, so they wanted to give it a shot. Nobody has to twist my arm to endure pain while catching smallies.

Well, it was very wet and very cold. But it’s always that way underwater, so the fish didn’t care. The action was ridiculous and the guys did great. Photos were limited — I couldn’t keep my phone lens dry, so most of the shots came out blurry. After about two hours, nobody could use their hands anymore and everyone was soaked to the bone. Jon looked at me and said it was time to head in.

I’m glad these guys wanted to give it a shot — and they didn’t regret it. Hard not to feel good when you hammer like that. I’m always down to go as long as it’s safe. Wind, rain, and cold don’t bother me much — I’m out in harsh conditions all the time and have the gear to stay warm‑ish and dry. But not everyone is prepared for that, which is why I’m brutally transparent during pre‑trip conversations. Still, I get that coordinating schedules between three people isn’t easy, so sometimes it’s worth enduring a little hardship and bonding through it instead of staying inside.

We laughed and shook hands at the dock, reflecting on the insanity and making plans for our next trip – when its warmer and NOT raining.

PS: You’ll notice Zach is in a hoodie and shorts. He’s a madman with a very high tolerance for pain – I was envious. He wasn’t the first to want to tap out. He was happy the rest of the group wanted to lol.

4/26/2026 – The Tourney

Fished Lake Erie out of Buffalo, NY with Rick, John, and Dave. It was a 3-boat tournament this group of friends does for fun – a tradition we started last year. On this iteration, my buddies Mike Trifiletti of Riverborn Fishing Company and Jimmy Rores of Big Greek Charters were the other 2 boats. Last year, my boat crushed the competition. This year, we got crushed. I take full responsibility for the loss.

For the first 2 hours, we were in the lead. However, me being me, I wasn’t satisfied with just winning. I haven’t fished Erie for smallies yet this year. So, I wanted to learn something new/explore some spots in the lake that have been perennial spring producers for me. Error – never leave fish to find fish in a tournament.

Anyway, we took a short run to one of those spots. It produced, but due to the lack of wind, it was grindy. That set us back about 45 minutes – and put us more than a handful of fish behind the other 2 boats. We couldn’t catch up.

I’ll say this much though – with about an hour left in the day, I noticed the wind kicked up. So, I made the call to return to that spot and we hammered. It was an awesome rally but too late to take the win. Tournament fishing is all about time management – and I failed on this one. Still, the 3 boats combined landed 162 fish. Pretty ridiculous to complain about that.

Seasonal Assessment/General Observations

As expected, temperatures this past week reverted to early spring/late winter. On Monday, the boat was covered in ice for the first few hours. As I mentioned last week, I’m glad this happened. Things heated up way too fast — in ten days, the water jumped 13 degrees. I looked back through the records, and that’s never happened since we started tracking lake temps.

That warm surge pulled kings in and fired up the smallies, but too much heat too fast pushes kings deep and gets smallmouth into spawn mode early. I’ll always play the hand Mother Nature deals, but I’m happiest when I can get at least three weeks of steady smallie and king action this time of year. Thanks to this cool‑down, that might actually happen.

Smallmouth bass are firing on all cylinders, and king salmon are thick in water less than 50 feet. We’re in peak spring fishing mode. Decisions, decisions.

Oh — and walleye season opens next week too.

Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Forecast for 04/27/2026 – 05/03/2026

This week looks like true spring – mild to warm temperatures, not a lot of wind, and a touch of rain to keep things interesting. I’m booked daily and expect to execute all those trips. My time will be split between Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, and the Upper Niagara. More kings and smallies my friends. It’s peak season folks – I’ve been training for this all winter. Going strong and feeling good. Stay tuned!

Stay healthy, my friends. Mentally and physically,

Ryan

The post Buffalo NY Fishing Report – 04/26/2026 appeared first on Brookdog Fishing.

Buffalo NY Fishing Report – 04/19/2026

brookdog — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 17:49:23 +0000

Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Observations from 04/13 – 04/19/2026

Here’s our latest Buffalo NY fishing report: This week was all about volatility — weather, water, and action — and the only constant was adapting on the fly. Every day swung between calm and chaos: lightning shows on the horizon, winds that couldn’t make up their mind, clarity shifting overnight, and bites that went from dead‑quiet to full‑tilt mayhem. But that instability also marked the real start of king season. The first few trickled in, then the floodgates opened, and by the weekend the lake felt alive again. Spring is still sorting itself out, but the fish are on the feed, and the window is widening fast. Insanity is starting, folks – and it’s only going to get crazier.

Days on the water: 5

Who we fished with: friends/clients

Where we fished: Lake Ontario

What we caught: lake trout, brown trout, king salmon, atlantic salmon, steelhead

Tactics: trolling stick baits and spoons

Detailed Reporting/Daily Observations

04/13/2026 – Weather Day

Huge SW wind and steady rain all morning forced me to reschedule.

4/14/2026 – Riverborn Fishing Company Assist

Fished Lake Ontario out of Olcott, NY with Jim and Nick, up from Pittsburg, PA. My buddy, Mike Trifiletti of Riverborn Fishing Company, brought me in on this one. We started at 6:30 AM to calm winds and a wild light show of lightening/thunderstorms on the other side of Lake Ontario. It was an edgy experience – wondering if we were going to get hit with the chaos but being captivated by the scene. Thankfully, the insanity just missed us.

The action was surprisingly lackluster – picky all morning. However, we managed a few really nice ones and a handful of shorties. By 11:00AM, the wind kicked up and got progressively wild. Boat control started to get problematic such that when we wrapped up the day we were in 2-4’ waves.

4/15/2026 – Roller Coaster – Weather and Action

Fished Lake Ontario out of Wilson, NY with Steve and Alex. When I talked to Steve the night before, I remembered it’d been a few years since he landed my first king of the season — and said it could happen again. Turns out that was foreshadowing.

The weather was strange from the start. Big east rollers when we arrived, then the wind swung west within an hour and made it messy. Not long after, it shifted northwest. Boat control was an issue at times, but we made it work.

The brown trout bite was spotty early — only a few in the first hour — so we went deep looking for lakers and possibly a king. We got into a couple lakers quickly, then went a long time without a bite. Getting frustrated, I pulled all the lines and made a long run west. Shortly after dropping one of my riggers, it got bit — KING. Not a giant, but the first one of the year and a good sign of what’s ahead.

After that, we hit another long lull. On a hunch, I moved back in shallow for browns, and thankfully that bite was on fire. At one point all six lines either had a fish on or got bit. Total chaos. An awesome way to close out the day.

04/16/2026 – I Had to Call it

I had a mother and two 13-year-old boys on the docket. The forecast looked dicey with big winds coming out of the SSW. The boys really wanted to get into big trout and salmon, but mom would not be a fan of fishing though big waves. Decided to reschedule the trip.

04/17/2026 – And so it Begins

Fished Lake Ontario out of Lewiston, NY with Owen and Jim. Finally, my first day of insane king salmon action of the season. We got bit before I had all my rods in the water and rarely ended up running more than 2 rods. We had some lulls, but overall, it was a wild session.

4/18/2026 – An Awesome Reunion

Fished Lake Ontario out of Lewiston, NY with Taylor, Paige, and Bill. I hadn’t fished with this father/daughters trio since 2019, so it was great to see them again. The lake changed overnight with the onset of some SW winds. The warmer, stained water where those kings love to hang moved from where it was the day prior, so it took us a little bit to get into a consistent bite.

Although it was a little grindy compared to the day before, everyone caught a few (and fought a few more), and the adrenaline stayed high most of the morning. Toward the end of the day, that SW wind really started to rip, kicking up some big waves — right around when we were planning to call it anyway.

Despite the occasional lull, it was an awesome experience watching these folks do battle with some giants. It was also a blast catching up after not seeing them for seven years or so.

4/19/2026 – Insanity

Fished Lake Ontario out of Lewiston, NY with Jeff, Patrick, and Dylan. When I got off the water the day prior and called Jeff, the temperature gauge in my truck read 82 degrees. It wasn’t that hot out, but I was sweating my ass off. I explained to him that although it’ll be half that (the high ended up being 42), if they were willing to endure some discomfort, it’d be worth their while. Jeff said he was all about it. LET’S GO! They made the right choice. Insane session.

After 3 hours of consistent salmon action, their arms were worn out and they wanted to try something different. So, we made the move into the river. Unfortunately, that was a dud. It didn’t matter though – that morning full of chaos was tough to beat.

Seasonal Assessment/General Observations

On Tuesday, when I was in the parking lot at Olcott, NY, I pulled up the Lake Erie ice boom webcam and saw that the boom was still there… but there was no ice left. Two days of highs in the 70s and some south winds melted it all. From that point forward, warm surface water from Lake Erie made its way downstream into Lake Ontario, creating a wonderful warm‑water plume on the bar. That brought in the bait, and the kings and lakers followed.

Regarding my favorite fish — the smallmouth bass — I did a little recon on Thursday with my buddy Joe Srouji of Anglers Edge, and we got into them. However, they weren’t lit up. The river was muddy, and a huge west wind made it difficult to get dialed. Although it was a slightly discouraging session, with water temperatures in the mid-40s — and the fact that we got into them despite VERY MARGINAL conditions — I’m confident it’s about to get very good.

It’s the beginning of spring insanity, folks — many options are available regardless of the weather. That’s what I love about this time of year. Every day offers a new set of problems to solve, and it’s very likely that every outing will produce something awesome.

Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Forecast for 04/20/2026 – 04/26/2026

This week looks like a slight reversion to winter. Honestly, I’m happy about that. There were a couple of days this past week where surface temperatures were in the upper 40s — it’s way too early for that. Cooler temperatures will slow down the heating trend and keep the fish in active feeding mode — in shallow water too. I want pre‑spawn smallmouth and shallow‑water king action to last deep into May. This upcoming week will help a lot.

Other than Monday, when near‑freezing temps and a stiff NW wind might make things problematic, the rest of the week looks very stable. I’m booked daily. Stand by for more pics of kings and the first of many rounds of pre‑spawn smallies.

Stay healthy, my friends. Mentally and physically,

Ryan

P.S. If you live around here, you likely put on shorts or a short‑sleeve shirt this past week. Trees are budding, more migratory birds are showing up, a couple of lawns got mowed — spring is in full swing. Actually, we’re mid‑season as of this writing. I bring all this up because until now, it felt weird to encourage folks to think about the summer when it’s been freezing.

Call soon to reserve your spot — I have a couple openings in late June, more than a handful in July, and plenty of opportunities in August.

The post Buffalo NY Fishing Report – 04/19/2026 appeared first on Brookdog Fishing.

Buffalo NY Fishing Report – 04/12/2026

brookdog — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 21:45:05 +0000

Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Observations from 04/06 – 04/12/2026

Here’s our latest Buffalo NY fishing report: I was pleasantly surprised to pull off four trips this past week. The weather was gorgeous for the most part, but the fishing demanded a ton of bouncing around to keep everyone on good action. Big water was the theme — and will stay the theme for a bit. The Lake Erie ice boom is still intact, the Niagara is still cold, and we’re running about a week behind a “normal” spring. With that boom holding, that delay will stick around a little longer. No matter — the big water is producing when the conditions line up, and getting that dialed has been my focus lately.

Days on the water: 4

Who we fished with: friends/clients

Where we fished: Lower Niagara, Lake Ontario, Lake Erie

What we caught: lake trout, brown trout, walleye, atlantic salmon

Tactics: drifting live bait, trolling stick baits and spoons

Detailed Reporting/Daily Observations

4/06/2026 – Unexpected Ice Flows

Fished the Lower Niagara with Brian, his father, Tony, and his son, Russel. We started early and went upstream to Devils Hole – with the intent of starting high and going low – putting in work all the way down to Lake Ontario. Well, when we got into Devils hole, we met a steady flow of bowling ball chunks of ice. Remember my report from last week where I found that new trail on the Lower and hiked it – took pictures too – and it looked beautiful? A lot changed overnight.

It’s kind of weird though – there was a trickle of ice on the upper the day prior, but nothing I found alarming. Bottom line though – what was coming downstream made fishing in Devils impossible. We took off downstream quickly to beat the flow and fished every drift once with no bites. The only drift that was productive was the furthest downstream. When we set up, we were the only ones there and in turn, did very well in a short period. It’s amazing what can happen when the fish are left alone and there’s little to no pressure.

About 4 hours into the day, the ice showed up where we were fishing, forcing us to look for another open space. By this point, the wind shifted to the north, blowing upstream and spreading the ice throughout the river. We poked around in a couple spots trying to get a good drift, to no avail.

We dealt with adversity, had a good time, “bonded as men” (3 generations of Brian’s family), and managed to land some good ones.

4/07/2026 – Day Off

Big NW wind, ice flows, and the expectation that the ice boom would be pulled (it wasn’t BTW) caused me to reschedule my trip.

4/08/2026 – Whispering and Assassinating

The Whisperer and the Silent Assassin are always down for an exploratory mission — for good reason. They aren’t always successful (mostly they are), but we always learn something. I pitched a mission to Barcelona to see if we could get into some lake trout and maybe a steelhead. It didn’t take any convincing.

Why drive all the way to Barcelona for lakers? Last fall was the first time I tried it — thanks to my buddy Han Mann — and I was impressed with the size. On average, Lake Erie lake trout are far bigger than the ones in Lake Ontario, so I wanted to see if we could find some giants.

Wilson and Olcott are about 30 minutes closer to home, but I was concerned about mud. Fishing lakers in deep water when it’s stained is a fool’s errand, and I figured last week’s flood water had to be pooling up in front of those Lake O harbors.

When we pulled into Barcelona, there was one car in the lot — an old guy in a pickup, smoking a cigar, staring at the lake. Perfect. We headed out and started where I found them last fall, but all we could find there was bait. Then the Whisperer, in all his aged wisdom, suggested we try another area known as a fall spawning spot for lake trout.

We found them there and stayed on a consistent bite until unexpected NE winds started knocking us around.

You might wonder why there are no pictures of the Whisperer here. If it ain’t walleyes, he doesn’t reel them in. He was more than comfortable sitting on his perch calling out rods as they went off and making the Assassin reel them in.

04/09/2026 – Cancellation – Would’ve Been Good Too

The clients I had booked on this day ended up canceling the week prior and I didn’t have anyone to back fill the date. It ended up being a gorgeous day. Stayed off the water but a few of my colleagues who fished Lake O did well.

04/10/2026 – Recon with Riverborn

Fished Lake Ontario out of my buddy Mike Trifiletti’s boat (Riverborn Fishing Company). He’s breaking in his new Warrior 208 and like me, wanted to get some reps in on Lake O. We started deep and got into a fairly consistent bite for lake trout. We spent a lot of time combing different depths to determine what held the most fish. Every year it seems to change. This year, it was a little shallower than expected.

Feeling confident that we could make something happen out deep, we went in shallow to target brown trout. That action was ridiculous. Nothing huge but we lost count on how many fish we landed. He and I have done many scouting missions during transition periods that turned up nothing – the only lesson learned was where the fish aren’t. This trip was fun – we learned where they are.

I took the long way home so I could drive along the upper Niagara. I had been checking out the Lake Erie ice boom camera all day and noticed that, although the boom was still intact, the harbor was hemorrhaging ice downstream. My drive along the river revealed the impact – bank to bank ice throughout east river.

4/11/2026 – Never Give Up

Fished Lake Erie out of Barcelona, NY with Ryan, Chan, and Brad. Ryan lives in Westfield, which is right down the road from Barcelona, so I figured I’d save them the 2-hour drive to Lake O.

I set up in the same area where we caught fish earlier in the week and landed one right away. However, after that, it was a grind. We’d land a fish, drop a fish, and go long stretches without a bite. When this happens, I get in my head BIG TIME. The notion of quitting and cutting my losses often creeps up – but I work my ass off to bury those thoughts. In this situation, it paid off.

On a hunch, I returned to where we caught a couple fish earlier in the day and fished MUCH shallower – and chaos ensued. We went from heads down and grinding to having a riot. I’m sure we all slept well that night – I know I did. Good times!

4/12/2026 – Back out with Matt and Nat

Fished Lake Ontario out of Olcott, NY with long time friends/clients Matt and Natalie. We usually fish bass in the spring around this time but the lingering ice boom/continued presence of ice on the Upper Niagara sent us to Lake Ontario. It’d been a few years since we fished out there together, so they were stoked to give it a go.

Unfortunately, when we left 18-mile creek and got into the lake, all the stained water I fished there a couple days prior was gone. The whole shoreline for miles was gin clear – very suboptimal for shoreline brown trout fishing. We picked up a handful of small ones/good eaters and a nice Atlantic salmon within the first hour, then things got really grindy. So, we decided to go deep for lakers. Again, we picked up a couple nice ones right away but followed that up with more of a grind.

Wanting to end strong, we slid back to the browns in front of 18‑Mile — right as the east wind kicked up. We had 4–5 more bites in shallow, but everything came unbuttoned.

Tough session, but the conversation never stopped, and as always, time on the water with those two was solid.

Seasonal Assessment/General Observations

This past week involved a lot of bouncing around, trying to find a bite that was more entertaining than what’s been happening in the Lower Niagara. I was also preparing for the inevitable removal of the ice boom, which will shut down river access for at least a week.

When I drove to Barcelona on Wednesday, I took Route 5 past Hamburg — there’s still a lot of ice out there. Enough that, without a big wind to push it out, it’ll take more than a week to clear. As of this writing, the ice boom is still intact. That might come as a surprise to you if you’ve seen all the ice flowing down the upper Niagara the past few days. However, all that ice is coming out of the harbor – not the lake. The fact we still have this much ice around is all the more motivation for me to make sure I have a solid Lake Ontario program ready to carry me through the clearing period.

Once the ice finally flushes out — I’m betting somewhere in the mid 20s of April — the action around the Buffalo Niagara Region is going to explode. Smallmouth bass will turn on, kings will start showing up, and hopefully the Lake Ontario bar will see an influx of predators. Until then, it’s going to be a stretch of big‑water missions. Thankfully, they’ve been very entertaining lately.

Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Forecast for 04/13/2026 – 04/21/2026

Next week looks like another dicey one. Rain and huge wind will plague the region for the front part of the week. Unfortunately, that’ll likely delay the removal of the ice boom yet another week. If we’re lucky, some of that huge wind will bust open the boom and send ice raging down steam. I doubt it though – it’s held tight through worse this year.

I’m optimistic all the wind in the beginning part of the week will rebuild some stain on the Lake Ontario shoreline and get that brown trout bite fired up. That’ll be the main program as you can always hug the shoreline when the wind gets big on Lake O. The Lower Niagara might be a backup – but it’s not something I can count on with all that wind and ice around. In other words, once again, there will be a lot of last minute calls.

The end of the week looks OK – less rain and more mild winds. I’m hopeful I’ll get in a few trips over the weekend.

Stay healthy, my friends. Mentally and physically,

Ryan

The post Buffalo NY Fishing Report – 04/12/2026 appeared first on Brookdog Fishing.

Buffalo NY Fishing Report – 04/05/2026

brookdog — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 16:05:28 +0000

Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Observations from 03/30 – 04/05/2026

Here’s our latest Buffalo NY fishing report: A gorgeous start to the week on the Lower Niagara and Lake Ontario quickly gave way to chaos as a massive multi‑state storm rolled through, dumping up to two inches of rain across Western and Central NY and flooding nearly 50,000 square miles. The system blew out every tributary, pushed mud and debris into Lake Erie, and sent full trees and ice sheets down the Niagara River. Conditions stayed unfishable for days as the river flushed, the ice bridge broke, and big winds shoved ice into the Upper. As of this writing, there are signs of recovery—good color coming out of Lake Erie, rapid clearing in some stretches, minimal remaining ice, and the boom scheduled for removal tomorrow (04/06/26). It was a tough stretch, but once the system settles, the fish should respond fast.

Days on the water: 1

Who we fished with: friends/clients

Where we fished: Lower Niagara, Lake Ontario

What we caught: lake trout, walleye

Tactics: drifting live bait, trolling stick baits and spoons

Detailed Reporting/Daily Observations

03/30/2026 – Nice Day – Tough Fishing

Fished the Lower Niagara and Lake Ontario with Rick, Kevin and DJ. It was a gorgeous day – unexpectedly I might add. It was supposed to be windy to start, but when we arrived on Lake Ontario it was like glass. We trolled some of the waypoints I fished this time last year and picked up 2 lake trout quickly, then dropped a couple, then nothing. I didn’t mark much between 50 and 100’ – even the fish we caught didn’t show up on the screen. Everything was perfect too – from water clarity, to current, to lack of waves.

After about 40 minutes with no action, we moved to the Lake Ontario bar – did a few passes to no avail. No fished marked either.

From there, we moved upstream and got into a good walleye bite (all released, of course). No more trout landed. Conditions were good too – water clarity was good and the wind wasn’t an issue. Plus, we saw the sun a few times – which was a nice change.

3/31/2026 – The Flood

A powerful, multi‑state storm rolled through, soaking Northern PA, and all of Western and Central NY. Rainfall totals varied from about a half‑inch around Buffalo–Niagara to nearly two inches in the southern tier, with the heaviest band running through Cattaraugus and Allegany counties. It ended flooding nearly 50,000 square miles. Oh yeah, the wind gusted over 50mph, and in some places, 1/5” hail fell. The thunderstorms were LOUD – and seemed like they wouldn’t end. Chaos. Devastating.

4/01/2026 – April Fools – but not Really

I took a mid‑morning walk with my wife along East River to see what the flood left behind. Maybe my memory’s off, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it around here. I lived in South Florida for a few years and went through multiple hurricanes, so I’m not saying it was that level of destruction — but for Western New York, it was bad.

Think about how much rain fell over such a massive area. A lot of it drained into the tributaries, those tributaries fed into Lake Erie, and Lake Erie dumped it all into the Niagara River. By the time it reached the East River, the whole system was flushing out the aftermath. Trees — not branches, full trees — were drifting downstream from bank to bank. Debris was everywhere. And of course, the water looked like chocolate milk. It was a depressing scene. I started calling my clients booked for the upcoming days to cancel trips.

04/02/2026 – Flushing Continues

One thing about the river that most people don’t think about – it’s always moving. Upon surveying the scene, I was surprised to see how much debris had already washed out of the river. Water clarity was still trashed, plus there was some ice coming downstream – pushed over the boom by the wind. Totally unfishable – but there was some hope that things would improve faster than expected.

4/03/2026 – More Flushing + Big Wind

I trailered my boat to Buffalo Harbor State park to op-check one of my trolling motors that just got repaired. I also wanted to drive the skyway to get a look at Lake Erie ice cover. On that drive, I noticed that the water color coming out of Lake Erie was excellent. However, the Buffalo River was still dumping mud and messing up about a third of the river. Ice cover looked minimal – YES! So minimal that the IJC finally put a date on the calendar for the removal of the boom: Removal of Lake Erie-Niagara River Ice Boom planned to begin April 6.

If you read this article, it mentions that there is still a large amount of ice on the Lower Niagara. There isn’t anymore – the ice bridge broke and started flowing downstream on this day.

4/04/2026 – Yet Another Recovery Day

What a gorgeous day! Unfortunately, the system was still trashed. Water clarity on the upper River got a little better between Lake Erie and the Erie Canal, but the canal is still hemorrhaging mud. Reference my report from a couple weeks ago to see how the system clears. If you take a drive from Buffalo to Niagara Falls along the river, you can see what I described/depicted on the map in real-time.

The huge south winds from the day prior also pushed a lot of ice from Lake Erie into the Upper. I considered fishing it – not with clients – just to poke around. However, I didn’t want to play Han Solo in Empire Strikes Back: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAHW7TF4Tyo

I think of this scene every year around this time. Dating myself I’m sure.

4/05/2026 – Continued Monitoring

Overnight, the region got hit with another .5” of rain – NOT helpful. As of this writing, the temperatures are declining into the low 40s, it’s overcast, and the wind is blowing from the west with gusts into the 30s.

I took a walk along the Lower Niagara. BTW – there’s a very nice path that follows the river at or near water level (not the path along the ridge) from the Nexus Bridge/Whirlpool Bridge to the Aquarium. To access it, you can park at or near the Aquarium or the Nexus bridge. Walk along the ridgeline path and you’ll see flights of stairs taking you down – similar set up to Devils Hole and the Whirlpool State Park access. When I was a kid, there was a path here, but for years it was blocked. I don’t know when the state built the stairs, but they’re awesome – I’m stoked about this little discovery. It’s a nice change from hiking Devils to the Whirlpool.

Anyway – I was surprised to see perfect water clarity down there. No ice, no debris. I cancelled the trip I had scheduled, no regrets there because the wind was howling, but conditions were certainly fishable.

Seasonal Assessment/General Observations

Having only fished one day, followed by being grounded by a flood, I don’t have much to say about the fishing. I’ve been booked daily and had to cancel all my trips – which hurts. If there’s a silver lining to all the chaos, it’s that the ice is nearly gone and nobody’s been beating up on the fish. When things clear up, it should be awesome.

On a brighter note, it was warm more often than not this past week, and the natural world is waking up. Trees are budding, annuals are pushing through, mammals are moving, and the early migratory songbirds are trickling in. Over the past few days I’ve seen grackles, brown‑headed cowbirds, song sparrows, and small flocks of cormorants in addition to our many annual residents. It’s still early, but life is ramping up quickly.

Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Forecast for 04/06/2026 – 04/12/2026

Next week’s forecast looks like another dicey one. Although I’m booked every day, I’ll be lucky to fish 2. A reversion to cold temperatures will be a hindrance, so will all the N winds and the rain. The ice boom removal, although very much welcomed, will cause problems too as the river will have a bank to bank ice flow for a few days. Thankfully, big SW winds will be around throughout the week – that should help flush the ice out relatively quickly.

For the days that are fishable, I’m going to have to get creative. A distant port Lake Erie trip will likely happen. I’d love to fish Lake Ontario too – but the mud getting flushed out of the Niagara is already making its way out there – making water clarity a potential problem. It all depends on wind and current. Fingers crossed I can make something happen out there.

Stay healthy, my friends. Mentally and physically,

Ryan

The post Buffalo NY Fishing Report – 04/05/2026 appeared first on Brookdog Fishing.

Buffalo NY Fishing Report – 03/29/2026

brookdog — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 00:02:43 +0000

Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Observations from 03/23 – 03/29/2026

Here’s our latest Buffalo NY fishing report: This past week was defined by cold snaps, big wind, and a lot of adapting. A couple of days were blown out completely, a few were spent grinding on the Lower Niagara, and one turned into a full‑on Lake Ontario ice bath. When the weather cooperated, we put in the work and scratched out some fish; when it didn’t, we stayed off the water and lived to fight another day. Classic late‑March Buffalo Niagara—unpredictable, uncomfortable at times, but always worth showing up for.

Days on the water: 5

Who we fished with: friends/clients

Where we fished: Lower Niagara, Lake Ontario

What we caught: brown trout, steelhead, walleye

Tactics: drifting live bait, trolling stick baits and spoons

Detailed Reporting/Daily Observations

03/23/2026 – Day Off

I had the day off and was happy to take it. Big wind and frigid temperatures made it a good day to hit the gym and relax.

03/24/2026 – Fly Fishing the Lower and the Bar (Day 1)

Fished the Lower Niagara with a new client, Chris—a recent Buffalo transplant from the Olympic Peninsula. It’s been a minute since I’ve guided someone who wanted to challenge himself with a full day of fly fishing. I’ve spent years doing it myself and have caught just about everything that swims around here on the fly (still missing walleye…one day), but I don’t get many fly‑focused calls anymore.

There’s a reason for that.

Sure, we have a solid local fly fishing community, but the Buffalo Niagara Region isn’t exactly a fly‑fishing destination. Think about it: if you’re a traveling fly angler with money to burn and steelhead on the brain, you’re heading to Alaska or the Pacific Northwest. Salmon? Same story. Lake trout? Northern Canada. Muskies? Wisconsin, Minnesota.

Smallmouth bass…well, I’ll challenge anyone to find a better place than WNY. Central Michigan is a contender, but it’s a different game altogether.

Bottom line: this isn’t a region fly anglers flock to, so I don’t get a ton of calls. Which is why I get stoked up when one emerges. I grill all of them to determine their skill sets and only take those I believe have what it takes to close the deal around here.

Enter Chris.

Like me, he’s traveled, he’s put in the reps, and he’s caught a ton of species on the fly. He’s an excellent caster and has the right mindset for making things happen around here. But the day started brutally cold—and windy. At the start of the day, there were sheets of surface ice coating the river in spots – brutal. He worked his ass off from start to finish, making great shots and covering water with intention, but the fish just didn’t cooperate.

I’ll admit I felt a tiny bit better knowing my colleagues weren’t doing much either—even with three anglers drifting bait. It was tough – but we bonded over stories and I had the pleasure of teaching him a lot about our fishery.

03/25/2026 – Success on the Fly

Fished the Lower Niagara for a second day with Chris. Sun and very little wind made it a far more comfortable session. The action picked up a little bit, and Chris was able to close the deal on a couple of browns that smashed his fly. Although not an action packed session, we were both relieved to get rid of the skunk. We had a blast over those couple of days and are making plans for warmer weather.

3/26/2026 – Weather Day

Chris was on the docket for this day too. However, the forecast called for big SW winds and rain, so we stayed off the water. I’m glad we stayed home too – the deluge began around noon, and the rain didn’t stop until early evening.

03/27/2026 – Day Off

I considered fishing the Upper Niagara on this day. However, when I pulled up to the Sheridan boat launch at 7:30AM to check things out, it was 25 degrees out and there was a stiff N wind blowing. Plus, there was a lot of mud and debris coming down the river from the rain the day prior. Between the cold, the wind, and the chocolate milk conditions, it was an easy call. Another day off.

03/28/2026 – The “Bear” Ate Us

The day started fishing Lake Ontario out of Olcott with Alex and Shawn. When I arrived at the launch, I quickly realized we were in for an adventure. The forecast was wrong for one – the wind was blowing BIG out of the NW and there were scattered flurries blowing. There was also supposed to be some sun – there wasn’t. It was 25 degrees out too.

We pounded through 2–4’ waves on the run out. At one point I glanced back at the starboard side and everything was encased in ice—gunwale, downriggers, rods, reels, rod holders. Solid. That left me with one functional rigger, which is far from ideal.

Then things got even more interesting: Alex started turning green. He fought it as long as he could, but after about thirty minutes he was hanging over the side. That was our cue. Time to pull the plug.

We regrouped on the Lower Niagara, only to find it crowded and picked over. The flurries kept coming, temps stayed below freezing, and the NW wind never let up. Eventually we called it early and headed home to lick our wounds.

A tough session all around, but I give these guys credit—they showed up, gave it a shot, and handled a brutal day on big water.

03/29/2026 – The Reunion

Fished the Lower Niagara with Terry. If you’ve been reading these reports for a while, you’ve seen this man’s face—he’s been with me since year one. He took last season off to tackle some health issues, and I won’t get into the details here, but after ten years of fishing together, he’s in the best shape I’ve ever seen him. I always close my reports with “stay healthy my friends, mentally and physically,” and I mean it. Terry’s in his early 60s and living fuller now than at any point since I’ve known him. It’s never too late to turn things around.

The fishing was a grind. We put a few walleyes and steelhead in the net and got in line on most of the drifts, but it wasn’t easy. Still, it was great spending the day with him, catching up, and getting him back on the river where he belongs. Expect to see his face on some of my adventures in the not so distant future.

Seasonal Assessment/General Observations

Not much has changed. The water coming out of Lake Erie is still 32 degrees, and there just aren’t many fish hanging around the Lower Niagara right now. The few that are there get pounded every time the weather gives folks a window, and some are getting harvested. It’s legal, so no judgment—but when the population is already thin, every fish kept makes the grind that much tougher. Fish are being caught, but more often than not, you’ve got to work for them.

Frustrating? Sure. But I’m not discouraged. We haven’t had many days where Lake Ontario has been a viable option, and there are plenty of fish out there once we get the right wind and some clarity.

We also need the Lake Erie ice boom to come out ASAP. I’ve seen claims of 900 square miles of ice still on Erie, but that’s hard to believe when the boom camera shows mostly open water. Once that boom gets pulled, a lot more options open up. Until then, it’s all about playing the wind on Ontario and hoping the Lower gives up a better bite.

Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Forecast for 03/29/2026 – 04/05/2026

Next week’s forecast looks warmer—more like spring—but it’s going to be very dicey. Tomorrow should be fishable, just extremely windy. After that, we’re staring down a couple straight days of heavy rain and big wind. Tuesday and Wednesday are calling for a couple inches of rain and SW gusts over 40 mph, followed by huge east winds on Thursday. I don’t put much stock in anything beyond a 3–4 day window, but if the weekend forecast holds, we might get a shot.

All that wind and rain is going to mess things up bad for a few days. The water just cleared from the last round showers, and it’ll go right back to being stained until late in the week. The upside: the warm temps, rain, and wind should melt most—if not all—of the remaining Lake Erie ice by the weekend. That’s a major silver lining. We’ll see how it plays out but expect a lot of last‑minute calls.

Stay healthy, my friends. Mentally and physically,

Ryan

The post Buffalo NY Fishing Report – 03/29/2026 appeared first on Brookdog Fishing.

Buffalo NY Fishing Report – 03/22/2026

brookdog — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 10:19:06 +0000

Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Observations from 03/16 – 03/22/2026

Here’s our latest Buffalo NY fishing report: Hey folks — it’s officially spring, even if it doesn’t quite feel like it yet. This past week brought a mix of freezing temps, steady rain, and the usual blasts of ridiculous wind. Still, I managed to get on the water 3 days, so there’s plenty to break down.

The theme of the week? Reps. Putting in time now sets the stage for when things finally warm up. Action is creeping toward what I’d call “entertaining,” but not quite there. Weekend crowds made it tough to get a clean read on the pattern, but overall I’m optimistic about where this is heading.

Days on the water: 3

Who we fished with: friends/clients

Where we fished: Lower Niagara

What we caught: lake trout, brown trout, steelhead

Tactics: drifting live bait

Detailed Reporting/Daily Observations

03/16/2026 – Day Off

Marginal water clarity endured from the rain the weekend prior. Big wind out of the SW blew through the region as well. It was very warm though – until it shifted back to winter overnight.

03/17/2026 – Day Off

Temperatures dropped into the low 20s-upper teens and the wind continued to howl. I wasn’t booked but even if I was, we wouldn’t have fished. The water clarity improved markedly though.

03/18/2026 – Last Day Off for the Week

Water clarity continued to improve, and temperatures made it back above freezing. The day was nearly windless too. That set things up nicely for the following day.

03/19/2026 – What a Wonderful Day

Fished the Lower Niagara with the Whisperer, Bill, and Fred. The Whisperer has fished with me many times on the Lower Niagara, but this was Bill and Fred’s first endeavor down there. In fact, they asked him to get in touch with me to put this trip together (the Whisperer doesn’t do cold very often – unless it’s in a heated ice hut). I was happy to oblige.

Conditions couldn’t have been better for this time of year – crowds were minimal, the sun made an appearance more than a handful of times, water clarity was perfect, and there was very little wind. Bill and Fred got a solid dose of what the Lower has to offer when everything lines up perfectly.

03/06/2026 – Day Off

Wasn’t booked – didn’t fish.

03/20/2026 – Should’ve Stayed Home Lol

Fished the Lower Niagara with Ryan and Jack. When Ryan and I talked the night before, the rain wasn’t supposed to show up until around 11 a.m., so we planned on a short morning and an easy exit before things got wet. Well… the forecast was wrong.

We barely had an hour of fishing in before the rain started — and once it did, it never let up. Action wasn’t much to speak of either: a handful of small browns and one solid fish. We pushed upriver into Devil’s Hole hoping the canyon walls would give us a little shelter – they didn’t. Then a big southwest wind kicked in, dropped the windchill, and turned the whole thing into a grind.

At one point Jack said, “my hands are stinging really bad,” and that pretty much summed it up. Conditions crossed the line from uncomfortable to untenable, so we pulled the plug early.

03/21/2026 – Pressure Cooker

Fished the Lower Niagara with Al, Bob, and John. While I was waiting for them in the lot, I chatted with a recreational angler who spends a ton of time down there. He shook his head and said, “What happened? It was so good in February.” My response: “We happened.”

I’ll be straight — there just aren’t a lot of fish in the Lower right now. The water is ice‑cold thanks to that giant Lake Erie ice cube melting day after day, and when you mix that with weekend crowds, any hopes of an action‑packed outing usually evaporate.

That said, I love fishing with Al, and the guys he brings are always the kind who show up ready to grind. And grind we did. We put fish in the net, though only a handful were worth a photo. All things considered, the day turned out about as well as it could have. The guys — like me — were just happy to be on the water.

Seasonal Assessment/General Observations

Illustrating Mud Flows in Spring

I’ll use this section this week to explain why parts of the river remain clear enough to fish (above the dams/Niagara Falls – Devils Hole) even when the regional tributaries flood and dump mud. If you look at a map of the eastern basin of Lake Erie, all the major sediment sources—Cattaraugus Creek, the Buffalo River, and the Erie Canal—sit on the New York/eastern shoreline of the lake and the Niagara River. There are tributaries on the Canadian side, but they’re small and contribute very little sediment.

Because those major systems enter on the eastern shoreline, and because westerly winds typically keep that water pinned to that side, the muddy flow hugs the east bank as the Niagara pulls water from Lake Erie. In Tonawanda and North Tonawanda, the Erie Canal adds even more sediment—again on the east bank. The result is a split: clearer water on one side of the river and muddy water on the other. You can see this clearly when driving along the river or crossing the Grand Island bridges.

Downstream, that muddy water continues along the Robert Moses Parkway and eventually reaches the NYPA intakes. Those intakes pull in the dirty water, send it underground into the reservoir, and later release it through the dams—downstream of Devils Hole. That’s why the stretch from just above the intakes, over the Falls, and down to the dams stays clear, while everything below the dams turns muddy.

The diagram should help make sense of the flow pattern.

Ice is Disappearing Fast

One more note – Lake Erie experienced insanely fast ice melt this past week. Take a look at these products. Rain, warm temps, and wind got Lake Erie down to below 15% in about a week. It won’t be long before the ice booms come out.

Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Forecast for 03/23/2026 – 03/29/2026

Next week is looking dicey – some good, some bad. I looks like winter doesn’t want to leave yet – more days than not will hover around the freezing mark. Winds look like they’ll be all over the place too – SW, E, NE, and NW. The middle of the week looks like it’ll be OK – beyond that, there will be some last minute calls. The long range forecast is super untrustworthy this time of year – hopefully, things will improve.

I’m booked most days and if the forecast holds, I’ll spend almost all of them on the Lower Niagara. I’m hopeful that I can get out on Lake Ontario at least once to say hi to some giant lakers. There’s a chance I’ll poke around on the Upper as well. Stay tuned!

Stay healthy, my friends. Mentally and physically,

Ryan

P.S. I made a lot of improvements to me website over the winter – I updated every page with new content. Poke around – if you fished with me last year, you might see your picture pop up on one or more sliders. I apologize for not putting a report out last week. I made a lot of changes to the format, but when I did, I messed up my entire fishing report history. Not sure why this happened, but I’m working on resolving it. If you have any recommendations for things you’d like me to change on these fishing reports – send me an email, give me a call, or message me.

The post Buffalo NY Fishing Report – 03/22/2026 appeared first on Brookdog Fishing.

Buffalo NY Fishing Report – 03/08/2026

brookdog — Sun, 08 Mar 2026 22:13:41 +0000

Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Observations from 03/02 – 03/08/2026

Here’s our latest Buffalo NY fishing report: Hey, Folks! It’s been a long time and I hope all of you fared well through that brutal winter. It was a harsh by all measures – extreme cold, wind, and endless snow made fishing nearly impossible throughout the season (unless you’re down for hardwater). I kept myself entertained with another trip to Guyana, a family vacation to California (a national park bender), hitting the gym, reading, and consuming podcasts. Admittedly, I’ve been a little listless lately – when my wife is telling me to go fishing, you know it’s time.

I normally don’t start guiding until 3/15 every year. However, a warming trend opened a window last week, so I decided to get the boat out of storage and get some reps in. My first guided trip of the year was today – and it felt good to be back in the game.

Days on the water: 3

Who we fished with: friends/clients

Where we fished: Lower Niagara

What we caught: walleye, smallmouth bass, lake trout, brown trout, steelhead, freshwater drum (not a typo)

Tactics: drifting live bait and beads

Detailed Reporting/Daily Observations

03/02/2026 – Reunion Day

I want to send a huge thank you to Bob Coplin, Les Fowler, and Zach Karalus from Collins Marine. Before departing to Guyana in early February, I dropped the boat off there to get my seat bases replaced and to get a keel guard installed (it’s gonna be an icy spring on the river). Not only did they do an excellent job at that, but they also stored my boat indoors until I came to pick it up. I did just that on Monday – I forgot how much I missed her.

03/03/2026 – Weather Day

I wasn’t booked so I stayed off the water, hit the gym, and moved my gear back into the boat.

03/04/2026 – Baby Needs a Bath

The Warrior got a little messy over the winter. As you know, on most days the roads were heavily salted snow coated. The trip from Collins Marine to where they stored it for me gave the boat a good coating – a deep clean was in order. So, I called Liam Kennedy of Kennedy Auto Care to make her look like new again. As always – he did just that.

My buddy Joe Srouji of Anglers Edge Outdoors wanted to get his boat on the water for the first time of the year and needed a companion. I was happy to oblige. We got some reps in on the Lower Niagara and called it after a couple of hours.

03/05/2026 – All Systems Go

Got the boat on the water for the first time in 2026. My buddies Joe Srouji of Anglers Edge and Mike Trifiletti of River Born Fishing joined me. The mission wasn’t to fish – more to make sure everything in the boat was functional. I’m happy to report that it was.

Facing a stiff north wind, we did a couple passes in Devils Hole to no avail and decided to quit and grab lunch at the Brickyard.

03/06/2026 – Day Off

Wasn’t booked – didn’t fish.

03/07/2026 – The Deluge/Big Thaw

Warm temperatures and consistent rain melted almost all the remaining snow. Those big drifts in the parking lots, you know, the ones filled with months of plowed material, were all that was left at the end of the day. It’s nasty looking when this happens – mud, asphalt, and trash are everywhere.

All that rain, plus snow melt, filled the Lake Erie tributaries and the Erie Canal by the end of the day. I’m glad I didn’t fish through that.

03/08/2026 – First Clients of the Year

Fished the Lower Niagara with brothers Steve and Dan. Great guys who are as passionate about adventure travel as I am. I’m glad we had lots to talk about, because the fishing was a grind.

Water clarity above the dams was good – but there wasn’t a bite. Below the dams to about mid river, it was about 2’ of visibility. Closer to the fort, it was at least 3’ of visibility. We picked away and boated a handful but like I said, it was a grind. By 12:00PM – insane winds kicked up and we decided to call it at a half day.

Seasonal Assessment/General Observations

I’m going to keep this tight — it’s tough to draw conclusions from a single outing. The water is still just a touch above freezing, so while banner days can happen, they’re unlikely until temperatures climb. On top of that, we now need the river to clear after this flood. Lake Erie being roughly 70% iced over isn’t helping either. In short, it’s shaping up like a typical March: every day is a judgment call.

Thinking short term, I’m looking forward to conditions aligning to allow me to get out on Lake Ontario. We just need the right wind and all will be good. Unfortunately, that doesn’t look like it’ll be in play for a little while.

Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Forecast for 03/09/2026 – 03/15/2026

This upcoming week looks like it’ll be another series of last-minute calls. As I mentioned above, water clarity will be a concern in the near term due to the flood. Big wind, cold temperatures, and rain will almost be a daily occurrence. I’m booked a few days – toward the weekend. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that things will improve by then. Stay tuned!

I debated whether to put a fishing report out this week, but a few clients called me asking to see if I was still alive, so I decided to provide proof of life. Also, I’m using a new newsletter distribution service (you likely noticed), so I wanted to put something out to work out the kinks before busy season. Finally, some reps are better than none. See you soon.

The post Buffalo NY Fishing Report – 03/08/2026 appeared first on Brookdog Fishing.