Buffalo, NY/WNY Fishing

[River Dave]

 I don't think you're missing all that much really. From what I read it's not an actual tournament it's just like 6 or 8 guys doing some sort of qualifier on the River. I could be wrong but that's the impression I got. They probably won't even fish the river, my guess is they'll just run for the lake. I don't think they are fishing Cayuga this year so this is probably as close as we'll get locally. The launched out of Small Boat Harbour a few years ago a couple of times but I never bothered to go, my buddy said it was cool though. 

Thanks for the map RSX, that's exactly where I caught my lone pike the other day. I just kind of blew through there with the trolling motor, should probably have stopped and fished it harder I guess. Looks like you caught some nice ones.

[fayegarnett]

2 minutes ago, River Dave said:

 I don't think you're missing all that much really. From what I read it's not an actual tournament it's just like 6 or 8 guys doing some sort of qualifier on the River. I could be wrong but that's the impression I got. They probably won't even fish the river, my guess is they'll just run for the lake. I don't think they are fishing Cayuga this year so this is probably as close as we'll get locally. The launched out of Small Boat Harbour a few years ago a couple of times but I never bothered to go, my buddy said it was cool though. 

Thanks for the map RSX, that's exactly where I caught my lone pike the other day. I just kind of blew through there with the trolling motor, should probably have stopped and fished it harder I guess. Looks like you caught some nice ones.

that makes me feel better, thanks, haha, but they are fishing cayuga lake though.

[River Dave]

PS looks like me and Faye posted at the same time. Didn't realize they were going back to Cayuga this year. They launch and weigh in at the Union Springs launch which is a nice big place with plenty of room for spectators. That would be pretty cool to attend and it's an easy 2 hour drive from Buffalo. We had a cottage less a mile from the launch the past two summers but we were a week ahead of the tournament. It would have been cool to watch but would have been a nightmare trying to fish and especially to launch the boat so it worked out better for me being early.

[fayegarnett]

2 minutes ago, River Dave said:

PS looks like me and Faye posted at the same time. Didn't realize they were going back to Cayuga this year. They launch and weigh in at the Union Springs launch which is a nice big place with plenty of room for spectators. That would be pretty cool to attend and it's an easy 2 hour drive from Buffalo. We had a cottage less a mile from the launch the past two summers but we were a week ahead of the tournament. It would have been cool to watch but would have been a nightmare trying to fish and especially to launch the boat so it worked out better for me being early.

You are right about the bracket, Dave. here's what i read from the official fb page: just 8 anglers for a guaranteed spot in the 17 classic. But they are the top 8 from cayuga though. So they should be good. i was too excited to read the details carefully, but still it'll be interesting to see how many large smallies they can pull out from the lake or the river. 

[hckyplyr]

On May 22, 2016 at 7:53 PM, LastCastChris said:

I have fished the whole chestnut ridge pond. Most of my luck has been by the commissioner's cabin.. The place is heavily fished. It isnt my first choice.. I am always looking for new places to fish. I fish a handful of ponds around here in orchard park. Most are in the Birdsong neighborhood... Where in Orchard Park are you located? Haven't heard of the pond in langford, but interested now lol.. I get out to fish when i can, usually a couple days a week..I have 3 sons under the age of 3 so the wife and i are always busy. 

I'm on Ashwood Ln in OP. You're right, the pond is over fished. I was at birdsong this week, caught a nice bass, but had to use top water mostly because of the high grass/lily pads. How do you guys post pics? When I try to attach them, it says the max is 150kb, I take a small screenshot of the satellite view, and its still like 850kb. I took the time to take pics of about 10 ponds in the Hamburg/OP area that I wanted to share w you guys. Let me know

[Hurricane]

2 hours ago, hckyplyr said:

I'm on Ashwood Ln in OP. You're right, the pond is over fished. I was at birdsong this week, caught a nice bass, but had to use top water mostly because of the high grass/lily pads. How do you guys post pics? When I try to attach them, it says the max is 150kb, I take a small screenshot of the satellite view, and its still like 850kb. I took the time to take pics of about 10 ponds in the Hamburg/OP area that I wanted to share w you guys. Let me know

I hit the click to choose files button... Definitely interested in these other ponds...

[Hurricane]

3 hours ago, fayegarnett said:

guys, i'm literally stomping my foot on the ground in frustration. it's real exciting to know the bassmaster elite series happens right in your town, and then it kills you to realize you won't be in town in those few days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's driving me NUTS!!!!! I've never ever been so close to the elites!!!!!! Anyways, guys have fun at the Expo!! Take some pictures and post them here!!

the last time they were at cayuga i ran into randy howell at bass pro in Auburn.  He was standing in line in front of me.. Real cool dude. 

[BuffaloBass716]

The Smallmouth fishing has died down for me within the last week. They might be pairing up to spawn and stopped eating.

For largemouth, there are tons at the overflow pond, problem is that they are on beds already and paired up too.  I managed 3 today by ticking them off.  Most are around 2lbs but I can't believe that they are spawning already.  It seemed like the water went from 40 to 55 in like a week.

How have you guys been hitting them lately? Has it slowed down for you?

[Hurricane]

Definitely going pond hopping after work today... Just not sure where to start.  

[fayegarnett]

2 hours ago, BuffaloBass716 said:

The Smallmouth fishing has died down for me within the last week. They might be pairing up to spawn and stopped eating.

For largemouth, there are tons at the overflow pond, problem is that they are on beds already and paired up too.  I managed 3 today by ticking them off.  Most are around 2lbs but I can't believe that they are spawning already.  It seemed like the water went from 40 to 55 in like a week.

How have you guys been hitting them lately? Has it slowed down for you?

my friend caught 8 or 9 yesterday in that pond, all bedding fish

[ThinkRSX]

On May 24, 2016 at 6:19 PM, hckyplyr said:

I'm on Ashwood Ln in OP. You're right, the pond is over fished. I was at birdsong this week, caught a nice bass, but had to use top water mostly because of the high grass/lily pads. How do you guys post pics? When I try to attach them, it says the max is 150kb, I take a small screenshot of the satellite view, and its still like 850kb. I took the time to take pics of about 10 ponds in the Hamburg/OP area that I wanted to share w you guys. Let me know

I had the same problem when I first joined. It seems like the more "rep" you gain on the site, the larger your total file size can be.  I started at 150kb, but I'm now at 7.32 MB.

To get around the file size limits, just use embedded links through a photosharing site. 

Photobucket, TinyPic, and Imghost are examples of some photosharing sites. Upload your photos and then copy the direct link up for the ones you want into the post and the forums will insert that picture. 

Hope that helps. Let me know if you need more help. 

[River Dave]

I went back and liked your posts to see if that will give you more rep points (not sure exactly how that works). Maybe that will let you post your pictures. I dont get to pond hop as much as I'd like to but I would be interested in any local shore fishing spots you're willing to share. Most of my old places are posted and/or developed now and the few I do know I've mentioned earlier in this thread. 

 

[fayegarnett]

spent the whole afternoon by the river and caught only one smallie. like another member said, it was real slow. My friend is visiting me from pittsburgh tomorrow, and spent two days here with the hope of catching some smallies. do you guys know anywhere good now? I really dont want him to go home skunked.

[Hurricane]

57 minutes ago, fayegarnett said:

spent the whole afternoon by the river and caught only one smallie. like another member said, it was real slow. My friend is visiting me from pittsburgh tomorrow, and spent two days here with the hope of catching some smallies. do you guys know anywhere good now? I really dont want him to go home skunked.

Give 18 mile creek a try.. 

[Justjigger]

Doing a little bass fishing off my dock, I put a leftover piece of pork on a circle hook and landed this stinky pig 

[BuffaloBass716]

Was out the other day on the river when two muskies were swimming back and forth right on the shoreline, probably pairing out to spawn.  They were both pretty big and could careless that I was basically right in their way. Just a pretty awesome sight to see, knowing that giants are in the river, and continuing to breed.  

[River Dave]

That is awesome. Watching muskies is one of my favorite things about the River. What a great picture. 

[Hurricane]

I hope i catch another one this year... Definitely going to throw. Whopper plopper on the river this summer

1 hour ago, BuffaloBass716 said:

Was out the other day on the river when two muskies were swimming back and forth right on the shoreline, probably pairing out to spawn.  They were both pretty big and could careless that I was basically right in their way. Just a pretty awesome sight to see, knowing that giants are in the river, and continuing to breed.  

Great pic!

[River Dave]

We seem to put at least one in the boat every year but haven't caught a decent one in years. Had a 36" a few years ago but that's it. The little ones hang in the weedbeds where I bass fish and will hit spinnerbaits and stuff like that but the big girls go deep after the spawn and I never fish deep. I seem to hook and lose a decent one every June while they spawn but never get them to the boat with my bass gear. 

My dad was the president of the Niagara River chapter of Muskies Inc when I was a teenager and we fished muskies hard for a lot of years but I don't really target them now. My personal best is 49 1/2" so never did break 50 which is the holy grail of muskie fishing and even that was 20 years ago, been a long time since I've even broke 40". Still love those River muskies. 

[Hurricane]

My Personal Best of my life. Last year.

[River Dave]

Great fish. That's the same picture that brought me to this forum for the first time. I was googling "Niagara River muskie" last year and it directed me to your original post with that picture. I read a bunch of the different local threads and joined the site. Pretty much all your fault Chris.

 

 

[Hurricane]

 Have you hit the river lately? Will probably head out tomorrow with my brother in law..  I work for West Herr and we are open Monday so tomorrow's my shot..

[River Dave]

Man I haven't been on the river in almost a month. I wanted to go next week but won't have any time so I'm looking at almost two weeks from now before I'll get a shot at it. This is not at all how I pictured how this year would go, I had planned on fishing a ton this season. Good luck tomorrow, not many boats out there today. I thought it would be crowded but it wasn't bad at all when I went by at 8:30. 

 

 

[Hurricane]

Ready to go get em...

[River Dave]

Good luck today Chris. I'm jealous, I'm stuck in a 100 degree factory for the next 12 hours. Ugh. Let us know how you made out. Nice day out there so far.