Sunday, March 31, 2013
Friday, March 29, 2013
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Steelheads are Running!
Lake Erie and Tributaries
Although it is officially spring, it still feels like winter steelheading conditions. The creeks are open and flowing well, but anglers should expect snowy shorelines, floating slush in the mornings and shelf ice in the slack and slow water areas. Medium sized streams like Chautauqua, Canadaway, Eighteenmile, Buffalo and Cayuga Creeks are your best bets. They have moderate flows and favorable steelhead catch reports. Fresh steelhead are moving in and are spread throughout the creeks. The smaller streams have low and clear conditions. Cattaraugus Creek flowing at about 660 cubic feet per second is getting close to fishable condition, however daytime snowmelt will likely keep Catt flows running at current or higher levels. Egg sacs, egg pattern flies, trout beads and jigs with grubs work well in cold water conditions, drifted slow and deep. As we transition into spring, look for steelhead to hit additional baits such as stonefly imitations, streamer patterns, minnows and nightcrawlers.
Some steelhead are paired up and actively spawning. It is recommended that anglers avoid (not fish) active spawners and take care not to disturb redds (gravel nests), as natural reproduction adds to the future steelhead returns.
For those new to steelhead fishing, see the Steelhead Fishing in Lake Erie Tributaries page for information on steelhead fishing tackle, equipment and links to steelhead stream maps. The fish passage project at the Westfield Water Works dam on Chautauqua Creek has been completed. This fish passage gives steelhead access to an additional 10 miles of stream that runs through a deep, wooded gorge. There are about 7 miles of public fishing rights easements (PFR) over that stretch of stream. See the Chautauqua Creek PFR Map (PDF) (409 KB) to view these public access areas.
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Under Pressure to Fish? FYI WNY Sniffers
How Barometric Pressure Effects Trout Behavior
The Swim Bladder
When it comes to fishing, most people don't give the weather a thought other than for their own comfort. But, the same weather that makes us miserable also makes trout uncomfortable and therefore, knowing both the recent and present Barometric Pressure in your locale can help you to pick a good day to go fishing. The reason this information is helpful has to do with the relationship between the atmospheric pressure and the trout's Swim Bladder (buoyancy compensator). FYI, the amount of pressure that the Earth’s atmosphere exerts as it presses down on the Earth’s surface is measured in units called either "millibars" (mb) or "inches of Mercury" (inHg) and changes in this atmospheric pressure (also called barometric pressure) cause the ambient pressue on a trout's swim bladder to increase or decrease accordingly which can make the trout uncomfortable. So, as a general guideline for the continental United States, think of 30 inHg (1016 mb) to be a normal level with 30.5 inHg as an extreme high and 28.5 inHg as an extreme low. Thus, because a higher or lower barometric pressure exerts more or less pressure respectively upon the surface of the water, the water pressure also changes in direct proprotion to the changes in the atmospheric pressure and therefore, fish feel these changes in their swim bladder. Consequently, a rapid rise or fall in the barometric pressure or an extended period of either extreame high or extreme low barometric pressure can make a huge difference in the quality of the fishing on any given day. Consequently, a slight change +/- of just 0.02 inHg is enough to positively or adversely affect a trout populations feeding habits. Therefore, it is very important for a fly angler to be aware of the Barometric Pressure in their locale and how it affects both the weather and the fish’s habits and to use that knowledge to their advantage.
Friday, March 22, 2013
DEC Stocked Trout Listing Erie County
| Water | Town | Number | Date | Species | Size (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo River | West Seneca | 4000 | Spring | Rainbow Trout | 8 - 9 inches |
| Cattaraugus Creek | Sardinia | 2760 | March | Brown Trout | 8 - 9 inches |
| Cattaraugus Creek | Sardinia | 600 | March | Brown Trout | 12 -15 inches |
| Cattaraugus Creek | Sardinia | 2180 | April | Brown Trout | 8 - 9 inches |
| Cattaraugus Creek | Sardinia | 350 | April | Brown Trout | 12 -15 inches |
| Cazenovia Creek-East Branch | Aurora | 2760 | March | Brown Trout | 8 - 9 inches |
| Cazenovia Creek-East Branch | Aurora | 300 | March | Brown Trout | 12 -15 inches |
| Cazenovia Creek-East Branch | Aurora | 70 | April | Brown Trout | 8 - 9 inches |
| Cazenovia Creek-East Branch | Aurora | 360 | April - May | Brown Trout | 8 - 9 inches |
| Como Park Lake | Lancaster | 200 | April | Rainbow Trout | 8 - 9 inches |
| Eighteenmile Creek | Boston | 550 | March | Brown Trout | 8 - 9 inches |
| Ellicott Creek | Amherst | 1250 | April | Rainbow Trout | 8 - 9 inches |
| Lake Erie | Buffalo | 1000 | Spring | Rainbow Trout | 8 - 9 inches |
| Lake Erie | Evans | 3640 | Spring | Brown Trout | 8 - 9 inches |
| Little Buffalo Ck | Lancaster, Elma | 580 | March | Brown Trout | 8 - 9 inches |
| Little Buffalo Ck | Lancaster, Elma | 200 | March | Brown Trout | 12 -15 inches |
| Main Park Pond - Village of Clarence | Clarence | 300 | April | Rainbow Trout | 8 - 9 inches |
| Sprague Brook Park A and B Pond | Concord | 200 | April | Rainbow Trout | 8 - 9 inches |
| Sprague Brook Park A and B Pond | Concord | 100 | April | Brown Trout | 12 -15 inches |
| Sprague Brook Park Veteran's Pond | Concord | 200 | April | Rainbow Trout | 8 - 9 inches |
| Sprague Brook Park Veteran's Pond | Concord | 100 | April | Brown Trout | 12 -15 inches |
| Springville Field and Stream Club Pond | Concord | 200 | April - May | Brook Trout | 8 - 9 inches |
Monday, March 18, 2013
Sunday, March 17, 2013
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