East Aurora Advertiser

Column: Lake Erie Perch Bite is ON, Inland Trout Season Now Open


 

 

 

 

Yep, it’s the early fishing season! The exciting inland trout fishing season opens today (April 1). Still, the scorching hot news is that the Lake Erie ice field is gone, and the yellow perch bite is hot. 

Many anglers with boats still don’t have them home from winter storage, but some do. We have pictures of their success. The spring early season perch bite on Lake Erie is in high gear. Excellent catches, some limits with fish to 15-inches in size, have been coming from 50-60 feet of water off Cattaraugus Creek. The state boat launch at Cattaraugus Creekmouth is open, as is the Town of Hanover boat launch nearby. The cleaning station and restrooms at Hanover are not yet in operation, but the word is that they are not too far behind. There is a portable bathroom at both sites. 

At the moment, the bad news for boaters is that the Sturgeon Point boat launch and marina appear to be solidly silted in (again) this year. For now, the Lake Erie boat access site is not functional. There is fear among those in the know that this marina may not reopen this time. Hope that’s not true. There are annual dredging and cleanup costs involved. With the state of the state the way it is right now, there may not be any financial assistance from other than local sources. The marina apparently needs a rebuild and redesign, or annual re-dredging would not be necessary. Let’s hope officials can work out a plan to reopen and improve. Sturgeon Point Marina and boat launch is the only safety, rescue and gas stop between Buffalo and Chautauqua County. WNY needs this marina to remain open for nothing less than safety reasons. The good news for early season yellow perch and bonanza season bass anglers is that the Buffalo Harbor State Park boat launch is open (716-822-1207).

For these and many related reasons, it’s time to check your fishing gear. For trout fishing or perch fishing, if you have not done it yet, lubricate your reels and check your fishing rods for broken or bent guides – make the necessary repairs and change your line if you need to. The old line that snaps when you hook up with that one giant fish you might like a picture with before releasing her can bring unchallenged memories. And they never end (trust me). Check your hook and sinker supply, check your favorite lures and get out there. Not ready yet? Fine. Then take your camera and fire off some photos to me – birds, critters or fish – at nugdor@yahoo.com. We’re always looking for adventure photos for the column and you’ll get a free byline for your outdoor image. In just one more week or two the crappie and bullhead bite will come to life at Chautauqua Lake. That’s an exciting time for adults and kids in the canals at Ashville Bay Marina and at other spots around the lake. A few weeks after that, on May 1, the NYS walleye season will open. Lake Erie has never been more filled with walleye than it is right now. If you’re not familiar, that means Lake Erie is full of tasty fish that everyone would like to catch. Get ready!

The spring Lake Erie yellow perch bite is getting into high gear early this season. Photo by Rich Davenport

Outdoor issues are in the news this year. NYS has redefined the management plan for trout streams and adjusted the harvest and access controls based on stream type. So be sure to check the NYS rules and regulations booklet for the waterway you fish, though, for many of us it will not change the way we fish or what we are allowed to harvest. Read the rules anyway, please. 

Among the most useful angler pocket tools is this inexpensive fishing line cutter for braided lines, monoline, and fluoro lines (Boomerang Tool Co.). Photo by Forrest Fisher

If going inland and walking streams for trout is not part of your bag of outdoor adventure wanna-go-fishing magic, but fishing from a lawn chair near your parked vehicle on a pier sounds better, head for the Central Avenue Dunkirk Harbor pier. Anglers casting spoons and spinners or touting a float and egg sac have been landing steelhead and brown trout. There are some perch and bass in the harbor too. Be sure your line is relatively new. These fish can tussle. 

The state budget bills coming up for yay or nay will also address several critical issues of interest for many sportsmen and sportswomen on the hunting scene. Among these are expanding the crossbow season to be allowed during the full early archery season, lowering the big game hunting age to 12 with a mentor and expanding legal hunting hours to 30 minutes before sunrise and 30 minutes after sunset. Each of these is a hot button with the right crowd. Of these, my vote goes to lowering the minimum big game hunting age with a mentor. Why not allow our youth to join the big game hunter group? We sure need more kids to focus on the outdoors over the choice of e-games, which offer no minimum age controls. I like the 30-minutes before and after idea too, but if that passes I’d like to see orange clothing be mandatory during firearm season. That’s what many western states do. By the way, isn’t it interesting that the NYS issues/budget vote in Albany is on April Fools Day? 

Finally, be aware that the annual NYS burning ban runs from March 14 through May 14. It’s the annual dry season, and residential brush burning takes full effect in the interest of preventing wildfires. It’s a $500 fine for a first offense. Campfires are allowed, but please don’t leave your campfire unattended. See a violator? Call 1-800-TIPP-DEC (1-800-847-7332).

Have a great week!

Outdoors Calendar

Apr. 1: Opening Day – NYS inland trout season.

Apr. 1: In-Person NYS Hunter-Ed sessions resume. Register at: register-ed.com/programs/new_york/165. 

Apr. 3: Outdoor Skills Program, Reinstein Woods, 93 Honorine Dr., pre-register at 683-5959.

Apr. 24-25: NYS youth turkey hunting weekend. 

May 1: Opening Day for NYS walleye, northern pike, tiger musky and pickerel. 

May 1-31: NYS spring turkey season

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Share life with others, make new friends in the outdoors, lead by example. Send comments to nugdor@yahoo.com.

 

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