Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Observations from 08/03 – 08/09/2026
Here’s our latest Buffalo NY fishing report: This week had a little bit of everything—annual checkups, old Marine Corps connections, returning clients, last-minute trips, and three very different days with Paul and Henry. The fishing stayed strong despite some challenging conditions, including crowded water, scattered fish, thunderstorms, and some serious waves. We found plenty of walleyes, discovered some new water on the Niagara, and had excellent smallmouth action mixed in with the inevitable drum. Throw in a few personal bests, a lesson or two for the captain, and some classic Warrior weather, and it was another busy but memorable week.
Days on the water: 6
Who we fished with: friends/clients
Where we fished: Lake Erie,Upper Niagara, Lower Niagara
What we caught: walleye, smallmouth bass, freshwater drum
Tactics: trolling worm harnesses, casting finesse baits, drifting live bait
Detailed Reporting/Daily Observations
08/03/2026 – Medical Day
I blocked off a day this week to knock out my annual preventative care appointments at the VA. One of the reasons I schedule them in the middle of summer is because I want my dermatologist to see me when I’m at peak sun exposure. Good news—I got a clean bill of health.
Other than wearing a sun hoodie every day on the water, I use a little zinc oxide on my nose—that’s it. After spending virtually every day outdoors from mid-March through late fall, I’ve found my skin adapts to the point where I don’t feel the need for much additional sun protection. I know that’s not the prevailing view these days, but it’s been my experience. It does strike me as unfortunate that so many of us spend so little time outdoors that we think of the sun as something to fear rather than something our bodies need exposure to.
Now for the bad news. At 48, my eyesight has apparently decided it’s time to humble me. I also saw the optometrist this week. My long-range vision is still excellent. However, lately, I’ve noticed it’s tough for me to read the fine print in low light conditions. I just thought the fine print was getting “finer” these days. Then came the close-range vision test.
I could read every line, but that bottom one was just a little blurry. The optometrist swapped a lens and asked, “How does it look now?” My heart sank. It was perfectly clear. I’m still in denial.
08/04/2026 – Small World
Fished Lake Erie out of Buffalo, NY with new clients Joel and Bennett.
On the run out of the harbor, Joel asked what I did before becoming a charter captain. I told him I was in the Marine Corps. He followed up by asking where I was stationed, and before long we realized we’d both served under the same command. He checked into the unit not long after I left. Small world.
As it turns out, Joel also knows my buddy Brian—who many of you have seen in my travel blogs—as well as several other Marines I served with over the years.
After retiring from the Corps, Joel moved back home to Buffalo to take over his father’s business. His son, Bennett, loves fishing, but catching has been a little harder to come by. Joel figured a charter might improve the odds. It did.
The walleye bite was outstanding, and Bennett spent the morning setting “personal best” after “personal best.” The bass fishing, on the other hand, was surprisingly slow. We had to work for them, but we still managed to cap off a memorable day on the water.
08/05/2026 – I Need Some “Yellows” in my Life
Fished Lake Erie out of Buffalo, NY with Ron. Ron has been fishing with me for the past few years. Health issues kept him off the water for much of last season, and he told me he really missed having a stash of Lake Erie walleyes in the freezer over the winter. He wasn’t about to let that happen again. So, we made sure it didn’t.
The walleyes cooperated, we put together a great box of fish, and Ron’s freezer will be well stocked for the months ahead.
08/06/2026 – Paul and Henry’s Annual Visit (Day 1)
Fished Lake Erie out of Buffalo, NY with Paul and Henry. This father/son duo has been fishing with me for three years now—always three days over the summer. Henry was only getting into fishing when they first started fishing with me. Now, at 13, he’s become an avid angler. It’s been great watching him develop over the years.
For Day 1 of their visit, we targeted walleyes. We got our limit, but it wasn’t easy. And that’s entirely on me. I’ll admit it—I’ve been on such a long streak of getting limits by simply putting out a spread and covering water that I became complacent.
Here’s the thing about fishing out of Buffalo right now: it’s not easy. Well, not compared to the Catt, that is. There are millions of fish around Buffalo, but they aren’t all walleyes. You’ll encounter large schools of drum, white perch, and yellow perch, all of which can bog you down when you’re trying to target ‘eyes.
In other words, simply putting out a spread and covering water isn’t always the best strategy in this situation. It has worked for me every day for nearly two months, but scenarios arise—as they did on this day—where it pays to be more minimalist and work a school when you find it. That’s how I used to fish for walleyes in years past – somehow, I buried that down and forgot to employ it as a tactic on this day. Lesson re-learned. 
08/07/2026 – Paul and Henry’s Annual Visit (Day 2)
As a rule, when I have anglers in town for more than two days, I always spend at least one of those days on the river. I think it’s important—for everyone involved—to change the scenery.
For me, it keeps me sane. It breaks up the routine and keeps me from feeling like I’m doing the same thing over and over again. For my clients, it keeps them more engaged, exposes them to the different options we have in this region, and gives them new challenges. In other words, I think it makes their trip more interesting.
The river is typically hit or miss in the summer. Weeds, boat traffic, and scattered fish can all make things difficult. Every once in a while, though, something magical happens.
We started the day on the Lower Niagara, but there was a charity tournament underway and the river was congested. We picked away at a few small bass on the bar and managed a walleye between all the boats. After about an hour, though, I’d had enough. I decided it was time to move to the Upper Niagara.
We ended up covering a lot of water and eventually settled into an area I’d never fished during the summer. We hammered. There were plenty of fish, including some quality ones, and we had a blast figuring it out. A day on the water when I learn something new is always an awesome day for me. Henry and Paul had a pretty good time too.
08/09/2026 – Paul and Henry’s Annual Trip (Day 3)
We delayed our start due to thunderstorms and torrential rain. The skies were dramatic—the lightning and fast-moving clouds were captivating, to say the least. Once it all passed, we made our way out in pursuit of smallies and the inevitable drum.
Henry had himself a day. He landed some quality ‘jaws, a nice white bass, MANY drum, and a walleye—a grand slam!
As the morning progressed, the waves built to consistent 2–4 footers. It was awesome out there. I even got in on the action, standing on the back deck and surfing those big waves.
I love those conditions. I call it Warrior weather. There’s something about being out there when the adrenaline is flowing, whitecaps are everywhere, and the boat is riding those big waves. Even when you’re mostly catching drum, everything screams DRAG!
Until next time, my friends!
08/09/2026 (morning) – Back to Gold Mining
Fished Lake Erie out of Hanover, NY with Mark, Ryan, and Ansley. It was ridiculously busy, but it didn’t matter. The action was insane as per usual. I stretched the day out as best as possible – but we still got our limit with ease.
The wind died off as the day went on – so the bugs came out and it got HOT and humid. Thankfully, they were happy to get off the water and on to “necropsy time!” Fun session with a great family.
08/09/2026 (afternoon) – Last Minute? Why Not?
Fished Lake Erie out of Buffalo, NY with Josh, Trisha, and Josh Jr. I was driving home from the Catt when Josh gave me a call. The family was in town from Pennsylvania to attend Bills training camp and wanted to squeeze in a little fishing before heading home. I told them they were in luck—I was getting close to Buffalo and could meet them shortly. They were staying at LECOM, so it was only a short commute to the launch. Couldn’t have worked out better.
Despite the heavy boat traffic and dead-calm conditions, the bass action was excellent. Of course, the drum came out to play too. It was a short but very productive session, and everyone was very happy with how it worked out.
Seasonal Assessment/General Observations
There’s not much to get deep on this week beyond what the daily reports already show—things are very stable.
The water from Dunkirk to Buffalo is warm from top to bottom. There’s plenty of bait around and millions of walleyes here to eat it. Their metabolisms are high, and so are the catch rates. Until we get a significant east wind, I don’t expect much to change for at least another month.
The smallmouth have been more hit or miss. I’m sure that if one were so inclined to search for them in deep water—deeper than the mid-40s—you’d find them. You’d also likely kill them in the process. I’ve kept things shallow and, when possible, in current on my bass trips lately. Catch rates vary, but the fish we’ve caught have been in great shape.
There are still a ton of drum around, too. I don’t mind catching them here and there throughout the day. I do mind when they outnumber the bass 5-to-1. Fortunately, that should change in the coming weeks.
I’m looking forward to more bass-pure days in my life.
Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Forecast for 08/10/2026 – 08/16/2026
The forecast for this week looks very nice. Much cooler temperatures are supposed to set in for most of the week. The wind might be a factor here and there – but nothing concerning – just adventurous.
I’m booked daily – most will be walleye trips, but I’ll check in on the smallies at least a couple of times throughout the week.
Stay tuned!
REMINDER
If you haven’t booked your fall trip yet, now’s the time to get in touch.
September still has plenty of availability, and it’s one of my favorite months of the year. The crowds begin to thin out, the weather is often outstanding, and both the walleye and smallmouth bass fishing can be exceptional.
I also have a few dates available in October—another fantastic month for walleyes and smallmouth. On top of that, there’s a chance to target fall-run king salmon and giant Lake Erie lake trout.
Finally, I have a handful of openings in November, which coincides with the peak of the fall trout spawning run. No matter which month you choose, fall offers some of the best fishing of the year and plenty of opportunities to get after it.
Stay healthy, my friends. Mentally and physically,
Ryan