Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Observations from 09/07 – 09/13/2026
Here’s our latest Buffalo NY fishing report: This week had a nice mix of family fishing, experimentation, and some excellent Lake Erie action. The walleye bite remains strong, and I’ve been spending more time experimenting with jigging, which looks like it will become part of the program. The lake trout action was especially good out of Barcelona, including some first-time deep-water jigging, and the fish were consistently healthy and robust. A few trips also provided the kind of time on the water that makes this job rewarding beyond just catching fish.
Days on the water: 6
Who we fished with: friends/clients
Where we fished: Lake Erie
What we caught: lake trout, walleye, smallmouth bass, freshwater drum
Tactics: trolling worm harnesses, casting finesse baits, vertical jigging, drifting live bait
Detailed Reporting/Daily Observations
09/07/2026 – Labor Day Fish Fry
Fished Lake Erie out of Buffalo, NY with Dylan and Colton. These boys are the sons of two of my closest friends. About a month ago, we planned a multi-family fish fry for Labor Day, with the boys and I responsible for harvesting the main ingredient that morning and bringing it home for a fresh-from-the-lake meal.
It was a gorgeous day—dead calm on the lake. We ran far offshore and got into fish almost immediately. Everything was chunky. The walleyes hanging around the mid-60s seem to be eating a lot of perch, and that diet is making them thick and healthy.
We had an excellent meal that night, thanks in large part to the boys’ efforts on the water. They got plenty of high praise from the family. It felt good catching dinner and eating it with a bunch of people you care about.
09/08/2026 – Poking Around with the Whisperer and Captain America
Fished Lake Erie out of Buffalo, NY with the Whisperer and Captain America. These guys fish with me often, and their freezers are already packed with walleye fillets. So, instead of adding to the stash, the goal for the day was to jig exclusively and see what happened.
When we set up, there was a light offshore breeze that had us drifting just under 1 mph. That allowed us to cover some water, and we started catching fish almost immediately. Then the wind died, the drift disappeared, and things turned into a grind.
A lot of folks have been jigging for walleyes lately to add a little challenge and, more importantly, get a better fight out of these deep-water fish. I’ve been hesitant to incorporate it into my program because what I’ve been doing is very effective—and I’m used to it.
But after fishing most of the summer one way, September is a good time to experiment, and I must admit—I’m sold. With the right conditions, jigging is an awesome way to catch deep-water walleyes. It’ll be part of the walleye program from here on out.
No pictures taken—all “eater” sized fish caught.
09/09/2026 – Day Off
I wasn’t booked and the weather was kind of nasty – wind, waves, and rain. So, I stayed off the water, hit the gym, and relaxed.
09/10/2026 – Enjoying the Weather with the Whisperer
Fished Lake Erie out of Sturgeon Point with the Whisperer. My walleye supply was looking a little lean, and the Whisperer wanted to get out and enjoy a nice day on the water before heading off on a little vacation.
Quick aside—what exactly is “vacation” when you’re retired? There’s gotta be another word for it. A trip, maybe? Anyway, we decided to make a day of it.
We started off jigging and picked up a couple, but the fish weren’t stacked nearly well enough to make jigging particularly productive. So, we went back to my normal program and proceeded to hammer them.
No pictures.
09/11/2026 – Back to Barci
Fished Lake Erie out of Barcelona Harbor, NY with Steve and Dan. I fished with these brothers for the first time back in March, when we ground out a day on the Lower Niagara in frigid temperatures. During that trip, they mentioned wanting to get into some big lake trout. I told them September on Lake Erie was an excellent time to make that happen.
It was a gorgeous day—calm, sunny, and not too hot. We got into lake trout immediately. As soon as I sent the first rigger down, it got bit before I could even send the second one down. It was a frantic bite, and both brothers landed some quality fish within the first hour.
Feeling satisfied and confident, Steve asked if we could try jigging a few. I told him I’d never jigged for lakers in water this deep, but figured, why not—let’s give it a shot.
I joined them, and it wasn’t long before I hooked one. The brothers did the same, and we even had a few walleyes mixed in.
If you’ve been reading my reports for a while, you know I get giddy when I get to try something new—whether it’s a technique, a location, or just some goofy idea that might work. This was a lot of fun, and I’m thankful Steve and Dan were willing to give it a shot.
A quick note on targeting lake trout this time of year: It’s a blast, but unless you’re keeping fish, you need to be careful with them. These fish are coming up from below the thermocline—from roughly 50-degree water into 75-degree water—and they’re very stressed by the time you get them to the net.
Don’t muscle them up. Take your time and keep them in the water, even while unhooking them. If you want a picture, take it straight from the net, which should still be in the water. Quick snap, back into the water. The whole process should take less than 20 seconds.
Do that and they’ll swim away strong. Don’t, and there’s a good chance they’ll float away—and you’ve needlessly killed a fish that’s older than at least half the people reading this
09/12/2026 – Where’s Larry and Waldo
Fished Lake Erie out of Barcelona Harbor, NY with Owen, Jim, and Matthew. I’ve been fishing with Owen for at least six years. Until this day, we’d done just about everything that can be done around here—except Lake Erie lakers. So, that was the mission. Well, that, and Owen had a powerful lust for some Lake Erie gold.
There was a stronger-than-expected offshore wind kicking up waves big enough to occasionally roll over the stern. However, the lake trout were in a frenzy, and we did very well for the first couple of hours. Owen generously landed all the small fish and allowed Jim and Matthew to fight the bigger ones. Weirdly, we didn’t connect with any giants, but the numbers were excellent.
Feeling satisfied with the laker session, we converted to gold mining. That bite was surprisingly grindy compared to recent sessions. However, I likely feel that way after being spoiled by so many “quick box” sessions throughout the summer.
Quick side note: Matthew is a senior in college. He’s a late bloomer to angling but has become a huge fan of it. Everything he caught was bigger than anything he’d ever caught before. I love being part of memories like that.
09/13/2026 – Getting Deep – Mentally and Physically
Fished Lake Erie out of Hanover, NY with long-time clients and friends Matt, Natalie, and Rich. I’ve been fishing with Matt and Nat for over six years now, and we’ve gone on many different missions around the region. This time, Matt wanted to mine some Lake Erie gold, so we got after it.
The lake was WAY bigger than forecasted. Although it slowed us down getting into position, it didn’t hurt the bite at all. We absolutely hammered.
After boxing our limit, we hunted smalljaws for a bit. Unfortunately, that was a total dud. Not sure why. We marked plenty, but had few takers.
When I fish with Matt and Nat, conversations run wild. We cover everything from music, history, movies, and books to whatever else comes up. We got so deep into conversation today that time flew by.
Good times as usual.
Seasonal Assessment/General Observations
No big revelations since last week. From fishing out of three different Lake Erie harbors throughout the week, I can say this much: the walleyes are on the move. Limits are still very attainable, but the pace is just a bit slower.
I’ve noticed a lot of fish suspending, and they don’t appear to be around bait. Maybe I’m overthinking it, but it looks like they’re schooled up and traveling.
I’ll take the slower pace though. Less traffic, cooler conditions, no bugs, and a steady enough bite to keep things entertaining. I don’t see that changing much in the next couple of weeks.
Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Forecast for 09/14/2026 – 09/20/2026
The forecast has been so incredibly inaccurate lately that I hesitate to comment on it. But, since that’s what this section is all about, I’ll say this: if it’s even close to accurate, it’s going to be an incredible week. Wind will rarely be a factor, and rain will be intermittent at worst. In short, every day should be fishable.
I’m booked daily and hope to execute all those trips. The plan is to fish out of Buffalo, the Catt, Barci, and the Lower. I’ve been on a nice tear lately, and I’m looking forward to maintaining it.
Stay healthy, my friends. Mentally and physically,
Ryan