Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Observations from 10/05 – 10/11/2026
Here’s our latest Buffalo NY fishing report: I want to send a huge thank you out to my clients from this past week-they fished through conditions that would keep most anglers inside. Wind made for challenging conditions, but we found ways to get it done across Lake Erie, the Upper and Lower Niagara, and the Lake Ontario Bar. The bass bite was excellent, including some giant smallmouth in rough conditions, while the walleye bite was tougher than expected despite plenty of fish and bait around. We also had a few shots at kings and got into some giant lakers. Fall fishing is in full swing, and there’s plenty to keep us busy.
Days on the water: 7
Who we fished with: friends/clients
Where we fished: Lake Erie, Upper Niagara, Lower Niagara, Lake Ontario
What we caught: smallmouth bass, king salmon, walleye, lake trout
Tactics: casting finesse baits; drifting live bait and skein; trolling spoons
Detailed Reporting/Daily Observations
10/05/2026 – Rick and Von Day 1
Fished the Lower Niagara and Upper Niagara with Rick and Von. These guys have been fishing with me for a long time now and always crush it—they set the boat record for numbers of smallmouth last spring.
Facing a STIFF NW wind, the plan was to stay in the river and tuck out of it as best we could… except for one spot.
We spent about an hour and a half fishing for salmon in “the Hole” but didn’t get one. Then, we ventured to the Lake Ontario Bar. Consistent 5’+ waves greeted us, and I couldn’t have been happier to see them.
When it gets huge out there, the bass bite is incredible. It’s a roller coaster ride, but if you have the right constitution and can endure the chaos, you’ll be rewarded—and we were.
We hammered out there, landing numerous giants. We followed that up with a little recon on the Upper Niagara, where we caught a TON—mostly smaller fish, though.
Awesome Day 1 with these guys.
10/06/2026 – Rick and Von Day 2
Fished Lake Erie out of Hanover, NY with Rick and Von. After an awesome, albeit physically demanding, bass session, the guys wanted to try for some Lake Erie gold. I was all about it—I hadn’t fished walleyes in weeks, before the big temperature drop, and wanted to see what was going on out there.
I was pleasantly surprised by the number of walleyes and the amount of bait out there. I’ve never seen so many clouds of bait on Lake Erie. To my dismay, it was tough getting those walleyes to bite. We put our limit together, but the pace was nothing like it was during the summer.
Was I rusty? Doubtful. I know my baits were crossing numerous fish. Maybe, with the temperature drop and the presence of all that bait, they need to eat less, and what’s available to them is MORE than adequate to keep them satiated.
It was weird. We’d go long periods without a bite, and then they’d fire. If you failed to capitalize on that window (i.e., dropped a fish), you’d have to wait a long time for the next one.
We did everything we could and worked our asses off to put a box together. From what I hear from the old timers, that’s what walleye fishing used to be like. I’m not going to say that I enjoyed getting humbled by those fish, but the sensation had me intrigued if I could pull off a better outcome on a session later in the season. 
10/07/2026 – Frank, Walt, and Oliver Day 1
Fished the Lower Niagara with Frank, Walt, and Oliver. We started the day off with a couple hours in “the Hole” targeting kings. We made a few connections.
We followed that up with an excellent bass session down river. Awesome first day of their trip.
10/08/2026 – Frank, Walt, an Oliver Day 2
Fished the Lower Niagara and Upper Niagara with Frank, Walt, and Oliver. The day prior, Oliver was the only one who didn’t connect with a king, so the guys wanted to give it another shot for a couple of hours in the morning. Unfortunately, they didn’t connect.
Wanting to cover some new water with the crew, we migrated to the Upper. We had an absolutely wild session up there. Facing huge SW winds, we were confined to only a handful of areas. Thankfully, there were PLENTY of fish around.
Awesome session.
10/09/2026 – Frank, Walt, and Oliver Day 3
Fished Lake Erie and the Upper Niagara with Frank, Walt, and Oliver. Again, wanting to fish a new area with the crew, we opted to hunt giants on Lake Erie. Unfortunately, we didn’t connect with any biggies before the wind kicked up. Facing increasingly large waves, we retreated to the shelter of the river and repeated what we did the day prior.
These guys were in town for three days, and every one of those days, the weather was inhospitable, to say the least. Wind nearly wrecked our plans daily. However, that’s what’s awesome about the Buffalo Niagara region in the fall. There’s always somewhere to get out of the worst of it and have a good time. I’m thankful these guys were ready and willing to endure a little hardship—it paid off.
10/10/2026 – Back to Barci
Fished Lake Erie out of Barcelona Harbor, NY, with Don, Colby, and Tanner. Tanner reached out back in the summer looking for a unique fall angling experience. I offered him what I think is one of the best times on the water in October—catching giant lakers and walleyes at the same time. He didn’t take much convincing.
It took me a little while to find the lakers, but once I got on them, the action was consistent. We spent a couple of hours catching these beasts, with the occasional walleye mixed in. With sore arms, the guys asked if we could switch over to walleyes, so that’s what we did.
The walleye bite was similar to what I experienced on Tuesday. There was plenty of bait and fish around, but the bite came in flurries. We connected with plenty over a couple of hours, but didn’t get our 24. That was a little heartbreaking, but considering we only spent a couple of hours getting after it, everyone was happy with the result.
10/11/2026 – Danny and Jen Day 1
Fished the Lower Niagara with Danny and Jen, who were in town for their 30th wedding anniversary. When Danny called me, he asked if we could target smallmouth bass. I told him not to tempt me with a good time—fall ‘jaws are my favorite pursuit. Since they were in town for a couple of days and staying in Lewiston, NY, I decided to fish the Lower on Day 1.
This couple was an absolute blast to spend time on the water with. We caught a ton of bass and traded married-couple stories all day. There was never a dull moment.
Seasonal Assessment/General Observations
It was a full week, and I’m a little drained. Here’s a quick summary of what I saw:
- Lake Erie lakers are still deep. Notice that none of the males in those pics were colored up. The females, however, are getting huge with eggs. It won’t be long before these beasts move into shallow water.
- I only fished walleyes for a couple of days, and the action was lackluster compared to summer. None of my colleagues have targeted them lately, so I don’t have much to compare it with. I’ll have more ‘eye sessions this week. We’ll see what happens.
- The bass bite is generally on fire—in the river, at least. Ridiculous wind kept me off the lake most of the week, and the one day I got out there, we were forced off. It’s gotta be heating up out there. To be continued.
- The salmon bite on the Lower is OK. Spend enough time in “the Hole,” and you’ll likely make a connection.
Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Forecast for 10/12/2026 – 10/18/2026
Thanks to some hearty clients, I was able to fish seven days this past week despite the wind forcing many anglers off the water. That trend will continue this week.
Strong winds, rain, and temperatures near freezing are all in the forecast. Thankfully, I have more hardcore anglers ready to go. I’m booked daily and ready to fish—we’ll see what happens.
If all goes well, I’ll fish Lake Erie, the Upper, the Lower, and Lake Ontario, targeting bass, walleyes, lakers, and kings.
Stay tuned!
Stay healthy, my friends. Mentally and physically,
Ryan