Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Observations from 07/21/2025 – 07/27/2025
Here’s our latest Buffalo NY fishing report: I was another scorcher of a week here in the Buffalo Niagara Region – but the fish didn’t seem to be bothered by the heat. I managed to fish 6 days, 4 of which were dedicated to walleyes. The others were “rod benders” where we picked up drum, bass, and walleyes. Overall, it was a highly productive week where I was able to cover water out of Lewiston, Buffalo, and the Catt. The walleyes are still prolific, folks – limits are still coming with ease on nearly every outing. I’m well fished and in the zone. Keep scrolling to read all about it.
Days on the water: 6
Who we fished with: friends/clients
Where we fished: Lake Erie, Lower Niagara
What we caught: walleye, smallmouth bass, freshwater drum, channel catfish
Tactics: bottom bouncing worm harnesses, trolling divers and planer boards with harnesses and spoons; casting finesse baits
Detailed Reporting/Daily Observations
07/21/2025 – Gotta Get a Smalljaw
Fished a half day trip on Lake Erie out of Buffalo, NY with Brad and his son Draydon, in town from GA. Brad and his son are well travelled – they’ve caught fish from FL to AK. They usually visit a friend who lives close to the Susquehanna River this time of year to target smallmouth bass. However, a lot of rain has kept much of the PA water high and muddy this summer – leaving these guys without a place to fish. So, he called around the WNY area for guides and luckily, I had a last-minute cancellation, so I was able to accommodate them.
We caught a few smallish smallmouth bass – but the drum were very dominant. No pictures taken.
07/22/2025 – Multi-Boat Trip with Joe’s Crew
Fished a 3 boat trip on Lake Erie for walleyes out of Buffalo, NY with James Rores (Big Greek Charters) and Mike Trifiletti (Riverborn Fishing). Joe, the leader of the crew, put this teambuilding event together, gathering folks from Miami, New Jersey, and WNY. Most of these folks were angling virgins…not anymore. We did well – everyone left with limits of Lake Erie gold. 
07/23/2025 – The Midas Touch
Fished Lake Erie for walleyes out of Buffalo, NY with Wally (in town from GA) and Josh (in town from PA). These guys were A LOT of fun. Wally and Josh are both avid anglers with crappies being their favorite fish to target. Both also love trolling, so this trip was right in their wheelhouse.
The bite was a little picky here and there – mainly coming in spurts vs being consistent. Still, we easily got our limit with many large specimens coming to the net. We had a blast – I think this trip was just the first of what will be a few more from these WNY curious anglers.
07/24/2025 – Day Off
Had a cancellation for this date last week and didn’t refill it. Enjoyed the day off – gym, laundry, boat cleaning, etc.
07/25/2025 – RIP Hulk Hogan
Fished the Lower Niagara with Chris, Nick, and Jay. Chris and I discussed the forecast the night prior and decided that seeking a little shelter in the canyon vs. getting beat up by waves on Lake Erie would be the better option. For better or worse, the forecast didn’t end up being as bad as predicted – wind stayed low and rain was minimal. Still, we had a good time hooking up with some bass and walleyes. 
07/26/2025 – Back to Hanover
Fished out of Hanover, NY for walleyes with Lee, Julian, and Joe. It was a slow but steady bite – in other words, we had to work for them a little bit. We got our limit, but it took a little longer than in recent outings. All good “eater sized” fish – no bigs. 
07/27/2025 – Lower Niagara Gold
Fished the Lower Niagara out of Lewiston, NY with Kristina, Dave, and Dylan. When I talked with Kristina the night prior, I was having a hard time deciding about where to fish. With rain/thunderstorms and a stiff west wind in the forecast for Lake Erie, I was hesitant to put the crew through chaos. Although Kristina is certainly bold, the purpose of the trip was to chill with friends and have a good time. So, we decided to fish a half day on the lower for the shelter it provides from the elements. The walleye bite was good! 
Seasonal Assessment/General Observations
I’m not going to get too deep here this week, folks. It was a long and hot one and not much changed since last week’s report. In short, the walleyes are still numerous, and the bite has been excellent. If I’ve noticed any change, it’s that the fish, on average, are holding in deeper water. Still, I caught many walleyes throughout the week in 55’ (ish) of water. However, the bite was almost always more prolific when I ventured into water deeper than 60’.
A quick note on the river: the algae is almost entirely gone. In my 2 outings on the lower this past week, free floating weeds were sometimes problematic – but not prohibitive. In other words, the river is a viable option now when the wind gets too big for your likings on Lake Erie.
Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Forecast for 07/28/2025 – 08/03/2025
Forecast Commentary
The forecast for this upcoming week looks fantastic – every day looks VERY fishable. If the predictions hold, those anglers on the docket will get calm, cooler, and dry days all week. That kind of stability usually leads to ridiculously good action.
Although I’m booked every day, I have a couple of half-day/rod bender trips on the docket. For those trips, I’ll likely fish the Lower Niagara or out of Buffalo, NY. All my other trips will launch from Hanover, NY in pursuit of Lake Erie gold. It’s going to be another good one. Stay tuned!
Fall is Approaching Fast Folks! – My autumn calendar is already heavily booked, but I have a handful of dates available during prime time for trout and bass. If you haven’t booked yet, call ASAP.
Stay healthy my friends – mentally and physically,
Ryan