Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Observations from 07/27 – 08/02/2026
Here’s our latest Buffalo NY fishing report: The last week of July rolled into August with about everything Lake Erie can throw at us. Forecasts looked threatening more than once, northwest winds forced a change of plans, and the weekend crowds turned the boat launches into absolute chaos. Despite all of that, the fishing never really missed a beat. We consistently put together limits of walleyes, mixed in some bass and freshwater drum, and shared the boat with a great group of anglers who brought plenty of humor and good conversation. As is often the case, the fish were only part of the story—the people, the unexpected twists, and the laughs along the way made for another memorable week on the water.
Days on the water: 7
Who we fished with: friends/clients
Where we fished: Lake Erie
What we caught: walleye, smallmouth bass, freshwater drum
Tactics: trolling worm harnesses, casting finesse baits
Detailed Reporting/Daily Observations
07/27/2026 – Whispering with Captain America and Bruce
Fished Lake Erie out of Hanover, NY with the Whisperer, Captain America, and Bruce. With ruthless efficiency, we boxed our limit, cleaned the fish, and were back home in plenty of time for an afternoon nap. It was one of those rare mornings where everything clicked—from the weather, to the bite, to the pace of the program. It would be hard to script a more perfect summer walleye session. Pictures? Who needs those – we took one to prove we were out there lol. 
07/28/2026 – F-ing New York!
Fished Lake Erie out of Hanover, NY with Troy, Wayne, and Ritchie, who were in town from the Hudson Valley. As the trip approached, the forecast looked dicey, with heavy rain and thunderstorms in the mix. The guys told me they were willing to fish through anything as long as it was safe. My kind of anglers.
Thankfully, the storms moved through overnight. By the time we arrived in Hanover, the weather had cleared, but the harbor was nearly empty. Aside from Jimmy Rores of Big Greek Charters, we were the only charter heading out. Even the harbor master hadn’t shown up yet. It seemed everyone else had looked at the forecast and decided to stay home. I’m glad we rolled the dice.
The gamble paid off. We put together an easy limit of walleyes, then switched gears to smallmouth bass and freshwater drum. Ritchie landed a few quality ‘jaws, while Troy and Wayne stayed busy battling drum. Great crew, great fishing, lots of ball busting, and laughing nonstop. Fun day.
07/29/2026 – We Might be Old, but We’re not Weak!
Fished Lake Erie out of Buffalo, NY with Troy, Wayne, and Ritchie. BIG NW winds and a small craft advisory left us no choice but to fish out of Buffalo where we would be sheltered from the wind and waves. It was…adventurous out there. We got soaked from the waves, laughed our asses off, and caught fish. The action was grindy, but we put together a nice box of ‘eyes with a bycatch of plenty of drum and a bonus smalljaw. Another awesome day! 
07/30/2026 – Do Any of you Have a Bad Back?
Fished Lake Erie out of Hanover, NY with Jeff, Tim, and Dan. When I talked with Jeff the night before, I suggested we push our start back to 9:00 a.m. to give the lake time to settle down. The forecast called for calmer conditions by then. Well…that didn’t happen.
Driving down I-90, I noticed the trees bending a little more than I’d like from a stiff northwest wind. It was enough to make me call Jeff and tell everyone to bring rain jackets—not because of the forecast, but because getting sprayed was almost guaranteed.
When I pulled into Hanover, the harbor master told me another boat had already tried to head out but turned around to wait for better conditions. I checked the Dunkirk buoy on Seagull and saw consistent 3-foot waves. My response? “The Warrior was built for this. We’re going.”
When the crew arrived, I asked if anyone had a bad back. I’d fished with Jeff several times, and Tim was actually one of my very first clients. We’d been through some rough days together, so I wasn’t concerned about either of them. Dan—the newcomer—admitted he had a bad back. I told him I’d take it easy. Tim immediately chimed in, “If you bitch out, it’ll definitely end up in Ryan’s weekly fishing report.”
The ride offshore turned out to be far less dramatic than the forecast suggested. We stayed dry, the guys spent most of the run laughing and telling stories, and about 30 minutes later I turned the boat back toward the Catt. From there, we rode the waves in and hammered walleyes the entire way.
07/31/2026 (morning) – Trading Stories, Harvesting Gold
Fished Lake Erie out of Hanover, NY with Mike, Lauren, and Jeff. The walleye bite was ridiculous – we got our limit in no time. In fact, all we had time to talk about was how crazy the action was. So, we pivoted to bass fishing for a while to slow things down and hang out, chat, and trade stories. Unfortunately, the wind died by that point, so we didn’t have much of a drift. We managed one, and as many drum as you could catch. Wonderful people – fun day!
07/31/2026 (afternoon) – From “F-ing Todd” to “T-Money”
Fished Lake Erie out of Hanover, NY with a wonderful family in town visiting from Iowa. Todd, the patriarch, had a rough start to our session – getting a little wild on the hook sets and dropping more than a handful of fish. He became an easy target for playful ridicule – “fucking, Todd,” would be the chant from the group when he lost a fish. That didn’t last long though.
Todd made the transition to “T-Money” in short order – hooking and landing the bulk of the fish by the end of the day. Classic walleye session – heartbreak, frustration, chaos, and victory all in one outing. Good times with fun people! 
08/01/2026 – Chaos and the Zoo
Fished Lake Erie out of Hanover, NY with Brian, Eric, Dylan, and Justin. I arrived at the launch at 5:40 AM—and there was already a line stretching out to the street. In short…it was a zoo.
There’s nothing more horrifying (or entertaining, depending on your perspective) than watching a busy boat launch first thing in the morning. Everyone is jacked up on caffeine, many have added a healthy dose of nicotine to the mix, and the result is plenty of shouting, near collisions, and general chaos. Some people genuinely enjoy watching the spectacle. To be honest, I wish I did. Instead, I find it to be one of the least appealing displays of human nature in all of angling.
Fortunately, once we finally escaped the crowds and got out on the lake, everything changed. We picked a lane, set our spread, and got to work. The crew were quick learners and were into fish almost immediately. As has been the case lately, the action stayed steady throughout the morning.
Back at the launch, however, it was right back into the madness. The ramp was jammed, the fish-cleaning station was packed, and by the time we finished waiting in line and cleaning fish, we’d spent nearly as much time dealing with crowds as we had actually fishing.
What a zoo—but that’s the price of fishing on a summer weekend when both the weather and the bite are outstanding.
08/02/2026 – Glory Favors the Bold
Fished Lake Erie out of Buffalo, NY with Zach and Jordan. The forecast called for steady rain throughout the day—more than an inch. In the days leading up to the trip, I asked Zach if he was willing to fish through that. “No pressure,” I told him. He said he was, but wanted to make sure his girlfriend was just as willing. As it turned out, Jordan was a trooper too and was all in.
Well…the rain never really found us. We watched storm cells slide by on either side, delivering little more than an occasional drizzle. In fact, the sun even broke through a few times. We were incredibly lucky, and the changing skies made for some great scenery and photo backdrops.
The fishing matched the weather. We boxed our limit of walleyes in excellent fashion, even after releasing a few of the bigger fish following some quick photos. With our walleye limit secured, we spent a little time chasing bass and freshwater drum to wrap up the day—and they were more than willing to cooperate.
Seasonal Assessment/General Observations
No getting deep this week. I cleaned over 180 walleyes and fished every day. My hands are shredded but I’m otherwise feeling good. There’s a lot of walleyes out there folks. If you’re on the docket the next couple of weeks, you’re in for a treat.
Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Forecast for 08/03/2026 – 08/09/2026
The forecast for this week looks excellent. We’ll have a chance of rain here and there, but nothing concerning. More importantly, the wind looks minimal—or even non-existent—for most of the week.
I’m booked every day, with most trips targeting walleyes. That said, there’ll be some bass fishing mixed in, and maybe even a Lower Niagara and/or Lake Ontario trip. It’s August, folks—which means it’s time to start poking around and exploring options for the fall.
Speaking of fall, if you haven’t booked your 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