Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Observations from 08/24 – 08/30/2026
Here’s our latest Buffalo NY fishing report: Another week of mixed weather and conditions, but plenty of good fishing when we could get on the water. The walleyes and bass continue to cooperate, although wind and waves dictated where and when we could fish on several days. There was also some downtime and a meaningful reminder that there’s a lot more to this job than simply catching fish. We finished the week with some great family time on the water—a fitting way to wrap up August.
Days on the water: 5
Who we fished with: friends/clients
Where we fished: Lake Erie,Lower Niagara
What we caught: walleye, smallmouth bass, freshwater drum
Tactics: trolling worm harnesses, casting finesse baits, drifting live bait
Detailed Reporting/Daily Observations
08/24/2026 – Whispering and Assassinating
Fished the Lower Niagara with the Whisperer and the Silent Assassin. Remember, these guys never cancel. So, with the potential for rain and big WNW winds—and a small craft advisory on Lake Erie—we opted to fish the Lower Niagara instead.
In a rare turn of events, the Whisperer—who is definitely not a bass guy—absolutely hammered the ‘jaws. Don’t get me wrong, the Assassin caught more than a handful himself, but none of them met the standards required for a photo.
After a fruitful bass session, we switched over to walleyes for a couple of hours. We landed a few, including a nice one caught by the Assassin. Unfortunately, I somehow managed to drop it before handing it over for a photo.
This is an extremely rare occurrence. I attribute it to the cocky and lackadaisical attitude toward walleyes that I’ve developed after landing well over a thousand of them so far this summer. It won’t happen again. Well…anytime soon, anyway. LOL.
08/25/2026 – Happy Belated Father’s Day
Fished a half-day trip on Lake Erie out of Buffalo with Tom and his twin daughters, Alexis and Alyssa. The girls had purchased the trip for Tom as a Father’s Day gift, and the family was excited to spend some time together on the water—it had been a long time since they’d last done so.
The lake was fairly big to start. Southwest rollers left over from the day before were colliding with northwest winds, making for some interesting conditions. When facing situations like this, I leave the protection of the harbor walls, motor out a bit, cut the engine, and let everyone get a feel for the conditions.
I gave them a choice – fish though sporty conditions on the lake, or head to the river. Everyone looked around and said they were down for an adventure. Music to my ears.
Within five minutes, Alexis and Alyssa doubled up, and the action continued throughout the session. We caught plenty of fish, laughed a lot, and had an excellent morning on the water.
Father/daughter trips are some of my favorites. They’re almost always lighthearted, relaxed, and a lot of fun—and this one was no different. I’m looking forward to seeing them again.
08/26/2026 – Paying Our Respects
I spent the front half of the day detailing my boat in preparation for the evening ahead—spreading the ashes of my friend and colleague, Hans Mann, on Lake Erie.
That evening, a small group of captains and members of Hans’ family departed from Sturgeon Point and made their way out to “the line,” where we said our final goodbyes and spread his ashes.
I’ve avoided talking much about Hans’ passing in these reports. For some reason, writing about it here has felt a little selfish. But the truth is, I owe a lot to that man.
Hans was always there for me. When I needed someone to bounce ideas off of, trade knowledge with, ask for advice, or simply vent about captain stuff, he made time to talk. He was a mountain—both in stature and personality—and his presence was impossible to miss.
I miss him. It’s not the same out there without him.
08/27 – 8/28/2026 – Men Arise/Thumbs Up Assist
Fished for walleyes out of Sturgeon Point as part of a large group of captains organized by Joe Fonzi of Thumbs Up Guide Service. Together, we took more than 170 men fishing over two days. The guys were part of an organization called Men Arise, which focuses on equipping men in mind, body, and spirit.
The plan was straightforward: starting at 9:00 AM, each boat would take four guys out for three hours, return to the harbor, swap groups, and do it again.
Mother Nature had other ideas.
Day 1 started with 2–4 foot waves, and the conditions quickly took their toll. About half the boats didn’t last long—seasickness and general discomfort sent them back to the harbor. Those of us who made it through the first session didn’t catch much. The waves made it difficult to get offshore to where the fish were, and as the lake continued to build, we eventually had to scrap the second half of the day altogether.
Day 2 was much better. It was still rough first thing, but we were able to get farther offshore and, as a result, found more fish. By late morning, the waves settled down enough that the second group was able to put together a good box.
I didn’t take any photos. It was just super busy work from start to finish.
I will say this, though: there are plenty of fish off Sturgeon Point. The problem is that you need to get offshore quite a ways to find a consistent bite. Given that, you’d be better off launching somewhere else.
08/29/2026 – Last Minute Cancellation
Had a trip on the docket but received a text at 4:30AM from the guy I was supposed to fish with stating that he had a nasty sore throat and was fighting a cold and needed to cancel. So, I went to the gym, cleaned the boat, and enjoyed the rest of the day off with my daughter.
08/30/2026 – Father and Son Session
Fished Lake Erie out of Buffalo with Steve and his son, Charlie, who is 8 years old. I’ve been fishing with Steve since before Charlie was born. If you’ve been reading these reports for the past couple of years, you probably recognize him. We usually fish together a day or two in the spring and fall, chasing salmon and trout.
For the past couple of years, Steve has asked me what age I think is best to get a kid on a charter. It’s a good question. I’ve taken kids as young as four, and I’ve fished with plenty of five-year-olds. The problem is that kids between four and eight can be wildly different in their ability to spend several hours on the water. Strength, patience, curiosity, and attention span are all over the place at that age. Some are an absolute blast to fish with. Others become a burden to their parents and don’t last very long.
Eight-year-olds, in my experience, are almost always capable of making it through a full session and getting something out of the experience.
Charlie was a perfect example. He was patient, curious, excited, strong, and focused—and Steve has clearly taught him well. He fought every fish like a champ, and despite sporadic rain throughout the day, he never complained once.
The fishing itself was a little grindy. We had enough action to keep the anticipation high, but it certainly wasn’t on fire. Most of the fish were on the smaller side, with one notable exception: Charlie hauled in a 10+ pound drum.
Unfortunately, I didn’t take any photos—Steve handled that responsibility. But that’s okay. I was too busy watching Charlie outfish his father.
Not a bad way to spend your first charter.
Seasonal Assessment/General Observations
Chaotic weather and plenty of bouncing around left me feeling like I didn’t accomplish much this week, despite fishing five days. That said, not much has changed since my last report. Other than a degree or two drop in water temperature, the walleyes are still thick in water deeper than 65 feet, the smallmouth remain on the feed, and the drum are noticeably less abundant than they were a few weeks ago.
The bigger change is the weather. As predicted, most mornings this week were downright chilly, with Friday being the lone exception. We’re entering that familiar late-August pattern where fall is knocking on the door, but summer is still hanging around binge-watching television and refusing to answer. Weather cancellations are becoming a factor after nearly three months without them, and a little more chaos is creeping into each week. It isn’t frantic yet, but we’re getting there—and at this point in the season, persistent time on the water becomes increasingly important for keeping track of what’s changing.
Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Forecast for 08/31/2026 – 09/06/2026
It looks like the chilly mornings will continue throughout the week. Rain may make things uncomfortable from time to time, but nothing looks prohibitive. Thankfully, wind shouldn’t be much of a factor either, aside from perhaps a little on Tuesday and Wednesday.
School starts here on Tuesday, tourism season is all but wrapped up, and many freezers are already full of walleye meat. In other words, we’re entering the transition month.
For all of those reasons, September has always been one of the tougher months for me to fill with bookings. The fishing should remain excellent, but the number of anglers looking to get on the water is about to drop precipitously.
I’m booked most days this week, but not all of them. I’ll be using some of that extra time to work on a little project I’ve been developing for next summer. Think multi-day event, excellent lodging, incredible food, and plenty of good times. More to come as it develops.
Stay healthy, my friends. Mentally and physically,
Ryan