Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Observations from 10/26 – 11/01/2026
Here’s our latest Buffalo NY fishing report: Another seven days straight on the books! October ’26 was my best October yet in terms of days on the water and earnings. A big thank-you to all my clients who fished with me last month. It was a ride. Last week brought another gorgeous stretch of weather, with mild temperatures, sunny skies, and only a few wind obstacles along the way. I spent most of the week bass fishing, with some walleyes and trout mixed in. Clear, warm water has been the biggest obstacle lately. I’ve been able to see the bottom in over 20 feet of water, and when you combine that with sunny skies and windless days, you’ve got some challenging conditions. Despite those obstacles, every day was productive. Once again, I managed to fish my way from Erie to Ontario and have a little something to report from all of them this week.
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, walleye, lake trout
Tactics: casting finesse baits; drifting live bait and beads
Detailed Reporting/Daily Observations
10/26/2026 – Another Relaxing Day on the Water
Fished Lake Erie with the Whisperer and the Silent Assassin. The goal was to cover ground, see what’s going on out there, and hopefully pick up some walleyes and perch along the way. So, that’s what we did.
We had perfect conditions at first – 2′ or less waves and a nice drift speed. Unfortunately, it was a grind out there. Still, we had a good time solving the world’s problems as we always do. The guys caught enough food for a couple meals/to top off the winter stockpile. No pictures taken.
10/27/2026 – Jim and Ryan (Day 1)
Fished the Upper Niagara with new clients Jim and Ryan, who were in town from Ohio. We had nearly perfect conditions: light winds, bluebird skies, and cool temperatures. Wonderful weather for a day on the water. However, that might’ve been part of the problem.
We executed the 360 program around Grand Island with lackluster results. Don’t get me wrong—we caught a good number of fish, but compared to what I’ve experienced lately, it was a tough day.
I’m not sure why. The guys were good anglers, so that wasn’t the issue. The only explanation I can come up with is the water clarity. I could see the bottom in over 20 feet of water. We had a stiff WSW wind the day prior, but overnight, it shifted to the east. By the time we launched, water levels had dropped nearly two feet from the previous day, and the water was SUPER CLEAR. It was a classic big seiche rebound setup.
My guess is the fish were a little apprehensive about having a big object floating overhead, especially after a couple of weeks of fishing pressure.
Oh well. The guys were fun to spend a day on the water with.
10/28/2026 – Jim and Ryan (Day 2)
Fished the Lower Niagara with Jim and Ryan. When folks are in town for a couple of days in the fall, I try to spend at least one day on the Lower. It’s incredibly beautiful down there, and the guys got to enjoy peak fall foliage as a backdrop throughout the day.
The bite started off well. Jim landed a nice walleye and dropped a very nice steelhead on his very next cast. Ryan also hooked a steelhead but lost it. At that point, I thought we were in for an action-packed day. Unfortunately, that’s not how it worked out.
There was just enough of a north wind to make everything downriver from the boat launch tough to fish, so we stayed upriver and went to work. The guys kept their heads in the game all day and were rewarded a few times, but it was a grind.
It hurts when guys come to town for a couple of days and have to work hard for their bites. Thankfully, Jim and Ryan are anglers. They know how it goes sometimes.
10/29/2026 – Freshman Adventure
Fished the Lower Niagara with Emily, Braxton, Brandon, and Teddy. The boys wanted to catch something big, so we gave it a shot. They’re all freshmen in high school and passionate young anglers, but they were brand new to the Lower Niagara bottom-bouncing game. Accordingly, I spent the first hour sharpening their skills before we entered the gauntlet.
Facing a stiff SW wind, we were constrained to areas upriver from the boat launch. Well, we spent most of the day upriver, but made a quick trip toward Lake Ontario just to see how wild it was down there. The wind howled and the current speed was…prohibitive. We made one short drift in a somewhat sheltered area caught a few smallies.
It was a tough go for the boys. Bottom bouncing the Lower Niagara isn’t an easy skill to learn on your first outing, especially when you only have an hour to get the hang of it before getting after the fish. Still, they kept their heads in the game and made a few connections throughout the day. Emily, Braxton’s mother, rode in the passenger seat, cheering the boys on while keeping me entertained with some adult conversation.
I’ll give the boys a lot of credit. They never lost their patience or got frustrated. It was a tough outing, but they learned a lot and walked away with a greater appreciation for what it takes to fish the Lower Niagara well this time of year.
10/30/2026 – Not the Same—but Still Awesome
Fished the Upper Niagara with Justin and Jeff. I fished with these brothers for the first time last fall, when their father, Joe, joined us as well. We had a blast. All three were good anglers, and we caught some big fish and great numbers. They had so much fun that they scheduled another trip for the same time this year.
Unfortunately, Joe got sick over the winter. He’s been battling cancer and couldn’t make the trip. As the date approached, the boys were hesitant to go without him, but Joe insisted they go for it, with one caveat: they had to send him pictures throughout the day.
I wasn’t thrilled with the conditions we faced—a stiff but manageable NW wind. Anyone who fishes around here knows that a NW is one of the toughest winds to deal with in the region. It nearly halts the current in much of the river and kicks up big waves on both Erie and Ontario. There are a few places to tuck away from it, but those spots are few and far between. Still, good anglers can make it work, and thankfully, these brothers had the skills to do just that.
I executed the full 360 program, and the guys hammered throughout the day. We hit a couple of spots that were only marginally productive, but overall, the bass were cooperative. Pictures of doubles and a couple of biggies went to Joe throughout the day.
It wasn’t the same without him, but the guys enjoyed themselves. It gave them a respite from the stress of watching someone they love suffer.
10/31/2026 – Halloween Session
Fished the Lower Niagara with Jay, Jesse, and Joe. Jay has been a client of mine for over eight years. He, Chris, and Nick are the usual crew, but Chris and Nick had to bail on this trip, so Jay brought along his two cousins. Thankfully, they knew their way around a rod and reel and were an absolute blast to fish with.
The weather was gorgeous, and being a Saturday, there were plenty of boats out. Unfortunately, there weren’t a lot of fish around to keep that many boats engaged. We picked away at the trout for a few hours in the upriver sections before following that up with some bass fishing downstream.
Although it was a slowish day, we still had a blast. There was nonstop conversation and plenty of ball-busting. Oddly enough, Jay—the guy with the most experience fishing down there—had the lowest catch rate, despite fishing the best all day long. That, of course, kept him squarely in the line of fire for ridicule.
Non-stop laughs. Fun day!
11/01/2026 – Terry Session
Fished the Upper Niagara with longtime friend and client Terry. I’ve been fishing with him for over eight years, and we always have a blast. Over the past couple of years, I’ve watched him get younger rather than older by making some significant changes in his life. Improvements to his diet, nutrition, and exercise routine have helped him markedly improve his health. It’s been great watching him put in the work.
It was a feast-or-famine kind of day. We caught fish nearly everywhere we went, but only a few zones were really active. Numbers were OK, and size was good. Still, the combination of super-clear water, bluebird skies, and next to no wind made for suboptimal conditions and a tougher day than I would have liked.
Seasonal Assessment/General Observations
Although I’m sure plenty of non-anglers are stoked about how warm it’s been lately, those of us who fish around here aren’t nearly as happy. Since water temperatures have been recorded around here, it’s only been this warm this late in the year a couple of times in roughly 100 years.
With only a day or two of wind lately, the water is clearer than I’ve ever seen it this time of year. It’s not often you can see the bottom in Devil’s Hole, but you can now. I’ve also been able to see the bottom in over 20 feet of water in the Upper Niagara for nearly two weeks.
Fish are still being caught, don’t get me wrong, but conditions are far from ideal, especially if trout are your target. The bass could use a drop in water temperature, too, to kick their feeding into a higher gear. Looking at the long-range forecast, that drop won’t happen anytime soon.
What will the outcome be? There’s only one way to find out.
Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Forecast for 11/02/2026 – 11/08/2026
The forecast looks OK. Every day should be fishable, although some will present more challenges than others. As usual, wind will create problems here and there, but nothing particularly problematic appears to be in store.
I’m booked daily and expect to fish every day. Most of the week will be spent on the river, although I may dabble on Erie toward the end of the week, depending on conditions.
Smallmouth bass will be the primary target, with some trout on the side. I’m confident the bass fishing will remain strong, especially if we get some color in the water. My bet is that the trout fishing will improve as the week progresses, but only marginally. I’ve got a lot of skilled anglers on the docket, so they’ll make it happen.
Stay healthy, my friends. Mentally and physically,
Ryan