Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Observations from 11/03/2025 – 11/09/2025
Here’s our latest Buffalo NY fishing report:
Hey, folks! I’m going to take a little different approach on this report. The weather was horrendous for much of the week, so I don’t have much commentary about the fishing. Besides, I managed to execute 4 days on the water and all of them were on the Lower Niagara – it’s no secret what’s been happening down there. I have a long rant for your reading pleasure – more of a stream of consciousness about how the fishery and my operating model has changed over the past 10 years. I hope you find it informative.
Days on the water: 4
Who we fished with: friends/clients
Where we fished: Lower Niagara
What we caught: walleye, smallmouth bass, lake trout, steelhead
Tactics: drifting live bait and beads; casting deep diving crankbaits
Adapting to the Fishery: My 10-Year Journey as a Guide
The Old Days: A River Fishery That Paid the Bills
Ten years ago, when I started guiding, the Niagara River was my bread and butter. Captains could make a solid living fishing the river alone. The Upper and Lower Niagara were distinct worlds. Few captains fished the Upper Niagara, and those who did stuck to small pockets. By mid-September, king salmon stacked up in the Lower Niagara. You could fish 30 straight days and catch limits almost every trip—rain, wind, or shine. Winter meant steelhead heaven. Double-digit days were routine, and I often boated more than 20 steelhead with bonus lake trout and browns. That fishery is gone.
The Shift: Lake Erie’s Walleye Explosion and Fall Smallmouth Saved the Day
As the river declined, Lake Erie exploded with walleye. Ten years ago, if you’d told me I’d spend most of my season chasing walleyes on the lake, I’d have laughed. No way. But it happened—and honestly, I’m having just as much fun. Walleye fishing became a fresh challenge that reignited my passion. I miss the old river days a little, but adapting kept me excited and profitable.
I also discovered that the smallmouth bass fishing on Lake Erie in the fall is awesome. It’s not a secret – hasn’t been a secret for years. However, Lake Erie is a big place and although there are a lot of Canadian anglers fishing our water that time of year, you can usually find some solitude. Smallies are my favorite fish and, in the past, I only got a solid dose of them in the spring. These days, after fishing for Lake Erie gold for a few months, it’s wonderful being able to return to bassing in the fall and not have to worry about crowds.
Key Lesson: The fishery changes. You can’t fight it. You adapt—or you fade.
I’ve learned this from mentors like Jim Hanley, Matt Yablonski, Jimmy Rores, Joe Fonzi, and Teddy Kessler. Their wisdom is simple: take what the water gives. Or as I would say it – be the coyote – adapt or die.
How I Operate Today: Solitude, Reliability, and Smart Scheduling
Anyone who’s fished with me knows I hate crowds. Fishing in a pack feels off, almost pornographic. I can’t explain it—it’s just how I’m wired. So, I burn gas to find space. It’s harder now, but still doable for most of the year, especially on the Upper Niagara in spring (thanks to its length and fewer boats) and on Lake Erie and Lake Ontario from spring through fall. Thanks to loyal clients and thousands of repetitions, I run highly productive programs on all three. The best part is that the weather stays reliable from mid-April to late October. Cancellations are rare, and I execute more than 90% of booked trips. I used to vacation in spring and summer. Now I don’t leave. The fishing is too good, and I’m banking money for the tough months.
The Reality of November–Early April: Dicey, Painful, Unpredictable, and Sometimes Crowded
Guiding from November – early April is a daily gamble. Some years bring more than 20 trips a month. Others leave you lucky to get 10 to 15 – far less January through March. I book every day, but too many trips turn into uncomfortable conversations about rough conditions. Most clients tough it out, and many regret it. I hate being the bad guy. Lately, I’ve been asking myself if I need to be.
Without writing another long essay about why fish behave the way they do in the fall, I’ll add this: they are often very concentrated and in turn, not hard to find. The Eastern Basin of Lake Erie sees a spike in angling pressure in the fall – mostly from Canadians in pursuit of smallmouth bass. However, the bulk of the angling pressure happens on the lower Niagara due to its large concentrations of big trout. These days, the crowds down there can be horrendous – even kayak anglers and pontoon boats get involved on nice days.
Combine dicey weather and crowds and you have a sub-optimal situation on most days in the fall, especially on the Lower Niagara. Don’t get me wrong, there are awesome days to be had this time of year – I just want my readers and clients to understand how it can be.
My Current Situation: Fall/Winter Trips Are Icing—Not Income
Here’s the truth: I’m profitable by late October. I don’t need November through April trips to pay bills. I run them because clients love the shot at big trout. But if the forecast looks bad or you don’t want to endure hardship on your day off – I totally get it. Cancel or reschedule. You won’t hurt my margins, and you won’t offend me. It’s your money and your call. I’m acclimated and have the gear, so I’ll fish through anything safe. But you should ask yourself one question: What kind of day do you want? The choice is yours – I’ll work my ass off toward achieving your desired outcome, but understand that there’s only so much I can control.
I’ve had more than a handful of hard conversations the past couple weeks. If I had one with you and you’re reading this, just know that I’m not frustrated with you or your decision. It’s all good, my friends. More opportunites will come – and I’m not going anywhere anytime soon.
Pics from this Past Week
This is the only week I’ll structure my reports like this/I’ll return to my old format next week. I just had to get a few things off my chest on this one. For those of you that read my reports for the fish porn, here you go.
Buffalo NY Fishing Report – Forecast for 11/10/2025 – 11/16/2025
We got our first snow today. More is coming tomorrow. Freezing temperatures will become the norm, not the anomaly. The weather has been tough this November – and it doesn’t look like that’ll change this upcoming week. More cold and lots of big wind will dominate the front part of the week if the forecast holds. That means a big degradation in water clarity and ripping currents for much of the week.
There’s a chance I’ll get out on Tuesday, maybe Wednesday, but I’ve already cancelled my trips for Monday and Thursday. We’ll see what happens. The weekend/long range forecast looks pretty good though. Stay tuned!
Stay healthy my friends – mentally and physically,
Ryan
NOTICE: I’m not including this note in an attempt to fill my spring calendar early. I’m not trying to create a sense of scarcity to encourage folks to call me ASAP. I’m being completely transparent – if you want to fish with me this spring, please get in touch soon. My calendar is already HEAVILY booked. I’m not sure how/why it happened so early this year, but a lot of folks have been proactive and reaching out well in advance of the season to book a prime date. If you’re interested in experiencing spring insanity and want to ensure you have a date, please get in touch soon.