Mar 12, 2025
Photo courtesy of Wayne Stein Kids love to ice fish too. Kannon and Knox Stein are 3 and 4 years old, respectively, and they love to fish for panfish with their grandpa — they especially like fishing Chautauqua Lake near Mayville.
“The thick ice we enjoyed this year is holding on most of our inland lakes, but not on Lake Erie,” say many weekend ice anglers.
Mayville is still 10-12 inches thick with active perch and crappie on the bite, but extreme caution is advised as we approach our “in-between” season. Safety first, please keep that in mind.
According to reports from the latest DEC hotline report, “We are on the backside of a major thaw and system-wide blowout. All the Lake Erie tributaries were running high and stained at the start of the weekend. Most of the ice has flushed out of the creeks, but those which directly feed Lake Erie may have ice jams at the mouth(s). Ice is completely cleared through the confluence of Buffalo and Cayuga Creeks, so there is no obstruction to upstream steelhead movement there. Look for fresh steelhead in all unobstructed creeks as water levels come down.”
In Chautauqua County, look for fresh run fish in Cattaraugus Creek, Silver Creek, Walnut Creek, Canadaway Creek and Chautauqua Creek. DEC adds, “Spring-run steelhead hit a variety of baits including egg sacs, egg flies, trout beads, grubs and/or twister tails, minnows, worms, streamer patterns and bugger patterns.”
When I first started fishing the Lake Erie tribs way back in the 1980s, we caught more browns than steelhead. We used plastic grubs (they were called “magic grubs” from South Bend) that slipped onto a tiny lead-head jig hook fished under a small float. Cast out, let drift, observe the float closely and when it stopped or submerged, we lifted up on the rod and were on with a fish. Live worms worked too. So did No. 2 Mepps and No. 3 C-P Swing spinners and a myriad of tiny spoons.
With the hardware, we would cast the spinners downstream and raise our rod tips high to allow the spinner flash to hover near a stream-side rock or gravel or fallen outcropping, and wham, fish on. There were days when we would hook up with 30 fish apiece. Landing them was another story. We landed about half and released most of them.
For these first days of the week (Monday through Friday), don’t forget that the Southtowns Walleye Association of WNY has a stocked indoor fishing pond with live brown trout for people with disabilities. The pond is open to everyone with a reservation at the SWA clubhouse located at 5895 Southwestern Blvd., in Hamburg. Contact Elaine Weigand at 716-783-2903 or Mike Kaczmarek at 716-983-2757 for information, details and registration. The SWA program is to provide a fun fishing experience for individuals requiring special education services. These folks may have a condition or disability that affects their daily functioning. We all know someone who may be special. Let’s get them out for some fish-catching fun, as this indoor fishing program is free to all, but reservations are required. All the fishing gear is provided, complete with help from qualified staff. Online, visit https://southtownswalleye.com/upcoming-events/monthly-events/specail-people for additional details Many thanks to those volunteers at Southtowns Walleye Association who have enabled this annual program for many decades.
Gotta love the outdoors.
CALENDAR
March 10-14: Special People Fishing Day, Southtowns Walleye Assoc., 5895 Southwestern Blvd., Hamburg, reservations required, indoor pond fishing, call Elain Weigland, 716-783-2903.
March 22: NWTF Chautauqua Lake Chapter, annual banquet, American Legion Post 556, 9 Meadow Lane, Frewsberg, 5 p.m. start, Info: 716-499-2726, tickets: https://events.nwtf.org/320070-2025/tickets.
March 23: DEC Summer Camp for Youth, reservations open; visit https://dec.ny.gov/things-to-do/summer-camps.
March 29: NY Hunter Education, Springville Field/Stream, 8900 Chaise Road, Springville, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., register online: https://www.register-ed.com/events/register/224954; Free, must complete homework prior to class.
April 1: Opening Day for NYS Inland Trout Season
NOTE: Send Calendar info or related outdoor news to forrestfisher35@yahoo.com.
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