Buffalo Fishing

What’s biting in Buffalo? Between the Niagara River, Chautauqua Lake and Lakes Erie and Ontario, you’re likely to find small mouth bass, musky, king salmon, steelhead, walleye and lake trout on your hook. In fact, Lake Erie is often referred to as the “Smallmouth Bass Capital of the World” and the Buffalo Harbor is home to the hungry musky. Trophy fish are routinely caught throughout the region.

The Niagara River is divided into two distinct fishing areas by Niagara Falls. The upper section, flowing out of Lake Erie, is a great warm water fishery that’s home to smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, muskies and northern pike. The lower part, emptying into Lake Ontario, is home to salmon, steelhead, lake trout, brown trout, smallmouth bass and walleye.

How big do the fish get? In 1994 a state-record-holding 39lb. lake trout was caught in the Lower Niagara River. Imagine finding that on the end of your line! And on Lake Ontario it’s not unusual to reel in a 40lb. salmon.