how is fishing in buffalo

[wnyguy]

I was out there sunday, first time ever launching from sturgeon point for me. I got there about 7:30-8am, and was the first boat to launch, maybe due to the time change. Got a little nervous when I pulled up and not a single boat or trailer there, thought it might be closed but right after I got there other boats began to pull up. We started off not too far out with a couple other boats in about 55 ft of water, I caught a nice perch but that was it. Other boats had pulled up but it seemed like not many were catching fish. Some were a little close to me for comfort so we decided to move on. It was pretty wavy out there, not real windy but I would say 3 ft waves with the occasional 4 or 5 footer. We tried moving to a few spots but it was just too wavy to get around, took too long and I really didn't want to beat up my older boat (86 19ft cuddy) There was one big swell when we were at the bottom and the top of the wave was over my head while standing, nice! I turned to my buddy and said that was at least a 5 or 6 footer! Most depths were about 50 to 55 feet, I wanted to get out past 60 feet but too rough, just took too long to get somewhere. In fact I got queasy out there, enough so that I didn't drink any tea that I had brought because I wasn't sure if it was going to stay down, haha. My first year really boating on erie, was the roughest I had ever gone out so far. Kinda weird, really wasn't that windy, but nobody told the waves lol. At one spot I pulled up a nice smallmouth 50 ft off the bottom, about 20 inches. Anyway, worked our way back to the original group of boats by about 11am, we had only 2 perch in the boat. Waves had died down to 1 foot or so I think, so turned out to be a great day to be on the water. Then we fished till 12:30, and caught 14 more perch, almost all of them big jack perch so was really nice. A couple of boats noticed us catching perch and joined us. I spoke with one boat when we got back in and the two older gentlemen in that boat said they didn't catch anything, using live minnows (emeralds). We were using emerald minnows that I had caught myself at bird island pier in july and salted. From what I could see most people were not pulling them in, tough too say really, but I noticed a fair number of boats moving around. What was really nice was launching the boat for free! The best part was cleaning the fish outside my house in a short sleeve shirt drinking beer in november in western ny! I am keeping my boat in the driveway to see if I can get out again.

[captainjoe]

Anytime that you can get out is good. There are several locations that you can get to from Sturgeon Pt. Some of them are 7 - 10 miles north west. If it's rough it would be hard to get to them. Saturday was probably the better day to get out but you gotta go when you can. Hopefully there will be some better days coming so you can get out. Good luck.

[fishkiller16]

my 2 uncles went out yesterday (11-8) out of sturgeon for perch they fished 55ft of water 3/4 miles west of the hole 6:30am to 3:00pm 99 keepers 1 shy of the limit.

[captainjoe]

That's a great day of fishing! Fishkiller, did you put your boats to sleep for the winter? What are you calling "the hole"?

[fishkiller16]

That's a great day of fishing! Fishkiller, did you put your boats to sleep for the winter? What are you calling "the hole"?

Yes Joe the boats were put away on the 24 of October the "hole" is the 55 foot hole out to the left of Sturgeon Pt where everyone usually fishes for perch. I dont have the waypoint numbers as all my electronics are disconnected and in a box in my fishing closet, so you will have to wait till spring if you want them....lol

[wnyguy]

Yes that 55foot hole is where we ended up as our last spot and catching fish, when I got back in the evening I started looking at my charts closer and checking out depths etc. I appreciate everyones comments and helpful tips. Personally I like to get away from the crowds, but with it being late in the year it might be safer to be around some other boats.

Are people marking perch on their fish finders? I can't tell yet if the fish are hugging bottom, or I need to adjust my sensitivity. Or when a school of perch is sitting on the botttom the best fish finder is your fishing pole going tap tap tap LOL

Boy those perch are good eating!

[captainjoe]

I went in the basement and got my HSD 5 out and tried to find a 55 foot hole. I have a set of power cords thst allow me to run it off a 12 V source off a battery / car etc. I could not find a hole of 55 ft? Fishkiller, what graph do you run? I was playing with it and switching between screens and then decided to turn it off. It wouldn't turn off?? I pulled the power cord and it went off. I rebooted it and it went to the same screen - it wouldn't let me do anything?? I said good night to it. Today I started it and it seemed to work OK. I couldn't get a GPS fix but that may have been to my location. Electronics - when they work they work GOOD. When they don't they drive you CRAZY.