Niagara River Musky Reports

[mostlymuskies]

I will be in the Buffalo Harbor tomorrow morning trolling my Plows looking for Big Girl's!

[fitz67]

I will be in the Buffalo Harbor tomorrow morning trolling my Plows looking for Big Girl's!

Have you come across any perch in your travels? My buddy just got a new to him boat and is itching to get after some perch

We are just not sure where to start this time of year.

Thanks

[fishsevern]

Hi Larry, We were going to get out last Friday but parent teacher interview and work got in the way. Here's my dilemma, do we go either Fri or Sat?  Friday has 15k NW winds so the waves shouldn't be an issue I figure.  Sat has 25k SW winds and a bit warmer which I expect will give some chop to the water.  We are in a 14ft boat, will the waves be bad in the West River around the triangle?  Which day would you recommend? 

Edited November 28, 2014 by fishsevern

[mostlymuskies]

If your fishing the West River the SW wind is better because it comes off the Canadian shore, NW blows again'st the river current and causes rolling short waves that are hard to fish in.Plus the water in the river is very dirty and would be cleaner by Saturday.

[mostlymuskies]

Today the Buffalo Harbor only had about 5" of visibility, no action! Water temp cane back up to 39 degrees, out in Lake Erie was 41 degrees but floating limbs and trash every where.Hopefully by the weekend the water clears up a little.

[mostlymuskies]

Well I had to make a hard decision and move this weekends charters to next year due to brown water conditions in the Harbor with colder then normal water temps.I will still go out and crawl around at a 1.5 trolling speed out rolling in waves of Lake Erie for that 10% chance at a big girl! River could be clean enough by Tuesday for more night action!

[fishsevern]

Thanks again. Saturday we're heading out, last trip of the year. Can only hope I get to break in the new net!  yeah

Edited November 28, 2014 by fishsevern

[mostlymuskies]

West River cleaned up to about 3 ft visibility,East River still dark brown with limbs & trash everywhere.Buffalo Harbor still brown water and 39 degrees after last nights 7" of snow.I heard of one 49 " muskie caught jigging yesterday by Dennis Kreeze in the West River,3 other boats caught nothing.I got up this morning to find about 8" of snow on the boat & driveway, will be a late start today if I decide to get on the water.

[mostlymuskies]

After about an hour with a hair dryer trying to thaw out the 2" of Ice over the snap part of the boat cover and 4" of Ice from the tires to the driveway, I gave up on today and will wait for tomorrow's warm up.Even the downeast rod holders were frozen closed.Getting out this November has been very tough between snow and wind conditions, but I refuse to give up yet.John Pensyl is in the Buffalo Harbor right now and has caught nothing so far.He said that he has marked smaller hooks that look like Walleye, a small amount of bait fish, but no musky hooks! Water temp is 39.7 degrees and maybe 1 ft of visibility.

[mostlymuskies]

John quit at 1 pm and had no hits, he did not mark any bigger hooks at all, only walleye an a small number of little bait fish pods. Water was getting browner from 20 + mph West winds when he finished for the day.

Edited November 28, 2014 by mostlymuskies

[mostlymuskies]

Today I'm on the water in the Dunkirk Harbor.Near warm water discharge there is 46 degree water and 40 degree water in the channel going out into Lake Erie.Lots of Emerald shiners & smaller hooks like walleye & trout, but no big hooks seen so far.I have to get use to being in a friend's 14 ft open boat with 25 hp outboard.Winds coming after lunch so our window is going to be short.

Edited November 29, 2014 by mostlymuskies

[mostlymuskies]

I guess I should have just returned to the Buffalo Harbor today or tried Port Colborne Harbor & Channel's.No action at Dunkirk Harbor, back to Buffalo Harbor for the last day of NY Musky Season on Lake Erie & Upper Niagara River for 2014.Then it will be Upper Niagara River Canadian Waters and Lower Niagara River until December 15th.

[mostlymuskies]

There are 5 boats in the Buffalo Harbor today, about 1 ft visibility brown water.Now 40 degrees, but still only small pods of bait fish & walleye hooks I have been told, no muskies caught as of 1 pm.Waters on the Canadian side is clearing up,3 to 5 ft visibility above the Roundhouse before Buffalo River brown water flows in.

[fishsevern]

We launched at 10 by millers and saw 6-7 boats already in the area......then they were all gone. Water very dirty by grand isle so we changed the plan and fished millers area that had clearer water.  By that time all the boats returned and it got pounded pretty good.  At 1pm we nailed one 37" and got to try out the new net.  If any of you members were out there, we were in the 14ft blue crestliner.  Done for the year...thanks for the great info along the way.  Good luck the last 2 weeks!     

[mostlymuskies]

Fishsevern, Your 37"er is the only fish I heard about being caught today!

[mscheda]

10AM - 4PM in the south end of the harbor today.  38 degree water, about 2 ft of visibility.  Decent bait, lots of walleye-sized hooks, a couple big hooks.  Saw nothing caught.

[mostlymuskies]

To keep with tradition I will be in the Buffalo Harbor tomorrow with my radio on listening to the Bill's game!

[mostlymuskies]

Mscheda, Lake water temp is 50 degrees out by Wind Mill Point!

[mostlymuskies]

I broke from tradition and returned back to Dunkirk Harbor this morning.Water temp is 46 degrees at the outflow and solid bait fish and smaller hooks.Went back here because of the water temp being 46 degrees, I had to just find out if the muskies feed here.So far as of 8:53 am,2 hours in, nothing happening.I will give it till noon if nothing happens I will head home for the Bill's game.The Buffalo Harbor yesterday was only 38 degrees and 1 ft of visibility and no bigger hooks, so I had nothing to loose by returning here.Still have 15 days of the Canadian waters of Lake Erie & Upper Niagara River to go!

[mostlymuskies]

After the Bill's game & win, I called long time friend Tommy Reinhardt to meet me at Sheridan Drive Launch at 6 pm to head to the Buffalo Harbor to finish out the NY Musky Season.We got to Sheridan at 5:30 pm and the waves were rolling hard at the dock, so we drove to the Small Boat Harbor and launched.We started in the North Gap, went up the Buffalo River, trolled to the Center Gap and on to the South Gap and in and out of the Coke Channel, Zippo! We did mark some big hooks and lots of bait fish & walleye but no hits.Back to the west river to finish up the 15 days of December there in Canadian waters.

[mostlymuskies]

Down at Black Creek this morning where the west river makes a turn before heading toward Navy Island and the Falls.So far we have caught a 38" male muskie on a Hi-Fin Trophy Diver jtd 9" in Glitter Shad color trolled up stream at 1.6 mph.Water temp is 39.6 degrees in river flow and 37.2 at Creek flow.WNW wind is coming off shore so the river current is not pushed into rolling waves, but if the winds go above 15 mph I will need to head back.Sun makes it feel warmer then 36 degrees.The big girl's have been closed mouth since the big snow storm, they have to start feeding again soon!

Edited December 1, 2014 by mostlymuskies

[mostlymuskies]

No more hits, had to quit at 10 am for doctors appointment and pack food drum to ship to Guyana S.A..

[mostlymuskies]

Last night while at the Niagara Musky Association Christmas Party I got a text message from a Canadian friend,48"er at 6:50 pm and a 49" muskie at 7:21 pm, where are you? The night bite is back on in 10 to 13 ft of water trolling smaller crankbaits like Depthraiders, Tuff Shad and Wiley Jtd 5 1/2" at 2.0 mph.

Edited December 3, 2014 by mostlymuskies

[mostlymuskies]

Just a reminder that the NY portion of Lake Erie and Upper Niagara River are now Closed for Muskies! The Canadian Waters of Lake Erie and the Upper Niagara River are still Open until December 15th.The Lower Niagara River is Open on both sides until December 15th.

[mostlymuskies]

Back on the water with clients at 2 pm today until 10 pm tonight.Water surface temperature in the West River is now 40.1 degrees.I will start trolling in the 10 ft water areas of humps & ridges.I will give a report after tonight.