Great Lakes/Niagara River Musky Season

[mostlymuskies]

Today I will take a ride up to the Buffalo Harbor an see if there is any trapped water sections that are not brown water.Could be Monday before I get back on the water after this blow!Update:After riding around looking at the Harbor & River water,the clarity is brown less then 6" visibility! It will be Wednesday or Thursday next week before it even gets close to being fishable!

Edited November 13, 2015 by mostlymuskies

[mostlymuskies]

Early this morning I launched at the SBH and headed for the South Gap.Water clarity was about 6" still.I did not mark much ,only some smaller pods of Emerald shiners.Kept fouling hooks with leaves and branches,gave up at 11 am.Went to NOCO in Lackawanna they still have no ethonal gasoline.On the way back past the Harbor on NY Route 5 I could see a blue Starcraft launching,hope he had better luck then me.Winds go back up over 25 mph tomorrow afternoon and over 30 mph on Wednesday,water clarity is not going to clean up for awhile.

[mostlymuskies]

Water clarity situation in the Buffalo Harbor still only about 1 ft at 10 am this morning,by 1 pm with high West winds back to 6" visibility.Water surface temperature was 51.4 degrees.Still only spotty emerald shiner pods,a few walleye,only a couple muskie hooks.This year everything seems to be 3 weeks late!No action for our 3 hours out,got cut short by wind shift from the South to West and increase to 30 mph.

[Riley]

What kind of shape do you think the river will be in by saturday afternoon larry?

[mostlymuskies]

Riley,Water clarity will be a little over 1 ft and winds will be light,but from the East until late afternoon.I never do well with good water conditions when there is an East wind.But with all the winds the last two weeks one has to get on the water when they can.

[mostlymuskies]

Water clarity starting to get that green tint,should have 2 to 3 ft visibility by tomorrow and be finally fishable again.I will go to the Harbor from here out till the end of November and run my Legend Plow program.This is the last week for my Gift of Fishing Certificate Program -- Buy 1 Get 1 Full Day Charter for 2 Persons Free

[mostlymuskies]

We went to the Harbor at 8 am this morning and trolled both South & North Gaps till 4 pm with no success.I did not mark much in big hooks,mostly just emerald shiners.Water temp was 46.5 degrees,clarity was about 1 1/2 ft.

[mostlymuskies]

Yesterday I stayed off the water to get some pre winter house things done.So there was a 52" and few dinks caught by those who got out.Water visibility now 3 ft and temp is 46.5 degrees.Back out Friday thru Monday.

[Riley]

We got the Dinks! Haha, heard of 50" and 48" where was the 52''? I fished 3pm-11pm, no action!

[JOE ESOX]

Fished the harbor/river weds also with not much to show. Got a mid 30's in the south gap and had a few rips in the river down by tonawanda island. Covered a ton of water and was out sun up to sun down. Got a bruiser smallmouth on a perch bait also. Putting the boat to sleep this weekend. Good luck to all in these last few days of the season....

[muskiedreams]

Ryan, That is a lot of distance to cover.

 

I fished East River with Mr. Toothy on Wed. 10:30 to dark. Nice day to be out there. I got a 39"er dragging a ROB tube about Noon. Mr. Toothy got one about 37" pulling a Mr. Toothy about 1:30. That was it for the day. Both were between Strawberry Isl. and S. Grand Island Br.

[JOE ESOX]

Ryan, That is a lot of distance to cover.

 

Sure is-  last trip of the year though (and was beautiful day) so wanted to get the 'full experience'  .   nice job getting 2 in the boat

[fishsevern]

My brother and I were out trolling the west river (strawberry to old shipyards) Thursday between 10-3:30pm.  Nothing hit our perch baits but saw a few big marks in the area.  Thought for sure with the great weather, improved water clarity and full moon we would have connected. 

 

Maybe you guys can help me here.  Do you guys troll much in the direction away from falls?  You gotta drive faster to get the baits moving but what is the preferred method?  We've had a big fish going either way but I'd like to know if one was more a fluke.  I personally like trolling towards the direction of the falls since its faster, gets the baits down quicker, and my theory is the skis are waiting behind rocks waiting for prey.    

 

Also this sounds like a really dumb question but is trolling in the direction towards the falls considered upstream or downstream?  With the current how it is in Upper Niagara i'm always second guessing myself.  Hope you are catching.   

[muskiedreams]

The definition of upstream is against the current. I like going downstream or cross current more than upstream. You can generally cover more water that way. You need to change trolling motor speed when you change directions to compensate for current. Also, lures will go deeper downstream than they will upstream and action will change. For colder water slower is generally better. So the lures you use need to have good action at slower speeds. Going upstream you may need to use lures that run better at faster speeds. If you see big fish arches in an area (better if there is also bait), keep pounding the area. Make changes in speed, depth, trolling angles and maybe lures. Sometimes all it takes is a turn or change in speed at the right time to convert a follower to a strike. Sometimes when bottom comes up and you think you are going to snag, that snag ends up being a fish.

 

If it makes you feel any better, there were others out there that day who got skunked. After all it is musky fishing but the more time you put in, the more success you will have. We got lucky. There are many times we get skunked and I consider it a success to get one fish. Anglers who spend a lot of time on the water do better than us but they even get into a slump once in a while.

[mostlymuskies]

I lost another day today doing Black Friday shopping for Christmas gifts since I will be gone to Costa Rica next Tuesday for most of December.I did hear of a 40" er from the North Gap and a few dinks from the west river.Even I have had a tough time catching muskies the last two weeks.I do not seem to be seeing many muskies set up in the normal key spots for this late in November.Three more days for me to try,then I have to put the boat away until first ice off at Saltfork in Ohio in April

Edited November 27, 2015 by mostlymuskies

[mostlymuskies]

Last 3 days for NY Upper Niagara River / Buffalo Harbor. I will get out this afternoon and Sunday & Monday.Also last chance for Buy 1 Get 1 Free Full Day Fishing Charter Deal for $300,ends Monday night!

Edited November 28, 2015 by mostlymuskies

[mostlymuskies]

After spending most of today cleaning up my old Gibson upright freezer I have not had running since 1988,it started right up just like it was new.Deer from the butcher for it Monday.Got a call to get on the water tonight with clients in the Harbor.At 7:30 we got a nice fat 44" muskie,followed by a 41 1/2"er,both on Legend Plows crawling at 2.0 mph.By 8:45 pm the clients dressed like they were going for a walk in September were freezing,who wears tennis shoes in late November and just a hoodie!Back out tomorrow afternoon till midnight.Water still 47.4 degrees ,everything is 3 weeks behind,should be 40 degrees by now.

[mostlymuskies]

Going to watch the Bill's game then go out in the Harbor until about 2 am and see if the night action is on again.Just have not had much going on during the daylight hours in the river or Harbor for my boat.

[boyko84]

I'll be out in a hour

[boyko84]

Nothin from us. Fished triangle an tried out at the mouth for abit. Didn't mark much Great day to be out atleast

[boyko84]

Nothin from us. Fished triangle an tried out at the mouth for abit. Didn't mark much Great day to be out atleast

[mostlymuskies]

Talked to 4 different fisherman from 4 different boats,none of them caught anything today as well.Those East winds with high barometric pressure can be tough days for muskies.I will give it my last chance with a client tomorrow,then get the boat shrink wrapped.Will get on the plane to Costa Rica midnight Tuesday.

Edited November 30, 2015 by mostlymuskies

[mostlymuskies]

I'm heading for the SBH now for my last day of Muskie action for the season!Not a fan of East winds,but it is what it is,if your not on the water you have no chance!

[mostlymuskies]

Well we never got on the water until 10:30 am.All day long every boat we seen gave thumbs down.We were marking some nice big hooks but they were not feeding at all in the East wind until after dark when we caught a 35"er.Then got a call from Tommy down in the west river that he just released a very fat 47" muskie.Well I'm now done chashing muskies until next April in KY.Off to Costa Rica midnight tomorrow.

[BlueEye]

Have a safe trip down south Larry and thanks for all the updated posts throughout the season!  Enjoyed reading them and following along.