May 28, 2020
Fishing Under PAUSE
You can still go fishing under the Governor's PAUSE Executive Order. However, in light of the COVID-19 outbreak, we ask that you please act safely when fishing. Do not crowd access sites. If you arrive at an angler access area that is congested, consider finding another area that is less crowded or consider fishing another day. When you're on the water, please make sure there is ample room between you and your fellow anglers. Don't share a boat unless it is large enough so that all persons aboard can always remain at a minimum distance of six feet apart. Providing ample distance helps to reduce the spread of colds, flu and COVID-19 and also contributes to an overall better angling experience.
On April 18, Empire State Development issued updated guidance on marinas and the use of boats that removed the temporary suspension on the use of boat launches for recreation. Access to boat launches will be allowed if strict adherence to the CDC and NYS Department of Health guidelines for preventing the spread of colds, flu and COVID-19 is followed. When boating and fishing, DEC and State Parks recommend New Yorkers to #RecreateLocal, avoid busy waters and follow the guidelines for Recreating Safely and Responsibly in New York State.
Lake Erie & Tributaries
Anglers continue to see best walleye catches in the nearshore shallows at night. Trolling with shallow-diving stickbaits at speeds around 1.5 mph near rocky structure works well. Good spots to try include Shorehaven Reef, Bournes Beach, Green Hills, Van Buren Bay, Evans Bar, off Hamburg and near the mouth of Smokes Creek. However, any nearshore structure has potential. Daytime anglers report decent to good walleye catches by vertical jigging and trolling the deeper ledges outside of the traditional night grounds in 20-30 feet of water. Smallmouth bass are showing in decent numbers around nearshore structure and marina breakwalls. Sturgeon Point boat launch is closed due to sandbar at mouth.
The Lake Erie tributaries are in good fishing shape today, but rain may blow them out tonight. Smallmouth bass are available in all tributaries. Woolly buggers and streamers are good bets for fly anglers, and spinning anglers do well with stickbaits, minnows, and jigs with grubs or plastics fished under a float. The lower section of Cattaraugus Creek is a good spot to target channel catfish. Nightcrawlers, chicken livers or raw shrimp fished on the bottom works well, especially at night. The deeper holes in other creeks may hold catfish as well. Anglers can also catch catfish along the Lake Erie shoreline on calm nights, especially near stream inlets.
NY DEC
