Fishing and Outdoors in WNY: Don't miss Greater Niagara Fishing Expo

Story and Photo by Capt. Frank Campbell

Destination Niagara USA Director of Outdoor Promotions

After several weeks of unstable weather and big winds ushering in a constant change from cold to warm and back again, the weather has become more stable, although cold.

This cold spell has opened up some wintertime fishing opportunities in and on area waterways. The lower Niagara River has remained a beautiful blue color for the first time in a while, and the fish have responded with good numbers of brown trout, steelhead and walleyes being caught both from boats and shore.

There are many easy to access areas from shore of the lower Niagara River, such as Lewiston Landing and the public docks at Youngstown, but always use extreme caution, as ice buildup happens in these areas on a regular basis. Additionally, for the first time in a number of years, anglers are fishing on top of the water in both Wilson and Olcott harbors – and having some success with panfish.

According to reports, most areas have a good 4 to 6 inches of ice, but I would strongly caution that there is no truly safe ice; so, always fish with a buddy and spud your way out onto the ice to check the thickness. At no time should you fish on top of moving water, as that ice tends to vary in thickness.

As the calendar turns to February, it can only mean one thing: It’s time for the Greater Niagara Fishing Expo at the Niagara Falls Convention Center. This show really does a great job of balancing education and retail options, while representing most of the different fishing opportunities we have on local waterways. The seminars that are offered should appeal to the novice angler as well as seasoned veterans. Every species of freshwater gamefish that can be found in WNY waters will be the seminar mix.

As a new twist this year: Chuck Earls will lead a virtual roundtable panel of expert kayak anglers, which includes the likes of Kristen Fischer, who is often regarded as the best female angler in the world. The panel will take questions from the audience covering topics such as big water safety, lithium battery advantages, and general fishing questions. The seminar is included with general admission; the price is right at $11 for a one-day pass, or $25 for all four days.

In addition this year, the expo will offer free parking at all city-owned lots.

If you would like more information on the seminars and other offerings available at the Greater Niagara Fishing Expo, please visit the website at www.niagarafishingexpo.com. I hope to see you there.

As winter tightens its grip on the Niagara area, I often find myself searching the television for options to pass the time and stay warm in the house, all the while dreaming about what fishing adventures the upcoming season will bring. While searching through the channels recently, I came across an episode of “Fishing 411” that was filmed out of Wilson last summer. It got me thinking about several other TV shows that were filmed in the area last year, and just when and where they could be viewed.

No fewer than seven different camera crews visited the area to produce episodes for their shows, which included “In-Fisherman,” “Bigwater Adventures with Mark Davis,” “Bob Redfern’s Outdoor Magazine,” “Fishing 411,” “Midwest Outdoors” and “Rush Outdoors.” The viewers reached from these shows is quite large, and through several networks, including The Discovery Channel, The Outdoor Channel, The Sportsman Channel, The Pursuit Channel, the World Fishing Network, and many regional Fox Sports channels.

It is due to the unparalleled fishing opportunities that we offer here on the Niagara Frontier that so many fishing shows choose to film here. If you have not taken the opportunity to partake in some of the world-class fishing we have locally, do yourself a favor and look up one of the episodes filmed locally and see through the eye of the camera what it is all about from the warmth and comfort of your home.

I am not going to be a spoiler, but there were some giant walleye, enormous smallmouth, and several nice salmon and brown trout reeled in and cooperating with the cameras.

I hope to see you enjoying the local outdoors. Every week, I produce a fishing report: Niagara County Fishing Hotline. You can access it online at www.niagarafallsusa.com or by simply calling 716-282-8992, Ext. 4, to hear what’s up in the world of fishing. It is updated every Wednesday.