OBSERVER Photo by Gene Pauszek County Executive George Borrello, Captain Lance Ehrhardt and Chautauqua County Sportsmen Federation/Sports Fishery Advisory Chairman Zen Olow recently visited Mrs. Lisa Forbes’ Fredonia Elementary class with certificates and awards for the essay contest.

The party’s over! All good things come to an end, and the night time walleye bite on the area hot spots has seen a decrease in the anglers limit. It was a great spring, with anglers reporting being able to limit out in several hours on some days, but as the temperature slowly rises, the fish start to head out to deeper water.

Last Friday evening, there were at least 50 boats on the water off Shorewood, with another dozen near shore by the Portland water tower and more were coming. Sometimes the fog slowed down some of the fishing effort, as well as the walleye bite, but it was a great bite for most of the month of May. Anglers can expect to continue to get numbers of walleye as the year progresses. Just fish deeper.

Yellow perch numbers slowly continue to improve as the perch spawn nears its end. Rick Miller in Irving reported that one angler boated 19 perch before the rainfall drove him off the lake on Wednesday morning. The same angler had 50 perch earlier in the week, fishing in 52 feet of water just east of the mouth of the “Cat.” Rick Miller’s nephew, the Cat Man DO, still keeps on catching catfish on Cattaraugus Creek lately.

The water flow and color was just right lately for anglers to hook up with a number of good size catfish. In the most recent issue of New York Outdoors News, the Pennsylvania record for channel catfish was broken with a 50-pounder that was weighed and released. It will make you wonder what was on the end of your line the next time you lose a fish. Skip Bianco at Hogan’s Hut reports anglers should try their luck north of Long Point. Walleye action has picked up along the weedline edges which is roughly at the 10 foot mark. Muskie fishing has been good with anglers casting jigs and plugs. The perch are in 4 to 12 feet of water, and the white perch are running big. Walleye fishing has been good on Chautauqua lake too.

Calendar: This Saturday is Take-A-Kid-Fishing Day at the Con Club open primarily for club members. However, The “Con Club” has never refused anyone who would like to attend the event and learn how to fish. New attendees receive a brand new fishing rod and reel, as well as fishing gear. All the kids receive a t-shirt and veteran kids get a tackle grab bag. The club meets at the Dunkirk Yacht Club in Memorial park and start fishing at 8 a.m. until 10 a.m. Then, they meet back at the Con Club for a picnic and hands on activities that include one on one archery shooting at 3-D targets, a safe shooing range for the youngsters, how to tie flies course and more. All for $10. Kids must have a parent or guardian in attendance. You can also sign-up by calling 366-1772 before June 1.

NYS fishing regulations used to have a lunker bass season that opened up on the first Saturday in May. That regulation has now changed and opens on Lake Erie and it’s tributaries on December 1, until the third Saturday in June and allows anglers to harvest one 20-inch minimum bass per day. (See page 46 of Rules and Regulations.)

June 8-16 is the 35th annual Southtowns Walleye Association Walleye derby. You can sign up locally at Bill’s Hooks located on Lake Shore Drive West. You MUST be signed up prior to June 8.

June 8 is Teach-me-to-Fish Day at the Tift Nature Preserve. Contact Mike Todd at 851-7200 for details.

The Great Lakes Experience is June 8 from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. in Memorial Park. FREE.

June 21-22 is Lake Erie Big Dawg Walleye Tournament , out of the Dunkirk Harbor. Contact Mark Mohr at 998-9871 or go to www.razorsbigdawg.com.

WNY Heroes Fishing Day is June 28. Open to ALL Military veterans. Call 630-5020 to sign up. Charter Captains call Jim Steel at 983-7867.

June 29 is Family Fishing Day at the foot of Ferry Street. Contact George Johnson at 818-3410.

June 29-30 are Free Fishing Days.

If your club or organization is holding a hunter safety training/trapping course or a turkey shoot or any other outdoors event, and would like to see it posted in the calendar, send information to the OBSERVER, 10 East Second Street, Dunkirk, NY 14048, or call the sports department at 366-3000 ext. 5 after 6 p.m.

Note: If you have a big game fishing or trapping success story you would like to share, call 366-1772, or 467-2079 and leave a name, phone number and a time you can be reached. You can also call 366-3000, ext. 5, after 6 p.m. or email sports@observertoday.com.