OBSERVER Photo by Gene Pauszek Pictured from left to right, Anglers Tim Zeafla and George Knopf of Dayton display part of their 12 walleye limit they caught off Shorewood on Tuesday evening.

Fishing on Lake Erie continues to improve, whenever the weather allows off shore access.

Saturday the Southtowns Walleye Association held their annual yellow perch tournament. Teams of one or more anglers were allowed to enter five perch for a total weight entry. This year there were 154 members who signed up. The contest ran from 6 a.m. until noon on Saturday with the weigh-in deadline at the club in Hamburg ending at 2 p.m. The pay out was for 10 places. Tenth place total weight was just over five pounds and the top three places had a total weight of just over six pounds.

That cold easterly wind on Saturday confirmed the old saying that “East is least and West is best!” What was interesting was the fact that young angler Nicholas Solares, who recently won a free lifetime fishing/hunting license, caught 30 perch with his Uncle Raymond, while fishing from shore by the Dunkirk Yacht Club.

My brother Ray rekindled memories of how the gang from the First Ward in Dunkirk used to catch perch off “the pipes” in the evening during the month of May. With the lake level up again, maybe the fish are in close. Anglers are reporting catching limits of walleye off Shorewood/Van Buren after dark. Long line trolling or casting stick baits like size 11 rapalas or bombers or Bay rats, is the ticket.

Two groups of anglers on Tuesday reported limiting out in less than two hours. If you do head out of Dunkirk be aware there is a large submerged tree near the west end of the channel close to the outer breakwall. Rick Miller in Irving reports that the perch fishing has been steady, when anglers can get out. The fish seem to keep moving. Skip Bianco at Hogan’s Hut/Stow reports that the night time walleye fishing on Chautauqua Lake is good and the most recent spraying of herbicide was at Bemus/South.

Calendar: Expect County Executive George Borello and the Sport Fishing Advisory Crew to soon start visiting local schools who participated in this year’s essay contest.

The fly tying instruction classes at the Northern Chautauqua Conservation Club, in Dunkirk are currently done for the season. However, the tyers will be in action on Saturday, June 1 for the Take-A-Kid Fishing day event. Sign-up sheets for the Con Club annual Take-A-Kid-Fishing Day on June 1, are now available at the Con Club.

Take-A-Kid-Fishing Day at the Con Club is 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 a fishing gear. All the kids receive a t-shirt and veteran kids get a tackle grab bag. We meet 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.)

There will be a pistol course at the Northern Chautauqua Conservation Club on May 25 from 5:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. There is an $80 fee for this course. Contact Gary at 366-3397 for details.

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.