OBSERVER Photo by Gene Pauszek Max Tenemore with a nice rock bass taken last Saturday.

It has been a slow week for the fishing effort locally. I consulted with several bait and tackle stores on Wednesday and there have not been a lot of anglers heading out. Blame it on the weather if you’d like. Daily weather predictions of strong winds, and a threat of thunderstorms tend to do that. Jim Markham at the Department of Environmental Conservation fisheries Station commented that until Tuesday, most of the small mouth bass action has been in the shallows, with numerous bass rigs sighted several feet from shore. Tuesday the action reportedly picked up. Yellow perch action locally continues to be hit or miss, but continues to show signs of improvement. Limit catches are few lately, but a couple of dozen keepers in the 11 to 13 inch range can provide enough action and fillets for most anyone. Anglers have been reporting that the perch are now schooling up, but continue to exhibit a light bite, often sucking on the bait instead of a pronounced jerk. The Lake Erie water temperature at Buffalo was reportedly 56 degrees on Wednesday, which is cold for this time of year. It will be interesting to see where the Southtown Walleye Contestants end up finding their fish next week starting this Saturday. Rick Miller in Irving reports that there has been little boat traffic out of the “Cat” lately. Live minnows will have to be golden shiners as emeralds are tough to find and even harder to keep alive, this time of year. Cat fishing in the “Cat” has been hit or miss too lately.

Chautauqua Lake has cooled down lately too according to Skip Bianco at Hogan’s Hut/Stow. Tiny yellow perch are everywhere, and walleye have been found along the weedline and as deep as 50 feet. Jigging presentations are effective as well as trolling with 3-D worm harnesses. Calico’s also continue to provide a mixed bag.

Calendar: 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 its tributaries on Dec. 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.

You can also sign up at the club located at 5895 Southwestern Blvd Hamburg during the June meeting which will start at 7:30 p.m. Note this is the 35th annual Walleye derby and Cabana Sams is offering a $10,000 bounty for the first walleye entered by a contestant, during the contest that weighs 13 pounds or more. That prize is in addition to over $100,000 in cash and merchandise being offered. Time is running out.

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.

The Lew Mead annual Kids fishing contest on Cassadaga lake is Saturday June 29. The event is free and open to youths 15 years old and younger with prizes in four age groups. Sign up at the state boat launch located at Lilly Dale by 8 a.m. with the weigh in at 11 a.m. at the same place. Trophies and prizes awarded shortly afterwards.

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.