OBSERVER Photo by Gene Pauszek Jason Schrantz and friends from Bart’s Cove operate a nautical post pounder, helping out their neighbor at the Northern Chautauqua Conservation Club.

Great walleye fishing has returned to area waters with the return of fishable weather. Last weekend, during the Sunset Bay ShootOut, anglers had to contend with rough water for two days. Anglers reported 6-foot waves in the center of Lake Erie as they headed towards the Canadian shore line. There was even a report of one boat taking on water and having to be rescued.

Calmer winds and cooler temperatures have been the norm lately and the walleye report for Cattaraugus Creek has been good. Rick Miller in Irving stated that most of the report indicates limit catches from that area. Expect the same from Dunkirk and Barcelona.

Anglers usually have to resort to tournament fishing to make money from their sport, but Hooked Up Sport Fishing reported catching a tagged walleye containing a receiver that will fetch $100 when turned into the Department of Environmental Conservation Fisheries Station located at Point Drive North.

Anglers recently have reported catching sub legal walleye in the 12-14 inch range along with their legal size fish, which is a great indicator of our next generation of walleye. Yellow perch catches have been hit and miss lately out of the “Cat” with no word lately, locally. Skip Bianco at Hogan’s Hut/Stow reports that the walleye fishing continues to be good at Chautauqua Lake along with muskies, white perch and smaller sized yellow perch. The large mouth bass bite has been “on fire!”

This Saturday is the annual Battle of the Points, which will include fishing teams from point Breeze, Sturgeon Point and Foxes Point (Cattaraugus Creek area). Look for coverage of this long standing event in the OBSERVER/Sportsmans Journal.

Calendar: June 29 – July 28 is the 10th annual Lake Ontario Counties (LOC) Summer derby. Go to www.loc.org.

Lakeshore Longbeards, our local chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, will conduct JAKES Day Youth event on Saturday, Aug. 17 at the Westfield Fish & Game Club. Registration will start at 9 a.m. Fee is $10 per youth. Numerous hands-on learning stations and lunch will be provided for all. Open to the public. For more information contact Bob Turk at 673-6703. July 28 is the Chautauqua Lake Summer Bass Team OPEN. At Chautauqua Lake, Long Point State Park. Contact Mike Russo at (716) 640-6915.

The Northern Chautauqua Conservation Club Walleye Tournament is Aug. 2-4. Contact person is Zen Olow at 640-2776.

VIP Day is Aug. 7. Contact Zen Olow at 640-2776.

The Sportsmans Rendezvous at the Cattaraugus County County Fair Grounds in Little Valley will be from Aug. 8-10. Call 716-474-7251 or 244-2781 for details.

Aug. 11 is the Chautauqua Bassmasters Tournament No. 3 on Chautauqua Lake/Long Point State Park. Contact Mike Russo at 640-6915. Innovative Outdoors Walleye Challenge out of Dunkirk. Contact Jim Steel at 481-5348 or go to www.innovative-outdoors.com.

There will be a Hunter Safety Training Course at the Northern Chautauqua Conservation Club on August 21 and 22 from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. Two day attendance is mandatory. There will be a bow course at the Con Club on Sept. 21 from 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. The trapping course will be on Sept. 14 from 9 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.

The Bear Lake Rod & Gun Club will host: Bow Course on Aug. 14 and 15, from 6 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. The Hunter Education Course will be on Aug. 28 and 29, from 5:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.

There will be a bow Course at the Westfield Fish & Game Club on Sept. 11 and 12, from 6 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. There will be a Trapping Course at the Falconer Rod & Gun Club on Sept. 25 and 27, from 5:30 p.m. until 10. For more information Call Gary at 366-3397.

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.