OBSERVER Photo by Gene Pauszek From left to right, Casey and Davon Caron from Brocton enjoy some Dunkirk City Pier perch fishing on Wednesday afternoon.

The fishing is changing along with the seasons. The day light is getting shorter and mornings can be wet with dew and start out cool enough for a jacket. But as the day warms up, so too does the fish bite.

A couple of fishing buddies reported that on Monday afternoon, they headed out of Dunkirk for deep water. At 100 feet deep they had a blank screen. They then changed course and headed shallower. The action started to pick up between 65 and 75 feet. All the normal presentation accounted for walleye, but there was no specific “hot” lure. Colors were random as well as stick baits, spoons and worm harnesses. The trip involved a little work, but the results were worth it.

Rick Miller in Irving reports that the yellow perch bite has improved, with anglers getting decent numbers of perch until the walleye move in. At least a dozen anglers reported hooking up with walleye, with live minnows while targeting yellow perch. That’s a great bonus, but it seems the walleye moving in, tend to scatter the perch. Anglers targeting walleye out of the “Cat” report success generally, in depths of 60 to 65 feet. Anglers willing to try their luck shallower will most likely also hook up with walleye. Skip Bianco at Hogan’s Hut/Stow reports that one of his customers reports doing very well on walleye using a dipsey diver/worm harness approach in 40 feet of water, while fishing out of Barcelona. With no one else around either. Bottom bouncers, chugging irons and even weight forward spinners will probably also work, if you are willing to give them a try. Look for structure and bait.

Skip also reports that the Largemouth bass bite has improved on Chautauqua Lake. Walleye are still in the weed beds but slowly moving into the deeper holes. Anglers trolling for walleye are having good luck fishing the middle of the southern end of the lake trolling hot and tots or 3-D worm harnesses on lead core line presentations. No significant trout movement into the streams locally… so far.

Calendar: The Evans Rod & Gun Club and the Amateur Trapshooting Association present the “ATA Trap Shoot” on Sunday, Sept. 22 with the sign-up starting at 8 a.m. The first squad shoots at 9 a.m. This ATA registered trap shoot will feature 100 standard 16 yard targets, 100 handicap targets and 50 pair of double targets at $26. For additional information call Bob Putzbach at 983-4778 or Charlie Privitera at 432-2165. The club is located in Angola, two minutes east of NYS Route 5, and one minute west of Route 20. Lots of free camping and parking. The address is Evans Rod & Gun Club 864 Cain Road, Angola.

The Chautauqua County Federation of Sportsmen is selling tickets to their annual steak fry and auction to be held at the Lakewood Rod & Gun Club on Sept. 28 from 1-4 p.m. They also are looking for auction items pertaining to the outdoors. Have you got a wildlife print or item you no longer want? For tickets or more information, contact Olow at 640-2776. This is a great, laid back, event at a beautiful time of the year on the shore line of Chautauqua Lake. The CCSF supports area programs like the free lifetime hunt/fish license give away for area kids, Take-A-Kid Fishing and much more. Please support a club that supports our area outdoors. The Northern Chautauqua Conservation Club has resumed their FREE Monday night fly-tying instruction/program, from 6 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. No sign-up necessary, just show up. All materials and tools provided for free. The Con Club is located on Mullet Street in Dunkirk. Turn towards the lake at the Country Fair store.

Children of the Stream will present weekly free fly-tying classes every Tuesday from 7 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. in the Costello Room in the Rockefeller Art Center at the State University of New York Fredonia, starting Aug. 27. Children ages 12 and up, including adults are welcome and encouraged to attend. All tools and material will be provided for free.

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.