Submitted Photo Bass anglers try their luck inside Dunkirk Harbor.

The statewide opener for walleye and turkey arrived in less than spectacular fashion with not a lot of success stories, at least locally.

Captain Larry Jones of Mostly Muskies Charters reports that there is at least one hot spot at Chautauqua Lake. At the south end near Goose Creek, some limit catches of walleye have been taken using stick baits like Bay Rats in perch flavor trolling after dark in 8-to-11 feet of water. You will start getting into weed growth the shallower you go. Jones has been taking three walleye per outing on Lake Erie by trolling bottom-bounced rigs while fishing in front of the windmills by Bethlehem Steel in 15 feet of water. Jones prefers the Slow Death blades for his worm harnesses.

Locally, Rick Miller said that anglers trying their luck out of Cattaraugus Creek report several fish per outing. The popular opinion is that the cooler temperatures have delayed the spawning run so far. The yellow perch bite has also seemed to slow down lately with the fish that are being caught appearing to be spawned out. A few local anglers reported only a handful of perch for their efforts out of Dunkirk on Thursday. Jones commented that the yellow perch action out of “the Catt,” when anglers can get out, seems to have shifted to the west, with some anglers finding perch in 55 to 65 feet of water off Center Road. There is currently one dock in at the City of Dunkirk Boat Launch by the pier. There has not been a lot of out-of-town boater action noted in the parking lot like years past. Those anglers arrive focusing on Lake Erie bass.

In the evening, the focus shifts to walleye seekers. Jones offered that if you are looking for bass, try heading east. The Buffalo Small Boat Harbor and the Upper Niagara River are reportedly loaded with small mouth bass in the 4- to 6-pound range. Cinnamon colored tube jigs are the ticket for lots of action.

On Lake Ontario, most of the action has been centered by the Niagara Bar. Lake trout provide the lion’s share of the salmon activity, but kings have reportedly also been taken near the drop off.

Crappie action at Chautauqua Lake is still slow, even though the water temperature at the south end is in the mid-50s. Some fish have moved into the channels by the marinas. Shore-bound anglers can also cash in on walleye action after dark as the fish are reportedly very shallow. Try casting rapalas in size 7 and 9, with straights outproducing the jointed variety. Bullheads are active, usually from shore and the docks, after a warm rainfall. Catfish action has improved in “the Catt” lately with lots of big fish moving in. Note there is a catfish tournament hosted by Cattaraugus Creek Bait & Tackle, located at 11158 Route 20 in Irving, (next to Heron’s Landing). The one-day event is scheduled for May 29.

There was another Town of Evans meeting recently that focused on whether or not Sturgeon Point will be open this year. The harbor is in dreadful shape, loaded with sand. There have been several outfits willing to remove the sand, but giving the OK appears to be a power struggle. The harbor is reportedly in need of more than a quick fix, with the outer breakwalls in need of extensive repair.

CALENDAR

¯ May 1 was the statewide opener for turkey and walleye as well as northern pike, pickerel and tiger muskie.

¯ Through May 16 is the Lake Ontario Counties trout & salmon derby.

¯ Today through May 14 is the Wilson Harbor Salmon Slam, which is a warmup for the Wilson Harbor Invitational set for May 15-16. For details, go to http://greatlakesspecialevents.com/whi.html.

¯ The Western New York Walleye Classic is scheduled for June 4-5 out of Barcelona Harbor. This is a Big Fish Friday event with a $100 entry fee and a main event on Saturday with a $500 price tag. Teams will be at least two man with a maximum of five per team. The event is coordinated by Primitive Patriot Outdoors. The contest will run from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m. both days. Limited to the first 50 teams, the event will pay out $20,000 in cash prizes for the top 10 places. The weigh-in each day will be at When Pigs Fly BBQ in Westfield. Call 490-4226 or go to https://www.primitivepatriotoutdoor.com. This event will tie in and become part of a three part event — Lake Erie Walleye Series that will include the Sunset Bay Shootout on July 17 and Innovative Outdoors Walleye Challenge out of Dunkirk on Aug. 21.

¯ There is a report on yet another walleye event out of Dunkirk, with details to follow. Should be a fun summer for walleye fishermen.

If you have stories and photos, call 366-1772 or 785-3659.