Lake Erie

Walleye schools have headed east a bit. Trollers out of Cattaraugus Creek have been hanging a left and setting up either side of 80 feet.

An odd school of Ohio fish shows off Point Abino on the Canadian side, but the Dunkirk to Barcelona harbor area produces the most consistent numbers and locations for feeding fish.

For more than a month, trollers have been working "the trench" between Van Buren Point and Brocton Shoals. Suspended bait schools have walleye holding close to shore in 60-foot waters that often warm to nearly 70 degrees -- not a comfort zone for walleye but abundant, easy food sources keep these fish moving.

Trollers see the same near-shore run, mainly west of Barcelona harbor. If the 60- to 80-foot shallows get crowded or the bite turns off, a healthy herd of mostly walleye continues grazing at 100-110 feet eastward directly off the harbor.

Winds and waves have taken their toll on open-water bass fishing this past week. Boaters can work the walls around Buffalo Harbor and head into the upper river.

When breezes subside, a good supply of crayfish, leeches, and bigger minnows can bring on the bass bite at the outer, drop-off edges around rocky shoals and those scattered humps that sometimes show on sonar somewhere next to nowhere.

A controlled drift with a front- or rear-mount electric trolling motor can often bring boaters over some nice structures that hold bass and the odd school of monster yellow perch.

Perch anglers have been scarce of late. Last good read was well off shore for bottom-hugging and suspended ringback schools at 75 feet or deeper. Before the last two gargantuan gusts, some boaters had found a few good perch packs just west of Evangola State Park.

Lake Ontario

Wicked winds coming from dastardly directions have moved water layers daily. The trout and salmon run is still fun fairly close to shore. However, cold-water layers more comfy for kings and things can change 30-plus degrees in shallow areas with a north or northeasterly gust.

Kings often move over depths of 100-150 feet and feed deep, somewhere around 90-120. Brown trout hit rigs set 40-60 feet.

Out deeper, boaters from Wilson, Olcott, and Oak Orchard get over 250-350 feet and work the top 70 feet for kings and an odd mix of steelies and coho.

"It all depends on where the cold water has moved (in the water column)," said Wes Walker at Slippery Sinker Bait & Tackle in Olcott Harbor.

Walker added that cut bait has started getting hits along with the usual spoons and flasher rigs. He noted that Bob Fishlock, aboard What's Next, traveled well west and hooked into a big king about two miles east of Fort Niagara.

Fishlock's salmon, weighing in at 31.02 pounds, won the Olcott Weekly Trout and Salmon Derby. This derby continues each week to September. For entry and rules details, call 778-0713.

Walker also gets good reports for shore-casting anglers at both Wilson and Olcott harbors. Both have seen a good presence of perch, some keeper-sized northern pike, and an occasional run of crappie just before dark.

Inland lakes

Chautauqua -- Panfish outshine bigger species for bite prospects. Eye strainers work along deeper sides of weed edges in the North Basin for a nice walleye or two. South Basin weed growth and increased water temperatures have made walleye hookups difficult.

The musky bite has been spotty also. Trollers run deeper rigs to get to the bigger teeth.

Perch occupy most panfish outings, with a fair number of bigger bluegills showing in both basins and a fair number of crappies holding along deep weed edges in the north basin.

Silver -- The bass and walleye bite has been off; panfish prospects are better than usual for warm, late July waters. Evenings have been most productive for both game and panfish. Boaters find perch and bluegill hitting in same areas.

Honeoye -- Best word has been 15-foot depths for a good mix of bluegill and bass.

Hemlock -- Bass dominates this fingerling Finger Lake. Boaters work shoreline drop-offs for good numbers of largemouths.

Canandaigua -- Bass can be found, but most boaters steer in the direction of perch. Many go with minnows, but small crayfish and chunks of nightcrawlers can add bonus bites.

Seneca -- Bass make up the mainstay for shoreline fishing. Lake trout show on the sonar screen at 70-150 feet, but the bass bite along the 15- to 30-foot drop-offs has been steady with big minnows or small chubs.