Niagara River
RECEIVE FISHING REPORT UPDATES!
Rating - Fair
Monday, Nov 02 2026
Upper Niagara River anglers continue to report excellent smallmouth bass action. Target bass outside of weed edges in 10-20 feet of water. Three-way rigs and drop-shot rigs with live shiners work well. Fall is the top time to target upper river muskellunge. Anglers have reported some recent musky catches, but fish seem a bit wary in ultra clear waters. Generally seeing numerous follows with just the occasional strike. Target muskie by casting large stickbaits or 8 -10 tube jigs. Shore anglers along Unity Island report sporadic catches of walleye, mainly at night. Casting swimbaits and bladebaits, or fishing bottom rigs with shiners are the typical tactics.
The lower river king salmon run appears to be past peak, but there are still some fish available in Devils Hole and from shore sites in the gorge. A mix of trout are now moving up in earnest. At the upper drifts/sites anglers are catching the occasional brown trout, steelhead or laker, while brown trout numbers are better in the lower drifts. Boaters can target trout by controlled drifting and bottom-bouncing rigs with egg sacs, trout beads or shiners. Good trout offerings for shore anglers include drifted egg sacs, trout beads, egg flies, shiners or jigs fished under a float, and casted spoons and spinners. Be aware lake trout season is closed on the lower river until December 1st. Incidentally caught lake trout should be promptly released. Smallmouth bass action has been reliably good throughout the lower river all month. Live shiners on drop-shots or 3-way rigs have conquered, but emerald shiner pattern plastics have also worked.
Niagara River
RECEIVE FISHING REPORT UPDATES!
Rating - Fair
Upper Niagara River anglers continue to report excellent smallmouth bass action. Target bass outside of weed edges in 10-20 feet of water. Three-way rigs and drop-shot rigs with live shiners work well. Fall is the top time to target upper river muskellunge. Anglers have reported some recent musky catches, but fish seem a bit wary in ultra clear waters. Generally seeing numerous follows with just the occasional strike. Target muskie by casting large stickbaits or 8 -10 tube jigs. Shore anglers along Unity Island report sporadic catches of walleye, mainly at night. Casting swimbaits and bladebaits, or fishing bottom rigs with shiners are the typical tactics.
The lower river king salmon run appears to be past peak, but there are still some fish available in Devils Hole and from shore sites in the gorge. A mix of trout are now moving up in earnest. At the upper drifts/sites anglers are catching the occasional brown trout, steelhead or laker, while brown trout numbers are better in the lower drifts. Boaters can target trout by controlled drifting and bottom-bouncing rigs with egg sacs, trout beads or shiners. Good trout offerings for shore anglers include drifted egg sacs, trout beads, egg flies, shiners or jigs fished under a float, and casted spoons and spinners. Be aware lake trout season is closed on the lower river until December 1st. Incidentally caught lake trout should be promptly released. Smallmouth bass action has been reliably good throughout the lower river all month. Live shiners on drop-shots or 3-way rigs have conquered, but emerald shiner pattern plastics have also worked.
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