Question:
am looking for info on smallie fishing on Erie when the early season
opens in May. We are from New York, and are looking for a place like
Dunkirk
Answer:
I've spent quite a few days fishing Smallmouth out of Dunkirk in
the years 1989 to present.
There's good structure both east and west of Dunkirk, but I personally
think the best smb fishing is west of dunkirk around Point Van Buren.
There are a number of shoals and rises on both sides of this point that attract
and hold good smallmouth all year round. They do tend to bite best in May/June
time period thought.
I have found best bait in early season to be a jig/twister-tail/worm rig. Bounce
it along the bottom in 25 to 35 feet of water.
Once the water warms up the worms seem to attract sheepshead much quicker than
bass and that gets to be a problem. Once the water gets above about 60F or so I
use crankbaits almost exclusively.
Fishing for SMB can be fast and furious at times. In Early May when working
the jigs in a good area it's not unusual to get a good hit and if you miss the
strike have another fish hit, and then one right after another until you get
the hook set in one. I've caught two fish over 5 pounds in this area, but most
of the fish landed and released are in the 2 to 3 pound range.
Later on in the season, the smallmouth seem to go out deeper. Last summer I
was picking them up out by Brocton (NW of Point Van Buren) in the 50 to 80 ft.
range. They seem to hang out there with the Lake Trout and walleye.
