Introduction:

I have had the number 4 on my mind lately, I guess because of our upcoming fishing trip, a Quest to complete a Buffalo 4 for 4 challenge.…Four species in four days. Four friends, Lucky Chucky, Bad Ted, Just Chris and Captain Hans, a.k.a. Hans the Carver, are going to try to catch four species on four consecutive days, from four different launches, during the fourth week of the fourth month of the fourth year of this decade. (Just Chris does not have a nickname, so he is Just Chris. I guess that is a nickname.)

What and where:

Here is what we are attempting.

1. Lake trout on the Niagara Bar
2. Brown trout near shore of Lake Ontario
3. Perch on the open water of Lake Erie
4. Smallmouth bass in the harbor and near shore on Lake Erie

Background

Two years ago we headed up to Buffalo Harbor to chase the world class smallmouth bass that call Lake Erie and the harbor home. It was a challenge. We fished for 3 days in some of the worst spring weather that Ma Nature can dish out. Cold, rain, wind, waves, snow. It was the middle of a cold front and it did not let up. But even though the conditions were terrible, Capt. Hans managed to get us on bass and we landed 40+ each day. 4 and 5 pounders were not unusual. The weather was bad but the fishing was actually excellent.

We simply had a great time, and the fish were a great bonus. We had such a good time that before we left we scheduled a trip for the next April.

April rolled around and Capt. Hans had a bonus for us on this trip. He asked us if we wanted to head over to the Niagara bar and see if the lakers were home. They were and what an experience. We fished rod-in-hand.   Bass are tremendous fighters, demonstrating power and aerial escape attempts that keep you on your toes.  Muskies are sheer power, and it is heart stopping when they break water and tail walk or head for the bottom and start head shaking and pulling.  But lakers are the best of bass and muskies. Enough speed and power to make your reel scream. Enough agility to explode from the water and not lose a beat when they land. And when you get them near the boat, you find out that they were just resting so they can disappear faster than you can say “Oh shucks”.

We expected that the weather would be better the second time around, but nobody talked to Ma Nature and we ended up fishing through another strong cold front. It was cold, dark, windy and damp, but we did not get rained on. We were always on the edge of it, but only got a few drops on us. And again, we caught a bunch of world class smallies.

During the trip, we talked about how amazing the Buffalo fishery is. Hans suggested that if we came a week earlier this year, we might be able to hit the near shore brown trout fishing, as well as the bass and lakers. Three species in three days. It sounded good to us, so again, we scheduled it before we left.  I planned to do a separate trip for perch, but the idea of adding a fourth day and fourth species was interesting, and so we added another day. We will see how it goes, because there is more than one challenge ahead of us.  

The Obstacles

There are four obstacles to successfully completing the Quest for 4: Mother Nature, The Fish, the Anglers, and the charter Captain.

1. Ma Nature

The challenge of catching four different species of fish on the same trip sounds simpler than it is.  The first obstacle is Ma Nature. Fishing conditions are impacted by several of the forces of nature due to its unique location. Because it is sitting on the eastern edge of Lake Erie, a wind from the west can result in some formidable waves. That wind and wave combination can make boat control a challenge, if not impossible. At the very least, how you can drift will determine where you can fish. For example, there are days that you cannot safely fish on the lake, so perching is out. One of the attractions of the area is the harbor. Miles of break wall protect it and it is usually fishable, although where you fish in it is still impacted by the weather. The wind and waves are tricky coming through the various gaps and it takes an experienced captain to keep you drifting over fish. In addition to the wind and waves, the weather itself can be miserable. In April, it can be 27 degrees on the water, or 70. In August you can sweat off 5 pounds in a day. And in December, well, it is December in New York.

2. The Fish:

As anglers, we can have a pretty good idea of where a particular species of fish will be at a particular time. But the fish and Ma Nature still have home field advantage and sometimes they just call the game off.  There is a very narrow window when there is a specific water temperature on the Niagara Bar that attracts the big lakers. If we are there during the wrong week, then we do not catch lakers. The same goes for the browns in Ontario. We should hit the bass spawn, but that does not mean the fish will be very active. The perch fishing should be good, but we must be able to get on the main lake and then we must be able to find the schools. And the impact of wind, waves, and weather is always a trump card.

The Anglers:

3. If the fish are where we are, and if the fish are active and aggressive, we will catch fish…if we are good enough. We can become our biggest obstacle. Bottom rolling jigs for smallies is a technique that you need to master. Not only do you need to be able to detect the slightest indication of a bite, you also have to try to keep from hanging up in the rocks on every cast. A different type of jig technique is needed for lakers, and you have a different battle after the bite. An open water battle with a fish as fast, agile, and powerful as a laker requires that you know when to pump, when to retrieve, and when to hold on. Your drag, rod, line, and knots must be first rate, or something is going to give. Perch are pretty simple, but you still need to be able to detect a light nibble with 60 feet of braid out.

This is my first try at browns, so I will let you know what it is like to tangle with a brown after this year’s trip. I hope.

4. The Captain:

If Ma nature is treating you right, the fish are hungry, you are skilled, and you have a good captain, you will have an incredible experience. BUT, if your captain is not very good, chances that you will catch fish are slim. Good captains have to know the water, and the waters of Buffalo are varied. The 2 great lakes, rivers, and the harbor are all different. Your captain needs to know them all and be able to show you the techniques that work in each situation. A captain also has to have quality equipment, an appropriate multispecies boat, the ability to control the boat, and an extensive knowledge of fish behavior. That is why we go with Captain Hans of Buffalo harbor Outfitters.

The Golden Rule of Buffalo Fishing

The golden rule of Buffalo fishing is simple. Do what your captain says. We start every trip with a discussion with Hans about what the hot bite is, or even if there is one. You may have a preference for what you want to do, but it might just not be in the cards. Insisting that you fish when and where there are no fish is like trying to buy a fishing license at the motor vehicle department. On our trip, we hope to fish for four species, but any of them might be a bad bet, so we will fish for what Hans suggests. Now you can get stubborn and insist on going against your guide’s advice, but the results are on you, not the guide. Better to be flexible.

Your Challenge:

You really should treat yourself to a Buffalo challenge. Start out simple and try a 1 for 1 challenge and head up there for bass or walleye. Or try to go 2 for 2. Maybe a bass and walleye summer two-day trip. Or get bold and try 3 for 3. If you dare, try the Quest, the 4 for 4 challenge. Multispecies fishing in Buffalo gives you options. Try something, but whatever you try, fish the Bad Ted way. Go with friends and family and focus on having fun. Go to Buffalo.

How to Do It:

The easiest way to try a challenge is to contact a guide. I obviously am going to steer you to Captain Hans Mann at http://buffaloharboroutfitters.com. He will help you with everything for your adventure.

Conclusion: The Final 4 (Not original, I know, but I could not resist.)

When I tell people that I fish the Buffalo area 12 days a year with Captain Hans, they look at me like I am anything but rational. In our part of the world, people fish Lake Erie around Erie, Pa, or drive 4 hours to the western basin. Few, if any, go to Buffalo to fish. We generally head to Erie or Pittsburgh for our city needs and we really do not know much about Buffalo.

But now I know four things about Buffalo, NY. The people there measure snowfall in feet, not inches. The football team is beginning to resemble the Boston Red Sox after they traded the Bambino, it really is the home of Buffalo wings, and it is arguably the freshwater multispecies fishing capital of North America. You really should give it a try. And please remember,

Just have fun. Go fishing.

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Coming Up: Bad Ted Fishing rods, Did You ever Have a Day When…, and the results of our Quest: the Buffalo Challenge