Last time my dad, sister and I were out on the water with Ryan of Brookdog Fishing Co. it was a beautiful 90° day on Lake Erie. He assured us there’s more to fishing in Western New York than catching smallmouth bass all summer long. We took his word for it and booked a fall fishing trip with Brookdog this year.
We met Ryan at 7 am, just as the sky was beginning to turn from grey to pink. As the sun rose, the fog lifted from the water and the trees, just beginning to change from green to brilliant yellow, lit up. If nothing else, it was a gorgeous day to be outside. Of course, simply hanging out on the water is not Ryan’s style. After a fish-filled trip last summer, we knew we’d see some rod-bending battles throughout the day.
The original plan was to fish for salmon (among other things) in the lower Niagara River. This year’s salmon run isn’t as impressive as in years past, at least not in this Lake Ontario tributary. After a couple of beautiful early morning drifts in Devil’s Hole left us empty-handed, we headed downstream for some native species.
We weren’t disappointed, and it wasn’t just because we broke into the delicious breakfast sandwiches Ryan packed for us. Over the next five hours, Ryan coached us through catching smallmouth bass, lake trout, a gorgeous rainbow trout and a huge walleye. We also thoroughly enjoyed drifting along in the calm water, soaking in one of the last warm(ish) days of fall.
After a day like this one, I’m sunburned, sore, and thinking there’s no way Paige and I will ever be able to top this Father’s Day gift.