One day at work, I found myself in a conversation about fishing for smallmouth bass. A coworker revealed they were catching unbelievable amounts of bass in the lower Niagara River. The key location? From Old Fort Niagara in Youngstown, New York, out of the mouth of the river to the one-mile buoy in Lake Ontario. That was all I needed to hear to get my father on the phone. "Dad, we're going fishing tomorrow after I get home from work, down by Fort Niagara," I told him, excitedly sharing the details about the hot drift. We planned our trip for the next evening.
Setting Out
As soon as I finished work at four, I rushed over to my dad's house. We drove down to the boat launch at Fort Niagara Park and got onto the water as fast as we could. Equipped with Eagle Claw hooks, bait walker sinkers, and a split shot about fourteen inches above the hook, we were ready for action.
The Thrill of the Catch
Entering the powerful current at the mouth of the river, we cast out our dew worms. It took a few minutes for the fish to start biting in the deep water, but as soon as we hit the sandbar at eighteen feet, it was fish after fish. We drifted all the way out to the buoy, and noticing the best bites were just in front of it, we dropped anchor.
A Fishing Bonanza
We had a great evening of fishing, learning much about the spot on that first day. We noticed a barge anchored nearby, dredging the sandbar and stirring up food from the bottom, attracting bass. This turned into an incredible fishing session, with the bass bite lasting the entire time the dredging continued—a good couple of years of hot bass and the occasional big walleye.
Don't Miss Out
When an opportunity like this comes along, don't wait too long, or you might miss out on the best fishing experience. Take advantage of these tips and gear up for an unforgettable fishing adventure.
Suggested Gear
For an optimal smallmouth bass fishing experience, consider the following equipment:
This post contains affiliate links.
Comments