Western NY walleye bite holds as fall cools the water
Walleye are the bite to watch this fall. Brookdog Fishing Co. said the walleyes "continue to cooperate" in its September 6 report, called the walleye bite "strong" on September 13, and described "excellent walleye" action on September 20, when smallmouth fishing was also good. The captain's October 4 report says he is getting a feel for the changes from Lake Erie's temperature drop. Brookdog fishes western New York, so treat these as a regional signal rather than a read on Hudson Valley or Finger Lakes water.
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What's biting
What's next
Expect the cooling trend to keep shaping the bite over the next few days.
Brookdog's September 20 report noted big Lake Erie waves, and its recent reports tie wind and waves to where and when the boats can fish, so check wind before committing to open water. The charter's main technique in its recent walleye reports has been jigging, which it called excellent on September 20.
Plan a flexible day, since the September 6 report described a lot of bouncing around to find fishable water.
Context
Early October sits in the fall transition for New York waters. Cooling water generally moves walleye and smallmouth toward structure and transitional depths, and in fall they often feed more actively in low light, so dawn and dusk are the usual places to start. That matches what the western New York charter describes, though the pattern here is general knowledge. Check current state regulations before harvesting, since seasons and size limits change.
Synthesized from real-time NOAA buoy data, USGS stream gauges, and current reports across regional fishing blogs, captain updates, and angler forums. Check local regulations before keeping fish. Never trust a single source for a trip decision.
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