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Bill Hilts Jr.

Last-minute salmon nets $15K top prize in New York tournament series opener

Featured, Fishing, Home Page News, National Fishing, National News, New York, News /

It was only fitting that the Spring Lake Ontario Counties Trout, Salmon, and Walleye Derby came down to the wire on the final day of the popular contest. George Prentice of Smicksburg, Pa., caught a 25-pound salmon at 11:30 a.m. on May 12 and needed to rush his prize catch to the Boat Doctors in Olcott, N.Y., to beat the 1 p.m. deadline in order to cash in on the $15,000 grand prize.

Last-minute salmon nets $15K top prize in New York tournament series opener Read More »

New York’s Erie, Niagara counties dole out annual sporting awards

Fishing, Hunting, Nature Page & Night Sky, New York, News /

The outdoor conservation community, including fishermen, hunters, trappers and the like, honor the stewards of New York’s natural resources every year through the county’s federation of clubs. The Erie County Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs held its annual gathering at Kloc’s Grove in West Seneca on April 13.
Sportsman of the Year for Erie County was Jeff Jondle, of Marilla, current president of the Erie County Federation, a position he has held since 2018. Under his tenure, the Federation has been more proactive with community support activities. It has also become more financially stable as the group pursues available grant money.

New York’s Erie, Niagara counties dole out annual sporting awards Read More »

Bill Hilts, Jr.: New York’s Niagara River surprises lead to a huge walleye, media memories

Blogs, Featured, Fishing, National Fishing, New York, Opinion /

For more than 25 years, some of the top outdoor media mavens in the country have converged in the village of Lewiston, N.Y., a cast away from the lower Niagara River.

It is a base of operations for all things fishing in western New York — Lake Erie/Upper Niagara River bass and walleye; trout, bass, and walleye in the Lower Niagara River; Lake Ontario salmon and trout. Even when the weather throws the group a curve ball, they can still manage to find some place to get on the water and catch fish. There is always a back-up plan.

Bill Hilts, Jr.: New York’s Niagara River surprises lead to a huge walleye, media memories Read More »

Bill Hilts, Jr.: Remembering New York’s rainbow/steelhead record fish 20 years later

Blogs, Featured, Fishing, National Fishing, New York, Opinion /

Do you know what the New York State freshwater fish record catches are? 
Based on my personal experiences, I would have to say most people would not. They may know a few of their favorites (ballpark weights) but actual records would be limited. I had a couple friends through the years catch record fish and either didn’t realize it or didn’t care to enter it for personal reasons. One was an 18-plus pound walleye in the lower Niagara River 30 years ago.

Bill Hilts, Jr.: Remembering New York’s rainbow/steelhead record fish 20 years later Read More »

2024 New York Great Lakes Preview: How good can the fishing be on Lake Erie?

Featured, Fishing, Home Page News, National Fishing, New York /

“It’s getting better all the time!”
If the Beatles were still around today, they may have written a song about Lake Erie and its tremendous fishery that emphasized how good it is … and that it keeps getting better all the time, year after year. This year appears to be no different when you look at the big picture.

2024 New York Great Lakes Preview: How good can the fishing be on Lake Erie? Read More »

2024 New York Great Lakes Preview: Lake Ontario full of promise and choices

Featured, Features, Fishing, Home Page News, National Fishing, New York /

Lake Ontario, a shared natural resource between two countries, may have been named after the Iroquois Native American word meaning “beautiful lake” or “sparkling water.” The name appeared on maps for the first time as early as 1656, shortly after the first Europeans called it “Ontario” 15 years before that.
There is a long and storied history in this Great Lake, a body of water that receives most of its sustenance from the upper four Great Lakes – primarily through the Niagara River as a final conduit. Fish and fishing have been an important component to its history, and it still is today.

2024 New York Great Lakes Preview: Lake Ontario full of promise and choices Read More »

Things looking great for New York’s Great Lakes fishing in 2024

Featured, Fishing, National Fishing, New York /

New York State is blessed with more than 7,500 lakes and ponds, 70,000 miles of rivers and streams, and hundreds of miles of coastline. Yes, New York, our own Empire State! At the top of the list of sport fishing attractions in the state is the Great Lakes.
New York is bordered to the west by Lake Erie and the Niagara River. To the north, its Lake Ontario, and the St. Lawrence River. They all connect to form one of the greatest freshwater fisheries in the world and we get to call it our own.

Things looking great for New York’s Great Lakes fishing in 2024 Read More »

Bill Hilts, Jr.: Remembering New York’s Bob Cinelli — one of the top Great Lakes charter captains

Blogs, Featured, Fishing, New York, Opinion /

P.T. Barnum once said that the noblest art is that of making others happy. Bob Cinelli was one of those people, especially when he was fishing – a true ambassador for New York’s natural resources as one of the top Great Lakes charter captains. I know firsthand.

Bill Hilts, Jr.: Remembering New York’s Bob Cinelli — one of the top Great Lakes charter captains Read More »

Pen-rearing projects boost salmon stocking in New York

Featured, Fishing, Home Page News, National Fishing, National News, New York, News /

For over 25 years, pen rearing projects for salmon and trout have been implemented in Lake Ontario to help the stocking efforts of New York DEC’s Bureau of Fisheries. In 2024, there are nine cooperative pen-rearing projects in the basin, including nearly 823,000 Chinook salmon and over 70,000 steelhead.

Pen-rearing projects boost salmon stocking in New York Read More »

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