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Bill Hilts Jr.

Bill Hilts, Jr.: New York’s Niagara Fishing Expo ‘teaches fishing’

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

For the better part of 35 years, I attended sport, travel and outdoor shows throughout the northeast from January through April. It was the heyday of these kinds of shows, attracting people from far and wide.

Included among these were nine day shows in Harrisburg (still the biggest of its kind in the country), Cincinnati, Cleveland, Chicago and Indianapolis. Other shows that stood out for sheer numbers of people were the World Fishing and Outdoor Expo in Suffern, N.Y. and the Pittsburgh Expo in Monroeville. With all this trade show experience, not one could compare to the impressive number of seminars and clinics at the Greater Niagara Fishing Expo in Niagara Falls.

Bill Hilts, Jr.: New York’s Niagara Fishing Expo ‘teaches fishing’ Read More »

A hunt for the big bull moose of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula

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

Jonathan LeBel, of Ogdensburg, in St. Lawrence County, N.Y., is a passionate big game hunter.
One of his dream adventures, from a bucket list of sorts, was to connect with a 70-inch bull moose. That dream became a reality last fall (2025) when he tagged a 73 1⁄8-inch-wide racked animal – antlers with massive paddles – in the most unlikely of places … the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia. The challenges he faced along his journey – from travel to firearms to communication – were compounded even further on a personal level. LeBel has multiple sclerosis.

A hunt for the big bull moose of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula Read More »

Bill Hilts, Jr.: Lake Ontario salmon outlook good for 2026?

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

What does the coming fishing season have in store for salmon and trout fishermen and women in Lake Ontario? While anglers, fisheries managers and biologists don’t have a crystal ball to conjure up forecasts for 2026, they can certainly make educated guesses as we move forward this year. 

Bill Hilts, Jr.: Lake Ontario salmon outlook good for 2026? Read More »

Bill Hilts, Jr.: What does 2026 hold for Lake Erie anglers in New York and beyond?

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

As we kick off a new year, it’s time to look forward and speculate on what the next 12 months have in store for us.
One question that must be on everyone’s mind if you are a Lake Erie walleye fisherman is will it be a repeat performance on the water once May 1 hits on the calendar? Walleye fishing was phenomenal in 2025 and the best quote I heard came from Capt. Jim Steel, president of the Eastern Lake Erie Charter Boat Association: “You could go out on the lake and do everything wrong … and still catch fish.”

Bill Hilts, Jr.: What does 2026 hold for Lake Erie anglers in New York and beyond? Read More »

Bill Hilts, Jr.: A year to remember for New York hunters and anglers in 2025

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

This past year will certainly be remembered for many years to come thanks to some important headlines that dominated in the outdoor world stage – especially in the Empire State. These are my Top 10 headlines that truly impacted hunting and fishing as we get ready to celebrate 2026 and beyond.

Bill Hilts, Jr.: A year to remember for New York hunters and anglers in 2025 Read More »

2025 was another good year for Lake Ontario fishing

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

In looking back on the 2025 fishing season for Lake Ontario, lake managers with the New York Department of Environmental Conservation’s Lake Ontario Unit had plenty of good news to share with members of the Lake Ontario Trout and Salmon Association on Dec. 11 at the group’s annual Christmas meeting. The gathering was also open to the public.
In what has become a bit of a tradition each December, DEC staff, led by Christopher Legard (Lake Ontario Unit Leader), and biologists Mike Connerton and Jessica Goretzke, gave an overview of what happened on the lake the past year, and some of what is expected for 2026.

2025 was another good year for Lake Ontario fishing Read More »

Bill Hilts, Jr.: Safety is job No. 1 for ice anglers; here’s what to consider

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

I poured myself a cup of Tim Horton coffee at 5:30 a.m. this December morning and checked out the thermometer. It read a crisp 7 degrees in Lockport, N.Y.
I turned on the local news and listened to Patrick Hammer on WGRZ forecast that there will be more cold days like this in the next 10 days in Western New York. Winter has arrived and ice fishing is just around the corner. I turned to my friend, Scott Brauer, of Gasport, an authority on all things hard water, for some safety tips – your top priority when it comes to ice fishing.

Bill Hilts, Jr.: Safety is job No. 1 for ice anglers; here’s what to consider Read More »

Eight favorite waters for ice fishing in Western New York

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

It’s nearly time to start singing the Foreigner hit “Cold as Ice.”
Ice fishing season is fast approaching, and hard water anglers hope it’s sooner rather than later when it comes to walking on water this year. For all things ice in New York, Scott Brauer of Gasport is the man.

Eight favorite waters for ice fishing in Western New York Read More »

Bill Hilts, Jr.: Reflecting on opening days of New York’s big game season

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

How often have you heard “where has the time gone?” More than I care to think about or even count, and it’s starting to happen with individual days like the openers of the regular big game season, the waterfowl openers, the various fishing seasons … I don’t like where this is headed!
In preparation for New York’s Southern Zone big game opener, I made plans to hunt with my good friend Bob Hood of Lockport.

Bill Hilts, Jr.: Reflecting on opening days of New York’s big game season Read More »

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