Sunday, May 10th, 2026

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Sunday, May 10th, 2026

Breaking News for

Sportsmen Since 1968

Bill Hilts Jr.

Several conservationist honored at New York’s Niagara County Federation banquet

Lockport, N.Y. — The Niagara County Federation of Conservation Clubs held its annual conservation awards banquet on Saturday, April 12, at Cornell Cooperative Extension in Lockport to honor the top conservationists for 2024. Here are the highlights of the everning.

Several conservationist honored at New York’s Niagara County Federation banquet Read More »

New York’s 2025 Great Lakes Preview: Lake Ontario is a salmon angler’s ‘kingdom’

On Lake Ontario, Chinook salmon is the “king” of this Great Lake.
When you add in the other popular species of salmonids like Coho salmon, brown trout, lake trout, and steelhead, this is a resource that attracts anglers from around the world for its quality and quantity. And even the Atlantic salmon fishery is improving.

New York’s 2025 Great Lakes Preview: Lake Ontario is a salmon angler’s ‘kingdom’ Read More »

New York’s 2025 Great Lakes Preview: Lake Erie and its tributaries are a year-round fishing bonanza

Lake Erie stands tall among the angling community. While it is the smallest of the Great Lakes in total water volume, its large number of fish populations help to accentuate its positives.
Erie’s maximum depth is 210 feet and its average depth across the basin is about 62 feet. It’s roughly 241 miles long and 57 miles across at its widest point. However, it’s still a “great” lake in every sense of the word, especially as it relates to fish and fishing.

New York’s 2025 Great Lakes Preview: Lake Erie and its tributaries are a year-round fishing bonanza Read More »

New York’s 2025 Great Lakes Preview: Let’s keep the Great Lakes ‘great’

For the most part, we are coming off a stellar year in 2024 on both of New York’s Great Lakes – Erie and Ontario. What happens in 2025 and beyond is anyone’s guess, but there are some things that we can do to help ensure a better future moving forward.

New York’s 2025 Great Lakes Preview: Let’s keep the Great Lakes ‘great’ Read More »

Bill Hilts, Jr.: New York’s Lake Erie perch action heating up

It was a winter that didn’t want to let go … and a spring that didn’t want grab hold and give us some decent weather. Finally, Easter weekend, the ice (finally) departed Lake Erie in the eastern basin of the lake off of Buffalo, N.Y.
Now the waters can begin to warm, and the spring fishing can explode. Well, kind of. 

Bill Hilts, Jr.: New York’s Lake Erie perch action heating up Read More »

Bill Hilts, Jr.: A close look at the incredible fisheries that are New York’s Great Lakes

New York’s Great Lakes are a success story in every sense of the word – my favorite bodies of water for nearly seven decades. I grew up on these waters and watched them grow into world class fisheries along the way.
Some of them needed a little help from fish managers, while others simply needed a nudge from Mother Nature. They have come a long way.

Bill Hilts, Jr.: A close look at the incredible fisheries that are New York’s Great Lakes Read More »

Bill Hilts, Jr.: New York’s inland trout opener still holds meaning, but much has changed in 60 years

Von Ryan’s Express was a 1965 World War II adventure film starring Frank Sinatra. He played Colonel Joseph Ryan, and I was captivated by the film for several reasons.
One, it was the first film that I ever saw in the theatre. Second, it was the opening day of New York’s inland trout season, and it started raining so hard that this was our backup plan. I was 9 years old, and I still remember it like it was yesterday. Opening days have that kind of an impression on you, filling your memory banks of years gone by.

Bill Hilts, Jr.: New York’s inland trout opener still holds meaning, but much has changed in 60 years Read More »

New York hunter takes a record buck while grieving the death of his mother

Jethro Gibbs in the hit television show NCIS stated time and time again rule number 39: There are no coincidences. For Capt. Lucas Falkner of Greece (Rochester), N.Y., he may have taken that a bit further with a belief in divine intervention.
The result was a new New York State typical crossbow buck Falkner connected with on the final day of the Southern Zone early archery and crossbow season in Steuben County.

New York hunter takes a record buck while grieving the death of his mother Read More »

Bill Hilts, Jr.: Reel maintenance is important for fishing success

The stage is set. You are feeling lucky as you are out fishing in Lake Ontario in early May off Wilson, N.Y. Fishing has been very good for king salmon and the spring Lake Ontario Counties Salmon and Trout Derby is going on. One big fish is all it takes for a $15,000 check. 
“Fish on” as the downrigger releases and the line starts screaming out of the reel. However, something is wrong. The drag is not acting as it should as it stops and starts sporadically.

Bill Hilts, Jr.: Reel maintenance is important for fishing success Read More »

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