Hanford Bay and the stony ledge between Cattaraugus Creek and Silver Creek
Ranked plans for Lake Erie (eastern basin) are not available yet: its tournament record has 2 events with a known winning area, too few to test the ranking. The areas are listed without a rank.
WaterNew York
Depth12-30 ft
BottomStony ledge (Coast Pilot); rock (GLAHF)
CurrentNo
River plumeYes
Well-known spotNo
Position42.566, -79.163 (approximate center)
Lake water off Hanford Bay, west of the Cattaraugus Creek mouth, New York water. Cattaraugus Creek runs through the Seneca Nation's Cattaraugus Territory, where a Seneca Nation licence is required (see regulations); the outline stays out of the territory
Run from each launch
| Launch | Run | Open water | Crossing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Harbor State Park boat launch (New York) | 24.9 mi | 9.6 mi | Yes |
| Erie Basin Marina boat launch (New York) | 25.8 mi | 12.6 mi | Yes |
| Sturgeon Point Marina (New York) | 10.5 mi | 0.5 mi | No |
| Sunset Bay State Marine Park (New York) | 1.4 mi | 0.0 mi | No |
| Dunkirk Harbor boat launch (New York) | 10.3 mi | 0.0 mi | No |
| Barcelona Harbor boat launch (New York) | 26.9 mi | 0.0 mi | No |
| Presque Isle State Park, Niagara Boat Launch (Pennsylvania) | 57.3 mi | 36.8 mi | Yes |
| Presque Isle State Park, Lagoon Launch (Pennsylvania) | 55.2 mi | 38.2 mi | Yes |
| Presque Isle State Park, West Pier Launch (Pennsylvania) | 56.3 mi | 37.6 mi | Yes |
| Lampe Marina public launch ramps (Pennsylvania) | 54.8 mi | 25.3 mi | Yes |
| East Avenue Boat Launch (Port Erie) (Pennsylvania) | 54.5 mi | 16.8 mi | Yes |
| Shades Beach Park boat launch (Krupinski Launch Facility), Harborcreek (Pennsylvania) | 48.4 mi | 18.6 mi | Yes |
| North East Marina public launch (Pennsylvania) | 38.7 mi | 0.0 mi | No |
| Walnut Creek access (PFBC) (Pennsylvania) | 64.7 mi | 26.5 mi | Yes |
| Sugarloaf Marina public boat ramp, Port Colborne (Ontario) crosses the U.S.-Canada boundary | 22.1 mi | 20.4 mi | Yes |
| Esplanade Park boat ramp, Port Maitland (Ontario) crosses the U.S.-Canada boundary | 29.0 mi | 25.3 mi | Yes |
| Port Dover Harbour Marina boat ramps (Ontario) crosses the U.S.-Canada boundary | 55.4 mi | 51.1 mi | Yes |
| Port Rowan Harbour Marina public ramp (Ontario) crosses the U.S.-Canada boundary | 65.7 mi | 64.0 mi | Yes |
Run: the distance along the water route. A crossing (the open lake, the border or a long stretch of open water) needs over-water wind under your crossing wind limit (default 15 mph), waves on the route within your wave limit and no small craft advisory.
Evidence
- NOAA U.S. Coast Pilot 6, chapter 6 (Lake Erie), edition of 27 Sep 2026, paragraphs 201-202 Between Cattaraugus Creek and Silver Creek a stony ledge extends 1.5 mi from shore; Cattaraugus Creek entrance 1 ft controlling depth in 2018Source
- GLAHF fish spawning and nursery sites (after Goodyear et al. 1982), smallmouth bass records in the eastern basin Smallmouth spawning or nursery records within about 5 km of the areas: Eighteenmile Creek (gravel and stone, 1-2 m), Big Sister Creek (gravel, rock, bedrock), Silver Creek and Cattaraugus Creek (early June), Dunkirk Harbor (prime spawning and nursery ground), Van Buren Bay, Point Gratiot (nursery, 9-18 m), Canadaway Creek and Chautauqua Creek (June, rock and gravel, 1 m), Sixmile, Twelvemile and Sixteenmile creeks (PA), Fort Erie, Abino Bay, Gravelly Bay, Rock Island and the Grand River shore (sandy beaches), Long Point Bay and Long PointSource
- New York Sea Grant: Angling for Smallmouth Bass in Lake Erie (M. Malchoff, 1984, NYEXT-H-84-001; public domain) Eight New York sites near the launches: Seneca Shoal (12 ft, water to 30 ft around it, bedrock common; state sampling found abundant 1-4 lb bass in the deeper water toward Athol Springs), Sturgeon Point east (bedrock) and west (reefs 1.5 and 3 mi south-west of the breakwall, 12-30 ft), Cattaraugus Creek, Dunkirk Harbor (the power plant discharge draws forage and bass; bedrock at Battery Point), reef-type structures about 1 mi north-east of Van Buren Point and peaks and valleys in 20-45 ft west of it, and Barcelona east and west (rock bottom). Bass move to shoals of 10-45 ft in early summer and are most concentrated there from late July through SeptemberSource