With many not ready to embrace their usual crowded ski-lifts this winter, across Buffalo Niagara (and the world) the pandemic has been a cause for many to diversify their traditional ways of staying active outside—socially distanced by nature, snowshoeing, cross country skiing and ice fishing are seeing a historic spike. 

Following a similar trend line to the bike purchase surge the U.S. saw in the springtime, snowshoes are predicted to be the top seller for American’s first full pandemic winter—outpacing sales of all backcountry equipment, which are up in general as a category across the board according to NPD Group. 

But lucky for Western New Yorkers, “backcountry” can be found closer than we may even think. 

“We have a lot of people who visit the woods and they say they can’t believe this is tucked away in the suburb and that they didn’t know about it already,” shared Meaghan Boice-Green, Center Director of Reinstein Woods, a 244 acre nature preserve located in the suburb of Lancaster. 

“Certainly being surrounded by the suburb, it is sort of a hidden gem,” Meaghan says.

Less activity, more outdoors, ice fishing offers a luring COVID-safe outdoor escape for Western New Yorkers as well. In the state’s region nine territory (Allegheny, Erie, Cattaraugus, Wyoming, Chautauqua and Niagara) some of the popular winter fish catches are yellow perch, northern pike, walleye, lake trout, brown trout, atlantic salmon and black crappie. 

“I just started ice fishing four years ago and my two boys absolutely love it,” shared Jeff Vetter, a Williamsville resident who recommends Chautauqua Lake for first timers—along with doing some research prior to heading out on the ice.

“I always watch a video every year at the beginning of a season to refresh my memory in case I fall in. When I take my two boys out with me they have life jackets over the winter coats so I don’t have to worry about their safety.”

With four inches of ice a go ahead to ice fishing on foot, the simplest and cheapest way to cut a hole into the ice is said to be an old-fashioned “spud” bar in up to about a foot thick of ice—a good tool for testing the thickness and safety of the ice as well.

“If you’re new into ice fishing I would highly recommend getting a spud bar. What I have learned is one good power hit and you don’t go through the ice that generally means there’s more than 2 to 3 inches there.”