ODNR Fishing Report for 09/22/2009:

Article Posted: September 23, 2009

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** The daily bag limit for Lake Erie walleye is 6 fish per angler. The minimum size limit for walleye is 15”. **

** The daily bag limit for Lake Erie yellow perch is 25 fish per angler in waters west of the Huron pier. The limit will remain at 30 fish per angler in Ohio waters from Huron eastward. Any boats landing west of Huron, Ohio will be subject to the 25 fish daily bag limit, while boats landing at Huron or points east will be subject to a 30 fish daily bag limit. Shore-based anglers west of the Huron pier will be subject to a 25 fish daily bag limit, while those on the pier and eastward will remain at 30 fish daily. **

** The steelhead daily bag limit is 2 fish September 1 through May 15. The minimum size limit for steelhead is 12 inches. **

** The daily bag limit for Lake Erie black bass (largemouth and smallmouth) is 5 fish per angler. The minimum size limit is 14”. **

Western Basin

Although Walleye fishing has slowed in the western basin some good reports have come from West Sister Island, the West Reef/North Bass Island area, Gull Island Shoal, and NE of Kelleys Island along the Canadian border. Drifters should use bottom bouncers with worm harnesses or cast mayfly rigs. Trollers should use crankbaits, worm harnesses fished with inline weights or bottom bouncers, or spoons fished with dipsy divers or jet divers.

Yellow perch fishing remains good with the size of fish remaining mostly from 6 to 8” with a few up to 12”. The best areas have been the gravel pit W of West Sister Island, the Toledo water intake, around Niagara Reef, W of Green Island and Rattlesnake Island, Kelleys Island, around the Catawba green can, and off of Cedar Point. Perch spreaders or crappie rigs with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.

Smallmouth Bass were reported from the Western Basin Reefs and Kelleys Island Shoal. Use tubes and goby imitators on drop shots for best results.

Central Basin

Excellent Walleye fishing is still being reported on the W drop off of the sandbar between Vermilion and Lorain, with the best action being on the N half of the sandbar. Fishing farther east has slowed down this past week but anglers are still catching fish 15 miles north-northwest of Perry in 71-73 feet, and 12-15 miles north-northeast of Conneaut in 71-73 feet. Trollers are using watermelon, monkey puke, perch, and blackjack stick baits and spoons off of dipsy divers. Trollers have also had success on deep diving crankbaits and worm harnesses with inline weights.

Yellow perch fishing has been very good between Cranberry Creek and Vermilion in 30’ of water, in 40-43 feet north-northwest of Gordon Park, 40-44 feet northeast of Edgewater State Park, 35-49 feet northwest of Fairport, and 67-70 feet north-northeast of Conneaut. Perch spreaders or perch and crappie rigs with shiners fished as far up as 6 feet off the bottom have been producing the most fish.

Steelhead fishing has slowed down along with the walleye fishing off Cleveland. The best spot to try are 10-15 miles north-northeast of Ashtabula in 70-73 feet. Anglers are trolling dipsy divers with black and purple or silver and blue spoons.

White Bass fishing has been good from the shore at the Eastlake CEI pier. Anglers are using agitators with blue and silver spoons and jigs tipped with twister tails. Fish range from 7-11 inches. Boat anglers watch for the gulls feeding on the surface - these are usually good spots to try for white bass which are also feeding on the same schools of emerald shiners.

Based on the nearshore forecast the water temperature is 67 degrees off of Toledo and 69 degrees off of Cleveland.

Anglers are encouraged to always wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device while boating.


Source: ODNR






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