ODNR Fishing Report 10/15/2013:

** The daily bag limit for yellow perch is 30 fish per angler on all Ohio waters of Lake Erie.**

** The trout and salmon daily bag limit is 2 fish with a minimum size limit of 12”.

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

Western Basin

Walleye fishing effort has been low recently. There have been a few reports from “A” can of the Camp Perry firing range, NE of Crib Reef, and Green Island. As temperatures drop expect fishing to improve as migratory walleye return to the islands and also nearshore areas. Trolling crankbaits behind planer boards is a popular method for catching fall walleye.

Yellow perch fishing improved over the past week. The best areas have been the turnaround buoy of the Toledo shipping channel, the gravel pit, NE and NW of West Sister Island, “C” can and “F” can of the Camp Perry firing range, Northwest Reef, SW of Green Island, Rattlesnake Island, the green buoy NW of Catawba State Park, Gull Island Shoal, and E of Kelleys Island and Kelleys Island Shoal. Perch spreaders with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.

Largemouth bass fishing continues to be good in harbors and nearshore areas around Catawba and Marblehead, and also in Sandusky Bay. Some smallmouth bass have been reported around Kelleys Island.

Central Basin

Walleye fishing was good off of Huron, 14 miles NE of the river around the offshore dumping ground. Worm harnesses with inline weights, or crankbaits with snap weights have produced the best catches. There weren’t many angler interviews this past week, but excellent fishing continues with a few limit catches in 70-71’ of water N of Geneva and in 56-70’ of water N of Ashtabula. Anglers are trolling wire line with white, pink, blue, yellow, orange, green and red stick baits.

Yellow perch fishing has been fair N of the condos that are E of Vermilion, around the south end of the sandbar, N of Lorain, and off of Ruggles Reef. Excellent fishing was reported in 46’ of water NW of Rocky River, in 38-42’ of water NE of Gordon Park, in 47’ of water NW (the hump) of Fairport Harbor, in 46-54’ of water NE of Ashtabula and in 39-53’ of water NE and NW of Conneaut. Spreaders with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish. Shore fishing off the Cleveland and Fairport area piers has been slow.

Smallmouth and largemouth bass fishing has been good in 10 to 20’ of water around harbor areas in Cleveland, Fairport Harbor, Geneva, Ashtabula and Conneaut. Anglers are using crayfish and leeches.

White Bass fishing has been hit and miss off the E. 55th St and E 72nd St Piers in Cleveland and the long pier in Fairport Harbor. Small fish are being caught off the Fairport Harbor pier. Evenings have been the best. Lots of large white bass are being caught by boat yellow perch fisherman off Fairport Harbor. On the lake, look for gulls feeding on shiners at the surface; the white bass will be below. Anglers are using agitators with jigs and small spoons.

Steelhead Trout are being caught off the long and short Piers in Fairport Harbor and also in the river up to Vrooman rd. Anglers are using jigs tipped with maggots with a bobber and small spoons.

The water temperature is 61 degrees off of Toledo and 66 degrees off of Cleveland according to the nearshore marine forecast.

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

Source: ODNR