** The 15" walleye minimum size limit remains in effect for the entire
season. The smallmouth and largemouth bass season opened on June 26. The
daily bag limit for bass is 5 with a 14" minimum size limit.** Surface temperatures are in the lower 70's. Western Basin Walleye
The best walleye fishing has been in the area near the US/Canada border
south of Middle Sister Island around where "G" can used to be, between West
Sister Island and the turnaround buoy of the Toledo shipping channel,
between Crane Creek and "A" can of the Camp Perry firing range, and the
northwest reef area west of North Bass Island. Casting mayfly rigs,
drifting worm harnesses with bottom bouncers, and trolling with spoons or
worm harnesses produce the most fish. Walleye hatched in 2003 (ranging in
size from 5 to 10 inches) are already being caught. Please handle these
sub-legal fish as gently as possible and quickly return them to the water. Yellow Perch Yellow perch fishing has been best at the Kelleys Island airport reef,
around Ballast Island, and near "C" can of the Camp Perry firing range.
Fish just off the bottom using perch spreaders tipped with shiners. Smallmouth Bass The best smallmouth bass fishing has been around the Bass Islands, Kelleys
Island and Sandusky Bay. Central Basin Walleye The best walleye fishing has been N of Lorain east of the sandbar, 11 miles
NE of Ashtabula in 72 feet of water, and 10 miles NW of Fairport Harbor in
65 to 70 feet of water. Trolling spoons or worm harnesses using divers or
downriggers has produced the best catches. Yellow Perch Yellow perch fishing has been best 3 to 4 miles N of Euclid in 48 to 52 feet
of water, 3 miles NW of Fairport Harbor in 45 to 50 feet of water, and 4 to
5 miles out from Ashtabula to Conneaut in 60 to 65 feet of water. A perch
spreader tipped with shiners is the most popular set-up. Smallmouth Bass The best smallmouth bass fishing has been around Ruggles Reef and the
shoreline and harbors in 15 to 30 feet of water from Fairport Harbor to
Conneaut. Jigs tipped with shiners, tube jigs and crankbaits have been the
most productive lures. Steelhead Steelhead have been caught by anglers trolling spoons 10 miles NW of
Fairport Harbor in 65 to 70 feet of water. Target areas with schools of
baitfish where walleye are also being caught. White Bass White bass have been caught by anglers using shiners at Edgewater and the
Cleveland lakefront in 15 to 30 feet of water.
Source: ODNR
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