Western Basin Walleye Walleye fishing has been extremely slow over the past 10 days, due in part to high temperatures and many undersized fish (less than the 15" minimum size limit). Look for fishing to improve as the water cools and the fish from the 2003 year class surpass 15". Yellow Perch Perch fishing has been better lately with some catches approaching limits. As with walleye, there are many fish from the 2003 year class. These 2003 yellow perch currently range from 6 to 8 inches. As the 2003 perch continue to grow the average size of the catch will improve. The best area recently has been Kelleys Island. Fish have been caught all around Kelleys with the SW and NW corners being the best. Other areas that have produced fish include the Toledo lighthouse, the Toledo shipping channel turnaround buoy, and just N of Cedar Point. A perch spreader tipped with shiners is the most popular set-up. Smallmouth Bass The best smallmouth bass fishing has been around the Bass Islands, Kelleys Island and Sandusky Bay. Largemouth bass have been caught in Sandusky Bay, East Harbor and West Harbor. Central Basin Walleye Walleye fishing was excellent again over the past weekend (8/13/05) in Ohio waters of the central basin. The best areas were 10 to 20 miles N of Geneva in 70 to 74' of water, and 5 to 10 or 12 to 20 miles N of Ashtabula in 60 to 72' of water. Trolling 30 to 45 feet down with spoons, crawler harnesses or stickbaits, using planer boards, dipsy divers, downriggers or jet divers, have produced the best catches. Fish have ranged from 15-28 inches. Yellow Perch Yellow perch fishing remains excellent 1 to 2 miles N of Wildwood and Lakewood in 35 to 42' of water, 2 to 4 miles N of Ashtabula in 50 to 55' of water, and 2 to 4 miles N of Conneaut in 35 to 55' of water. A perch spreader tipped with shiners is the most popular set-up. Fish have ranged from 6-12 inches. Smallmouth Bass The best smallmouth bass fishing has been around breakwalls and rocky drop-offs from Lorain to Avon point. Tube jigs and drop-shot rigs with goby imitations have been the most productive lures. Steelhead Steelhead have been caught by walleye anglers in the same areas mentioned in the walleye report. Fish have ranged from 16 to 28". Lake Erie surface temperatures have dropped into the mid 70's.
Source: ODNR
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