**The walleye daily bag limit is 6 fish. A 15" minimum size limit for walleye remains in effect for the entire season. The Lake Erie daily bag limit for yellow perch is 40 fish. Lake Erie black bass (smallmouth and largemouth bass) are closed to possession (catch and release only) May 1 through June 23. The daily bag limit for black bass on Lake Erie is 5 after June 23. The minimum size limit for black bass on Lake Erie is 14". The steelhead trout bag limit is 5. The minimum size limit for steelhead is 12 inches.** Western Basin
Walleye fishing continues to be excellent with many limits being caught. Fishing has been best around West Sister Island (south, west and north), from “E” can of the Camp Perry firing range to Niagara Reef, north of North Bass Island, around Gull Island Shoal, and E of Kelleys Island. Drifters are using mayfly rigs or worm harnesses with bottom bouncers, while trollers are using worm harnesses with inline weights or bottom bouncers and jet or dipsy divers with spoons.
The best yellow perch fishing in the western basin has been around the Toledo water intake and Kelleys Island Shoal. Perch spreaders with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.
Central Basin
Walleye have been caught NE of Fairport Harbor in 20 to 25’ of water and 2 miles N of Euclid in 46’ of water. Fish have been caught on worm harnesses, crankbaits and spoons.
Yellow perch fishing has been fair in 48 to 52’ of water off of Fairport Harbor and 1 to 2 miles N of E 72nd St. in Cleveland in 37 to 38’ of water. Perch spreaders with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.
Smallmouth bass fishing has been good in harbor areas and in 15 to 25’ of water along the shoreline in Conneaut, Ashtabula, Geneva and Fairport Harbor. Fish were caught on jigs tipped with minnows or leeches, tube jigs, or by trolling crankbaits.
For Steelhead fishing information visit: http://www.ohiodnr.com/wildlife/Fishing/fairport/steelhead.htm Lake Erie surface temperatures range from 57 to 67 degrees.
Source: ODNR |