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**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. The daily bag limit for black bass on Lake Erie is 5. 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. The best fishing has been nearshore from the Toledo harbor light to Crane Creek in 19 to 21’ of water, and west of Green and Rattlesnake Islands. 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 spoon colors have been patterns that include gold and purple or red.
The best yellow perch fishing in the western basin has been around the Toledo water intake and NE of Ballast Island. Perch spreaders with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.
Central Basin
Walleye fishing in the central basin has been excellent. Fish have been caught on Ruggles Reef, 4 to 5 miles N of Lorain, 6 miles N of the Cleveland Crib in 58‘ of water, 8 miles N of Eastlake in 62’ of water, 8 to 10 miles N-NW of Fairport Harbor in 60 to 72’ of water, and 8 to 10 miles N-NW of Geneva in 60 to 72’ of water. Fish have been caught on worm harnesses or monkey puke, bloody nose, watermelon, killer bee and copper/back spoons trolled with dipsy divers or trolled with jet divers off planer boards. Some anglers are also drifting worm harnesses. Fish are suspended and anglers are fishing down 30 to 50'.
Yellow perch fishing has slowed down this past week and just fair catches have been reported. The best areas are less than 2 miles N of Ashtabula in 48-50’ of water, and less 2 miles N of Conneaut in 48-50’ of water. Fish have ranged from 7 to 11 inches. Perch spreaders with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.
Smallmouth bass fishing has been excellent on Ruggles Reef between Huron and Vermilion, and along the shoreline from Fairport Harbor to Conneaut in 10 to 25’ of water. Fish have been caught on tube jigs, jigs tipped with minnows or leeches, or by trolling crankbaits.
White bass fishing has been good 1/2 mile N of Eastlake CEI power plant. Anglers are using agitators with white, yellow and green twister tails. Shore anglers are also reporting good catching of white bass at the Eastlake CEI, Wildwood State Park, Rocky River and Avon Lake piers, using agitators with white, yellow and green twister tails and small spoons.
Lake Erie surface temperatures range from 71 to 76 degrees.
Source: ODNR |