ODNR Fishing Report for 7/24/2006:

Article Posted: July 25, 206

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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 water intake to Crane Creek in 19 to 21’ of water, N of West Sister Island, west of Green and Rattlesnake Islands, W of the SW corner of Kelleys Island, and on the dumping grounds N-NE of Cedar Point. 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, between Beaver Creek and Lorain in 35’ of water, on the N end of the Sandbar between Lorain and Vermilion, 6 miles N of the Cleveland Crib in 58‘ of water, 8 miles N of Eastlake in 62’ of water, 7 to 8 miles NW of Fairport Harbor in 70 to 74’ of water, and 7 to 8 miles NW of Geneva in 70 to 74’ 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 4 to 5 miles N of Ashtabula in 50-58’ of water, and 4 to 5 miles N of Conneaut in 54-56’ 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 15 to 25’ of water. Fish have been caught on goby color tube jigs, goby color drop shot rigs, 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, Avon Lake and Lorain piers, using agitators with white, yellow and green twister tails and small spoons.

Lake Erie surface temperatures range from 72 to 76 degrees.



Source: ODNR






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