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**The yellow perch daily bag limit on Lake Erie has been reduced to 30 fish per day. The change in yellow perch bag limit occurred after the printing of fishing regulations brochure. The 2007-2008 fishing regulations brochure incorrectly lists the Lake Erie yellow perch bag limit as 40 fish per day, which has now been changed to 30.** **The black bass (largemouth and smallmouth) daily bag limit is 5 fish with a 14” minimum size limit.** **The walleye daily bag limit is 6 fish. The minimum size limit for walleye is 15”.** **The steelhead trout daily bag limit is 5. The minimum size limit for steelhead is 12 inches.** Western Basin High temperatures and storms over the past week (8/6 - 8/11) limited fishing effort in the western basin. The best walleye fishing has been off of Crane Creek in 18’ of water, near “C” can of the Camp Perry range, and from Rattlesnake Island to “F” can on the Canadian border. Fish have been caught by casting worm harnesses or weight forward spinners, and trollers have had success with spoons on jet divers or dipsys. The best yellow perch fishing has been around “A” and “B” cans of the Camp Perry range, between Rattlesnake and Green Islands, and W of Kelleys Island. Perch spreaders with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish that have averaged around 8 inches with a few up to 10 and 11 inches. Central Basin Walleye fishing has been very good on the Huron dumping grounds, on the south end of the sandbar between Vermilion and Lorain, north of Edgewater State Park in 68 to 72 feet, north of Chagrin River in 68 to 72 feet, north northwest of Geneva in 68 to 72 feet, and north-northeast of Ashtabula in 67 to 75 feet. Anglers are trolling dipsy divers or jet divers off planers with spoons and stick baits ranging in black/purple, gold, blue/silver, wonderbread, antifreeze and chartreuse with copper backs. Trolling worm harnesses (same colors) have also been successful. Steelhead are being caught off Lorain, Vermilion, and Cleveland in 68 to 72 feet, and Geneva to Ashtabula in 67 to 75 feet. Anglers are catching steelhead on red/white, black/purple, chartreuse, and silver/blue spoons while trolling for walleye. Yellow perch fishing has been good in 39’ of water off of the Vermilion breakwall, 4-6 mi north of Cleveland in 40 to 60 feet, north of Eastlake in 50 to 55 feet, 4-6 mi northwest of Fairport Harbor in 48 to 55 feet, and 4-6 mi north-northeast of Conneaut in 48 to 56 feet. Perch spreaders with shiners or worm harnesses fished near the bottom produce the most fish. Smallmouth bass fishing has been excellent in harbor areas, and in 20 to 25 feet along the shoreline in Conneaut, Ashtabula, Geneva and Fairport Harbor. Fish were caught on goby- colored tube jigs, crankbaits, and jigs tipped with minnows, nightcrawlers, or leeches. White bass are being caught by anglers trolling for walleye. Shore anglers are catching white bass at the Lorain Ore Dock, Eastlake CEI pier, Fairport Harbor pier, and Conneaut breakwall; early mornings and evenings have been the best. Anglers are using agitators and small yellow or white jigs or small spinners. The Lake Erie surface temperature is 76 degrees off of Toledo and 73 degrees off of Cleveland. Source: ODNR |