|
**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 2 from September 1 until May 15. The minimum size limit for steelhead is 12 inches.** Western Basin Walleye fishing has been good in the western basin recently. The best walleye fishing has been from North Bass Island and Niagara Reef to “F” can on the Canadian border and near Starve Island. 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 “C” can of the Camp Perry range, north of the Toledo water intake, near Northwest Reef, off Gull Island Shoal, off of Kelleys Island shoal and Kelleys Island airport reef in 40-50’ of water. Perch spreaders with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish that have averaged around 8 inches with several catches averaging in the 9-10 inch range. Central Basin Walleye fishing has been spotty on the sandbar between Vermilion and Lorain, northwest and northeast of Ashtabula in 63 to 72 feet, and northwest and northeast of Fairport in 65 to 72 feet. Anglers are trolling dipsy divers with spoons, stick baits and worm harnesses ranging in copper, black/purple, tangerine, watermelon, wonder bread, antifreeze and gold/orange. A few steelhead are being caught off Fairport and Ashtabula in 63 to 72 feet. Anglers are catching steelhead on red/white, black/purple, chartreuse, and silver/blue spoons while trolling for walleye. Yellow perch fishing has been very good west of the Sandbar, off Lorain in 45 feet of water, north-northeast of Euclid in 55 to 62 feet, northwest and northeast of Chagrin River in 55 to 61 feet, northwest of Fairport Harbor in 47 to 57 feet, and north of Conneaut in 57 to 70 feet. Perch spreaders with shiners or crappie rigs fished near the bottom produce the most fish. Smallmouth bass fishing has been good near Ruggles Reef in the Huron area, in harbor areas, and in 15 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, also inshore near the mouth of the Chagrin River and adjacent to the Eastlake Power Plant. The Lake Erie surface temperature is 67 degrees off of Toledo and 69 degrees off of Cleveland Source: ODNR |