** The daily bag limit for walleye on Ohio waters of Lake Erie is 6 fish per angler. The minimum size limit for walleye is 15”.**
** The daily bag limit for yellow perch is 30 fish per angler on all Ohio waters of Lake Erie.**
** The trout and salmon daily bag limit is 2 fish with a minimum size limit of 12”.
** The black bass (largemouth and smallmouth bass) daily bag limit is 5 fish per angler with a 14” minimum size limit.**
Western Basin
Walleye fishing effort has dropped recently and there have been very few reports from the western basin. The best areas have been Northwest Reef, West Reef, and “F” can of the Camp Perry firing range. As temperatures drop expect fishing to improve as migratory walleye return to the islands and also nearshore areas. Trolling crankbaits behind planer boards is a popular method for catching fall walleye.
Yellow perch fishing improved over the past week. The best areas have been N and E of West Sister Island, near the N end of the Toledo shipping channel, N of “B” can of the Camp Perry firing range, West Reef, W of Green and Rattlesnake islands, NW of Kelleys Island, and Kelleys Island Shoal. Perch spreaders with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.
Largemouth bass fishing continues to be good in harbors and nearshore areas around Catawba and Marblehead, and also in Sandusky Bay. Some smallmouth bass have been reported on the reefs of the Camp Perry firing range.
Central Basin
Walleye fishing is improving off of Huron, mostly 8 to 12 miles N and NE of the river. Fishing continues to be excellent in 62-72’ of water NE of Ashtabula and in 68-72’ of water N of Conneaut. Many limit catches were reported this past week. Anglers are trolling wire line with white, pink, blue, yellow, orange, green and red stick baits.
Yellow perch fishing has been fair 1 mile N of Beaver Creek, in 38’ of water N. of Lorain, and at the S end of the sandbar between Vermilion and Lorain. Excellent fishing was reported in 45’ of water NE of Gordon Park, in 41-43’ of water N of Wildwood Park, in 42’ of water N and 44-62’ of water NW (the hump) of Fairport Harbor, in 56-65’ of water NE of Ashtabula, and in 52-70’ of water NW of Conneaut. Spreaders with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish. Shore fishing off the Cleveland area piers has been slow.
Smallmouth and largemouth bass fishing has been good in 10 to 20’ of water around harbor areas in Cleveland, Fairport Harbor, Geneva, Ashtabula and Conneaut. Anglers are using soft-craws and leeches.
White Bass fishing has been hit and miss off the E. 55th St and E 72nd St Piers in Cleveland and the short and long piers in Fairport Harbor. Evenings have been the best. On the lake, look for gulls feeding on shiners at the surface; the white bass will be below. Anglers are using agitators with jigs and small spoons.
Steelhead Trout are being caught off the short Pier in Fairport Harbor and also in the river. Anglers are using jigs tipped with maggots and small spoons.
The water temperature is 63 degrees off of Toledo and 67 degrees off of Cleveland according to the nearshore marine forecast.
Anglers are encouraged to always wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device while boating.
Source: ODNR |