ODNR Fishing Report 08/07/2012: Central, OH,
Fishing Report Posted: August 07, 2012

Walleye fishing has been good offshore on the sandbar between Vermilion and Lorain, and nearshore off of the Castle between Huron and Vermilion. Anglers are picking up a few fish in 69’ of water N of Wildwood State Park. Excellent continues fishing in 70-72’’ of water N of Geneva and Ashtabula. Trollers are using planer boards, dipsy divers, jet divers and wire line with purple, blue, green, pink and yellow spoons and stick baits.

Yellow perch fishing has been good. The best locations to fish include the condos E of the Vermilion River, 40-42’ of water N of the Cuyahoga River and in 43’ of water N of Wildwood State Park. Further east, perch catches have been very good in 39-49’ of water NW of Fairport Harbor (south the hump), in 40-50’ of water NE of Geneva and in 50’ of water W of Ashtabula and 48’ of water N of Conneaut. Perch spreaders with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish. Shore anglers are catching fish off the Cleveland Piers and at Headlands Beach Pier in Mentor out at the lighthouse. Anglers are using spreaders with shiners and the mornings and evenings have been best. Shore anglers are also catching rock bass off the Cleveland piers.

Smallmouth bass fishing has been very good in 15 to 29’ depths and around harbor areas in Cleveland, Fairport Harbor, Geneva, Ashtabula and Conneaut. This past week anglers are having good luck using crayfish, leaches and tube jigs.

White bass has been spotty but can pick up at any time. Try near shore in 12-30’ of water N of Cleveland Harbor, NE of Gordon Park (Bratenahl), and in 10-20’ of water N of Eastlake CEI. Look for gulls feeding on schools of shiners at the surface. The white bass will be below the shiners. Shore anglers are catching white bass off the Eastlake CEI breakwall. Anglers are using agitators with jigs tipped with twister tails or using small spoons.

Steelhead Trout anglers are catching fish while trolling for walleye off Ashtabula. Some large steelhead have been caught. See locations for walleye above.

The water temperature is 77 degrees off of Toledo and 80 degrees off of Cleveland according to the nearshore marine forecast.