|
**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 now 2. The minimum size limit for steelhead is 12 inches.**
Western Basin
Fishing effort directed towards walleye has greatly decreased as western basin anglers are switching to perch fishing. Some success has been reported on Kelleys and Gull Island shoals, in Ohio waters near Middle Island, and to a lesser extent around Rattlesnake Island and F can on the Canadian border. Drifters are using mayfly rigs or weight forward spinners, while most trollers are using worm harnesses or spoons with jet or dipsy divers.
Yellow perch fishing is improving in the Western Basin. Over the past week the Toledo water intake, C and D cans of the Camp Perry range, Niagara Reef, Rattlesnake Island, Lakeside, Cedar Point, and Kelleys Island have all produced some limit catches. Perch spreaders with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish. Yellow perch are averaging 8" long.
Smallmouth bass should start moving shallower as water temperatures drop heading into fall. Fish rocky drop-offs and reefs around the Bass Islands and Kelleys Island along with nearshore areas from Catawba Island to Sandusky Bay to find active fish. Tube jigs and drop shot rigs with goby imitations are the most popular set-ups for smallmouth. Central Basin Walleye fishing in the central basin has also slowed down with anglers switching over to perch. A few walleye have been taken at the N end of the sand bar between Vermilion and Lorain, 7-9 miles NE of Geneva in 60-70of water and 7-9 miles NW of Ashtabula in 60 to 70 of water. Fish have been caught on worm harnesses trolled with dipsy divers. Fish are suspended and anglers are fishing down 35 to 50'. Yellow perch fishing is excellent in the central basin from 1-3 miles N of Huron to Lorain, 4 miles N of Euclid in 49 of water, 2 miles NE of Rocky River in 38' of water, 2-3 miles N -NW of Fairport in 51 of water, and 2 miles N of Ashtabula 45 of water. Fish have ranged from 7 to 11 inches. Perch rigs with shiners fished near the bottom have produced the most fish. Smallmouth bass fishing has been excellent 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. The best white bass fishing has been 1/2 mile N of Eastlake CEI power plant. Anglers are using agitators with white, yellow and green twister tails. Shore anglers are catching white bass at the Eastlake CEI, Mentor Headlands lighthouse, Wildwood State Park, Rocky River, Avon Lake and Lorain piers using agitators with white, yellow and green twister tails or small spoons. Steelhead are beginning to move up into the rivers and creeks and anglers are catching fish in the Rocky River, Chagrin River, Grand River, Geneva State Park, Conneaut Creek and along the Conneaut west breakwall. Shore anglers are using small spinners and spoons, and jigs rigged with a split shot under a light bobber. Lake Erie surface temperatures range from 67 to 69 degrees.
Source: ODNR |