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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) season on Lake Erie opened on Saturday June 30. The 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 Walleye fishing continues to be good in the western basin. In the far west the best fishing has been northeast of the turnaround buoy of the Toledo shipping channel near the corner of Michigan, Ohio and Ontario, along the Canadian border from Middle Sister Island to North Bass Island, and north of Niagara Reef and “C” can of the Camp Perry range. Around the islands the best area for walleye has been from Gull Island Shoal to Lucy’s Point of Middle Bass Island. Worm harnesses have been very effective drifted behind bottom bouncers or trolled with inline weights or jet divers. Trollers have also had success with spoons on jet divers or dipsys. With the recent hot weather yellow perch fishing in the western basin has been sporadic. Two of the best areas have been off of Lakeside and Ballast Island, but limits have been few and far between recently. Central Basin Walleye fishing has been excellent from Huron to Vermilion in 19 to 22’ of water (including Ruggles Reef), on the sandbar between Vermilion and Lorain, and at Avon point. Trolling dipsys or jet divers with spoons or worm harnesses has been productive. Fishing has also been excellent off Edgewater State Park (Cleveland) in 45 to 70’, north-northwest of Euclid in 50 to 65’, northwest of Fairport in 40 to 60’, and northwest of Ashtabula in 55 to 70’. Anglers are trolling dipsy divers with spoons ranging in blue/green, black/purple, copper back, chartreuse, blueberry muffin, or watermelon color combos. Trolling worm harnesses (same colors) and long crankbaits have also been successful. Steelhead are being caught off Lorain, Vermilion, Eastlake to Fairport in 62 to 70’, and Geneva to Ashtabula in 60 to 70’. Anglers are catching steelhead on gold, red/white, chartreuse and copper back spoons while trolling for walleye. Yellow perch fishing has been best in 34’ north of Cranberry Creek, off of the Vermilion condos, off Gordon Park State Park (in Cleveland) in 40 to 50’, off Euclid in 30 to 40’, off Fairport Harbor in 25 to 35’, and off Conneaut in 30 to 45’. Shore anglers are catching yellow perch off the piers in Lorain, Fairport, Mentor Headlands and Conneaut. The mornings and evenings have been the best. 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 10 to 25’ along the shoreline in Conneaut, Ashtabula, Geneva and Fairport Harbor. Fish were caught on tube jigs, crankbaits, and jigs tipped with minnows, nightcrawlers, or leeches. White bass are being caught by anglers trolling for walleye. Shore anglers are having good success at the Lorain Ore Dock, Avon Lake pier, Eastlake CEI pier and Fairport Harbor piers. Anglers are using agitators and small yellow or white jigs along with small spinners. Surface temperatures range from 74 degrees off of Toledo to 71 degrees off of Cleveland.
Source: ODNR |