OHIO REQUIRED BOATING COURSE

Ohio law requires boaters born on or after January 1, 1982, to successfully complete either a boating course or a proficiency exam in order to operate a boat powered by more than 10 horsepower. (Ohio Revised Code 1547.05-1547.052; effective 1/1/2000). The boating course must be approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators; and the proficiency exam must be approved by the ODNR Division of Watercraft. The law applies to any operator AND any supervising adult who was born on or after January 1, 1982.

LAKE ERIE FISHING REPORT 2/22/2012

Walleye have been caught by trollers fishing around the Camp Perry firing range buoys when the weather has allowed.  The northern buoys have produced the most fish with Reef Runners and Rapala husky jerks being the best lures.

Lake Erie weather report for 2/21/2012

TODAY
SOUTHEAST WINDS 10 TO 20 KNOTS BECOMING SOUTHWEST.
A CHANCE OF RAIN THIS MORNING...THEN RAIN THIS AFTERNOON. WAVES 1
TO 3 FEET BUILDING TO 2 TO 4 FEET.

Ohio State Fishing Records

Walleye/Tom Haberman, 16lbs.3.04oz., 33inches,  11-23-99 Lake Erie
Smallmouth Bass/Randy Van Dam, 9lb.8oz, 23.5 inches, 6-16-93 Lake Erie
Yellow Perch/Charles Thomas, 2lb.12oz., 14.5inches, 4-17-84 Lake Erie
Looks like Lake Erie is the place to break the current state records.

Fish Ohio Award Qualifications:
( Minimum Lengths )
Walleye ...............  >     28 inches
Smallmouth Bass .... >  20 inches        
Yellow Perch ......... >    13 inches

NORTH COAST CHARTER BOAT ASSOCIATION INFORMATION

Guest Speaker:  Kevin Kayle from the Fairport Fisheries Unit spoke:  2011 was the wettest year in the last 129 years.  Excessive turbidity in the western basin, sewer overflow, and high overflow from the Detroit and Maumee Rivers in April and May followed by hot temperatures all contributed to the Blue-Green Algae bloom.  This caused to walleye to move to the eastern basin.  Microcystis from the algae creates toxins.  So far the toxins are not found in fish flesh.  Walleye harvest and effort was down 28%; license sales down 9%, charter fishing down 21%; and Walleye harvest was down 58%.  Perch harvest was down overall 36% with the central basin down 10% and the east central down 2%.  Hatches of both walleye and perch for 2011 were lower than normal.  2010 hatches were not too bad and the fish are growing fast.  A status report will be available at the end of March at www.odnr.com .  Asian Carp currently are not found in the Great Lakes.

HOW TO MEASURE A FISH - The measurement of a fish is taken in a straight line from the utmost end of the snout with the mouth closed to the utmost end of the caudal (tail) fin when the tail fin is compressed so that the upper and lower lobes touch or overlap.

Measure fish with mouth closed and tail compressed to determine total length.

OHIO FISHING LIMITS

The following regulations are currently in effect for Ohio's portion of Lake Erie and its tributaries:
The daily bag limit for yellow perch is 30 per day through April 30, 2012, in all Ohio waters of Lake Erie.

There is a 15" minimum size limit for walleye.
The walleye daily bag limit is 6 fish per angler per day from May 1, 2011 - February 28, 2012, then returning to a daily bag limit of 4 walleye per angler from March 1 through April 30, 2012.

No harvest of smallmouth bass from May 1 until the last Saturday in June, after which a 14" minimum size limit and daily bag of 5 bass (smallmouth + largemouth bass) is in effect on Lake Erie.

A steelhead and salmon (aggregate) daily bag limit of 5 is in place from May 16 - August 31, with the daily bag limit reduced to 2 in the aggregate during Sept. 1 - May 15.  There is a 12" minimum size limit on trout and salmon.

The bag limit for muskellunge is 1 per day effective July 1, 2008

Fish Ohio Information

To receive a collectable pin and certificate, anglers will need to register online at www.fishohio.org.  For those anglers without Internet access, options are still available. Ask a friend, relative or neighbor with internet access for help in registering your catch. You can also visit a public library that offers internet access for public use. Questions about the procedure can be addressed by calling 614-265-6317 or 614-265-6325.