ODNR LAKE ERIE FISHING REPORT 11/20

Lake - Wide

Walleye: Recent weather has limited fishing opportunities.
Where: Most walleye anglers have been fishing nearshore from Catawba Island to Kelleys Island and Cedar Point to Vermillion. Fish have also been caught off traditional fall pier locations.
How: Troll using deep diving crankbaits such as Reef Runners or Deep Husky Jerks, fished in the middle portion of the water column or higher. On the piers, anglers are using traditional techniques.

Yellow perch
Where: For some of the biggest perch of the year try traditional fall spots such as the green buoy off Catawba State Park; Green and Rattlesnake Islands; Ballast Island; Kelleys Island shoal; east of Kelleys Island airport; between Kelleys Island and Lakeside; the Marblehead Lighthouse; north of Cedar Point; the south end of the sandbar offshore between Vermilion and Lorain; and just off most of the ports from Huron to Conneaut.
How: Perch spreaders with shiners, fished near the bottom.

Smallmouth bass
Where: Bass start moving shallow to feed as water temperatures drop. Try fishing rocky areas along both island and mainland shorelines to find feeding smallmouth bass. Areas with gizzard shad, shiners or gobies will be best.
How: Tube jigs, drop shots with goby imitations, and crankbaits or jerkbaits.

SteelheadView the latest steelhead fishing report 

Water TemperatureThe water temperature is 42 degrees off Toledo and 49 degrees off Cleveland according to the nearshore marine forecast.

Anglers are encouraged to always wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device while boating. 

ODNR LAKE ERIE FISHING REPORT / LAKE WIDE 11/6

Lake-wide

Walleye
Where: Most walleye being caught have come from around Kelleys Island; from Cedar Point to Lorain within 5 miles of shore; and in or around Cleveland harbor at night.
How: Troll using deep diving crankbaits such as Reef Runners or Deep Husky Jerks, fished in the middle portion of the water column or higher.

Yellow perch
Where: For some of the biggest perch of the year try traditional fall spots such as the green buoy off Catawba State Park; Green and Rattlesnake Islands; Ballast Island; Kelleys Island shoal; east of Kelleys Island airport; between Kelleys Island and Lakeside; the Marblehead lighthouse; north of Cedar Point; the south end of the sandbar offshore between Vermilion and Lorain; and just off most of the ports from Huron to Conneaut.
How: Perch spreaders with shiners, near the bottom.

Smallmouth bass
Where: Bass start moving shallow to feed as water temperatures drop. Try fishing rocky areas along both island and mainland shorelines to find feeding smallmouth bass. Areas with gizzard shad, shiners or gobies will be best.
How: Tube jigs, drop shots with goby imitations, and crankbaits or jerkbaits.

VERMILION HURON WALLEYE IN CLOSE

Night fishing has been good to excellent trolling in shallow water 10 to 12 feet after sunset from Vermilion to Huron and west to Sawmill. Reef Runners and Husky Jerks both are working well. Best color for Husky Jerks are Black/Gold and Blue Chrome. I took my boat to Craft Marine last Tuesday to store her for the winter. Stayed in hoping to get a few more trips but the high winds every Thursday for several weeks forced me to shut things down  for the year. Time to hit the woods and bow hunt for deer. I will continue to post fishing reports but not at the same frequency. Seems like I just put the boat in the water and now its in for winter storage. Another year of memories and meeting some great people.

BLOGGER FEED BACK

Yesterday I logged by 18,000th  person to visit my website and I am puzzled why I have had only a few comments sent to me. I encourage everyone to send there comments or questions and I will respond accordingly. Tell me what you want to see or read about over the winter months or for next fishing season. Hope to still see you on the water!

ODNR CENTRAL AND WESTERN BASIN FISHING REPORT 10/16

Western Basin

Walleye fishing effort has been low recently. There have been a few reports from “A” can of the Camp Perry firing range, northeast of Crib Reef, and Green Island. 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 the turnaround buoy of the Toledo shipping channel, the gravel pit, northeast and northwest of West Sister Island, “C” can and “F” can of the Camp Perry firing range, Northwest Reef, southwest of Green Island, Rattlesnake Island, the green buoy northwest of Catawba State Park, Gull Island Shoal, and E 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 caught around Kelleys Island.

Central Basin

Walleye fishing was good off Huron, 14 miles northeast of the river around the offshore dumping ground. Worm harnesses with inline weights, or crankbaits with snap weights have produced the best catches. There weren’t many angler interviews this past week, but excellent fishing continues with a few limit catches in 70 to 71 feet of water north of Geneva and in 56 to 70 feet of water north of Ashtabula. Anglers are trolling wire line with white, pink, blue, yellow, orange, green and red stick baits.

Yellow perch fishing has been fair north of the condos that are east of Vermilion, around the south end of the sandbar, north of Lorain and off Ruggles Reef. Excellent fishing was reported in 46 feet of water northwest of Rocky River, in 38 to 42 feet of water northeast of Gordon Park, in 47 feet of water northwest (the hump) of Fairport Harbor, in 46 to 54 feet of water northeast of Ashtabula and in 39 to 53 feet of water northeast and northwest of Conneaut. Spreaders with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish. Shore fishing off the Cleveland and Fairport area piers has been slow.

Smallmouth and largemouth bass fishing has been good in 10 to 20 feet of water around harbor areas in Cleveland, Fairport Harbor, Geneva, Ashtabula and Conneaut. Anglers are using crayfish and leeches.

White Bass fishing has been hit and miss off the E. 55th street and E 72nd street Piers in Cleveland and the long pier in Fairport Harbor. Small fish are being caught off the Fairport Harbor pier. Evenings have been the best. Lots of large white bass are being caught by boat yellow perch fisherman off Fairport Harbor. 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 long and short Piers in Fairport Harbor and also in the river up to Vrooman road. Anglers are using jigs tipped with maggots with a bobber and small spoons. 

The water temperature is 61 degrees off Toledo and 66 degrees off Cleveland according to the nearshore marine forecast.

Anglers are encouraged to always wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device while boating

VERMILION DUMPING GROUNDS 10/13

Returned to this area on Sunday and what a difference a single day can make. We fished for three hours and only pulled 6 fish before our customers decided to pull the plug due to rough water and a slow day. We pulled all the fish the first 45 minutes prior to a wind change, once the wind switched from north west to north the bite stopped. Five of the fish came on long leads 140, 160 and 180 with 2 ounce weights on Reef Runners (Mud Minnow and Copperhead). The largest fish was 29 1/2 inches and weighed 9.7 lbs. We tried to maintain a speed of 1.8 to 2.0 knots. Hoping some changes are made in this weeks weather report, winds may make it difficult to fish. Typical weather for October. See you on the water!

VERMILION DUMPING GROUNDS

Fished north of the dumping grounds Saturday and pulled 27 walleyes some real nice HAWGS. Pulled Reef Runners all day with one side with leads of 20, 30 and 40 feet with no weights and the other side 140, 160 and 180 feet with two ounces. The longer leads worked best but both sides pulled fish all day. Speed varied from 1.6 to 2.0 knots. Best Reef Runners were Mud Minnow, Pink Lemonade, Green Flash and Pink Panties. This area has been good since the Huron Walleye Challenge, nice to see some of the big fish returning to the Huron and Vermilion area. There were 29 fisherman in this second annual IBEW local 246 tournament and 508 lbs. of walleye were caught. The largest fish caught was 29 3/4 inches aboard Trolling Eye. Congratulations to this team. See you on the water!