***ODNR FISHING REPORT***
Lake Erie Fishing Report
Updated June 18, 2008

Updated Steelhead Information  |  Lake Erie Weather Forecast

*NOTE: Effective July 1, 2008 Lake Erie Yellow Perch: Daily limits on yellow perch west of the Huron Pier will be reduced from 30 to 25 fish per angler.   In all Ohio waters east of the Huron Pier, daily limits on yellow perch remain at 30 per angler.  Shore-based anglers or those in returning vessels to any marina or boat ramp west of the Huron River and Pier will be permitted to have only 25 fish in their possession effective July 1 and thereafter.  Shore-based anglers or those in returning vessels may possess daily bag limits of 30 fish per angler anywhere in the Huron River and Pier and all waters eastward. March 1 through April 30 the walleye limit is 4 fish per day, and then returns to 6 per day on May 1. The minimum size limit for walleye is 15”. The yellow perch daily bag limit on Lake Erie is 30 fish per day.  The black bass (largemouth and smallmouth) daily bag limit is 5 fish with a 14” minimum size limit. The steelhead trout daily bag limit is 2. The minimum size limit for steelhead is 12 inches.

**The black bass (largemouth and smallmouth) season is closed to possession (catch and release only) from May 1 through June 27.  Beginning Saturday June 28 the daily bag limit is 5 fish with a 14 inch minimum size limit.**   **The daily bag limit for Lake Erie yellow perch will drop from 30 to 25 fish per angler effective July 1, 2008 in waters west of the Huron pier.  The daily bag limit will remain at 30 fish per angler in Ohio waters from Huron eastward.   Any boats landing west of Huron, Ohio will be subject to the 25 fish daily bag limit, while boats landing at Huron or points east will be subject to a 30 fish daily bag limit.   Shore-based anglers west of the Huron pier will be subject to a 25 fish daily bag limit, while those on the pier and eastward will remain at 30 fish daily.**   **The walleye bag limit is 6 fish per day. 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 in the western basin has been excellent at times over the past week.  West of the islands the best fishing has been around “A” and “B” cans of the Camp Perry range, a few miles northwest of West Sister Island, and near the outer cans of the Toledo shipping channel.  Farther east the best areas have been northeast of Niagara Reef, between Northwest Reef and West Reef, north of Rattlesnake Island, between Kelleys Island and South Bass Island, Kelleys Island Shoal, and east of Kelleys Island.   Drifting with bottom bouncers and worm harnesses or casting mayfly rigs has been productive.  Trollers have been catching fish on spoons with divers, or worm harnesses fished with inline weights, snap weights, bottom bouncers, or divers.   Yellow perch reports have been sparse.  Try fishing some of the traditional spots around Marblehead, Cedar Point, Gull Island Shoal, and Kelleys Island.   Central Basin Walleye fishing has been excellent on the dumping grounds north of Huron, north of Beaver Creek in 35 to 45feet of water, northwest of the Chagrin River in 20 to 30 feet of water, northeast of Wildwood State Park in 20 to 30 feet of water, four to five miles west of Geneva in 50 to 65 feet of water, and two to four miles west of Fairport Harbor in 20 to 30 feet of water.  Trollers are using crankbaits or spoons and worm harnesses off jet divers, dipsy divers and downriggers.  The best action has been 20 feet down and the best spoon colors have been gold or silver with green and pink.   Yellow perch fishing west of Cleveland has been best off of the condos east of Vermilion, in 43 feet of water north of Beaver Creek, and off of the Lorain lighthouse.  Fishing has been excellent northeast of the Chagrin River in 30 to 35 feet of water, northeast of Edgewater in 30 to 35 feet of water, north of Fairport Harbor in 35 to 50 feet of water, north of Conneaut in 35 to 50 feet of water, and north of Geneva and Ashtabula in 45 to 55 feet of water.  Perch spreaders or crappie rigs with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.  Fish have ranged from 7.5 to 12.5 inches.   Smallmouth bass fishing has been good in five to 20 feet of water around Ashtabula and Fairport Harbor.  Fish are being caught on watermelon, pumpkinseed and green tube jigs.   Based on the nearshore forecast the water temperature is 70 off of Toledo and 63 off of Cleveland.   Anglers are encouraged to always wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device while boating.   To view the predicted weather forecast for Lake Erie visit: http://weather.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/fmtbltn.pl?file=/raw/fz/fzus61.kcle.glf.le.txt   To view Lake Erie boating information, safety tips, and launch ramps visit: http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/default/tabid/2062/Default.aspx