Lake Erie Fishing Report: Aug. 15, 2002 Western Basin - Lake Erie water temperature off Toledo is 74* F. Some good catches of walleye were being taken in the Toledo Shipping Channel, the West Sister Island area, west of North Bass Island in the flats area, at many of the reefs in the Reef Complex, Kelleys and Bass Islands area. Anglers are trolling with deep diving crank baits, spoons and drifting with weight-forward spinners, mayfly rigs, and bottom bouncers with worm harnesses tipped with nightcrawlers. Trollers are doing best. Most fish are 18 to 22 inches with some larger fish. The legal bag limit for walleyes on Lake Erie and its tributaries is six fish from May through February. Yellow perch fishing had been good at many locations in waters over 25 ft. in depth with some limit catches. Some good perch fishing locations include the reef complex, Kelleys Island Shoal, Gull Island Shoal, Rattlesnake Island, Ballast Island, Starve Island, SE of Perry's monument and east of Marblehead Lighthouse. Perch catches are in the 7- to 11-inch range. Many anglers are sorting out smaller perch. Anglers are using perch spreaders tipped with minnows. The yellow perch bag limit is 30 perch per angler per day. Central Basin - Water temperature off Cleveland is 75*. Walleye fishing has been good, 1 mile off of Sawmill Creek in 32 feet of water, north of Ruggles Reef and Vermilion, and at the sandbar, 8 miles northwest of Lorain. Anglers are using dipsy divers and jet divers with stinger spoons in chartreuse, watermelon, purple, and blue and worm harnesses 6 to 9 miles north of Eastlake in 60 to 65 feet of water, and north east of Ashtabula (12 miles out) in 70 to 74 feet of water, and 14 to 16 miles northwest of Conneaut in 70 to 74 feet of water. Trollers are also picking up good numbers of steelhead trout at the listed walleye locations. Walleyes are measuring 16 to 28 inches and steelhead 20 to 29 inches. Perch fishing has been good off Vermilion, Lorain, Euclid, Ashtabula and Conneaut, 2 to 4 miles offshore.
Source: ODNR
|