Anglers travel from across the country to fish for Lake Erie bronzebacks. Target species include smallmouth bass, white bass, sheepshead, and yellow perch. The smallmouth bass fishing has been heating up around the Lake Erie Islands this week, with tournament anglers last weekend weighing some trophy bass as the big females begin to move shallow to . 0000372613 00000 n Lake Erie is renowned for its rich waters and the bite that keeps on giving. All maps are printed on tear resistant waterproof paper. The best areas, again, tend to be the ones to the west of the city. The bass are seeking areas for spawning as well as to feed on schools of emerald shiners which also move into these warmer areas. And fish from those below-average spawns will be present and help fuel the walleye fishing, accounting for many of the fish in the low to mid 20-inch range. From a fish population standpoint, all three premier species appear to be in good shape. This is a turkey hunter's take on the classic Swiss dish. On both Presque Isle Bay and Lake Erie, from mid-April until mid-June, only one smallmouth bass of at least 20 inches can be creeled. 43 0 obj <>stream With all-metal jigs, spoons or vibrating blades, silver has traditionally been the best color. In shallower, clear water, a boat might spook shoreline smallmouths. This is the place to catch 5-pound smallmouths until your arms get sore, and maybe top the day with a 6- or 7-pound fish. Here's some advice from our expert on how to find and fool big bronzebacks. "I love it when a plan comes together:" Thomas Allen may have missed a day-starting coffee and chill time, but his planning before a recent turkey hunt in Minnesota had him ready when gobblers showed up earlier than expected, and just before an April winter storm blew in. Subscriber Services. Catching Lake Erie's smallmouth bass can be very challenging, but by doing a little research, keeping good records and incorporating these tips into your fishing, you will soon understand why the waters of Erie are referred to as the best smallmouth bass fishing in North America. Boat ramps are available in the Vermillion River. If you use a spinnerbait, start with a single, silver Colorado blade. May is the best month for Lake Erie smallmouth fishing because the bass will be in relatively shallow water, and they tend to be aggressive during this pre-spawn period. Scuba divers tell about being surrounded by 4-pound bass by simply banging two rocks together, so adding noise to your favorite lures could improve your fishing. However, smallmouth bass in Lake Erie are very widely distributed and are also available to anglers fishing inshore zones with waders, kayaks and other small vessels. Normally less than 6ft of water, drifting, approximately 10ft from shore. Be aware that, on average, Erie's water conditions only allow good camera visibility about 50 percent of the time, so a camera should never be used as a substitute for a good LCD. Yellow perch and walleye populations are also fine, with several year classes present. From mid-April into early May, fish start to migrate from wintering areas, which are usually the first major dropoffs adjacent to spawning areas, and begin to stage on underwater points between 15 and 30 feet deep. Hartman said Erie's smallmouth fishery is difficult to assess. The breakwalls at Lorain tend to hold bass throughout much of the summer; such places often offer up sport for anglers not equipped for taking on the main lake. | Because of Lake Erie's ever changing water clarity and food supply, tactics to catch bass vary as well. These bass can usually be found on the New York shores in rocky structures with drop-offs. 0000145464 00000 n Another top spot in this area is Ruggles Reef, which runs parallel to shore for several miles between these two ports. Ohio waters have a catch-and-release season on Lake Erie that runs through late June. The Reef complex to the west of the islands near Camp Perry holds May bass. Bass nests can be in 10 or more feet of water due to the clarity. This spring bass bite starts in April and lasts through the regular season opener in late June. One that's smoked first. This warmer water stimulates action up and down the food chain, starting with plankton. Join Thomas Allen and son Tommy on an Iowa turkey hunt that resulted in big toms for both hunters. Lake Erie Smallmouth Bass - LandBigFish.com Smallmouth Bass (Shutterstock image) PENNSYLVANIA SMALLMOUTH HOTSPOTS. In this area of the lake, between Conneaut, Ohio and the Pennsylvania border, an enormous underwater shelf quickly drops from depths in the 25-foot range into 40 feet of water. Normal Topic; Hot Topic (More than 15 replies) Very Hot Topic (More than 25 replies) Locked Topic; Sticky Topic; The bass are seeking areas for spawning as well as to feed on schools of emerald shiners which also move into these warmer areas. Main-lake anglers should be prepared to work depths from 30 feet to 5 feet. 0000067841 00000 n Pennsylvania's walleye season on Lake Erie begins in early May. Some will be legal this summer. Stealth presentations for up-close encounters with bass hiding in cover. Give a Gift trailer Master the subtle nuances of the sidearm cast for increased accuracy. All Rights Reserved. Lake Erie Bass Island Fishing Map - Jann's Netcraft Master the subtle nuances of the sidearm cast for increased accuracy. The finest smallmouth bass fishing in New York State and arguably the entire United States can be found in the waters of Lake Erie. Anglers need to take a vertical approach to fishing for summer smallies. Michigan Fishing: 6 Smallmouth Hotspots - Game & Fish And though most folks head off-shore to the deeper zones of these trenches, they should take note that there's often a near-shore bite that happens in June, likely comprised of resident fish. ", Best New Baitcasting Rods & Reels for 2022, Backyard Ready: Grilling the Perfect Steak, DIY: Earthworms Can't Hide When 'Grunters' Are Hunting, Western Whiskerfish: Trophy Flatheads, Channels, Even Blues, Sweet Streams: 5 Hot Rivers for Midwest Smallies, Spin to Win: Panfish Secrets for Catching Limits on Spinners, Bass Crash Course: Topwater Pointers for Buzzbaits, Walking Baits, Euro Nymphing 101: Trout Tactics from Across the Pond, Awesome Start to Minnesota Turkey Hunting, Bass Crash Course: How to Properly Tune a Baitcasting Rig, Winchester Big Bore: Backcountry Bear Protection. Live bait combined with a drop-shot rig is another popular method. Folks trolling these areas, particularly at night, often score on walleyes, including some big ones. 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. "The fish will move into really . Springtime bass hotspots in the western basin include the Bass Islands complex and well as Kelleys Island. All maps are printed on tear resistant waterproof paper. Greg Gasiciel from Rhodes caught the new state-record smallmouth on October 18, 2015. Walnut Creek is the dividing area between the central b. Presque Isle Bay warms much quicker than the main lake. Winchester's Nathan Robinson talks features with Game & Fish Editorial Director Adam Heggenstaller at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. PDF Lake Erie Smallmouth Bass Fishing Hotspots - New York State Department Lake Erie November Fishing Charters Many northern anglers and travelers are winterizing their equipment and boats for the upcoming winter months. is good for 35 feet of water) with a 21/2 to 5 inch tube. Areas such as Myers Reef, Evans Bar and Van Buren Reef have traditionally been among the top destinations for summer bass anglers. The big lake warms slowly, but the shallow, near-shore water warms first. OHIO The bottom of the western basin is mostly vast expanses of silt and sand. Bedrock flats rarely hold more than a few scattered smallmouths. Give a Gift Jigs with plastics fished under a float is a top tactic for drift anglers. Winchester's Nathan Robinson talks features with Game & Fish Editorial Director Adam Heggenstaller at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. Underwater cameras are great tools for smallmouth fishermen. Top lures include tube jigs, twister tails or deep diving stickbaits, spinnerbaits and crankbaits. More importantly though, an underwater camera can help you to interpret what you see on your LCD. Insert glass rattles into soft plastics and use snagless rattling sinkers to add sound to your drop-shot rigs. However, the Bay holds very good numbers of both largemouth bass and smallmouth bass. Naturally, the island areas of the western basin the Bass Islands in particular provide a wealth of rocky, shallow-water habitat. East from Erie in the eastern basin, Northeast Marina is the main boat access off Route 5 about two miles from the New York border. But other factors could come into play as well, including shifts in perch locations due to expansive dead zones caused by algal blooms, and forage changes. Presque Isle Bay Fishing : FishErie.com They do, but it can be a hit-or-miss affair. Don't crowd other boats, but don't be shy either. Since these fish are in relatively shallow water around 30 feet it's often possible to catch them without employing devices needed out the 50- to 60-foot depths. Like Pennsylvania, Ohio is part of a multi-state/province group that decides annual limits on walleyes and perch each spring. Smallmouth bass will run up many tributaries along the Lake Erie shoreline, but the most popular (due to number of fish and amount of public access) are Cattaraugus Creek, Eighteen Mile Creek, Canadaway Creek and Chautauqua Creek. Lake Erie Smallmouth Bass Fishing Hotspots Map (710 KB pdf file). Anglers need to take a vertical approach to fishing for summer smallies. Productive lures include jigging spoons, blade baits and spoonbill jerkbaits; however tube jigs, soft plastics and live bait are angler favorites. Ruggles Reef is a popular smallmouth hotspot here. Anglers can also fish inshore with kayaks, waders, or other small floating vessels. Both Presque Isle Bay and the main lake can provide perch action. Work tubes, grubs or drop-shot rigs tipped with shad or goby imitators with the wind. 0000372687 00000 n These Major League Fishing pros share the best tips and advice they've ever received. This is a turkey hunter's take on the classic Swiss dish. Yellow perch gang up in schools, and tend to attract plenty of angler attention. In fact, sometimes the fall smallmouth fishing quality exceeds the summertime experience. Smallmouth bass are the most frequently caught fish species in Lake Erie and fishing trips for smallmouths make up about 25% of all Lake Erie fishing trips for the entire year. It can be reached by taking exits 6 or 7 from the Ohio Turnpike (I-80), or Route 2, which follows the lakeshore. However, smallmouth bass in Lake Erie are very widely distributed and are also available to anglers fishing inshore zones with waders, kayaks and other small vessels. Spawning occurs at depths of 4 to 20 feet at water temperatures between 55 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit, usually in May. After ice-out, smallmouth bass begin to seek out areas where water warms up faster than the open lake. endstream endobj 14 0 obj <> endobj 15 0 obj <>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageC]>>/Type/Page>> endobj 16 0 obj <>stream By May bass will be on the move, leaving the deeper main-lake sanctuaries in favor of shallower zones where they will eventually spawn. In fact, perch often make the day when the walleyes are tight lipped. And many of these changes are a result of man's intervention. As with areas to the west, breakwalls at access sites are worth investigating, particularly on days when the lake is too rough to fish. The success of walleye hatches varies greatly on Lake Erie, the reasons for which remain somewhat of a mystery. The spawn also drives the annual influx of brown bass into Presque Isle Bay. Add weight 18 inches in front of the lure to get them down. Lake Erie Bass Fishing Reports By Bass Fishing Experts In Erie PA The Cleveland metro area provides some good near-shore smallmouth bass opportunities. Rocky rubble, rubble piles, humps, holes, drop-offs and ledges are all areas that will hold bass. Smallmouth bass are curious creatures and sound can be a major attractant. Other artificial lures spend too much time out of the fish-catching zone, but jigs get down fast and stay where the fish are. The big lip on this crankbait is designed to help it dive deep. The bass bite is usually best between 20 and 40 feet of water, however bass can be found deeper. Subscriber Services. "I love it when a plan comes together:" Thomas Allen may have missed a day-starting coffee and chill time, but his planning before a recent turkey hunt in Minnesota had him ready when gobblers showed up earlier than expected, and just before an April winter storm blew in. Perch fishermen are a gregarious sort, creating "parking lots" of flotillas over perch schools. Be alert for this year's limits, which will be set by now. Productive lures include jigging spoons, blade baits and spoonbill jerkbaits; however tube jigs, soft plastics and live bait are angler favorites. St. Clair, sometimes referred to as the "Sixth Great Lake," abuts Metropolitan Detroit and extends into Ontario. A huge school of walleyes had been relating to it in recent weeks. The sandy flats that extend to both the east and west of Marina Bay (a large bay within Presque Isle Bay) often hold bass, which wait along the edge of the emerging weeds to ambush baitfish. Before and after the spawn, smallmouths won't be found far from an easy meal. Fishing remained really strong for Ron and Mike. Smallmouth Bass fishing tips Lake Erie Fishing Hot Spots in Lake Erie Shores & Islands is good for 35 feet of water) with a 21/2 to 5 inch tube. Smallmouth bass are the most frequently caught fish species in Lake Erie and fishing trips for smallmouths make up about 25% of all Lake Erie fishing trips for the entire year. Another major smallmouth structure type is bedrock ledge. That experience happened three years after the record walleye hatch of 2003, the start of several years of exceptional walleye fishing on Erie. Follow the signs to the park from Interstate Route 90 or Route 5. Best Smallmouth Bass Fishing on Lake Erie in Pennsylvania Smallmouth bass will run up many tributaries along the Lake Erie shoreline, but the most popular (due to number of fish and amount of public access) are Cattaraugus Creek, Eighteen Mile Creek, Canadaway Creek and Chautauqua Creek. Record items such as weather conditions, wind direction, locations and depths of catches, GPS coordinates, bottom types and water temperatures. Anglers have year round bass fishing opportunities on Lake Erie. Lake St. Clair is a tremendous smallmouth fishery and is no secret to locals, but on a regional or national level, it gets overshadowed by Lake Erie. Perch populations in central basin waters may be down somewhat. "Last year's hatch, though below average, will also contribute in the years ahead," the biologist added. Creel limits for yellow perch (and walleyes as well) are set each spring, after the March meeting of the Lake Erie Commission. The western basin of Lake Erie plays host to the largest numbers of walleye and smallmouth bass in the lake. The previous record, a 9.25-pound smallmouth, was caught on Long Lake. Lake Erie's Western Basin - Bass Fishing Resource Guide The daily creel limit is five bass, combined species, with a minimum size of 14 inches. Within a couple hours, the cooler held our limits of eating-size walleyes and we were on our way back to Conneaut's harbor. Extensive shoals that extend out into the lake are often good bets now. The shore fishing can be crowded, and the bite inconsistent, but the chance exists for a wallhanger. Depending on wind conditions, Smallie anglers have the availability of fishing both the north and south side of the lake. 32 river miles mapped. Getting to the Marina Bay requires a drive out onto the peninsula (Presque Isle State Park). Bass can be targeted, but none can be kept. The water in this section of the lake warms quicker, so the bass should be further along in the spawn by June, perhaps even in the post-spawn period. Most notable of all is the zebra mussel. Lake Erie, Ontario | Fish'n Canada Subscriber Services. What could be better than a deep-fried nugget? Key areas within Presque Isle Bay include the edge of the shipping channel that runs from the bay's mouth (located at its eastern end) to the Port of Erie. Smallmouth bass will run up many tributaries along the Lake Erie shoreline, but the most popular (due to number of fish and amount of public access) are Cattaraugus Creek, Eighteen Mile Creek, Canadaway Creek and Chautauqua Creek. Deep points. Bass concentrations are highest in the mid to lower areas of the streams. If you opt for a crankbait, start with a fire tiger pattern. It wasn't long before a rod bent back, indicating the first walleye of the morning had engulfed a trolled crankbait. You'd never guess it's the shallowest of the Great Lakes! To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. The best smallmouth bass fishing of the entire year is in the spring on Lake Erie's nearshore reefs, harbors and tributary streams. The Bassmaster Elite Series also periodically makes tournament stops at our top smallmouth bass fishery and tournament catches are usually spectacular. Typically, once the walleye spawn is complete the fish will scatter out from the shallows and feed heavily in the nearby deeper basins that run 20 to 25 feet deep. Reel in the slack line so you can directly feel the weight on the bottom and any strike on your bait. targeting humps and ridges that collect smallies. This great Smallmouth Hotspot is a deep water area along a major breakline in Lake Erie. Since you'll likely need to stop by to pick up a bucket of minnows, ask about where the perch are biting. Some especially productive areas include Seneca Shoal, Woodlawn Bar, Myers Reef, Evans Bar and Van Buren Bay. Join Thomas Allen and son Tommy on an Iowa turkey hunt that resulted in big toms for both hunters. Sometimes the weather of the day will dictate which. This turns out to be a bed fishing trip and one of the best trips on the big pond of my life.. The "Dumping Ground" is found a relative short distance to the northeast of Presque Isle Bay and is popular with anglers launching from this area. Live bait combined with a drop-shot rig is another popular method. Personal defense in the hunting woods could involve taking down a charging bear. The walleye harvest is over 5 million fish annually! All Rights Reserved. Tube jigs, drop-shot rigs with soft plastic bodies (ones that mimic round gobies excel), jigging spoons and blade baits can all work when working these deeper ledges. Often, excellent spawning structure may be found around the mouths of the many creeks and rivers that feed the lake. Since main lake fish are in a state of transition during the spring, it's important to fish a variety of depths. Shore anglers casting large minnowbaits out into the main lake also catch fish. Information about boat launches and local services can be obtained from the Erie County Visitors Bureau, 4424 Milan Road, Suite A (U.S. Route 250), Sandusky, OH 44870, or call (800) 255-3743. Water in these places often has more color. Bass Crash Course: Technique tweaks to maximize distance and accuracy. During autumn, smallmouth are found in the same locations and are caught by the same methods as described above for the summer period. In Lake Erie, finding smallmouth bass is a matter of finding the right bottom structure. The use of natural baits is permitted during Lake Eries early bass season. Bass concentrations are highest in the mid to lower areas of the streams. It drastically shortens the learning curve, by allowing you to actually see what is underwater and then compare it to the reading on your graph. Split shot and rubber core sinkers both work. These are the areas off Marblehead and Catawba. Soft plastics such as grubs, worms, baitfish imitations and other creature baits work best when combined with a drop-shot rig. By simply navigating with your chartplotter and Navionics Maps out from Crystal Beach, you can be fishing in world-class Smallmouth water within minutes. One that's smoked first. That's a shame because it'll produce super catches of smallies. Each map includes depth contours, structure, boat ramp locations, fishing info and GPS points.
