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Lake Erie Fishing Report 5-16-12

Lake Erie Fishing Report

From The ODNR

Updated May 16, 2012

Updated Steelhead Information | Lake Erie Weather Forecast

** The daily bag limit for walleye on Ohio waters of Lake Erie is 6 fish per angler. The minimum size limit for walleye is 15 inches. **

** The daily bag limit for yellow perch is 30 fish per angler on all Ohio waters of Lake Erie.**

** From May 16 through August 31 the trout and salmon daily bag limit is 5 fish per angler. The minimum size limit for trout and salmon is 12 inches. **

** It is illegal to possess black bass (largemouth and smallmouth bass) in Ohio waters of Lake Erie from May 1 through June 29. The season re-opens on Saturday, June 30 with a daily bag limit of 5 fish and a 14-inch minimum size limit.**

Western Basin

Walleye fishing improved over the past week (week of 5/7/12). Trolling with crankbaits and worm harnesses from the outer buoys of the Camp Perry firing range to the east side of Kelleys Island has produced fish.

Yellow perch fishing has been slow, but fish have been caught on minnows off Marblehead, Kelleys Island, and Vermilion.

Central Basin

Walleye have been caught off Cleveland at night in 10-15' using rapalas and husky jerks. During the day time, anglers are fishing suspended in 42' and using crawler harnesses.

Yellow perch fishing has been fair to average in 25' at the Gordon Park light on the east end of the Cleveland break wall, 37' N-NW of Wildwood State Park, 28-40 N of Mentor Lagoons and 43-47' N of Ashtabula. Perch spreaders with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish. Shore anglers are catching fish off the Cleveland Piers and at Headlands Beach Pier in Mentor out at the lighthouse. Anglers are using spreaders with shiners and the mornings have been best. Shore anglers are also catching rock bass off the Cleveland piers.

Smallmouth bass fishing has been very good in 15 to 25' around harbor areas in Cleveland, Fairport Harbor, Geneva, Ashtabula and Conneaut. Fish are being caught using drop shot rigs with rubber worms, soft-craws, leeches, tube jigs, and crank baits. Anglers are also catching fish in the Grand River up to the Painesville dam using tube jigs and golden shiners.

See the steelhead trout reports.

Maumee and Sandusky River Updates

The water temperature is 60 degrees off of Toledo and 55 degrees off of Cleveland according to the nearshore marine forecast.

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

View the predicted weather forecast for Lake Erie.

View Lake Erie boating information, safety tips, and launch ramps.

The Fish Ohio Report 5-16-12

The Fish Ohio Report

From The ODNR

Updated Weekly April through October

May 16, 2012

CENTRAL OHIO

Hoover Reservoir (Delaware and Franklin counties) - White bass are the hot fish at Hoover Reservoir right now. Try using small spinners and jigs in Big Walnut Creek, north of the reservoir and at the "duck pond," in the southwest corner by the dam. Crappies are also active right now. They can be caught in two to four feet of water on jigs tipped with minnows or twister tails. Hoover is an excellent lake to catch largemouth bass. May is the time to fish shoreline cover with tube baits, jig & pig and jerkbaits. Look for spawning bluegill on beds in the backs of coves. There is a 10 horsepower motor limit at this reservoir.

Indian Lake (Logan County) - Saugeyes are aggressive on wind swept points and channel openings with current at this 5040-acre lake in Logan County. Try casting or trolling small rattletraps and suspending crankbaits. Largemouth bass fishing is popular along the riprap areas, docks, and islands. For bass are in shallow water try creature baits and tubes. Crappie and white bass fishing can both be good during May. Minnows are the most popular choice for live bait. Channel catfish fishing should be picking up as the water warms.

NORTHWEST OHIO

Sandusky Bay (Erie and Sandusky counties) - As the water temperature warms, channel catfish should begin biting this month in the bay. Try fishing the bottom with worms and shrimp. Two public fishing areas include the Division's Willow Point Wildlife Area and the Sandusky Bay Bridge Fishing Access.

Ferguson Reservoir (Allen County) - Crappies should still be biting at the 305-acre reservoir. Try fishing the north bank near the boat ramp and the east bank. Use jigs and slip bobbers with minnows and wax worms. Located on Reservoir Road on the east side of Lima, depths range from three to 33 feet. Boats are permitted and there is a primitive boat ramp available. No gasoline engines are allowed on the reservoir. Check out the Division's webpage for a map and fishing forecast based on last year's samplings.

Maumee River (Lucas and Wood counties) - Depending on the spring rains, white bass fishing should be excellent this time of year from Grand Rapids down to the city of Maumee. Try fishing minnows under slip bobbers set at four to six feet. Jigs can also be casted. In Grand Rapids, focus on deeper holes near the dam area. Crappie should also be biting in the area. Try fishing next to structure in Turkeyfoot Creek and the canal areas. In Maumee, try fishing the Side Cut and Buttonwood Metro Parks areas.

NORTHEAST OHIO

Atwood Lake (Tuscarawas and Carroll counties) - As with many lakes across North East Ohio, crappie continue to bite well. Fish near shore, targeting six-foot depths with beetle spins or minnows three feet below a bobber to catch these tasty panfish. Anglers should note that a nine-inch minimum size limit is in effect for crappie on Atwood Lake, with a 30 fish daily bag limit. Catfish have also been biting well, taking worms, creek chubs, and cut bait fished on the bottom. The saugeye haven't turned on yet, although a few anglers have done well drifting jigs or trolling crankbaits. Bass fishing has been weather dependant, with anglers periodically taking good numbers of fish with senko-style stick baits, jigs, and spinnerbaits.

Lake Milton (Mahoning County) - The crappie bite remains strong at Lake Milton as well. Anglers fishing overpasses have been catching good numbers in 10 feet of water or less, fishing minnows under slip-bobber rigs. Periods of lower light associated with cloud cover and choppy water have produced good walleye action as well. Anglers have been targeting moderate depths with jig and crawler combinations, or trolling crankbaits. Catfish have been biting at the upstream end of the reservoir have been doing well for channel catfish, fishing live bait and shrimp, while anglers downstream have been catching numbers of white bass near shore by the dam using minnows under bobbers.

SOUTHWEST OHIO

Cowan Lake (Clinton County) - Crappie, between nine and 14 inches, are being caught around brush piles with slip bobber and minnows 12 to 18 inches deep, within 20 feet off the bank.

Acton Lake (Preble County) - Crappie and saugeye are being caught. Fish fallen timber on both shore lines. Try minnows or chartreuse and white for saugeye. The crappie are being taken on minnows under a float at about 12 to 20 inches deep.

SOUTHEAST OHIO

Lake Snowden (Athens County) - Largemouth bass should have success catching bass using jig 'n pig and spinner baits. Redear sunfish and bluegill are spawning and can be caught in shallow water less than three feet deep. Anglers using wax worms, meal worms and night crawlers fished under a bobber should be successful fishing for both species over submerged brush and along weed beds.

Wills Creek Reservoir (Coshocton County) - The tail water area below Wills Creek Dam provides some of the best fishing at this water area. Saugeye concentrate just below the dam during high volume water releases. Try casting jigs and twister tails tipped with a minnow. Flathead catfish anywhere from 12 to 30 pounds can be reeled in below the dam and in the tail waters in the late afternoon and evening hours. Try using night crawlers and chicken livers.

LAKE ERIE

Regulations to Remember:

The daily bag limit for walleye on Ohio waters of Lake Erie is six (6) fish per angler. The minimum size limit for walleye is 15 inches.

The daily bag limit for yellow perch is 30 fish per angler on all Ohio waters of Lake Erie.

From May 16 through August 31 the trout and salmon bag limit is 5 fish per angler. The minimum size limit for trout and salmon is 12 inches.

It is illegal to possess black bass (largemouth and smallmouth bass) in Ohio waters of Lake Erie from May 1 through June 29. The season re-opens on Saturday, June 30 with a daily bag limit of 5 fish and a 14 inches minimum size limit.

Western Basin

Walleye fishing improved over the past week (week of 5/7/12). Trolling with crankbaits and worm harnesses from the outer buoys of the Camp Perry firing range to the east side of Kelleys Island has produced fish.

Yellow perch fishing has been slow, but fish have been caught on minnows off Marblehead, Kelleys Island, and Vermilion.

Central Basin

Walleye have been caught off Cleveland at night in 10-15' using rapalas and husky jerks. During the day time, anglers are fishing suspended in 42' and using crawler harnesses.

Yellow perch fishing has been fair to average in 25' at the Gordon Park light on the east end of the Cleveland break wall, 37' N-NW of Wildwood State Park, 28-40 N of Mentor Lagoons and 43-47' N of Ashtabula. Perch spreaders with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish. Shore anglers are catching fish off the Cleveland Piers and at Headlands Beach Pier in Mentor out at the lighthouse. Anglers are using spreaders with shiners and the mornings have been best. Shore anglers are also catching rock bass off the Cleveland piers.

Smallmouth bass fishing has been very good in 15 to 25' around harbor areas in Cleveland, Fairport Harbor, Geneva, Ashtabula and Conneaut. Fish are being caught using drop shot rigs with rubber worms, soft-craws, leeches, tube jigs, and crank baits. Anglers are also catching fish in the Grand River up to the Painesville dam using tube jigs and golden shiners.

See the steelhead trout reports.

Maumee and Sandusky River Updates

The water temperature is 60 degrees off of Toledo and 55 degrees off of Cleveland according to the nearshore marine forecast.

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

View the predicted weather forecast for Lake Erie.

View Lake Erie boating information, safety tips, and launch ramps.

OHIO RIVER

Bellville Pool Area - Shore anglers have been pulling in decent catches of catfish, drum, and hybrid striped bass by fishing night crawlers and chicken livers off the bottom. Both shore and boat anglers have had success using crankbaits and spinners to catch black bass.

Willow Island Tailwater Area - There are plenty of fish to be caught right now on jigs and twister tails or jigs and minnows. White, pearl, chartreuse, orange or yellow are always popular colors among successful anglers. Hybrid striped bass and smallmouth bass have been caught using a variety of live bait, crankbaits, and jigs. Anglers looking for catfish should try cut bait or chicken livers fished on the bottom.

Riverbend to downtown Cincinnati area (Hamilton County) - Water levels slightly high but anglers report channel cats off gravel humps in about 20 feet of water near channel drop-offs. Fish depths from 15 to 30 feet and try cut skipjack and shad.

Find boat access to the Ohio River.

See Ohio River conditions from NOAA.

Walleye-Go Fish! ODNR

From The ODNR

General Information: Each year the Division of Wildlife stocks over 20 million walleye fry and 2.5 million walleye fingerlings in 15-20 reservoirs to maintain high-quality fishing. Although walleye can naturally reproduce in Ohio reservoirs, natural reproduction is rarely sufficient to maintain a fishery; therefore, walleye produced naturally are typically considered a “bonus” in these waters. Natural reproduction of walleye does, however, sustain fisheries in the eastern portion of the Ohio River. Although walleye are not as common as sauger in Ohio River tailwaters, they are not uncommon and are typically caught using the same methods in those locations.

State Record: 16.19 pounds, 33 inches, Lake Erie

Tom Haberman, Brunswick, Ohio

November 23, 1999

Fish Ohio Length: 28 inches

Tips:

Fish slow on the bottom in spring before the gizzard shad hatch starts in about mid-May. When selecting crankbaits, try suspending models this time of year.
Starting about late May, many walleye will suspend to feed on gizzard shad, so try trolling small gizzard shad imitating crankbaits, (like Wee Warts & small Shad Raps) near the surface.
Spring is the best time to target walleye if you don’t have access to a boat. Fish the tailwaters, face of dams and any available causeway openings from shore at walleye lakes, especially at first and last light.
See the sauger section for tips on catching walleye in the Ohio River. Successful methods for catching walleye in the Ohio River are identical to those used for sauger.

Tackle: Medium spinning tackle with 6-10 pound test line for fishing jigs and baitcasting tackle with 10-12 pound test line for fishing crankbaits. Minimize use of terminal tackle.

Regulations:

Reservoirs: 6 fish daily limit with 15-inch minimum length limits in Berlin Lake, C.J. Brown Reservoir, Lake Milton, and the Mahoning River connecting Berlin Lake and Lake Milton.

Ohio River: The Ohio River is divided into an eastern and western zone, and harvest regulations differ between the two zones. In the western zone (Ohio-Kentucky border) anglers can keep 10 walleye per day (singly or in combination with sauger and saugeye), with no minimum length limit. In the eastern zone (Ohio-West Virginia border) anglers fishing the Ohio shoreline can keep 6 fish per day (singly or in combination with sauger and saugeye), with no minimum length limit.

Where to go:

Central	Northwest	Northeast	Southwest	Southeast
none	Willard Reservoir Findlay Reservoirs #1 and #2	Berlin Lake Mosquito Lake Lake Milton LaDue Reservoir Pymatuning Lake	C J Brown Reservoir	Ohio River at the New Cumberland, Pike Island, Hannibal, and Willow Island tailwaters

Seasonal Fishing Approaches:

Season	Spring	Pre-summer	Summer	Fall	Winter
Months	March – April	May	June – mid September	Mid September – November	December – February
Peak Activity	Good	Excellent	Fair	Good	Variable
Presentation	- Jigs tipped with twister tails & minnows	- Troll crawler harnesses or “mayfly rigs” tipped with a piece of nitecrawler, troll or cast small shad imitating crankbaits (1”- 3”) & casting jigs tipped with worms; in late May try jigging “blade” baits off the end of bars	Troll or cast larger crankbaits (3”-6”) and use crawler harnesses and jigs tipped with worms.	Cast Rat-L-Trap style lures, diving crankbaits, and jigs with minnows, vertical jig blade bits off the tips of bars	Ice fish with jigs or jigging spoons tipped with minnows. In open water cast suspending minnow crankbaits at night in waters less than ten-feet deep.
Location	Below dams in tailwaters, off the face of dams in stocked lakes, in causeway openings with water current present and large main-lake bars or points, especially ones with gravel or rip-rap present on their tops.	Troll or drift large points and bars, sunken roadbeds, railroad tracks or rises along old stream channels. Large bays or shelves with aquatic vegetation or stumpfields can be productive also.	Fish most of the same types of fish holding structures as pre-summer but concentrate on the ones closer to the dam and be sure they are situated above the thermocline if present. Now is also the time of year to try trolling for suspended walleye in the open water of the lake above the thermocline.	Fish will begin to move back into shallower water as it cools into the 60-degree range and use many of the same areas as the pre-summer peak. In late Fall, however, walleye start to congregate deeper off the ends of main lake points.	Below dams and on shallow bars (points & reefs) at twilight in reservoirs w/o ice or in nearby deep water especially off the ends of bars during the day. Narrow openings with current like the ones in causeway should also be checked if the water is open.

Yellow Perch-Go Fish! ODNR

From The ODNR

General Information: If you want to catch some yellow perch, you don’t have to drive to Lake Erie to fill a cooler. Upground reservoirs, a type of artificial inland lake, offer excellent yellow perch fishing if you know where to go and how to catch them. Yellow perch can be caught in upground reservoirs using techniques similar to those proven effective in Lake Erie. Upground reservoirs with the best yellow perch fishing are primarily located in Northwestern Ohio.

State Record: 2.75 pounds, 14 1/2 inches, Lake Erie

Charles Thomas, Lorain, Ohio

April 17, 1984

Fish Ohio Length: 13 inches

Tips:

The key to catching yellow perch is similar to being successful with real estate sales—location, location, location. You must find where the fish are holding and feeding at each time of the year to be successful.
Some anglers use fish finders (sonar) to locate yellow perch. However, they can be difficult to see on a fish finder when they are lying on or close to the bottom. A popular technique to locating them is drifting or slow trolling until you catch one, then anchor immediately and fish straight down.
Yellow perch also like to associate close to structure. Most upground reservoirs do not have much vegetation, but if you find some rooted vegetation, try fishing along the edge of the vegetation. If you find submerged trees near shore, they may be worth trying as well.
Choosing a rod that can provide good feel is important! Yellow perch bites can be expected to be light, so tackle should be light.
Remember, if you are not catching these fish, be flexible and try changing locations, using other baits, or choosing a different time of day to fish. You may find that yellow perch have developed a pattern of feeding at a particular time in a particular reservoir.

Tackle: Use a light spinning rod and reel with 6-8 pound test during most of the year and ice fishing rods and gear during winter.

Regulations: Daily limit of 40 fish in inland waters.

Where to go: See fishing forecast for northwest Ohio for current information on the best yellow perch reservoirs. Some annual favorites include Findlay Reservoir No. 1 (Hancock Co.), Metzger and Ferguson Reservoirs (Allen Co.), Wauseon Reservoir No. 2 (Fulton Co.), Shelby Reservoir No. 3 (Richland Co.), Upper Sandusky Reservoir No. 2 (Wyandot Co.), and Willard Reservoir (Huron Co.)

Seasonal Fishing Approaches:

Season	Spring	Pre-summer	Summer	Fall	Winter
Months	March – April	May	June – mid September	Mid September – November	December – February
Peak Activity	Excellent	Good	Fair	Excellent	Excellent
Presentation	Slip bobber or tight line from shore. Fish with small minnows and crappie rig near the bottom. Yellow perch move in shore to spawn in mid-April and they can be caught from shore.	Slow drift or slow troll in a boat. After you catch one, anchor at that location. Fish straight down just off the bottom using small minnows fished with a spreader or crappie rig.	Most reservoirs are stratified with no oxygen in deep water at this time of the year. You must locate the fish suspended higher in deep water areas or in shallower areas near bottom. Try using small minnows fished with a spreader or crappie rig.	Slow drift or slow troll from boat. After you catch one anchor at that location. Fish straight down just off the bottom using small minnows fished with a spreader or crappie rig.	Jigging with small jigs tipped with minnows or wax worms.
Location	In mid-April fish near shore just off the bottom.	Fish near the bottom	Fish mid water depths above the thermocline.	Fish near the bottom.	Deep water near the bottom.

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Lake Erie Fishing Report

From The ODNR

Updated May 16, 2012

The Fish Ohio Report

From The ODNR

Updated Weekly April through October

May 16, 2012