Shore anglers on the bay often do well fishing the piers of at the mouth of Marina Bay and the walls of the channel leading out from the bay into the main lake. Another top spot in this area is Ruggles Reef, which runs parallel to shore for several miles between these two ports. 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. In this article, we'll cover some top places to fish for all three species in both states. 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. After ice-out, smallmouth bass begin to seek out areas where water warms up faster than the open lake. 0000000916 00000 n There are many baits shops in the Erie area, both on the drive out onto the peninsula, and west and east of the city. You might find smallmouths over these bottom types, but the odds for success increase tremendously if you fish around the bedrock reefs and surrounding gravel bottoms. Experiment with water depth, drift speed and lure weight. Main lake waters off Catawba and Marblehead are good bass areas, as is Sandusky Bay. Though much of the best smallmouth bass structure is relatively close to shore, most of this cover is several miles from the nearest safe harbor. Please review the Great Lakes and Tributaries Special Fishing Regulations. | Top lures include tube jigs, twister tails or deep diving stickbaits, spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Turn the legs and thighs of a freshly killed gobbler into comfort food for a chilly spring night. Fishing Lake Erie. These include two "Cleveland Stadium" reefs, as well as three other artificial reefs found just to the west. 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. Other popular starting points for smallmouth anglers are at Ashtabula and Conneaut. Jigs tossed up on the flat, as well as suspending jerkbaits, often excel when targeting the adjacent shallow flat. That experience happened three years after the record walleye hatch of 2003, the start of several years of exceptional walleye fishing on Erie. 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. Fishing remained really strong for Ron and Mike. When using this technique, mark the edge of the drop with a buoy. Your logbook can also make very interesting reading. The drop shot rig can be used to fish with live bait, soft plastics and even tube jigs (hooked through the nose of tube). Live bait combined with a drop-shot rig is another popular method. The Keystone State has a special season designed to provide anglers with the opportunity to catch big smallmouths while at the same time protecting the resource. Bottom bouncer sinkers used in concert with 'crawler harnesses excel, especially for bottom-oriented walleyes. Also, be aware of shoreline features such as beaches, riprap walls or gravel banks, which give an indication of what may be below the water's surface. In fact, perch often make the day when the walleyes are tight lipped. Steve and I make a trip to Lake Erie to catch smallmouth bass. This will help reference the target so you can reposition the boat accordingly. Perch fishing is done directly under the boat, typically with enough weight to get down to the bottom, and a small shiner on a hook (or hooks with a spreader rig). Top lures include tube jigs, twister tails or deep diving stickbaits, spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Vermillion can be reached by taking Route 6 west from Cleveland. Getting to the Marina Bay requires a drive out onto the peninsula (Presque Isle State Park). Silt covers most of the bottom of the central basin, which extends from the islands area eastward into Pennsylvania. The bass weighed 9.33 pounds and was 24.50 inches long. Anglers need to take a vertical approach to fishing for summer smallies. 0000374113 00000 n 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. trailer The reef tops out in five to 15 feet, dropping quickly into depths of 25 or so feet. The Bassmaster Elite Series also periodically makes tournament stops at our top smallmouth bass fishery and tournament catches are usually spectacular. Surprisingly excellent fishery within a large, urban area. Information must be accurate and the more details that you can include, the easier it will be to piece the smallmouth puzzle together. Consistently successful smallmouth fishermen fully understand their LCD fish-finder, which can be used to identify prime bass structure, baitfish or schools of bass. On an LCD unit, these schools will appear as large, dark masses suspended in the water column, directly over the dropoff. Erie walleyes tend to suspend off the bottom, particularly during periods of stable weather. PENNSYLVANIA Walnut Creek Access, a Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission facility, is the primary boat access between the Ohio border and Erie. The daily creel limit is five bass, combined species, with a minimum size of 14 inches. Traditional offerings such as spinner/'crawler rigs bumped along the bottom will take their share of fish. Don't crowd other boats, but don't be shy either. Yellow perch gang up in schools, and tend to attract plenty of angler attention. Lake Erie fishinginOhio waters should provide great actionthis season for bass, walleyes and perch. Perch anglers can score well by simply moving away from the pack, and watching their sonar for unmolested fish that are either part of that school, or ones pushed to the side due to fishing pressure. Stealth presentations for up-close encounters with bass hiding in cover. What could be better than a deep-fried nugget? The fish will rise to a lure, but rarely dive for one. 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. Smallmouth numbers remain stable and provide the opportunity for not only high numbers of fish, but big ones as well. Many of the better shallow flats are west of Presque Isle Bay. First-time visitors should consider hiring a charter boat. Smallmouths invade the shallow water to feed heavily on shiners, smelts, shad, crayfish and, more recently, round gobies. In the video above, Matt Willson of Ruger highlights the features with Game & Fish's John Taranto. endstream endobj 14 0 obj <> endobj 15 0 obj <>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageC]>>/Type/Page>> endobj 16 0 obj <>stream Although most known for walleye, perch and smallmouth bass, in certain waters at many times of the year you will also find steelhead trout, white bass, rock bass, largemouth bass, catfish and other species. Join Thomas Allen and son Tommy on an Iowa turkey hunt that resulted in big toms for both hunters. Some of the largest bass are caught in spring; anglers have a better chance of catching a 6 pound plus trophy bass in spring than any other time during the year. Whether you are fishing Erie's main-lake shoreline or one of the large, protected bays, springtime smallmouth movements revolve around the spawn. Go Big or Go Home to Hook Lunker Summer Bass, Make Crawfish Part of Perfect Summertime Meal, Tackle Test 2022: Top Bass Rods & Reels Reviewed, Euro Nymphing 101: Trout Tactics from Across the Pond, How to Add Casting Distance to Reach Bigger Fish, Backyard Ready: Grilling the Perfect Steak, Click here for more G&F articles about Pennsylvania, Awesome Start to Minnesota Turkey Hunting, Bass Crash Course: How to Properly Tune a Baitcasting Rig, Winchester Big Bore: Backcountry Bear Protection. Light jigs dressed with a small soft-plastic grub are another good choice, and more closely duplicate insect nymphs that perch commonly feed on. The truth is, this fishery is all that and so much more. Turn the legs and thighs of a freshly killed gobbler into comfort food for a chilly spring night. Lake Erie Smallmouth Bass Fishing Hotspots Map (710 KB pdf file) Spring. Each map includes depth contours, structure, boat ramp locations, fishing info and GPS points. Productive lures include jigging spoons, blade baits and spoonbill jerkbaits; however tube jigs, soft plastics and live bait are angler favorites. Split shot and rubber core sinkers both work. These areas are also good places to retreat to and still catch fish when conditions get rough on the open lake. Produces numbers of trophy Walleye and many white bass. Boat fishing isn't productive right now because the fish are swarming the shallows. Ruger's popular American bolt-action rifle has been a hit with hunters for years. Straddling the border between the US and Canada, this impressive body of water is over 240 miles long and is a dream come true for just about everyone. From trophy-sized fish to eating-sized ones, along with various lengths in between, 2017 should be the start of consecutive banner years for Lake Erie walleye anglers. Avoid backlashes by making simple adjustments to your reel and matching your lures to your rod's power and action. 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. Unique places like Erie, Pennsylvania, have days when the weather permits Lake Erie November fishing. The rig consists of a hook tied directly to the line with a Palomar knot with hook point facing up and a weight/sinker ( to oz) tied to the end of the line below the hook. In this situation, casting jigs is usually more effective. The areas out from Shades Beach and North East feature many deeper humps and are most popular with smallmouth anglers. Use tubes. Minnows and crayfish are top live bait offerings, but nightcrawlers and leeches will also work. Some will be legal this summer. Here's some advice from our expert on how to find and fool big bronzebacks. As with areas to the west, breakwalls at access sites are worth investigating, particularly on days when the lake is too rough to fish. This is especially true during summers that lack above average water temperatures. 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. Males will make beds against these large rocks, requiring them to stand guard over just three sides of the nest. Anglers can enjoy an early bass season on Lake Erie to take advantage of the great fishing available for smallmouth bass during spring. Bedrock flats rarely hold more than a few scattered smallmouths. Expect the fish to be in 30 to 50 feet of water, and attracting plenty of attention from fishermen when they are schooled and biting. Tournament News & Results Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Redfish and More, Fishing Tackle & Equipment Found In ODU Articles Best Pricing (NEW). Red-brown metal primer paint is excellent for doctoring metal jigs. It shows up on most electronic mapping programs. This technique is great when you know fish may be found in particular areas. One that's smoked first. Continuing use of the site implies consent. They come armed to the gunnels with rods, reels, and tackle set to battle with 10- and 12-pound walleye or 5- and 6-pound smallmouth. "Tubes" are a top artificial bait for Erie smallmouths and can be used effectively through cast and retrieve, vertical jigging or combined with a drop-shot rig. 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. What could be better than a deep-fried nugget? Whether you launch from the shores of Pennsylvania or Ohio, you'll have some great places to fish for smallmouth bass, walleyes and yellow perch. Turn the legs and thighs of a freshly killed gobbler into comfort food for a chilly spring night. The best wind direction includes the word "south" in it, and is light.

Apple Juice And Brown Sugar Injection, Articles L