Lake Erie Fishing Reports

Coe Vanna offers current Lake Erie fishing reports from Port Clinton, Ohio.... Before you go fishing check here for our updated fishing reports for walleye-bass and perch. Covering the United States waters and Canadian waters of Lake Erie from Port Clinton, Ohio to Toledo to Detroit including the Western Basin reef complex - Bass Islands - Kelly's Island - Pelee Island and east to Lorain

We will recommend the best areas to fish during your visit with us on either the United States or Canadian waters. You do not need a passport to fish Canadian waters or anything special.
Purchase Canadian fishing license instantly on line same day with this link.
www2.on.wildlifelicense.com

When we fish Canadian waters you do not need a Ohio license.
Just a fishing license and you can also get them by calling 800-667-1940.
It takes three weeks to get them by mail.

Purchase Ohio fishing license with this link
www.wildohio.com

You can use our previous Lake Erie fishing reports to help you decide when will be the best time for you to visit Lake Erie to meet your personal fishing goals.

Fishing Reports 2010 Lake-Erie-Fishing-Reports 2011

May 18 2013
Lake Erie Western Basin Fishing Report
Stable weather turns the walleye on! With the water temperature finally warm enough to sustain a good spinner bite - Solid catches of walleye are coming in both drift fishing and trolling.
The drift fishing bite heating up today for us with solid boxes to limit catches. Bottom bouncers 1 to 2 cranks up and casting the swing with a 3/4 ounce weight with our standard hex pattern #4 Colorado blade. Eight count and wind just enough to keep your tight back off the wind as the boat picks up the swing and pretty much let the boat pull your spinner the last 3/4 way around. We pulled walleye in 18 to 24 feet today any where from D can to Niagara to B can and Clinton Reef. Our best depth was 18 feet early and 24 feet later in the day. Large males 4 and 5 year olds 3 to 5 lbs made up the bulk of the catches along with several big headed trophy's 28 and 29 inches. Some of our afternoon charters took limit catches. Yatze - Yeah Baby - The bite is on !

Lake Erie fishing report Port Clinton Ohio
May 17 2013
Drift fishing picked today with descent catches coming in from the out side shelf breaks - Niagara - Little Pickerel - B and C cans. Bottom bouncers set just so they were not ticking the bottom worked for us on the short side - stern and bow. Casting weapons 3/4 ounce wind just enough to keep your line tight and stop winding 3/4 way around the swing and let the boat pull it around. # 4 Deep Cup Colorado Blades worked the best.
Trolling near the Islands worked well with some hefty boxes of walleye. Basically a line 1 mile west of Green Island and Rattlesnake to West Reef.

Russ G and crew May 17 Drift fishing

May 13 Lake Erie Fishing Report Port Clinton, OH

Cold front slows the bite over the weekend.

Fishing was looking promising for the weekend especially with nice catches coming in Friday afternoon. Looking at the conditions we finally had 3 days of favorable south to south west winds {Stable Weather } up to Friday evening and the added bonus of a falling barometer which attributed to the good catches on Friday. Saturday morning we were blessed with another cold front which slowed the bite how ever we were blessed with some trophy walleye drift fishing. With the weather forecast for favorable south to south west winds this week we look for the walleye bite to steadily improve each day. Below are some of this weekends big heads.

Amazing what a few days of southerly winds can do. The drift fishing bite is picking up! Catches today ranged from 12 to 30 walleye drift fishing working the swing cast out and wind just enough to keep the line tight and let the boat pull it around the turn. 3/4 ounce weapons # 4 Colorado Blades Deep Cup Hex Pattern. Bottom bouncers 2 to 3 cranks and 6 cranks worked well also. Trolling catches were ok today also. The out side shelf drifting from 25 feet to 30 any where from A can to D can. The Gravel pits and also between Green Island and Rattlesnake. Better numbers drifting the outside shelf's - Bigger fish near the Islands.

May 7 2013
Walleye spawn is all but over and with the persistent mild but none the less east winds that have kept a damper on the Maumee Bay and near shore waters of the western basin reef complex K can - Turtle Reef etc - with the exception of the Darby - H can area which is protected by Catawba Island on the east edge of Port Clinton. The Darby area is a hit and miss early deal bite so the final stretch of jig fishing has been slow for most fisherman. The best fishing has been from the crack of dawn with a narrow window of about the first two hours after daylight. The early morning hit has been crucial if you are to finish the day with a nice box of walleye.

The days have all been a ditto. We need a south to south west wind.
The catching slows by 8 am and the east winds slowly increase until by 3 pm it is getting rough. When there is no prevailing wind on Lake Erie it is normal to get a rather strong east wind that steadily increases as the afternoon progresses peaking near sunset and then quickly dissipates after sunset. This pattern has plagued the near shore waters for quite some time now. East winds on the shallow waters of the western basin is like opening a refrigerator door for about 8 hours then closing it for 16. This keeps the water temperatures and clarity unstable. The shallow waters stay churned up from the winds and it blows the colder waters from the east into the shallow waters of the western basin. I have noticed the walleye in the shallow waters are stressed showing a lot of red fins.
We have been making the best of the situation by concentrating on the deeper waters which are not affected as much. Fish the shallows in the morning get in on the best of this action and by 9 or so we go to the out side shelf breaks concentrating on 28 to 30 feet fishing bottom bouncers and weapons. Work them slow we have been catching trophy walleye. 8 to 10 lbs. Not big numbers but a couple of these big heads will make your day! # 4 deep cup Colorado blades long leads 1 to 3 cranks and others at 15 to 20 feet.

Lake Erie water temperature is fast approaching 50 degrees. This is when we go through the change up between spinner fishing and jig fishing. The next several weeks will be a yo yo depending on who you talk to. Some will be jig fishing and others casting weapons. So don't forget the night crawlers we have started catching on bottom bouncers. Jigs fishing will work for the last spawning walleye. We may work the out side shelf breaks with spinners or jigs and still others will begin trolling in earnest. The outside reefs have been producing some nice walleye Cone - Niagara- A can.
The Maumee Bay offers a stronger jig bite that usually holds about two weeks longer than the reef areas but the trade off usually is a smaller grade of fish. The Pear and Toledo Light to Turtle Island and the Needle are prime areas. Off Port Clinton near the Moose to D can H Can and Catawba Reef are good areas. We are in the transition period now and it looks like warm weather ahead so we should push through soon.

With the prolonged wind event we experienced on Lake Erie this April the jig fishing has been spotty at best but we are breaking out of that now. Saturday we had a lot of walleye rolling on the surface and I had a nice power drift of 14 walleye. Sunday brought some volunteers or double dips where trailing walleye swim into the net while you are netting one that is hooked up. Some walleye spawn according to the length of daylight and others according to water temperature - some walleye are spawned out - some are spawning now and still more are waiting waiting for the right water temperature.
This tells me that we are going to get more spawning action. Two descent days of weather does not negate a week of cold east winds.
Port Clinton has been experiencing a notch better bite in front of the Darby - Camp Perry - The Moose H can and Clinton Reef. 8 to 15 feet of water. I attribute some of this to the warmer water flowing out of the Portage river and these waters are also some what protected from the dominate east winds we have been experiencing.
The other indicator that the walleye spawn is not over is the sheep heap and white perch have not made a hard run on the shores. This typically happens when the walleye are nearing the end of their spawn. I expect spawning action on Lake Erie to continue to improve as our weather does. South winds and warmer temps are in our forecast.

Other areas that produced this weekend - K can - Turtle Reef - Toussaint Reef and Cone.

The bite on the reefs has been off but it is not unusual given the circumstances. East winds and cold weather drive the walleye to deeper waters and away from the reefs. The south winds and warm temps coming in this weeks forecast should crank the reef bite up!

April 28 Gerald and crew

The weather forecast starting tomorrow Thursday and through early next week is calling for warming temperatures each day and favorable fishing winds. There should be a jig fishing bite going on this weekend and with stable warm temperatures for a few days in a row - wow - can spring actually be coming to North West Ohio ?

April 22 2013 8:00PM
Today started out slow and cold and the water was still a bit off color - needless to say the fishing was slow. Our catch at 11:00 am was 10 walleye and two smallmouth pretty slow for leaving the dock at 6:00 am with 7 of us fishing. The water was settling in and clearing up fast as the day went on. In the last two hours we surged to a total of 24 nice walleye. Males in the 2 to 5 lb range. Conditions are poised for good jig fishing now up through Saturday. Weather conditions and forecasts are for stable weather. The walleye are over due for a heavy spawning run on the reefs and shorelines of Lake Erie's Western Basin. This weeks long range forecast is for descent weather through Saturday and as fast as fishing picked up today I expect tomorrow morning to be very good and excellent by Wednesday through the weekend. Today good catches came from Turtle Reef - Locust Point - Toussiant - H can in front of the Moose in Port Clinton. I didn't say easy catches I expect the easy catching to begin tomorrow !
Best depth for us today was 14 to 18 feet.

April 22 2013 10:00 am
It's Spring Some Where
Ohio's - April from the Dark side!

We have been waiting for some descent weather since the beginning of April and so far Spring has not arrived on Lake Erie. We have had our moments of Glory fishing only to get knocked backwards by high winds and cold fronts. Everything is poised to get the jig fishing started again! The next several days including this weekend coming up we have stable weather in the forecast right now - YEAH - Will It Change ? To sum it up a couple days of warm weather and average winds will make our fish coolers look much better!
The western basin reef complex waters are clearing up fast how ever the fishing is still spotty today - a lot of the walleye have retreated to deeper water because of the inclement weather some have spawned but the bulk have not. We will be jig fishing well into May this year. On the positive side the record hatch of walleye from 2003 the weather was just like this! Let the Spring Jig Fishing Begin - Please

April 15 2013

Jig fishing bite is heating up on Lake Erie's western basin.
Good catches of walleye were taken on or near all the near shore reefs - the shallow waters from in front of the Moose to Crane Creek. 8 to 12 foot was the best depth right at daybreak and then we moved deeper as the sun rose. Good catches also came from the Maumee Bay near Toledo Light and Turtle Island. 3/4 ounce jigs black/purple worked best for us. A slow lift and fall back to the bottom. The walleye were hanging tight on the bottom so if we were to aggressive with the jigs our jigs spent to much time above the fish. The opening ding at day light we had a morning surge of action then the walleye retreated to slightly deeper water so we focused on 12 to 16 feet the rest of the day. Friday and Saturday the winds keep the water churned up so the fishing was off. Sunday the water cleared up and by mid morning we had 2 feet of water clarity and the fishing improved.
A day of light winds and warm weather will have the slam dunk jig bite in high gear!

April 10 2013
Jig fishing for walleye or should I say catching has started ! Limit catches in the shallows off K Can - Turtle Reef- Crane Creek- Just about any where in the shallows. 10 to 14 feet of water caught. Mainly males averaging 2 to 4 lbs in the shallower waters. No barn burner how ever limits were pulled by 10:30 am. Bigger males were caught on or near the reefs. The West Bite -Turtle Island and the Pear are producing nice boxes of average walleye.
The walleye are poised and ready to move to the shallows in masses the bonsai walleye catching will begin with another day or so of warm weather and moderate winds.

April 6 2013
Lake Erie western basin jig fishing bite has begun! Walleye were being caught today in front of Crane Creek State Park - K Can- Cone Reef- Toussiant Reef - Just about any where it really didn't seem to matter. No slam dunk fishing yet but today's fishing was good we averaged 3 to 5 walleye per drift. Males in the 4 to 6 lb range 20 to 24 inch. It is a combination of the length of daylight and water temps that get the spawn under way. Some of the big sows spawn early in the last week of March even under the ice. Spawned out females were caught 2 weeks ago near the Islands trolling. The outside reef shelf from A Can to Niagara Reef should produce lots of big walleye during the next several weeks. Right now the bulk of the walleye are poised to assault the reefs in massive numbers very soon. The big females visit the shallow reefs after dark. Today jigs worked well - purple and black or john deer green 3/4 ounce just a average lift off the bottom and a tight line drop. There were trailers or followers today. Best depths for jig fishing was 16 to 20 feet. With south winds tomorrow and warmer temps in the near term I look for awesome walleye jig fishing anytime.
March 30 2013
Lake Erie's annual walleye spawning run is ready to start. All we need is a few days of stable winds and average temps and the jig fishing on the near shore reefs will be in full swing. Due to resent winds the shallow waters are muddy how ever the blessing is the shallow waters settle the dirt out fast and as soon as that happens the walleye will move in by the millions driven by their instinct to spawn they will swarm on the western basin reef complex.
Slow trolling crank baits with offshore planner boards near D can - Rattlesnake and Green Island and is producing some Trophy walleye as well as jig fishing in or near the same areas. The water clarity is off a bit on the outside shelf break starting near Niagara and goes west. We are off to a average April as far as water temp goes and the walleye will start spawning heavy on the near shore reefs any time!

Walleye are running heavy in the Sandusky River reported by Bernie Whitt from Anglers Supply located at 319 Howland St. in Fremont, OH. Stop by and see Bernie for the insider advice on what's the hot river set ups.

The annual spawning run on Lake Erie and in the Sandusky and Maumee Rivers is on hold due to cold weather. The Sandusky River enjoyed a few good days of early spring walleye fishing last week as the weather was a bit more stable. Reports were coming in from Anglers Supply in Fremont Ohio. Bernie Whitt reported a good run of walleye under way and fishing between the bridges down town was producing female and male walleye.
With the recent cold snap the walleye have retreated to deeper waters eagerly awaiting a few days of stable warm weather then the annual spawning run will be on!
It is shaping up as a average spring this year. Last year fishing started early by mid March walleye were being caught in the shallows in Lake Erie inside of K can - the near shore reefs inside the near shore reefs and the river run was well under way. This year it's back to normal. Lake Erie produced some walleye near the Moose in Port Clinton last week. That was before all the wind and cold arrived. Muddy lake conditions and cold weather has the spawn on hold for a few days. A warm rain will ensure a heavy run up the rivers as long as they get it in the next several weeks.
The walleye will spawn regardless of the rain just more will go up the rivers if conditions are right. To my understanding only a small percentage of the lakes walleye actually spawn in the rivers the majority spawn in the reefs in Lake Erie in the Western Basin. The lakes early spring fishing for walleye will start in the deep waters where the fish should be staged now near the out side shelf breaks 24 to 30 feet of water and as the weather cooperates they will make their annual assault on the shallows. That's when the jig fishing on Lake Erie Fires UP !
This is the only time of year that the walleye come to us!
Wariness goes out the door when the spawning urge kicks in!
Spring jig fishing you can't beat it and the fever is brewing! You can turn a hundred walleye in the 3 to 5 lb range in a couple hours and with some luck put some 10 to 12 lb trophy females in the mix! Yeah Baby - Cowabunga Bonzi !
Walleye are a beautiful fish and after a long winter a fresh catch will look even better in breading.

March 16 2013
Walleye are running in the Sandusky River
Anglers Supply owner Bernie Whitt says the Sandusky river is loaded with walleye. River conditions are a little high and fishable. Lots of anglers are dusting off their rods and reels seeking the trophy walleye as they run up the rivers to spawn. Be sure to stop by Anglers Supply and get the hot set ups for Sandusky River jig fishing.
Lake Erie has a few boats in hoping for a early start how ever it looks like mother nature has this springs jig fishing for walleye back to normal. I look for the reef fishing in the western basin to get started soon. The western basin needs light winds and some warm weather. Start fishing the deep ledges on the out side reefs. Walleye always show up and hold in the 30 feet of water from A can to Niagara Reef. The out side reef ledges and reefs will start first and the walleye will move to the on shore reefs with some stable warm weather.
We will start running charters out of Wild Wings Marina April 1 2013. Check back often as soon as the walleye fishing starts producing good catches you will see it posted here.

January 30 2013
We are getting excited as April Jig fishing is drawing closer. You can easily turn 100 walleye in the 3 to 6 lb range jig fishing in Lake Erie's western basin. You also get a honest shot at catching trophy walleye in April as the Trophy Female Walleye are on the reefs nesting. Below is a article from last years spring jig fishing.

April Fishing on Lake Erie

Fishing Report Aboard Coe Vanna by Port Clinton News Herald Posted March 27 2012
Charter captains relish catch in few days before customers
PC Newsherald

CARROLL TOWNSHIP -- As the sun rose on a recent clear morning at Wild Wings Marina, four charter captains and a friend took advantage of the unusually mild weather and the few days before paying customers arrive to spend a morning fishing for walleye.

Make that 90 minutes; that was all it took for Coe Vanna II captain Jeff Kuelling and his party to land their limit of 20 walleye.

Some of the fish approached 30 inches and 10 pounds.

"I hate to say it," Kuelling said, "but the fishing is easy right now."

He said he hoped those words wouldn't jinx the bite, which for now is on.

Having launched the 30-foot Sportcraft, one of Coe Vanna's four boats, on March 18, the group had already fished three days, catching spawning walleye that have come onto lake reefs and shallower waters, like those 1.5 miles north of Wild Wings.

All the fish taken that day were males.

"We been fishing three days and we haven't seen a female yet," said Jeff Bauer, another Coe Vanna captain.

He said the females move in at night to lay eggs, then retreat to deeper waters where they spread out during the day.

Last year, Bauer said, decent fishing didn't start until June because of turbulent spring weather, which kept the lake churned and the fish acting strangely.

At 8:45 a.m., more than 200 boats were visible east and west of Coe Vanna II.

By 10:30, there were fewer than 50.

"They limit out, and it's a short day," Kuelling said.

As soon as the weather warmed up, he said, people began calling to find out when charters begin.

Coe Vanna Charters has at least five trips scheduled this week, Kuelling said.

"The weather sparked a lot of phone calls," captain Dave Gwin said. "Most of the callers and customers are from out of state."

Gwin said local anglers are either on their own boats or those of their fishing buddies.

The description of easy fishing was no exaggeration.

Using 3/4-ounce lead hair jigs in purple and green with short casts and choppy retrieves, leaving the lures close to the lake floor, produced quick results as the Sportcraft took a slow, meandering drift in about 12 feet of 42-degree water.

Kuelling said customers don't mind the short one- to two-mile trip; they just want to catch walleye.

He said catches so close to the marina are excellent for the bottom line.

Fuel at Wild Wings is $4.09 a gallon.

Coe Vanna II's eight-cylinder inboard engine gets about 1 mpg, Kuelling said.

After catching limits quickly, he said, many customers will want to "fun fish," a term for catch-and-release.

"When people hear the fish are on," Gwin said, "everyone's excited."

Ottawa County Visitors Bureau Executive Director Larry Fletcher said traffic at the welcome center in Portage Township has increased greatly.

"Just in the last couple weeks, we've been hearing that charter phones are ringing off the hook, and ours have been, too," he said.

Fletcher said calls placed to the welcome center for fishing and weather reports have skyrocketed recently.

He said many charter captains were hurt by lack of winter ice fishing, because many are also ice guides.

"We weren't happy to see no ice fishing, so hopefully some of the captains can make up ground with this early start to the charter season," Fletcher said.

For now, most of the charters are groups of men, captains said.

Later in the season though, after yellow perch begin biting, another customer segment arrives.

"We get a lot of families," Kuelling said. "Especially before school starts."

In early July, Coe Vanna's vessels head east to dock on West Harbor.

There, they will fish the deeper, cooler waters near the border or in Canada.

Jim Wertenbach said he was amazed by the fishing.

"This is the best I've ever seen," he said of the mid-March bite. "This time last year we were ice fishing."

Captain Steve Ashley said he savors the time when captains get a chance to fish and relax.

"This in the only time we get to fish for fun," he said. "Occasionally, if the fishing is good in the morning and our customers (make their) limit, we'll get to go out in the afternoon."

When the captains get together, joking is abundant, with a steady stream of angling insults.

Lake Erie Charter Boat Association President Rick Unger said about 200 captains are full members operating on the lake in Ohio.

Altogether there are more than 800 on Lake Erie, he said, including many smaller organizations also affiliated with the LECBA.

"The busiest guys are the ones around Wild Wings, west of the islands right now," he said, citing the spawn.

Unger agreed that rising fuel prices could hurt the charter business.

"Most guys are talking about raising prices or adding a surcharge if fuel keeps going up," he said.

After bringing charter customers in, Kuelling said, Coe Vanna captains or staff clean their fish.

That, captains said, is the least glamorous part of the job.

But they made quick work of their own catch, using a pair of electric knives, a cutting table, tailgate and cold Bud Lights.

"They don't get any fresher than that," Bauer said.

In 15 minutes, 20 walleye were filleted and bagged.

"In the summer we give our fish to the customers," Smith said, "so this is our time of the year to put fish in our freezers."

After morning fishing, the friends pondered the possibility of another passion: golf.

"We're better at fishing than we are at golfing," Ashley said.

In the last several years, the Internet has been providing those interested with fishing info.

Many people are checking online to find out about fishing on the lake and to find out how the bite is, Gwin said.

"Last week we had 1,800 views on our Facebook page," he said. "Social media is really starting to take off."

Kuelling said he's optimistic about the season, despite last year's algae troubles.

"It did hurt a little bit," he said. "It's really going to depend on the amount of rainfall we get, because that's what makes it all happen."

Kuelling said the weather has been perfect so far.

"I think it's going to be a really good season," he said.

Unger agreed.

"C'mon out and go fishing," he said. "It's going to be an excellent year."

Jan 18 2013
Walleye are being caught from the shores at night off the Islands - South Bass - Middle Bass and Kelly's. Casting crank baits rapals - husky jerks - rip sticks. The same methods we use from the shore line pier fishing with one big exception - the Islands are in the middle of the lake. Dusk to eight or nine and then again around 11 pm.

Slow trolling husky jerks - rapalas the big lip ones or deep divers near Rattle Snake and Green Islands - A and B cans. Best speed 1mph - 55 to 80 ft back.
Also some scattered reports are saying jig fisherman are starting to have some success near Green Island - A and B cans.