Lake Erie Fishing Report July 12 2016 Western Basin – Port Clinton
Walleye and perch fishing in the western basin is good now and should remain good through July August and September. We are getting a light algae bloom on the water which is necessary for good walleye and perch fishing. Walleyes naturally collect in these areas so find the stained water and you’ll find walleyes.
In the areas of stained water the marks on the fish finder were incredible. However most of them were just barely short 1 out of 10 would make the cooler. Many just a sixteenth of a inch short just enough to get you a ticket if you box them. Another week and they will be legal.
Walleye
Yesterday we fished in the flats North East of Niagara in 32 feet of water. The day started with solid overcast and the walleye were suspended 10 to 12 count, 3/4 ounce sinker. There were marking about 4 to 6 feet off the bottom and biting. Then the sky’s cleared and the sun popped out. Most of the marks disappeared as they went dead nuts on the bottom. So we adjusted dropping our lures to the bottom and work it back slow! It took about forty five minuets for the walleye to adjust to the sunlight before they started snapping again.
We fished outside of heavy marks – not marking near as many fish how ever the ones we caught here you didn’t have to measure – four out of five went into the cooler nice walleyes 16 – 20 inch. One boat took a boat limit of 42. I took out 5 kids and Grandpa they brought home 15 nice walleyes and probably caught 40 casting spinners. The youngsters had a blast, fished half a day and pooped out. Our third boat came in with 20 walleye which is a good day. So to sum that up you can take three boats in the same area which goes on pretty much on a daily basis one will catch their limit another will catch OK . Fishing in the same place using the same lures at the same time – so there’s always a degree of luck and skill involved in fishing.
The Flats North of Niagara in 32 feet of water. You can pretty much draw a circle from Niagara Reef to the Kidney to Green Island lots of walleye.
Yellow Perch
Yellow perch fishing is picking up and is good now! Good reports around B can and north of B – near West Sister Light House – The Kidney and Taco Bell.
We are seeing good amount of Pinhead Emerald shiners and Gizzard shad all over the Western basin which is the base of the food chain in the lake seeing this makes me confident that the walleye and perch will stay in the western Basin and bring about very good walleye and perch fishing July August and September.
June 29 Walleye fishing report Lake Erie’s Western Basin, Port Clinton, OH
Lake Erie had a very good walleye hatch in 2014 – and a near record hatch in 2015 We are handling 90 to 150 of these a day at times with a crew of six. These walleye are prime eaters and are now sizing up filling the coolers. Lake Erie walleye put on their growth spurt starting in mid June July and August after they gorge them selves for several weeks on their super food Mayfly’s – They grow fast. Lake Erie’s Western Basin is loaded with two year old walleye and the feasting has been on -These two year old are now starting to measure up to legal size. With each passing week that many more will be legal. A 14 inch walleye in May will be 16 inches in August. We have a excellent set up for this July, August and Sept. The Lake is absolutely loaded with two old walleye and enough three year old walleye to bring size to the equation. Lake Erie’s western basin is primed for above average walleye fishing this summer and fall and for the many years to come! The two year old walleye are now active inside the out side shelf break 24 feet of water or so any where from Lumas Reef on the Michigan border to the dumping grounds off Toledo Light , Little Cedar Point off Crane Creek all around the western basin reef complex , A Can to Niagara Reef to H can, Clinton Reef. They are every where!
Lake Erie is having a light algae bloom which means these fish are not going any where we are also seeing pinheads baby emerald shiners. Gator food!
The abundance of two year old walleye are being piggy backed with a near record hatch from last year 2015. It is hard to visualize that next year there will be three times as many two year old walleye as this year! What a picture perfect set up for the future walleye fishing in Lake Erie.
Expect BONZI walleye fishing this July August and September on Lake Erie’s Western basin.
(The walleye capitol of the world !)