ODNR Fishing Report for 09/03/2008:

**The daily bag limit for Lake Erie yellow perch dropped from 30 to 25 fish per angler effective July 1, 2008 in waters west of the Huron pier. The daily bag limit will remain at 30 fish per angler in Ohio waters from Huron eastward. Any boats landing west of Huron, Ohio will be subject to the 25 fish daily bag limit, while boats landing at Huron or points east will be subject to a 30 fish daily bag limit. Shore-based anglers west of the Huron pier will be subject to a 25 fish daily bag limit, while those on the pier and eastward will remain at 30 fish daily.**

**The walleye bag limit is 6 fish per day. The minimum size limit for walleye is 15”.**

**The black bass (largemouth and smallmouth) daily bag limit is 5 fish with a 14” minimum size limit.**

Western Basin

Walleye fishing has remained slow over the past week. The best fishing was around Northwest Reef (NW of West Reef). Drifting with bottom bouncers and worm harnesses or casting mayfly rigs has been productive. Trollers have been catching fish on spoons with divers, or worm harnesses fished with inline weights, snap weights, bottom bouncers, or divers.

Yellow Perch fishing has been good in the western basin. The best spots have been the turnaround buoy of the Toledo shipping channel, between Green and Rattlesnake Islands, N of Rattlesnake Island, and 4 miles W of North Bass Island. Perch spreaders or crappie rigs with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.

Central Basin

Walleye fishing has slowed west of Cleveland with the best area being the sandbar between Vermilion and Lorain. Fishing continues to be slow in the Cleveland area this past week so there are no locations to report. Very good fishing has been reported 10-20 miles N of Geneva in 72 to 74’ of water, and 8-12 miles N of Ashtabula in 70 to 74’ of water. Trollers are using worm harnesses, spoons or stickbaits off jet divers, dipsy divers, planer boards and downriggers. Worm harnesses and spoons continue to be the top baits. The best action has been about 25-50 feet down, and the best colors have been chartreuse, purple, orange, green, and black with copper or gold/red.

Yellow perch fishing is very good offshore in the Cleveland area and also east to Conneaut. The best spots to fish are NW of Gordon Park in 35 to 45 feet of water, NW of Edgewater Park in 40 to 45 feet of water, N of Ashtabula in 65 to 70’ of water, and N of Conneaut in 60 to 65’ of water. You may try fishing further offshore this week than normal. Fish may also be suspended in the water column until the recent upwelling of low oxygenated water settles back down to the deeper portions of the lake. Perch spreaders or crappie rigs with shiners fished near the bottom usually produces the most fish, however, this week you may want to fish 5 to 10 feet up from the bottom due to the conditions. Fish have ranged from 8 to 13 inches.

White bass fishing has been good off Eastlake CEI power plant in 15-30 feet of water. Anglers are using agitators with blue/silver spoons and jigs tipped with twister tails.

Smallmouth bass fishing has been very good prior to the upwelling of low oxygenated waters this past week. We expect fishing to pick back up in the harbor areas around Cleveland, Fairport Harbor, Ashtabula and Conneaut harbors. Anglers have been fishing in 15 to 25 feet of water. Fish are being caught on watermelon, pumpkinseed and green tube jigs and drop-shot goby imitations.

Steelhead are being caught by anglers while walleye fishing 7 to 15 miles offshore from Geneva and Ashtabula in 65 to 74 feet of water. Anglers are catching steelhead on blue or green with silver spoons while trolling using downriggers, dipsy divers, or jet divers off planer boards.

Based on the nearshore forecast the water temperature is 71 off of Toledo and Cleveland.

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

Source: ODNR