Lake Erie has two excellent fishing areas you need to familiarize with when you read any any lake Erie fishing reports. The majority of the many fishing reports you can find for the Ohio Lake Erie Area will concentrate on the Western Basin and Central basin. Both These areas are excellent fisheries for multiple fish species, but proper planning is important when going on a fishing trip to these areas.

A good up to date fishing report is a must to pinpoint where you want to fish and for what type of fish species you are going to target. For example if you are going to target Walleye You need to make a decision On what area of lake Erie you are going to fish in. Refer to the current fishing Western Basin and Central Basin hot spots I copied from the Ohio Department of Natural resources below. If i was planing a summer walleye fishing trip i would identify only the information that is specific to Walleye.

For example, if I was interested in fishing for small mouth in the western basin during the summer, I would find a local fishing report that gave you details on Small mouth fishing. When I read my chart below, I would concentrate my pre-planning in the following areas: Bass Islands, Kelleys Island, Catawba, Marblehead, Sandusky Bay, Reef Complex, Maumee River, Portage River, and the Sandusky River.

A good fishing report web source will provide you with up to date current fishing report information, a link for the current weather conditions, Ohio's fishing regulations and a source for fishing maps.

Western Basin Fishing Hotspots Walleye Winter- Breakwalls; Lakeside, Marblehead, Catawba. Ice Fishing; Reef Complex, Bass Island Area, Catawba, Marblehead.

Spring-Maumee River, Sandusky River, Sandusky Bay, Reef Complex, Bass Islands, Kelleys Island, Marblehead

Summer-West Sister Island, Northwest of North Bass Island, East of Kelleys Island, Toledo Shipping Channel.

Fall-Kelleys Island, Bass Islands, Breakwalls; Lakeside, Marblehead, Catawba

Yellow Perch Winter-Ice Fishing; Catawba, Bass Islands, Marblehead, Sandusky Bay

Spring-Catawba, Marblehead, Bass Islands, Kelleys Island

Summer-Catawba, Marblehead, Bass Islands, Kelleys Island, Toledo water intake, Metzger's Marsh Pier

Fall-West Sister Island, Toledo Shipping Channel, Marblehead, Kelleys Island, Catawba, Bass Islands, Toledowater intake

Smallmouth Bass Winter-Bass Islands, Kelleys Island, Catawba, Marblehead

Spring-Bass Islands, Kelleys Island, Catawba, Marblehead, Sandusky Bay, Reef Complex

Summer-Bass Islands, Kelleys Island, Catawba, Marblehead, Sandusky Bay, Reef Complex, Maumee River, Portage River, Sandusky River

White Bass Winter-Bass Islands, Sandusky Bay, Marblehead

Spring-Maumee River, Portage River, Sandusky River

Summer-Bass Islands, Sandusky Bay, Marblehead.

Fall-Bass Islands, Sandusky Bay, Marblehead

Additional Opportunities Winter-Bluegill (ice fishing, harbors and marinas); Catawba, Marblehead, Sandusky Bay

Spring-Crappie, Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike; East Harbor, West Harbor, Sandusky Bay

Summer-Largemouth Bass, Bluegill; East Harbor, West Harbor, Channel Catfish; Sandusky Bay

Fall- Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Northern Pike; East Harbor, West Harbor, Sandusky Bay

Central Basin Fishing Hotspots Walleye Winter- Breakwalls; Huron, Huntington Beach, Lakefront State Park, Fairport Harbor.

Spring-same as winter, plus Grand River and nearshore areas from Vermilion - Conneaut.

Summer-Ruggles Reef, Lorain, Cleveland, Euclid, Eastlake, Fairport, Geneva, Ashtabula, Conneaut; inshore early, offshore late.

Fall-Huron, Ruggles Reef, Vermilion, Lorain, Cleveland, Euclid, Eastlake, Fairport, Geneva, Ashtabula, Conneaut; eastern locations early

Yellow Perch Winter-Breakwalls; Huron, Huntington Beach, Lakefront State Park, Fairport Harbor.

Spring-Breakwalls and nearshore locations: Huron, Lorain, Lakefront State Park, Mentor Headlands, Fairport Harbor, Ashtabula.

Summer-Nearshore to offshore: Huron, Vermilion, Lorain, Cleveland, Euclid, Eastlake, Fairport, Geneva, Ashtabula, Conneaut

Fall-Offshore to nearshore: Huron, Vermilion, Lorain, Cleveland, Euclid, Eastlake, Fairport, Geneva, Ashtabula, Conneaut

Smallmouth Bass Winter-Nearshore, harbors and marinas; Fairport, Perry, Ashtabula, Conneaut; Cleveland artificial reefs

Spring-Nearshore; Ruggles Reef, Vermilion, Fairport, Perry, Ashtabula, Conneaut; Lorain, Cleveland artificial reefs

Summer-Nearshore to offshore; Ruggles Reef, Vermilion, Fairport, Perry, Ashtabula, Conneaut; Lorain, Lakewood, Cleveland artificial reefs

Fall-Nearshore; Ruggles Reef, Vermilion, Fairport, Perry, Ashtabula, Conneaut; Lorain, Cleveland artificial reefs

Steelhead Trout Winter-Vermilion, Rocky, Chagrin, Grand rivers and Conneaut Creek; smaller tribs from Cleveland east.

Spring-Vermilion, Rocky, Chagrin, Grand rivers and Conneaut Creek; smaller tribs from Cleveland east.

Summer-Offshore depth-controlled trolling from Lorain Sandbar - Avon, Cleveland - Fairport, Geneva - Ashtabula.

Fall-Piers, beaches and breakwalls from Cleveland east; Vermilion, Rocky, Chagrin, Grand rivers and Conneaut Creek; smaller tribs during high water in mainstems.

White Bass Winter-Breakwalls and Warm Water Discharges; Lorain , Lakefront State Park, Eastlake, Fairport Harbor, Ashtabula.

Spring-Breakwalls and Warm Water Discharges; Lorain, Lakefront State Park, Eastlake, Fairport Harbor, Ashtabula.

Summer-Nearshore areas near harbors; Breakwalls; Lorain, Lakefront State Park, Eastlake, Fairport Harbor, Ashtabula.

Fall-Nearshore areas near harbors; Breakwalls and Warm Water Discharges; Lorain, Lakefront State Park, Eastlake, Fairport Harbor, Ashtabula.

Mark Is a dedicated fisherman with 30+ years of experience and has published numerous articles on fishing. He offers free fishing information and "how to articles at his websites. Visit his site at lake erie central basin fishing report and download a free copy of his "78 fishing discoveries unleashed" You can also contact him his e-mail address:
admin@oldfishinghole.com