Oct 11, 2018

Lake Erie:  The DNR will continue its annual walleye assessment near Monroe through October 12 with gill nets set near Stoney Point and Luna Pier. Avoid navigating in between the large orange staff buoys and be sure to give the research vessel some room. The perch bite continued to pick up with most boats getting 30-60 fish as well as a good number of limit catches in the morning or afternoon in 22 feet in Brest Bay, 22 to 26 feet southeast of Stoney Point, near Buoys 1 & 2 or 5 & 6 off the River Raisin, 23 feet near the Dumping Grounds and between the E-Buoy and Ohio waters. Anglers were getting 13-15-inch perch Off Stoney Point and the Dumping Grounds. Most were using emerald shiners or fathead minnows on perch rigs with green, orange, red or chartreuse spinners and/or beads. Walleye were caught in 15 feet in Brest Bay when trolling spinners with dipsy divers. Weeds were making it difficult for those trolling.  Good bass fishing along the shoreline and near the harbors. A good number of largemouth and the odd smallmouth were caught off the seawall at the mouth of Frenchtown Harbor, off Sterling, Bolles Harbor, Toledo Beach Marina and the Hot Ponds with spinners, topwater frogs, crayfish or green pumpkin and watermelon worms. 

Michigan DNR

Oct 18/18

Lake Erie: With strong winds throughout the week, perch fishing tapered off with most boats getting 10-30 fish southeast of Stony Point in 26 feet or near the Dumping Grounds and the E-Buoy in 23 feet. A couple anglers found numbers and jumbo fish closer to shore when the bite slowed in deeper waters, specifically, in 15 feet off Toledo Beach Marina and in 16 feet in Brest Bay. Most were using emerald shiners on perch rigs with green, purple and chartreuse spinners and/or beads. Walleye anglers, as well as the walleye bite, continue to pick up with limit catches between Brest Bay Marina and Stony Point in 14 feet when trolling glitter minnow crank baits 40 feet back. Good bass fishing continued early morning along the Sterling seawall and canals, the Bolles Harbor and Toledo Beach Marina breakwaters, off Luna Pier and near the Hot Ponds with 20-50 largemouth and the odd smallmouth netted. Anglers were casting spinners, crank baits, chatter baits, tube baits or green pumpkin and watermelon worms. Most were caught between 8-10AM and the largest came from the backwaters at Bolles Harbor.

Michigan DNR

Oct 30/18

Lake Erie & Tributaries
Cattaraugus Creek is currently running a little high at about 650 cubic feet per second. The Catt was at a fishable level for a couple of days at mid-week, but no reports available. Steelhead catches had previously been reported all the way up to the Springville Dam, so its a good bet when it falls under 500 cubic feet per second. All other Erie tributaries have lower flows and clear conditions. There have been relatively light numbers of steelhead in the small to medium creeks so far. Look for improved fishing with any bump in flow.

There are still plenty of walleye available from Sturgeon Point to the PA line. Target walleye in 60-90 feet of water with stickbaits or worm harnesses run within 40 feet of the bottom. Anglers have recently been catching fair numbers of yellow perch off Cattaraugus Creek at depths around 60 feet.

NY DEC