Fishing Report for:

Lake Erie, Western Basin - August 23rd, 2011

This Report provided by: Erie Hopper Charters

Even with the water temperature rising into the 80's, the walleye are still being caught around West Sister Island, the Port Clinton reef complex, and the Shoals around Kelley's Island. Techniques that are producing are drifting with copper or gold weapons (see photos) or crawler harnesses retrieved at the depth of the fish, which is usually just off the bottom. It is important to keep your bait/lure above a walleye as it will chase bait above it, not below it. Trollers have been using reef runners and crawler harnesses with inline weights for the best catch rates.

Perch are being caught just about anywhere. The best catch rates are coming from the outer end of the Toledo shipping channel, the Toledo water intake, Northwest of West Sister Island, Niagra reef, and the Southwest/West area of Kelley's Island. Lake Erie shiners with spreaders or crappie rigs jigged on the bottom works best.

Both walleyes and perch are very nice in size. The chance for catching a wall hanger is certainly good!

Capt. Paul Pacholski
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