Lake Erie Region Fishing Report – February 13th, 2015

• The daily bag limit for walleye in Ohio waters of Lake Erie is six fish per angler. The minimum size limit for walleye is 15 inches.
• The daily bag limit for yellow perch is 30 fish per angler in all Ohio waters of Lake Erie.
• The trout and salmon daily bag limit is two fish per angler. The minimum size limit is 12 inches.
• The daily bag limit for black bass (largemouth and smallmouth bass) on Ohio waters of Lake Erie is five fish per angler. The minimum size limit is 14 inches. 

Use caution when ice fishing on Lake Erie, encourages the DNR Division of Wildlife. Ice conditions are extremely variable and can change quickly. 

There have been reports of walleye being caught through the ice two to four miles off Camp Perry and west of Catawba State Park. Most anglers are jigging with spoons tipped with emerald shiners.
 

Panfish have been caught in harbors and marinas around Catawba. Most anglers are using small jigs with waxworms or soft plastics.  

Steelhead fishing opportunities in Cleveland Metropark area rivers are getting more challenging with the return of colder weather. Plenty of shelf ice is present and even the open areas have been slushy in the mornings.  

Areas downstream of fords and dams are affording the most open water, although there is quite a bit of open water from Brookpark Road bridge to Puritas Road bridge on the Rocky. As a tip, the dam off Station Road in

Brecksville Reservation (below the Route 82 bridge) is a popular and often productive spot on the Cuyahoga River in winter, with Cleveland Metroparks owning most of the west bank (with the railroad tracks) and Cuyahoga Valley National Park owning the east bank. Diehard river anglers have reported hooking a few steelies on jigs, dime-size spawn sacks, and live minnows.

Ice anglers have been out on Cleveland Metropark inland lakes and Lake Erie marinas. Most state conservation agencies recommend a minimum of four inches of quality ice for foot traffic, and in Cleveland Metroparks it is the angler’s responsibility to check ice thickness and safety.  The following lakes received trout in mid-December:  Wallace Lake (900 pounds), Shadow Lake (450 pounds), Ledge Lake (450 pounds), Ranger Lake (100 pounds), and Judge’s Lake (100 pounds). Daily trout limit is three/day in these waters, with the exception of Shadow Lake, which is five/day. Winter trout bite on Power Bait (rainbow and other bright colors have been best) about the size of a marble near the lake bottom with a small sinker, small jigs tipped with bait (maggots, waxworm, minnow, corn) suspended under a float, spawn sacks, and small to medium size jigging spoons (like Swedish Pimple or

Forage Minnow). One consistently successful angler suggests that folks try a variety of offerings when pursuing trout on Cleveland Metropark lakes. The second (and final) winter trout stocking is tentatively scheduled for early to mid-February. Note that winter trout delivery is always subject to change based on weather, as the Cleveland Metropark supplier cannot conduct operations in winter storms.

Marinas at E. 55th, Edgewater, and Wildwood parks on Lake Erie are all worth a look from ice anglers. Much of the ice around Edgewater Marina is pretty rough from breaking up and refreezing, though. Ice in these windswept areas along the lakefront is thicker than most inland areas at this time.  Anglers are pursuing panfish such as bluegill, crappie, and yellow perch using small jigs tipped with waxworms or maggots. The most successful anglers move often  and use electronics to find the fish.  Steelhead can also be found roaming the marinas, and will bite on the same baits they will in the rivers. A few quality size northern pike are also always around in winter. One strategy is to use one or two jigging/bait rods and then set up to six tip-ups per angler using larger live minnows for predators like steelhead and pike.  Unlike inland Metroparks waters, you can fish the Lake Erie marinas 24 hours a day.

Cleveland Metroparks