05-28-2002, 05:31 PM
Lake Erie Fishing Report: May 22, 2002<br>Western Basin: <br>Lake Erie water temperature is 53* F. Mother Nature is finally<br>cooperating with Lake Erie anglers. The water has cleared up and the<br>walleye fishing has picked up. Walleyes are being caught, but some anglers<br>are having better success than others. Fishing should improve as water<br>temperatures rise. Much of the angling pressure is in the "Triangle Area"<br>west of West Sister Island, particularly along the Toledo Shipping Channel<br>north of the Toledo Harbor Light. Other spots that have been good when the<br>weather is favorable include A Can, north of Kelleys Island, off Davis<br>Besse, and the Reef Complex. Anglers are casting and drifting<br>weight-forward spinners, mayfly rigs, and crawler harnesses tipped with<br>nightcrawlers, as well as trolling deep diving lures. Catches are 15 to 20<br>inches with some larger fish. The legal bag limit for walleyes for Lake<br>Erie and its tributaries is six fish from May through February.<br>Anglers also continue to take yellow perch. Best perch fishing locations<br>are around the islands including Kelleys Island to Middle Island,<br>Rattlesnake Island, and Ballast Island. Perch anglers are catching many<br>limits of nice-sized perch in the 9- to 13-inch range using perch spreaders<br>tipped with minnows. The yellow perch bag limit is 30 perch per angler per<br>day.<br>Smallmouth bass fishing is fair to good around the islands. Most catches<br>will measure 14 to 18 inches. Anglers are using softcraws or leeches. The<br>legal limit for smallmouth bass is five fish per angler with a minimum<br>length requirement of 14 inches. <br><br>Central Basin: Water temperature is 52* off Cleveland. Perch fishing has<br>been good off Lorain, Cleveland and Fairport Harbor areas when the weather<br>cooperates. <br>Once the weather improves, smallmouth bass angling should be good at Ruggles<br>Reef, the artificial reefs in the Lorain/Cleveland area and harbor<br>breakwalls from Cleveland to Conneaut. Most catches will measure 14 to 18<br>inches. <br><br>National Safe Boating Week is May 18-24. Boaters and anglers are reminded<br>to Boat Smart From the Start; Always Wear A Life Jacket.<br><br>Source: ODNR<br><br>