What to bring...

Smallmouth Bass Fishing on Lake Erie

Western Lake Erie - with it's Islands, many reefs and limestone structures - make it a bronzeback HOT SPOT. By late April, as water temperatures climb into the high 40 F. range, Smallmouth are caught on hair jigs, where the deeper water approaches the rocky shoreline and points. Lake wide, Bass tend to spawn in Mid-May as water temperatures near 52 - 53 degrees. June offers superb Bass fishing as they move back out to deeper reefs and humps, where crank baits and live biat tactics take over. Soft craws, emerald shiners and leeches work best.

Anchoring on drop-offs with irregular bottom sturture will usually bring god action. Drifting over structure, fishing a few feet up from bottom is also good. With July and August being good Bass fishing in the summer months. September and October is the peak for those larger Wall Hanger Bass. A 2-4 pound average of fighting Bass is common. Fishing for Smallmouth Bass has quadrupled over the past ten years. Ohio fishery biologists report that Erie experienced perhaps it's largest ever Smallmouth hatch in 1992. Clearing water, caused in part by the zebra mussels, semms to be benefiting sight - feeding species like Smallmouth. With increased survival rates of young Bass and a growing catch and release ethic among anglers, Smallmouth populations have skyrocketed, promising super Bass fishing for future years.

RATES AND RESERVATIONS