Lake Erie, Cleveland Fishing Report Today

This is Artificial Lure with your on-the-water update for Sunday, September 14, 2025, covering Cleveland and the western Lake Erie basin. Glorious, almost summer-like weather gripped the area today. Skies were wall-to-wall blue from sunrise at 7:04 am to sunset at 7:33 pm, and even with a lake breeze, it was nearly 80 degrees at the shore. Water temps are a fish-friendly 70 off the Cleveland piers, setting up a perfect bite window that stretched through the early morning and then again just before sundown, as these late summer days can get the fish sluggish in the afternoon heat.

Conditions were made for casting: east winds mostly under 10 knots had waves at a manageable foot or less, so everything from kayaks in the harbor to big center consoles out deep could get out safely.

Fish activity has been strong across species, but the big news remains the late summer walleye action. According to recent podcast updates and local chatter, limits of eater-sized eyes are coming in from deeper structure off the Cleveland breakwall and around the West and East Shoals. Trolling stickbaits in 40-50 feet of water, especially Bandits and deep-diving Husky Jerks in firetiger or chrome, have been hot—run them 80 to 100 feet back for best results. At sunrise, a few anglers limited out on casting weight-forward spinners tipped with nightcrawlers off the Rocky River marina—always a top shore spot this time of year.

Smallmouth bass have been active on the main-lake reefs and drop-offs from Edgewater Park east to Euclid. Reports from guides and local regulars highlight success on blade baits and jigging raps worked just off rocky points; natural shad or silver patterns are the ticket. Use a light fluorocarbon leader for stealth. The artificial-only crowd has also found a steady bite drop-shotting goby imitations over gravel bars—a perfect match-the-hatch setup right now.

Yellow perch are making a showing near the Cuyahoga dumping grounds, but it's a pick—prospects are best if you bring emerald shiners and stay mobile to find the schools. The rocky shorelines around East 72nd and Wildwood have coughed up some slab crappies and early steelhead, especially in low light with downsized marabou jigs under a float.

If you want hotspots, here are your top picks today:

- The Cleveland Harbor breakwall: casting for walleye and bonus smallmouth, dawn or dusk.

- Rocky River mouth: active walleye on spinners and plenty of channel cats if you soak a nightcrawler.

- Euclid Creek mouth: smallmouth and the odd early steelhead, especially tight to shore on spinners and live shiners.

No tidal swings to factor in, but as always, pay attention to wind direction and late-day boat traffic which can push bait and fish around.

Best lines are low-visibility fluorocarbon leaders in 6-10 lb for bass and steelhead, and don’t sleep on slick 8-12 lb braid for trolling. Gamma Edge fluorocarbon has been well loved for its abrasion resistance and invisibility, and guides have been pairing

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Artificial Lure with your Lake Erie Cleveland-area fishing report for Sunday, September 14th, 2025.

It’s a gorgeous early fall morning on the North Coast, and conditions are just about tailor-made for getting lines wet. According to the National Weather Service, we’ve got high pressure sitting on us, keeping winds light out of the east at less than 10 knots and waves a gentle one foot or less all day—perfect for small boats and pier fishing. The sun rose bright at 7:05 AM and won’t dip below the horizon until 7:38 PM, giving us a nice long window to chase that bite. Cleveland’s water temp is showing 76 to 78 degrees, just off the city, and surface air temps are pushing a warm 84 by midday with only a scatter of clouds—classic late summer action before the real autumn turnover hits.

No tidal swing to worry about here, but that mild chop should keep up just enough oxygen for active fish, especially with that cold front forecasted to clear out by evening. Inside scoop from L-36.com is to expect those conditions to hold through tomorrow morning, but look out—unsettled weather’s heading our way early next week, so make the most of the stable bite while it lasts.

Let’s talk fish activity. Local anglers out yesterday and early this morning have been slamming yellow perch and walleye on the western and central basins. Word’s out that the perch bite has been red hot around the Cleveland Harbor breakwalls and just out from Edgewater Park—anywhere you see the pack boats working, perch are under the boat. Most are seeing quick limits of 9-12 inchers, mainly between 36 and 42 feet of water. For walleye, the night bite is starting to heat up, with fish moving into the shallows—trollers working anywhere from Gordon Park to just east of Wildwood Park have been picking up plenty of eaters, and a few fish pushing into the upper 20-inch class came in after sundown.

Steelhead are being caught at the river mouths, and early morning casters off the rocks near E. 72nd have even pulled a few bonus smallies and sheepshead.

Best baits right now? For perch, nothing beats a classic spreader perch rig tipped with emerald shiners—if you can’t find shiners, live minnows or softshell crayfish will get the job done. A simple crappie rig loaded with pieces of worm has put plenty in the bucket as well. Walleye chasers, break out your Bandits in chrome/blue and firetiger patterns, or try trolling deep-diving Husky Jerks and spoons just off the dropoffs. Caster fans, now’s the time for 1/8 to 1/4 ounce jigs with chartreuse twister tails or blade baits along the rockpiles. Anglers on the river mouths and harbors are also scoring with swimbaits and small, flashy spoons—anything that mimics those baitfish hugging the shoreline at dawn.

If you’re after smallmouth bass, rock hopping around the harbor mouths or the breakwalls between Wendy Park and Edgewater early in the morning or late afternoon is your best bet. Drop-shot rigs with 3" Gulp minnows or Ned rigs in green pumpkin have

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Artificial Lure with your Lake Erie, Cleveland fishing report for Saturday, September 13th, 2025.

Sunrise hit Cleveland at 6:57 AM, with sunset expected at 7:36 PM. The lake sits glassy and inviting, with water temps off Cleveland holding steady near 70°F. According to the National Weather Service, a high-pressure system dominates the region, keeping conditions pleasant: skies are mostly sunny, high temps in the mid-70s, and winds light, shifting south to west at 5-10 mph. Waves will stay around 1 foot or less, making for easy running whether you’re in a skiff or a center console. No tidal effect here on Erie, but the subtle wind changes can move bait schools and spark fish activity by late morning.

In terms of current activity, local podcasts and guides report the bite around Cleveland’s north coast has been consistent, especially for **walleye**, **yellow perch**, and **smallmouth bass**. The early fall transition means fish are moving shallow, following schools of shiners, and mornings right after sunrise have produced the hottest action. Limit catches of walleye have been coming in off the breakwalls and the deeper flats between Edgewater and Gordon Park. Perch anglers have filled buckets out toward “the perch triangle”—the stretch between the old light tower, the crib, and the 72nd Street launch. Smallmouth bass anglers are scoring on rocky nearshore structure, including the famed E. 55th Street Marina and the mouth of the Cuyahoga River.

Top lures right now:

- **Walleye:** Troll with deep-diving crankbaits in chrome/blue and fire tiger, or slow-drag harnesses tipped with nightcrawlers. Flicker Shads, Reef Runners, and Bandits are all putting fish in coolers.

- **Perch:** Emerald shiners—fresh if you can get ’em—or salted, fished on double perch rigs, are hands down the best. Bring plenty and keep your bait moving just off bottom.

- **Smallmouth:** Tubes in green pumpkin, Ned rigs, and drop-shot setups with goby-imitation plastics are working. Live crayfish will get slammed on tough bites. If you’re casting cranks, stick to craw patterns around the rocks.

Reports from local steelhead enthusiasts confirm those silvery missiles aren’t far behind! A few have already been caught at river mouths after rainfall, mostly on spoons and tipped jigs. The fall runs usually build into October.

Hot spots to try today:

- The Cleveland Crib and the adjacent nearshore dropoff—excellent walleye and perch action, especially before noon.

- The E. 72nd Street fishing area—shore and boat bites for bass, perch, and occasional walleye.

- Edgewater Park—both on the rocks for bass and offshore for hungry walleye moving shallower.

The weekend forecast looks steady, with no storms or high wind risks. Just don’t forget, as the high pressure settles and the sun climbs higher, fish will push deeper or tight to shady structure by afternoon. Early casts and late-day runs are your best chance—midday tends to slow unless you’re vertical jigging deeper humps.

Before hea

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Artificial Lure here with your Lake Erie Cleveland area fishing report for Friday, September 12, 2025.

We’re waking up to **perfect late summer conditions**: sunrise hit at 7:03AM and you’ll have until 7:44PM to chase some fish under mostly sunny skies, with highs in the mid-70s and light north winds at 5 to 10 mph. The water off Cleveland is sitting right around **70 degrees**, and waves are barely a foot—ideal for shore and small boat folks alike, with a “Low Risk” swim category and no big weather threats expected according to the NOAA Cleveland marine forecast.

Fishing’s been lively this week as cooler nights tease the first pulse of **early steelhead**. Word from Cleveland Metroparks is reports are coming in from Rock pile regulars, with steelhead hitting spoons (Little Cleos, KO Wobblers) and spinners (Vibrax, RoosterTail) at classic spots: **Edgewater Park, the E55th breakwall, Wildwood Park, and up at Rocky River Marina**. These fish are nosing around the rocks—cast those lures early, or after dark for a bonus walleye bite. For walleye, stick to shallow running crankbaits like Perfect 10s after sunset, especially if you find a little chop.

Meanwhile, **yellow perch** and **white perch** are showing up on the bottom, especially at the E55th breakwall, with anglers doing best soaking bits of worm or small minnow on crappie rigs. Captain Ken’s Wild Wings shared a fresh report from the Port Clinton side, where crews put nice yellow perch in the box by blending trolling, jigging, and bottom fishing on the western basin wrecks. The bite isn’t red hot, but steady action and mixed bag days are the norm. Fall is THE time to load up on perch before migration gets tricky.

Smallmouth are biting too—both lake and river! Around the Cleveland shoreline, work tube jigs and dropshot rigs near structure. Wallace Lake, Ledge Lake, and Beyer’s Pond inland are serving up largemouth, channel cats, and assorted panfish. Inside the rivers (Rocky, Chagrin, Cuyahoga) chase smallies at deep pool heads with 3-4" dark olive or brown tubes, minnow or crayfish, and don’t overlook leech or Clouser minnow patterns if you’re swinging a fly. Smallmouth have been aggressive, with early and late day windows best.

For bait and lures, here’s your top picks:

- **Spoons and spinners** for steelhead (Little Cleo, KO Wobbler, Vibrax, Rooster Tail).

- **Shallow crankbaits** (Perfect 10) for nighttime walleye.

- **Tube jigs**, **live bait** (minnow, crayfish), and **dropshot rigs** for smallmouth and rock bass.

- **Worms and small minnows** on crappie rigs for perch and panfish.

Two hot spots you shouldn’t skip right now:

- **E55th Street Breakwall**—perch, steelhead and the odd walleye.

- **Rocky River Marina**—early steelhead, with bonus smallmouth and cats up the channel.

A heads up: Wendy Park at the old Coast Guard station is closed for repairs, so check access before heading out.

Best bite windows are dawn and dusk, especially with clear skies and a flat lake—so hit yo

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Artificial Lure reporting from the Lake Erie shoreline just east of downtown Cleveland on this beautiful Wednesday, September 10th, 2025. The early dawn greeted anglers with a gentle breeze and clear skies. According to the National Weather Service Cleveland, winds this morning were only about 5 to 10 knots, shifting lightly through the morning, waves calm at one foot or under, and the lake surface temp right off Cleveland reading a stable 70 degrees—absolutely prime for a September trip.

Sunrise cracked at 6:57 a.m. today with sunset set for 7:45 p.m., giving us a solid window for both morning and evening action. No real tides to speak of on Erie, but that westerly to northerly breeze means the fish have been sticking a little deeper off the reefs and drop-offs, especially midday.

Fish activity has been classic late-summer to early-fall. The walleye bite remains hot in the 63 to 68 foot zone. Several folks on the Ohio Game Fishing forums boxed out early—the best report came from a group who pulled 18 walleyes between 7 and 9:30 a.m., biggest tipping the tape at 27 inches. Dipsey divers and spoons, especially in pink panties and copper-back patterns, are holding top honors for numbers. Troll slow and steady, around 1.8 to 2.0 mph. After the early walleye run, a switch to targeting steelhead paid off: at least a half dozen landed on silver spoons in just over an hour.

Smallmouth bass are out there if you’re working reefs and rock piles, especially off the mouth of the Cuyahoga and out by the old Cleveland Crib. As reported on Bass Fishing Daily, Lake Erie’s smallies are stacking on structure—tubes in green pumpkin or natural goby imitation, Ned rigs, and drop-shot worm rigs all take fish. Early and late, topwater walking baits have triggered explosive strikes near rip-rap and boulders along E. 55th Marina.

Perch are starting to get their act together, most bites clustered off Rocky River and around the 72nd Street access, but the numbers aren’t as thick yet as they will be later in the fall. When you find ‘em, live shiners on crappie rigs or small emerald shad soft plastics will fill a bucket.

Best baits and lures this week:

- **Walleye:** Pink/copper trolling spoons behind Dipsey divers, crawler harnesses in gold/chartreuse, and silver blade baits if casting.

- **Smallmouth:** Green pumpkin tubes, Ned rigs, 3-inch swimbaits, and Zara Spook-style topwaters at sunrise/sunset.

- **Perch:** Live shiners or 1-2” emerald shad plastics on spreaders.

- **Steelhead:** Flutter spoons in chrome, orange, or blue off the mouths of the rivers.

Top hot spots to check:

- The dropoff 3/4 mile north of the CLE water intake crib—walleyes and smallies both.

- Rocky River mouth and the surrounding east-west shoals—early perch and bonus steelhead.

- The breakwall edges outside E. 72nd and Gordon Park—steady bass and late-summer panfish.

No unusual water clarity issues, but as always, check for the latest on algae blooms after any warm spell. The forecast for

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Artificial Lure here, bringing you the latest fishing news from Lake Erie, Cleveland, on this brisk Sunday, September 7, 2025.

Let’s start with the conditions: we’ve got **west winds around 10 to 15 knots**, going a bit stronger mid-day, but the skies are calling for **mostly sunny** and the **waves are gentle—1 to 3 feet**. The lake’s water temperature is sitting at a cozy **71 degrees off Cleveland**. Sunrise was at **6:56 a.m.**, and sunset’s coming at **7:49 p.m.** today. There’s a bit of a pressure trough hanging over the lake, so keep your eyes peeled for potential waterspouts this afternoon. The next few days promise stable weather and solid fishing windows according to the National Weather Service.

The bite remains strong for early September. According to the DEC’s Erie Fishing Hotline, folks are **pulling fast walleye limits all up and down the coast**. Most boats are reporting **over one walleye per hour**, especially from **65 to 80 feet of water off Cleveland and Catawba**, with others striking deep off Geneva and Lorain. Walleye are running both suspended and hugging the bottom, so don’t be shy about switching your presentations. Walleye action has been best on **Deep Divers, Dipseys rigged with spoons, and trusty worm harnesses** in pinks and purples. Lure color doesn’t seem to matter much—keep your speed around **1.8 to 2.0 mph**. If you’re itching to fill a cooler, these depths are your ticket.

**Smallmouth bass** action is reliable if you’re working **30 to 40 feet of water near structure**, especially around the old Cleveland Crib and Rocky River outflows. The locals recommend **drop-shot rigs with finesse plastics** and live shiners, with tube jigs and small swimbaits as solid backup. **Steelhead** are moving in off Dunkirk and headed toward Cleveland’s eastern harbors, holding in 100 to 140 feet. These fish have been taking spoons behind downriggers, and some have even been coaxed up by fast-trolling crankbaits early in the morning.

**Heavy perch schools** are showing around **Edgewater Park** and the **E. 72nd Street Marina**—use **emerald shiners on crappie rigs**, and you’ll be boxed out in no time. For a change-up, cast for freshwater drum near the breakwalls; cut bait or crawlers will do the trick.

Hot spots for today:

- **E. 72nd Street Marina:** Easy access and a perch goldmine when the bite switches on.

- **Rocky River mouth and Crib:** Bass are stacked around rock piles and ledges, especially in low light.

Bait shops are buzzing—pick up **live shiners** or **nightcrawlers** and get out early. If you’re trolling for walleye, **Dipseys with pink panties spoons** have been landing the big ones, as seen in recent Ohio Game Fishing reports, with some boats boasting their biggest at **27 inches** before breakfast.

To wrap it all up, conditions are prime, fish are biting, and the best baits are classic Lake Erie fare—spoons, harnesses, shiners, and tubes. Whether you’re chasing walleye limits or working for that trop

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Good morning, anglers—Artificial Lure here with your Lake Erie Cleveland fishing report for Saturday, September 6th, 2025.

The sun is rising today at 6:58 a.m., with sunset landing at 7:46 p.m., giving us plenty of ideal fishing window on the water. Weatherwise, the National Weather Service Cleveland forecasts clear skies, mild temps running in the mid-60s to low 70s, and west winds at 5–10 knots. Wave heights are nice and gentle, holding at 1–2 feet, which is perfect for both shore and boat fishing. Water temps off Cleveland are currently 72 degrees—right where you want them for good fish movement early September. There's a slight chance of showers north and east of the city this morning, but nothing that's going to keep serious anglers off the lake.

No tides on Erie, but the steady westerly winds and comfortable wave action set up favorable conditions for active fish close to structure and in slightly deeper pockets.

In terms of recent fish activity, the bite has been strong these last several days. According to Sportsman's Warehouse fishing reports, yellow perch and white perch have been abundant near the breakwalls and around the mouth of the Cuyahoga. Minnows fished on standard perch rigs have been putting up numbers, and folks are bringing in coolers full, especially in the 25-35 foot range. Walleye continue to show up in good amounts, particularly around dusk and after dark, with Bandit crankbaits running hot off the west side of Cleveland and near Edgewater. Anglers using mid-depth crankbaits and running a trolling pass between 20 and 35 feet are seeing consistent hookups, with fish typically running 15–22 inches. The salmon reports are sporadic but positive—those working deeper water (over 40 feet), pulling spoons and deep diving cranks, have picked off a few bonus fish this week.

Smallmouth bass are still hugging rocky points and humps, with chatterbaits, tubes, and Ned rigs landing solid catches, especially around the nearshore wrecks and reef edges. There've been good-sized bronzebacks caught close to the Cleveland Harbor and just east near Gordon Park, where the rocks meet weedlines. Local outfitters like Chagrin River Outfitters recommend using Rainy's CF Whistler for bass, size 1/0, and the Echo 84B Bass outfit for best fly tackle presentation around submerged structure.

For bait, minnows are #1 for perch right now, with emerald shiners outpacing everything else. Walleye continue to hammer on plastic-bodied crankbaits—colors like perch, clown, and chartreuse have been consistent. Consider running a hover minnow rig for finicky bites, and don’t be afraid to work soft plastic jerkbaits slowly through the water column for both walleye and smallmouth. For live bait, nightcrawlers on a harness are still turning fish, particularly at dawn and dusk.

If you’re after numbers, head to hot spots like the Gordon Park breakwall, the mouth of the Cuyahoga River, and around the Cleveland Crib. The area off Edgewater Park, 25–30 feet down, r

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Good morning, anglers, this is Artificial Lure with your September 5th, 2025, Lake Erie and Cleveland fishing report.

The autumn bite is heating up as cooler nights have started nudging both the water temperature and the fish into early fall patterns. Right now, the surface temperature off Cleveland is holding steady around 67 to 72 degrees, with afternoons peaking a touch warmer. That’s keeping the action brisk for a September morning.

Weather-wise, expect a windy Friday with south winds building up to 25 knots and gustier midday. Showers are a strong possibility as a cold front rolls through by evening, kicking waves up to five to nine feet at times, especially offshore, so small craft should take care according to the National Weather Service’s marine forecast. The sky’s starting partly cloudy, with highs aiming for the upper 70s. Sunrise arrived at 6:55 AM and sunset will be right around 7:54 PM according to the Cleveland Metroparks sunrise/sunset table.

Lake Erie tides are minimal, but be wary—these brisk winds are stacking up currents and making for some dangerous undertows today. Edgewater, E55th, and Wildwood Park breakwalls may get a bit dicey after midday; wade and launch with extra caution.

Now, let’s get to the fish. Cleveland Metroparks reports the late-summer walleye run remains decent, with most trollers working in 30 to 50 feet, running shallow-diving crankbaits like the Perfect 10 after dusk for best results. Anglers are routinely picking up ‘eyes from 18 to 26 inches, and it isn’t out of line to box a limit if you put the time in. Steelhead are making their first scattered showings—Edgewater and the mouth of the Rocky River are your best bet for an early chrome surprise, especially tossing classic Little Cleos or Vibrax spinners.

Smallmouth are firing up along rocky structure. The stretch between E72nd and Gordon Park, as well as around the breakwall at Wildwood, is giving up bronzebacks in the two to three pound range. A few largemouth are working the weedbeds near the boat basin at Edgewater—try a green pumpkin tube or a weedless jig.

If you’re chasing panfish or catfish, Wallace Lake and the Cuyahoga ship channel are producing. Nightcrawlers and minnows are the go-tos for perch and white perch, as confirmed by weekly reports coming in from Monroe County, and you’ll find those perch rigs with two or three hooks are outcatching single rigs by a good margin. For flatheads and channel cats, fresh cut shad or lively creek chubs can make your night.

Some bait shop favorites include:

- For walleye: Shallow-diving stickbaits after dark, worm harnesses by day

- For smallmouth: Live shiners or crayfish, Spro crankbaits, Strike King spinners

- For steelhead: Chrome and blue Little Cleos, KO Wobblers, Rooster Tail spinners

Hot spots for the day include:

- Edgewater breakwall at first light and near dusk for walleye and the first steelhead

- E55th pier for a multi-species buffet—walleye, catfish, and occasional steelhead

- Rocky R

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This is Artificial Lure with your September 3rd fishing report, coming to you live from the shores of Lake Erie, right here in Cleveland. The lake’s giving up classic late-summer conditions today: water temps are steady around 72 degrees off downtown Cleveland, according to the NOAA buoys. Winds have been out of the south and southwest, starting light but picking up through the afternoon—expect them steady at 5 to 15 knots, which’ll push up a light chop but keep it fishable for most small craft. Waves are running at 2 feet or less today, but make sure to check conditions tonight—Southwest winds will be ramping up as we get into the evening with waves building to as much as 3 to 5 feet, so watch for a bumpy ride if you’re staying out late.

As for the skies, it’s been nothing but sun through mid-day but clouds have been building to the west—National Weather Service Cleveland says there’s a chance of showers and even a rumble of thunder tonight and into Thursday morning. Highs touched the low 80s in the city this afternoon but we’ll be down into the upper 60s by sunrise tomorrow. Plan accordingly. Speaking of which, sunrise was right at 6:54 AM this morning, and sunset’s coming up at 7:55 PM, so you’ve still got some solid prime-time evening fishing ahead.

The fishing’s been consistent with this weather trend—walleye are the main headliner on the nearshore reefs off Cleveland, out by the Bratenahl and Euclid piers, and especially in that 32-38 foot depth range. Several charter crews reported scoring limits by mid-morning—best numbers on crawler harnesses in chartreuse and purple, but folks running deep-diving crankbaits off planer boards have also been filling coolers. Silver and blue Flicker Minnows and Bandits were hot, especially trolled 40-60 feet back in the top 15 feet of the water column.

Yellow perch have been a bit spotty but improving. Most action’s out of East 72nd, heading east between the Cleveland water intake crib and the mouth of the Chagrin River. Perch are holding close to the bottom, 33-42 FOW, and really keying on emerald shiners—if you can get ‘em live, that’s the ticket. Otherwise, salted shiners on tandem rigs or drop-shot setups will do the trick, tipped with a sliver of worm. Catches have been mixed but plenty of buckets had a dozen or more jumbos by noon.

Smallmouth bass are in transition with the start of September—local YouTubers and guides are finding them stacked on rock piles and breakwalls. Target 10-15 feet of water with tube jigs in green pumpkin or goby patterns, or try Ned rigs when the bite gets tough. Some good bronze were tagged at the rocky shoreline just west of Edgewater Park and off the Mentor lagoons.

Quick rundown on best baits for Lake Erie right now: for walleye, bring worm harnesses in purple/chartreuse, Bandits and Flicker Minnows in silver, blue, and clown patterns. For perch, emerald shiners (live or salted) remain unbeatable. Bass anglers—bring tube baits, Ned rigs, and a couple topwaters for

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It’s Artificial Lure bringing you your August 31, 2025, fishing report for Cleveland and the mighty Lake Erie. Sunrise came up at 6:48 AM, with sunset rolling in tonight just after 8:00 PM. Winds are blessedly calm—mostly light from the east, under 10 knots all day, and the lake is laying down flat with waves sitting at 1 foot or less, so you’ve got ideal boat and shore conditions, especially around the Cleveland breakwall. The water temperature off Cleveland is about 72 degrees, which is right in the sweet spot for late-summer action, according to the National Weather Service Marine Forecast.

Looking at fish activity, walleye and yellow perch are the headliners this week. The Lake Erie, Cleveland Daily Fishing Report podcast has walleye and perch “dominating the north coast,” with limits being caught from early morning into mid-morning. The key has been covering water just off E. 72nd, up toward Gordon Park, and between Rocky River and Avon Point. The best bite window: right around sunrise until 10:00 AM, and again as the sun dips lower. Anglers are reporting plenty of “eater size” walleye in the 16- to 20-inch range, and some jumbos just over 26 inches. Perch are being pulled from 32 to 38 feet, especially west of the Cleveland harbor.

As for tactics, today’s flat water and clear skies call for finesse presentations. Most success with walleye is coming trolling deep-diving crankbaits like Flicker Minnows in chartreuse and purple, or classic worm harnesses tipped with nightcrawlers. Try slow speeds, about 1.5 to 1.8 mph—don’t be afraid to stagger your depths. If you’re targeting perch, anchor near a pack in deeper water and drop emerald shiner rigs or crappie rigs right to the bottom. The perch have been picky on color, but anything with a little chartreuse or orange bead seems to be getting the most play.

Smallmouth bass have picked up in rocky shallows and breakwalls, especially east toward Euclid. According to local guide Andy at Full Fishing Guide Service, swimbaits in natural goby patterns, Ned rigs, and drop-shot rigs paired with flatworms or Gulp! minnows are producing quality bronzebacks.

In terms of tide—Lake Erie, being a freshwater basin, doesn’t have ocean-style tides, but water level can fluctuate with wind. Today’s gentle winds mean little current or seiche effect, so expect stable conditions.

Recent catch reports are strong: Local chat on Walleye.com and the Daily Fishing Report notes multiple boats returning with six-man perch limits yesterday, and double-digit walleye hauls. Bonus: steelhead have started showing at the mouths of the Rocky and Chagrin rivers, with a couple early fish taken on spoons, so keep a rod handy.

For hotspots, don’t sleep on:

- The Cleveland harbor wall, for early morning perch.

- The 35-foot depths north-northeast of Edgewater—boats anchored here are reporting the steadiest perch action.

- The stretch east of the mouth of Rocky River for consistent walleye and bonus smallmouth.

Best bait remains f

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