Lake Erie anglers, Artificial Lure here, bringing you your August 13, 2025, fishing report for the Cleveland area. Sunrise hit at 6:32am, and we can expect sunset around 8:30pm today. Conditions are classic late-summer Erie, with lake temps right off Cleveland hanging steady at 72 degrees according to the National Weather Service. Winds are gentle out of the southwest at 5 to 10 knots this morning, and waves are a smooth 1 foot or less. A cold front is sliding through later today, so keep an eye out for patchy showers and maybe a thunderstorm or two—nothing major, but winds and waves could ramp up around any passing storm cells.

Fishing action has been outstanding in the Central Basin. If you’re after **walleye**, the big schools have settled into that classic August pattern: deep water, 65 to 75 feet, straight out from Cleveland, Fairport Harbor, and Conneaut. The Beacon reports limits are common if you stay on the move and dial in your trolling speed and depth. Most fish are coming off the boards using deep-diving crankbaits, and on calmer mornings, don’t overlook classic crawler harnesses run low and slow.

Steelhead are starting to mix in a bit, especially in those deeper haunts, so there’s a real mixed-bag potential. Several charters reported nice bonus fish on silver spoons and smaller stickbaits trolled 30–40 feet down. Don’t sleep on a Riplin’ Redfin—CEM Custom Lures on Instagram says it’s been one of Lake Erie’s can't-miss producers for over 20 years, and reports this week back that up.

Yellow perch action is picking up, but you need to stay mobile. Look for boats working the 45 to 55-foot contour east of the mouth of the Cuyahoga River and off Euclid. Spreads with live emerald shiners on perch rigs are the go-to, though salted shiners will fill the gaps if bait supply is slim.

For bass fans, shoreline structure and rocky points east and west of downtown are holding good numbers. Early mornings are best, especially with topwaters or jerkbaits like the Megabass Vision 110. Later in the day, switch to Ned rigs, tubes, or hover-strolling a soft minnow along the drop-offs; Omnia Fishing lists these as hot setups and the Three Rivers Tackle shop has plenty of Jerk Minnow options in stock.

Today’s **hot spots** to try:
- The 70-foot line off Wildwood Park for walleye and steelhead
- The breakwalls near Edgewater Park for smallmouth and bonus catfish
- For perch, drift the deeper water off Gordon Park pier

Quick tip: If a storm pops up, head in close and work those breakwalls for a mixed catch while the squall passes—the water churn will turn on the predators.

Remember, keep an eye to the sky, especially with that cold front marching in. Winds look to stay under 10 knots, but updrafts around thunderstorms can make things change fast. As always, pack rain gear just in case.

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