CLEVELAND, Ohio — The bitter winter weather might be right around the corner, but for the moment anglers are still finding success probing the open waters of northern Ohio. Many of the top fishing holes, including the wide waters of Lake Erie, the smaller inland lakes and reservoirs and the winding rivers and streams, are free of ice and — at least for now — fish are biting.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has refined its methods for predicting the winter ice cover on Lake Erie, and ice fishermen will like the results. Because it’s shallower that the other Great Lakes, Lake Erie usually has the most ice cover. NOAA now predicts an 80 percent ice cover between mid-February and early March.
For ice anglers, that’s good news. So is this week’s Lake Erie walleye success.
Trout truck on the roll again
The Cleveland Metroparks’ final rainbow trout stocking of the winter is scheduled for next Tuesday and Wednesday, with 3,000 pounds of the foot-long favorites being released in Wallace, Shadow and Ledge lakes. A few are also being released in Judge’s and Ranger lakes. The stream stockings won’t return until spring.
Trollers catching Erie limits
The schools of Lake Erie walleye have moved a little further offshore in search of cleaner water and schools of baitfish, but they’re still biting. Visiting the Mazurik Access Area on Marblehead this week, a few dozen trucks and trailers were waiting for anglers to return. There were reports of limits.
The good fishing still needs a combination of reasonably calm and clear water, and that’s been the case this week in the 40 to 50 feet depths from Cleveland to the Lake Erie Islands.
Trolling speeds are about 1 to 1.5 miles per hour. Stick baits, including Smithwick Perfect 10s, Bandits, Bayrats and Reef Runners are taking fish.
Lake Erie should have plenty of open water for the next week or so. Anglers should be cautious when the temperatures drop below freezing. It can make the launch ramps quite treacherous.
Bigger is better with steelhead
The steelhead trout being caught from the rivers and streams of northeast Ohio had been averaging 22 to 24 inches in length this winter, but in recent weeks there have been many reports of big trout in the 28- to 30-inch range.
In stained water, spawn bags have been hard to beat, followed by jigs tipped with maggots, waxworms and live minnows. If you’re casting flies, it’s hard to beat an egg pattern about the size of a salmon egg, small baitfish streamers, white Clouser Minnows and woolly buggers. When the water clears, try bead head nymphs.
Inland lakes and reservoirs
The inland waters have been pretty lonely places in recent weeks, with only a few anglers chasing panfish. The Portage Lakes have been fair for bluegills and crappie, with some yellow perch and crappie caught at Mosquito and Pymatuning lakes.
Yellow perch have been caught around the harbor mouths of West and East Harbor, and in the Lorain area, but catches have been sporadic.
Recent fishing stories by D’Arcy Egan:
Baby, it’s warm outside, so go hook a trout! — Fishing Report for Dec. 27
Hook ‘em if you got ’em: Trout rout is on: Fishing Report for Dec. 20
Lake Erie walleye still biting and perch are heading in: Fishing Report for Dec. 13