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E a k e L L a Pennsylvania’s Great Lake OHIO Lake Erie is Pennsylvania’s most unique waterway, not only because of its size, but because of the abundance of gamefish. An average of 1.5 million fish are Panfish–With the exception of caught by anglers each year in the lake, bay, and tributaries. rock bass, which are numerous Erie’s latest claim to fame has been its run of steelhead and its walleye throughout Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay fishing, but Lake Erie is much more. It offers a wide variety of fishing is the area you want to try for panfish. opportunities for anglers. Bluegill of water during the summer, and the key to catching them is using weighted lines and heavier spoons to get your lure deep enough. During the remainder of the season Yellow Perch when walleyes are close to shore, they can be taken by trolling or drifting live Yellow perch–The yellow perch bait, spoons and spinners. Walleyes Black is the most sought-after species in the average 5 pounds and 7-pounders to Crappie lake. Yellow perch can be caught all 10-pounders are not unusual. year, through the ice and from piers, There’s good fishing for bluegills and shoreline, and boats. Fish near the bot- Smallmouth and crappies in winter, spring, and early tom with emerald shiners rigged with largemouth bass– summer with minnows, and with jigs spreaders, especially in July and August. Largemouth bass are primarily con- tipped with grubs and worms. In winter, use jigs and maggots or min- fined to Presque Isle Bay. They are nows while fishing through the ice in most available in the spring and again Steelhead–The best time to fish the bay. Yellow perch are Lake Erie’s in late autumn when they congregate for steelhead and lake-run rainbows is most popular ice-fishing quarry. along the shallows of the lagoons and fall through spring. In fact, winter shoreline where they can be taken on steelhead fishing can be so outstanding Walleyes–Walleye catch rates in practically any suitable lure or bait. that the average catch is one steelhead Lake Erie vary with abundance. The per hour spent on the stream. Fishing highest rates coincide with the appear- Smallmouth Bass takes place in the small tributaries and ance of the occasional strong year class. at lake’s edge. The most productive These year classes are produced about baits are egg sacks, nightcrawlers, min- 1 once every 10 years. Serious anglers can nows, and small jigs ( /32-ounce), as well expect catch rates of four to six walleyes as small spinners (sizes 0 and 1). An- per trip after fish from these large glers favor black as a color for spinners hatches reach legal size. Strong walleye and chartreuse as a color for jig tails. graphics and illustration-Ted Walke year classes can sustain good fishing for Fly fishing can also be productive. A five or more years. black Woolly Bugger worked at mid- Trolling plugs and spoons account stream depth or deeper is one produc- for the majority of walleyes taken from tive method. During the summer, steelhead can be early June through October. Planer Largemouth Bass boards, flatlines, downriggers, and me- caught in the lake in 18 to 20 feet of tallic and weighted lines are all effec- Smallmouth bass fishing here is water by trolling spoons, plugs, and tive. Walleyes suspend in 20 to 30 feet rated as some of the best in the state. flies with flashers. Steelhead average Fish can be found along the rocky lake 5 to 6 pounds with 10-pounders and bottom shorelines. Tube jigs and larger fish always a possibility. spoons seem to work best in the spring. Crayfish and minnows are most effec- Steelhead tive when the bass seek deeper water during the summer. Anglers can expect to hook big smallmouth bass at a rate Walleye of one or two per hour.

Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime Pennsylvania Angler & Boater 41 20' 40' Lake Erie 60' 80' 20' 40' Bottom 160' 100' 200' 60' 180' 140' Typography 120' 100' RK 80' YO 60' EW N

60' ERIE P N 40' EN GA NSYLVANIA HI IC M 20' OHIO 40' 60' Note: Contour interval 20 feet. Contours in feet above International 60' TOLEDO O 40' datum for Lake Erie. H I O CLEVELAND

W E S T E R N B A S I N C E N T R A L B A S I N E A S T E R N B A S I N 0' M MEAN DEPTH 24' 20' 40' MEAN DEPTH 60' 60' MEAN DEPTH 80' 80' 100' 120' 140' STURGEON 160' BAY 180' Lake Erie Longitudinal Cross Section 200' 220' 60'

PFBC Angler’s log–Lake Erie anglers who want to participate in the Lake Erie Coop- INFORMATION erative Angler Log program are encouraged to write to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat CENTER Commission, P.O. Box 531, 2000 Lohrer Road, Fairview, PA 16415-0531. You will be 20 asked to help gather data on your fishing experiences on the lake. This will help the lake managers better understand the diverse fisheries of Lake Erie. 8 RESPECT THE LANDOWNER 98 A fishing license does not give you the WALNUT CREEK FAIRVIEW right to trespass on private property. 30' Ask permission to fish before entering someone’s private property. TROUT RUN Don’t litter. Clean up before you leave. GODFREY RUN Dispose of fish entrails properly. LAKE 5 CITY

832 GIRARD 20 RACCOON CROOKED CREEK CREEK ELK CREEK

TURKEY CREEK EAST 90 LAKE ERIE SEASONS, SPRINGFIELD PLATEAU SIZES, CREEL LIMITS

O Consult your current Summary of I 18 Fishing Regulations and Laws provided H CONNEAUT CREEK with your fishing license, or write to O the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Com- mission, P.O. Box 67000, Harrisburg, 6N PA 17106-7000 for a free copy.

42 Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime SAFE Lake Erie HARBOR Pennsylvania’s Great Lake MARINA TWENTY MILE CREEK 5

60' SIXTEEN MILE CREEK 30' NORTH

EAST N

90 E TWELVE MILE W CREEK

Y 20

EIGHT MILE O CREEK SEVEN MILE R

30' K MISERY CREEK BAY MARINA FOUR MILE CREEK 89 955 PRESQUE SIX MILE CREEK ISLE BAY

IE A5 ER F 430 Y O CIT

LAKE ERIE BOAT LAUNCH SITES 8 19 505 Walnut Creek Access. Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission 79 access area at the mouth of Walnut Creek, five miles west of Erie 832 and just north of Route 5. Phone: 814-833-2464. 90 97 BARCELONA . There are six separate boat launch HARBOR

ramps into Presque Isle Bay in the park. SAFE TWENTY MILE CREEK HARBOR NEW YORK MARINA 5

Erie-area ramps. There are two launch ramps into SIXTEEN MILE CREEK FREEPORT Presque Isle Bay–at the foot of Plum Street and at Chestnut 30' NORTH McCORDS EAST Ws POINT Street. There are also two ramps into the lake–at the foot 90 TWELVE MILE 79 CREEK of East Avenue, and the Lampe Marina on Port Access Road SHOREWOOD 20 EIGHT MILE off East Avenue. CREEK SEVEN MILE 30' CREEK MISERY CRIBS BAY SHADES MARINA BEACH North East Access and Marina. Owned LAMPE MARINA 89 955 by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commis- PRESQUE SIX MILE ISLE BAY CREEK sion, five miles east of North East, PA. STURGEON Phone: 814-725-8244. BAY A5 430 FOUR MILE CITY OF ERIE CREEK WALNUT CREEK MARINA 8 20 19 505 79 832 90 97 98 WALNUT CREEK FAIRVIEW 30'

GODFREY TROUT RUN RUN 79 LAKE map graphics-Ted Walke 5 CITY 832 Lake Erie CONNEAUT GIRARD Lake Erie HARBOR 20 RACCOON CROOKED CREEK CREEK ELK CREEK SafeSafe HarborsHarbors andand AccessesAccesses TURKEY CREEK EAST 90

OHIO SPRINGFIELD

18

Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime Pennsylvania Angler & Boater 43 Coho salmon–For coho the most popular time of year is the fall. Presque Boat anglers pursue salmon as they Isle Harborcreek congregate off the mouths of lake tribu- Lake Erie US 20 taries. Both coho and steelhead are Wesleyville caught by slowly trolling near the 430 Colt Station Erie 89 mouths of the tributaries, using diving Walke and illustration-Ted graphics

plugs and spoons. Favored plugs are INTERSTATE 90 INTERSTATE 8 black. Spoons are silver or silver and 79 832 blue. Shore fishermen cast spoons, egg Swanville sacs, and nightcrawlers to the salmon. Avonia US 20 US 19 97 Lowville Girard Once the coho enter the streams, egg Fairview 5 INTERSTATE sacks and nightcrawlers are the top 90 McKean

INTERSTATE 8 baits. 79

Waterford Brown trout–Brown trout are 18

not the target of most people who fish 98 97 US 19 215 99 Lake Erie, but annually large browns Lavery show up in angler coolers as do Albion US 6N Union City chinook salmon that have been part of Mill Village a cooperative nursery stocking pro- 18 Edinboro

gram. Methods for steelhead and coho INTERSTATE 8 79 also work well for browns, but this spe- Cambridge Springs cies is less abundant than the others.

86 198 Conneautville 408 US 6

Saegertown 77 198

Brown Trout BOATING ON LAKE ERIE REMEMBER THESE Like all large waterways, Lake Erie can get rough, and it often does in the fall. IMPORTANT POINTS... Muskellunge and Squalls, storms, and high winds hit Lake Erie without much warning, and boaters northern pike–Both muskies ● Be sure to have Coast Guard- can find themselves in trouble very and northern pike reside in and around quickly. Watch the wind, which deter- approved personal flotation the waters of Presque Isle Bay. Large mines lake conditions. A quick shift in devices on board for each per- plugs, spoons, and streamers take these wind direction can change lake condi- son. Boats 16 feet and longer fish. Muskies and northern pike are tions in a matter of minutes. If you’re in often found in shallow water during must also have one throwable doubt, get off or stay off the lake. Re- spring and fall when water tempera- device on board. member that small boats and motors are tures are cool. During the summer, ● On Lake Erie, boats must not recommended on Lake Erie. muskies and northern pike usually find have on board Coast Guard- deeper holding water where baitfish approved visual distress signals and smaller gamefish are abundant. FINDING YOUR WAY The following Loran TDs and other in- in the number and type re- formation may be helpful to boaters. This quired. information is approximate and is not ex- ● Head for shore at the first act. It should not be used for navigation. sign of rough water. ● Walnut Creek Access Channel Don’t boat alone. Be sure to Muskellunge 28872.9/58390.7 file a float plan before you lat. 42°04’64" N long. 80°14’33" W leave. ● North East Marina channel Don’t overload your boat. 28890.4/58666.6 ● Make sure your fire extin- lat. 42°15’60" N long. 79°45’70" W guisher is the right type and in Erie channel (outermost buoys) good condition. ● Northern Pike 28880/58510 Carry a VHF radio for up-to- lat. 42°09’78" long. 80°03’27" the-minute weather informa- Ohio state line long. 80°31’10" tion and emergency and distress calling. New York state line long. 79°45’70"

44 Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Fishing & Boating Memories Last A Lifetime