Hardy ones can still catch fish on Lake Erie
Most area anglers have given up fish- ing for the duration, unless they like to go for steelhead in Lake Erie tributaries.
But there’s fishing waiting on the big lake yet, and will be for long weeks, this for walleyes, and many of those will be dandies.
There are problems though in catching these lunker fish, and the main problem is weather.
Night fishing for walleyes along the various piers stretching out into the lake is a tough proposition indeed, one that can be handled only by the hardy, tough, and fearless.
For many years late season walleyes have been moving in close to shoreline piers seeking shiners and gizzard shad.
Sometimes they come just at dusk and provide hot fishing for plug casters. Sometimes they don’t arrive until midnight or two or three o’clock in the morning, and sometimes they don’t come at all.
It’s a chancy business and the rugged individuals that show up know they’re going to be cold, sometimes wet, sometimes almost snow blinded, and sometimes with little luck. But on the right night and very warmly dressed, the catch can be a heavy one.
I tried this sport only once and that was long years ago, but I still remember seeing one man leave at midnight dragging, not carrying his limit of lunker walleye.
It looked like most of them were 10 pounds or better, and the long walk from the end of the Huron Pier had worn him out. He didn’t seem to mind, though.
Almost any pier might produce fish for night hunters, but the three most popular right now are the Huron Pier in downtown Huron, the Dempsey Access near Marblehead, and the Lorain pier near downtown Lorain. And the technique doesn’t vary much.
They arrive usually before dark carrying food and hot coffee,
OUTDOORS long handled nets, and sometimes lawn chairs, and spend their time casting with sturdy rods and 20 pound test line.
They’ll be casting Smithwick Perfect 10’s, Reef Runner 700 series, Rattletraps, and Rapala h12 and h 14’s.
They cast metronomically, again and again, sometimes for long hours hoping for a strike from a whopper, and sometimes it happens.
Usually, the end of the pier is best, and most crowded, but as the night wears on, spots closer to shore might produce too. Again, a chancy business.
There are an even smaller cadre of anglers who boat fish on the big lake at night, usually off the Huron Pier and down to Vermillion.
It’s more productive because there’s no casting, just trolling that covers a lot of water, and is more likely to pinpoint a pod of fish.
It’s a dangerous business, even in a good sized boat, and vitally important to keep a weather eye open and hear forecasts before they go.
They’ll troll with the same lures as above, and also with spoons and stick baits, and stay close to shore where the walleye gather seeking food. I don’t recommend it, but some do it.
Finally, there’s day fishing, a safer business, and anglers are making some good catches during the day, though mostly ordinary walleyes, rather than the night roaming lunkers.
They’ve been making some very good catches in the Maumee River both at night and during the day, and taking more in the Sandusky River with even shoreline anglers finding sporadic action on stick style crankbaits and jig and minnow combinations.
Daytime anglers are doing well not only off Huron and Vermillion, but in an area east of Kelleys Island.
For those who don’t want to try for walleyes, fishermen are catching good numbers of jumbo yellow perch along the Cleveland shoreline, and boating anglers are targeting around the east end of the city breakwall.
Again, any Lake Erie fishing now isn’t for the faint of heart, but if you’re tough and rugged you can make a good haul even into December. Or maybe not.
Hooks & Bullets
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Dick Martin is a retired biology teacher who has been writing outdoor columns for over 30 years. You can reach him at richmart@neo.rr.com.