Lake Erie fishing continues to be world-class this year

This summer is shaping up as one of the truly banner seasons for Lake Erie walleye anglers.
That's no small feat, considering Erie has been the Walleye Capital of the World for nearly three decades. Other waters have tried to lay claim to the title, but no lake or river can boast the production that our big lake has yielded since the 1970s.
Recent reports indicate little if any slow-down in the fishing this summer. Throughout the season, reports are that schools of active fish aren't too difficult to locate. Once they are in the right vicinity, anglers are experiencing frequent double hook-ups, quick limits and bragging-size fish, many of them topping eight pounds.
Lake Erie catches in the past week have continued at a fast pace. Anglers are catching walleye on a variety of tactics -- from trolling to drifting.
Trollers are dragging spoons and crankbaits behind downriggers, planers and diving devices, while drifters are finding fish that will gobble spinners and bait.
Much of the better fishing is around the schools of baitfish in water ranging from 40 to 60 feet deep. Huge numbers of walleyes are suspended in relation to the bait pods.
The action is spread all along Ohio's coast and stretches into Pennsylvania, from the western basin's island region to the deep-water central basin from Lorain to Erie, Pa. Many Youngstown-area anglers are reporting excellent fishing close to home off Geneva, Ashtabula and Conneaut.
Out in the western basin, the fishing is spread across a variety of traditional hotspots from Green Island to the Canadian border.
Hatches
Credit for the excellent fishing goes to outstanding hatches of fish spawned in 2003, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife. Bigger fish, survivors of earlier year classes and measuring 30 inches and longer, also are abundant.
The fishing has been good enough that anglers can be selective in the fish they decide to keep. Those who prefer what is popularly known as the "good eaters" can release larger fish with little worry that they'll fail to fill their limit.
Water temperatures have remained fairly moderate this year, which also has contributed to the angling success. Summer's frequent thunderstorms and accompanying wave action have kept the water stirred to the walleyes' liking.
It's interesting to hear the descriptive names that walleye insiders have bestowed on their favorite lure colors. Words like "monkey puke" and "bloody nose" roll from the tongues of walleye experts as easily as "Erie Dearie" and "Dipsey Diver."
Many anglers are taking the opportunity to double their fishing fun by targeting yellow perch before heading to the walleye or going perching after limiting on the 'eyes. The better perch spots often are not far from actively feeding walleyes.
Perchers are finding active schools of average-size fish anywhere from 40 to 55 feet down. Jumbos also are part of this summer's equation, though the typical catch will range from 7 to 11 inches.
It's nice to have choices. Some anglers prefer the taste of yellow perch, but eschew the chore of cleaning several limits. And few would argue the table value of the much more fillet-knife friendly walleyes.
jwwollitz@aol.com