Put-in-Bay Ohio Fishing, Charters, Licenses, Ohio DNR, Lake Erie Walleye, Lake Erie Perch, Lake Erie Smallmouth Bass
Sport fishing at Put-in-Bay and surrounding lake Erie rivals that on any lake in the country, Walleye, yellow perch, smallmouth bass and steelhead trout fishing, you couldn't ask for a better or more versatile fishery than Lake Erie and the shoals around Put-in-Bay.
The spring fishing season starts when the icy waters around Put-in-Bay's winter season recede. Anglers begin taking walleyes from western basin reefs, Maumee Bay and Sandusky Bay. Yellow perch fishing is also very productive, including many limit catches. Many hotels and home rentals offer reduced rates in the spring and fall for anglers wishing to enjoy the thrill of fishing Put-in-Bay and its surrounding waters.
Put-in-Bay Lake Erie Walleye
Fishing for the Put-in-Bay's number one sport fish should continue to be good. Last year, anglers filled coolers with many limit catches of Put-in-Bay's most popular game fish and this trend should continue. Anglers should anticipate reeling in many 17 to 18-inch and 22 to 26-inch fish are not uncommon around Put-in-Bay. The current state record walleye was caught off Cleveland in November 1999 and weighed 16.19 pounds, a remnant of the large 1986-year class.
The walleye harvest last year on the Ohio waters of Lake Erie was 1.2 million fish, slightly higher than the two previous years. Walleye catch rates last year were the highest since 1998, with catch rates for private boat anglers peaking in July at more than one walleye for every two hours of fishing. Catch rates for charter boat anglers peaked in July at just under one walleye per hour.
About 35 percent of the walleyes caught last year were fish from a strong hatch in years past. These two-year-old fish averaged 14 to 16 inches. A reduced bag limit, which took effect in March 2001, will help conserve these young fish. Ohio's reduced bag limit was part of measures taken in a walleye management agreement with the Lake Erie states and Ontario to help rebuild Lake Erie walleye stocks from lows in the late 1990s.
The reduced bag limit for Ohio anglers remains in effect at four walleyes during March and April and six walleyes the remainder of the year however this is subject to change and you should always check with state officials to verify.
Put-in-Bay Lake Erie Perch
Anglers and other vacationers planning a visit to Put-in-Bay this summer will not want to miss out on the fishing fun provided by Lake Erie's yellow perch, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. Fishing for this popular species has all the ingredients for the perfect family activity while visiting Put-in-Bay.
"Perch jerking" is fun and affordable, and requires the simplest of fishing techniques. They are abundant, widespread, and easy to catch. A family can go to a shoreline pier or break wall or out in a small boat around Put-in-Bay and catch good-size yellow perch without expensive or sophisticated equipment. As an added bonus, catches of this tastiest-fish-in-the-lake can provide the evening meal and is served at many Put-in-Bay restaurants (insert link to dining). Catches range 8 to 12 inches, which are relatively large for yellow perch.
Each year, Put-in-Bay anglers fill their coolers with more yellow perch. Despite the popularity of walleye, yellow perch takes center stage in late summer and fall. While some anglers fish for yellow perch spring through fall, the traditional perch fishing months are August through October when perch are concentrated in large schools near shore. The best action and highest catch rates occur in September and October, when limit catches of 30 fish per angler are often caught within two or three hours of fishing near Put-in-Bay.
Yellow perch tend to move offshore in the summer months, moving closer to shore as waters cool in the fall (10 to 20 foot depths in the western basin, and 20 to 40 foot or more depths in the central basin.)
Yellow perch are well distributed, with traditional hot spots surrounding Put-in-Bay. From shore or from a boat, anglers need not go far to find a school of perch. Once you get into a school, the action can be fast and furious. The fish's quick, light to medium tugs or "perch jerking'" on the rig makes perch fishing loads of fun. Doubles and triples, more than one perch taking separate baits on the same rig at one time are common.
The traditional fishing method used for catching perch is fun and easy to master. The equipment is simple, no casting is involved, and for kids, catching lots of smaller fish such as perch is much more satisfying than catching fewer, bigger fish such as walleyes. There are a few shops at Put-in-Bay that carry basic perch fishing equipment.
The simplest and most effective technique uses two or three hooks attached to a spreader or "perch rig" and weighted with a sinker of up to two ounces. This is baited with emerald shiners or minnows and dropped to the bottom. (Anglers also use dead, salted minnows, night crawlers, red worms or perch belly meat as a substitute for live minnows.) Anglers are most successful by varying the location of the bait on or near the bottom in a jigging fashion, moving the rig up and down in the water column.
Walk on charter boats (holding 20 to 50 people) are available at a reasonable cost at many major ports along Put-in-Bay's shoreline with most operating twice a day for morning and afternoon excursions. The cost is around $25 per person, compared to hiring a private charter for up to six people that goes for about $400 to $450.
Whether fishing from shore or charter boat, don't forget to take along a camera to capture the fun and memories of fishing Put-in-Bay on film. A photograph also gives the kids something to "show and tell" their friends about their Put-in-Bay perch jerking adventure.
Put-in-Bay Lake Erie Smallmouth Bass
Knowing the habits of smallmouth bass is key to maximizing fishing success at Put-in-Bay. Smallmouth bass have relatively limited home ranges and do not move great distances in Lake Erie. They are attracted to bottom structure, such as rock, rubble, gravel, and sand substrates located around Put-in-Bay.
As water temperatures exceed 50 degrees in the spring, adult smallmouth move from deep-water wintering sites to shallow spawning areas within the lake. Spawning usually occurs in May at depths of 4 to 20 feet and at water temperatures between 55 and 65 degrees.
By July, adult smallmouth move to summer feeding areas where water temperatures are 65 to 75 degrees. The depth of their summering areas depends on water clarity, available forage and weather. As water temperatures drop below 50 degrees, smallies move to deeper waters in their home zone, where they remain in a semi-dormant condition during the winter months.
Rocky structures are key. Look for: gravel bottoms, rocky ledges, shelves, drop-offs, humps, shoals, reefs, break walls, piers, rocky and rip rap shorelines, and rocky bottoms in open water areas around Put-in-Bay.
Boat anglers have more of an advantage by drifting and moving from spot to spot. But shore anglers catch their share of sallies from rocky shorelines, piers, break walls and docks around Put-in-Bay, all popular haunts of smallmouth.
Many anglers use jigs, plastic worms or scented baits fished over rocky bottoms in 8 to 20 feet of water. Live baits generally provide the best success, with crayfish and shiner minnows the preferred choice. A traditional presentation still successful today is a lead-headed jig tipped with a piece of night crawler, or plastic worm, grub or tube bait. Anglers also cast artificial baits, including crank baits, jigs, spinners and spoons.
Baits and lures are worked along shallow reef bottoms, shoals and ledges, and near the lake bottom along rocky shorelines in the spring and fall. Anglers generally find better success in mid-summer by fishing along rocky bottoms in open water and near-shore areas around Put-in-Bay.
Most bass anglers practice catch-and-release. But for those who prefer to keep their catch, Ohio law requires that Lake Erie smallmouth bass less than 14 inches long be released back into the lake. There is a daily bag limit of five fish per angler.
Some smallmouth hot spots in the western basin include the Put-in-Bay; Kelley's Island and surrounding small islands; the near-shore reef complex west of Port Clinton; Sandusky Bay; and the near-shore areas, shorelines and piers along Marblehead, Catawba and Sandusky.
Excellent central basin smallmouth territories include Ruggles Reef off Vermilion; the artificial reefs off Lorain and Cleveland; break walls at Huron, Vermilion, Lorain, Fairport Harbor, Conneaut and Ashtabula; the break wall at Perry Nuclear Power Station east of Fairport Harbor; and near-shore areas from Fairport Harbor to Conneaut.
Safety Tips for spring boating around Put-in-Bay
Dedicated anglers know boats provide greater access to elusive yet productive Put-in-Bay fishing sites. In fact, more than 25 percent of the state's 417,000 registered watercraft are used solely for fishing, with an additional 50 percent used for fishing and general recreation, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).
As warmer air temperatures lead more fishermen to take their boats out on Ohio waters, state watercraft officials urge caution as water temperatures remain colder than air temperatures. Such conditions make hypothermia a threat to those who are unexpectedly thrown in the water. The ODNR Division of Watercraft offers the following safety tips to keep summer boating outing safe and enjoyable while fishing Put-in-Bay:
- Check the latest weather forecast and keep an eye to the sky
Prepare for the possibility of encountering bad weather on every boat outing. Strong winds and waves brought on by bad weather increase the risks of a boater ending up in the water. If the sky looks threatening, head for the Put-in-Bay Harbor. Many spring storms move very quickly.
- Always wear a life jacket
A life jacket keeps a person afloat even after the shock of falling into cold water. Additionally, life jackets provide excellent insulation against cold, wind and rain. Ohio law requires that all watercraft be equipped with a Coast Guard-approved, wearable lifejacket for each person on board. Lifejackets must also be worn at all times by children under 10 years of age on boats less than 18 feet.
- Dress for the water temperature not the air temperature
While the days at Put-in-Bay may be warm and sunny, water temperatures stay cooler longer. One of the major causes of boating fatalities is hypothermia, the rapid reduction of body temperature, which occurs when boaters fall into cold water.
- File a Put-in-Bay "Float Plan"
Tell family or a trusted friend the general area of the waterway you plan to use, whom you are taking with you, when you are leaving and when you plan to return. Include information about your vehicle, boat and watercraft registration number. Remember to let that person know when you have returned safely.
- Keep a proper lookout
Not following this basic navigation rule is a leading cause of accidents. Always be aware of your surroundings before changing course or speed.
- Do not overload a boat
An overloaded boat sits lower in the water, which increases the chances of swamping or capsizing by waves. Do not exceed the carrying capacity in passengers or total gear. Keep as much weight as possible in the middle of the boat. To keep the boat riding high in the water, limit the load to only essential items.
- Boat sober
Alcohol and boating do not mix. Alcohol affects balance, vision, judgment and coordination, all factors of safe boating. Research has shown that when combined with boating stressors such as sun, wind, noise, vibration and motion, alcohol can impair a person on the water much faster than on land. It is illegal to operate a watercraft under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- Operate at a safe speed
Boats don't have brakes, so always operate at a speed at which you are sure you can stop your boat to avoid a collision.
Useful Put-in-Bay Fishing Links
Ice Fishing information
Information about ice fishing and preparing for an excursion to Put-in-Bay for winter ice fishing.
Lake Erie Walleye
The official site of Lake Erie Walleye fishing around Put-in-Bay. Many helpful articles to improve your chances for a winning catch at Put-in-Bay Ohio
Walleye Central
The largest of all walleye sites, this comprehensive website promises to provide "more walleye information than you can handle." This site includes featured articles on how and where to catch a good walleye at Put-in-Bay. It offers articles, a store, a message board, a chat site and more. It's a place where walleye fishermen can ask for and give advice about fishing Put-in-Bay. Lots of photos of fish. It has hyperlinks to the major walleye fishing clubs. Join the forum and learn more about fishing Put-in-Bay
Great Lakes Angler Magazine
A great publication covering Great Lakes fishing and Put-in-Bay. Offers fishing tournament information including those competing around Put-in-Bay.
In Fisherman
This website for the Popular TV show features information on Put-in-bay Walleye fishing, Put-in-Bay perch fishing and general Great Lakes information.
Ohio Department of Natural Resources Fishing Report
The official website for the state of Ohio Department of natural resources offers up to the moment fishing reports for the waters of Lake Erie surrounding Put-in-Bay. Charter Boat Captains from Put-in-Bay as well as Put-in-Bay locals report current fishing conditions and where the hot spots are around Put-in-Bay.
Great Lakes Sport Fishing Council
A collection of organizations and individuals involved in sport fishing and the natural and stocked resources that make this fishing possible, and the ecosystem of the Great Lakes including Put-in-Bay. It has news on Put-in-Bay fishing, local Put-in-Bay fishing reports, links to angler Web pages, tournaments, state and federal agencies, and fishing clubs. Fish Ohio A section of the main site is devoted to Ohio and Put-in-Bay and calls itself Ohio Anglers Online. It has links to Put-in-Bay fishing charters, fishing clubs and associations, Ohio fishing reports, Department of Natural Resources sites, and the home pages of Ohio members.
Boat Ohio
If you are coming to Put-in-Bay to fish from a boat, this is a great website! Check out the Angler's Alley section for great Put-in-Bay fishing reports, fishing regulations, on-line application for a license to fish Put-in-Bay, and a Put-in-bay weather forecast.
GPS Coordinates for Put-in-Bay and surrounding Islands
A great resource for pinpointing your desired fishing location around Put-in-Bay
National Data Buoy weather for Put-in-Bay
Current weather information for Put-in-Bay and the surrounding islands.
Ohio DNR Fishing
The State of Ohio DNR FIshing Home Page
Places To Stay in Put-in-Bay
Put-in-Bay Hotels, Put-in-Bay Motels, Put-in-Bay Guesthouses, Put-in-Bay Bed & Breakfasts, Put-in-Bay Resorts, Put-in-Bay Vacation Properties, Put-in-Bay Camping & RV Parks, Put-in-Bay Accommodation Booking Services, Hotels in Put-in-Bay Ohio
Put-in-Bay Attractions and Activities - things to do and see
Put-in-Bay Attractions & Activities, Put-in-Bay Sightseeing, Kayaking, Fishing in Put-in-Bay, Put-in-Bay Watersports, Put-in-Bay Shopping, Put-in-Bay Parks, Put-in-Bay Beaches, Put-in-Bay Restaurants, Putinbay Bars
Put-in-Bay Services - Everything you need to plan your vacation
Put-in-Bay Real Estate, Put-in-Bay Wedding Planning, Places of Worship, Associations, Transportation to Put-in-Bay, Travel Services, Put-in-Bay Maps, Put-in-Bay Calendar of Events, Local Put-in-Bay Daily News
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