What to Expect on Lake Erie

Lake Erie is the 11th largest lake in the world and the home of some of the greatest fish. With years of fisherman experience, the captains at Erie Drifter always find the greatest fish on Lake Erie! I wanted to share the most common fish that we look for, as it gives you a quick glimpse of what to expect on a Lake Erie fishing charter.

Walleye - One of the most common types of fish we find on our Lake Erie Charters is walleye. The name walleye comes from the appearance of the fish. The fish’s eyes point outward, as if it was looking at the walls. Walleye’s are mainly olive and gold in color. The average Lake Erie Walleye typically grows to around 30 inches in length and about 20 pounds! The best time to go walleye fishing is at dawn or dusk. Walleye also like to come out on cloudy or overcast days under choppy conditions. In the spring and fall, the best place to find walleye is near the shallower areas due to the spawning grounds. Because of the immense amount of walleye, Lake Erie is known as the “walleye capital of the world”. If you are looking to catch prime walleye, consider finding a Lake Erie fishing charter.

Perch - Another kind of fish you will commonly find on Lake Erie is Perch. A typical perch is somewhat long and rounded with rough scales. Perch are most commonly found in small ponds, lakes, streams and rivers. When it comes to sport fishing, perch is very common. The best methods of catching great perch, are by float fishing and lure fishing. Not only are perch great to eat, you will always have a ball catching them! Perch put up a fight, you must always stay on your toes and be ready for a great catch! There are three types of perch including European perch, Blkhash perch and Yellow perch. On Lake Erie, you will find a ton of Yellow perch! Compared to the other types of perch, Yellow perch are smaller and paler. Yellow perch are found in northern United States and southern Canada. The perch we have found on Lake Erie typically reach about 15 inches long and just over 2 pounds. 

Smallmouth Bass - The smallmouth bass is another popular freshwater fish found on Lake Erie. Smallmouth bass are generally brown with red bulging eyes. Smallmouth bass are found in clearer water than largemouth. Smallmouth bass are commonly found in streams, rivers and rocky areas. When fishing on Lake Erie, smallmouth bass are commonly caught on wide range natural and artificial baits or lures. When preparing for your fishing trip to find smallmouth bass, don’t forget to bring along crank baits, hair jigs and soft plastic lures. 

You can expect to find Walleye, Perch and Smallmouth Bass on your next fishing trip on Lake Erie. To explore the finest parts of the lake, consider contacting a Lake Fishing Charter. 

Looking for more information on fish you can commonly find on Lake Erie? Contact Erie Drifter or visit our Facebook page for more talk on fish!