Lake Erie Walleye 2025

[Pequod1]

You picked a good year to try and Tuesday might actually be ok as far as the wind goes.

i also drive from Rochester. You have a few choices to launch.  Closest is the small boat harbor in Buffalo. Head out the south gap and go to the border and fish west along it. The deeper you get, the better. I have been launching at Silver creek about 25 miles west of Buffalo. Two launches there. The state one and a private one called Hannover. Hannover has a fish cleaning station and costs $12. The state costs $7. There also is a smaller one between the two at Hidden harbor. That’s $10.

 Just head straight out and fish with the fleet in 60+ . You can also launch at sturgeon point. It is halfway between Buffalo and silver creek. It costs $15. 
all of these launches offer Sr discounts except the Hannover launch.

 

 

[Shorthanded]

The Catt has been on fire, not sure about east and west of there. 

[billyp]

Thanks  Guys

 

 

[mr 580]

Would like to clarify info on Lake Erie launch sites.  In Chautauqua County  the Town of Hanover operates the launch and fish grinder at the Catt, in Dunkirk City of Dunkirk owns and leases both launch/fish grinder and marina to a 3rd party and Barcelona the Town of Westfield operates the launch.  Barcelona doesn’t have a grinder due to lack of sewers.  In Erie County Sturgeon Point is operated by Town of Evans.  Your launch fees are going to a local municipality.  Westfield and Hanover both place a high value on their access and appreciate the fishing community.  With the great fishing, we’re seeing new visitors to Lake Erie.

[Gator]

On 8/17/2025 at 7:37 PM, Pequod1 said:

You picked a good year to try and Tuesday might actually be ok as far as the wind goes.

i also drive from Rochester. You have a few choices to launch.  Closest is the small boat harbor in Buffalo. Head out the south gap and go to the border and fish west along it. The deeper you get, the better. I have been launching at Silver creek about 25 miles west of Buffalo. Two launches there. The state one and a private one called Hannover. Hannover has a fish cleaning station and costs $12. The state costs $7. There also is a smaller one between the two at Hidden harbor. That’s $10.

 Just head straight out and fish with the fleet in 60+ . You can also launch at sturgeon point. It is halfway between Buffalo and silver creek. It costs $15. 
all of these launches offer Sr discounts except the Hannover launch.

 

 

Yes, but do they offer an "Old Spice" discount? I personally know of someone who grabbed venison from you recently and immediately heard, upon returning to their truck, an advertisement for Old Spice. Coincidence? I don't think so.

[Gill-T]

Both lakes have flipped. Looks like Erie is rebounding today

Edited August 20, 2025 by Gill-T

[Pequod1]

I hope you are right but according to a surface temp web sight I’m looking at, it is still cold from sturgeon west. I’m looking at seagull.glos.org. I’m not sure how accurate their future lake temp predictions are.

I think I’ll go out of buffalo Friday, just in case

 

[SchultzFishingTeamOutdoors]

Left mouth of Catt today 745am took a ride east best action for us 69 to 63 fow turned boat around between Angola and Sturgeon point. Pulled rods at 1130am with a 4 man limit and 1 chromer. water temps got better further east we traveled. 3 color 5 color 7 color leadcores with sticks were best 🔥 Divers with harnesses out 68 to 85 riggers 30 to 40 down with small spoons and burner's. It all worked. Pictures of best stick baits below 110 blanks painted up by Zach Baker.

[Setterman]

Fished out of Dunkirk this weekend for the first time. We had consistent information thanks to the reports here and the local fishing community - this gave us a good idea of where to start. We made it out for a couple hours Thursday evening despite rough conditions and checked some water around the 75 foot mark. We marked fish right away and had constant action until we got blown off. 
 

We fished early Friday morning and smoked em. 75-90 fow. Released two 26 1/2 inchers and a couple others in the 25 inch range. Saturday morning, rinse and repeat. The bite was outstanding. We were back at the dock at 7:30 with our limits. Released a nice 27” walleye - our largest fish of the trip. 
 

Bombers and Challengers on 6 colors and worm burners on #4 Chinooks 80-120 ft on #1 settings. I think we changed lures once after breaking the tail off a bomber in the net. Had several doubles and triples. Rarely had 4 rods in the water. Lots of fun for two guys in a small boat.
 

Thanks to everyone who contributes reports here. They help anglers like me make the most of our time on the water. If you’re considering fishing Erie for the first time, go for it! We had a great experience and look forward to our next adventure. 

[Stillwater]

Sounds like a great couple days. Thanks for sharing.

[Gill-T]

Tons of fish off the Catt still. From the shoal out front 48’ out 72’. Everyone is catching. We fished the shoal for more sporty fight. Three way rigs and downriggers with small worm harnesses.  Two man limit in 1.25 hrs. Lots of bait in upper water levels with hooks down around 20’ that we didn’t even bother with. Plenty of meat on that bone. Get out there!  

[Pequod1]

Good to know. My buddy went out and did the same in the afternoon.  I guess these fish never moved over the past few days.  I’ll be out Monday- Wednesday..

[cheeseyrider]

 New to Lake Erie

17 minutes ago by cheeseyrider

1 FOLLOWER

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 10 VIEWS

Fished Lo for thirty five yrs mostly out of Oak Orchard and Fair Haven Have 210 Thompson well equipped to fish Erie. First attempt at fishing for Waleyes Doing some research and coming up with Walnut Creek Marina on Pa side as a launch site See Barcelona is not too far either don't know how far by miles. Planning on staying a week since it is a long trip from NE Pa Pretty much know methods to fish trying to zero in on places to stay rent close to launches. Would imagine fishing out of Walnut Creek same as Barcelona. Appreciate anyone that is willing to offer any info. Thanks Cheeseyrider

[SchultzFishingTeamOutdoors]

Labor day from the Catt 9/1/25

Took my two son's out of the Catt and headed NW set up in 60fow to 70fow non stop action 1030am to 1pm. Riggers 54 to 64 4,5,7 leadcores and divers on a 2.5 setting out 130 to 140. Pulled rods with our limit and bonus perch, slow rolled back to the launch. Best colors and pics of baits that worked below. Great day had by all and more memories made 🇺🇲

[Pequod1]

Those are really nice plugs. Who makes them? I wouldn’t mind buying a few.  My plug bite has been awful . Tried everything that used to work with  0 success.  Dreamweaver spoons tipped with a worm in watermelon and alewife patterns have been hot along with, of course, the usual harnesses.

we also took a few perch Monday in the same depths and area as you. I’ll look for them again today.

Edited September 3, 2025 by Pequod1

[SchultzFishingTeamOutdoors]

2 hours ago, Pequod1 said:

Those are really nice plugs. Who makes them? I wouldn’t mind buying a few.  My plug bite has been awful . Tried everything that used to work with  0 success.  Dreamweaver spoons tipped with a worm in watermelon and alewife patterns have been hot along with, of course, the usual harnesses.

we also took a few perch Monday in the same depths and area as you. I’ll look for them again today.

That's definitely interesting sticks for me along with small spoons worm burner's and harnesses have been pretty consistent for me this year but I think anything will work right now lol. Ive been running all my sticks off the cores 3 to 7 colors hope that helps. Far as the baits goes I buy the Blanks online and have my good friend Zach Baker do his magic with the painting quality guy quality craftsmanship.

[Pequod1]

I’ll try sticks off the lead cores next time. Today, I headed out the Cat looking for perch starting in 50’.  I marked nothing but walleyes but I could not get them to take until I got to 62’ where I also started  marking more bait.  From 62-70, we got our limit on the usual spoons and harnesses.  Dropped a jig later on when 8 thought I saw some perch, but no luck, just another walleye.😄

[GAMBLER]

Fished the Catt with pequod1 and my nephew yesterday.  We did a North troll and found 75-80 to be the most productive water.  60-65' down was the best depth with riggers.  Spoons and harnesses were the ticket.  We limited by 12:30 and lost 10 fish.  Jim blamed the lost fish on Jeremy and I being trout and salmon guys! .  The highlight of the day was a 29.75" beast that Jim reeled in on a diver.  
 

Edited September 10, 2025 by GAMBLER

[Stillwater]

Great job. Nice lunker too!

[SchultzFishingTeamOutdoors]

On 9/3/2025 at 9:21 AM, AnglingAddict said:

We fished Sunday - we have been fishing 650-700 fow up until this weekend.  Not as action packed as the offshore bite has been but fewer and fewer adults each trip out deep the last 2 weeks.  We started Sunday in 185 fow and found 200-380 our best water.  Some really nice cohos, average adults and a few 2YOs mixed in.  Only ran 4 rods as fish were deep - 135 -165 riggers were good and mag divers on 20# wire got down far enough to generate bites. Currents were bad.  we were 12 for 15 Sunday morning.  Went past the lighthouse at 6am and quit fishing around 11:30.    Both meat and flies for us Sunday - fly bite starting to pick up for sure as it had been all meat and a few spoons offshore.

 

Best flies for us - A-Tom-Mik Mirage, Stud and Glow Stud and Crinkle Green in the sun.  Also took a couple bites on B-Flies and a couple on Glow Hammer early.  

 

2 hours ago, GAMBLER said:

Fished the Catt with pequod1 and my nephew yesterday.  We did a North troll and found 75-80 to be the most productive water.  60-65' down was the best depth with riggers.  Spoons and harnesses were the ticket.  We limited by 12:30 and lost 10 fish.  Jim blamed the lost fish on Jeremy and I being trout and salmon guys! .  The highlight of the day was a 29.75" beast that Jim reeled in on a diver.  
 

Great job! 🇺🇲👍

[Gill-T]

It’s about time you got to Erie this year!!

[GAMBLER]

18 hours ago, Gill-T said:

It’s about time you got to Erie this year!!

Next year, I will be bringing my boat up a couple times!  

[SchultzFishingTeamOutdoors]

9/11/25 left the launch at the Catt 9:30ish started setting up lines 10:00am lines out at noon. 3 man limit with some good first time to Erie friends.  80 to 90 fow was best on a NW troll, speed 2.0 sog Riggers with burner's parked at 65 and 70 divers with harnesses on a 2.5 setting out 150 to 170ish side of 5 colors with sticks courtesy of Zach Baker and other side with  5 color and 7 color with harnesses. It all worked divers shined the best today. Pictures of best colors below another great day on Erie 🇺🇲

Edited September 11, 2025 by SchultzFishingTeamOutdoors

[Gill-T]

With the calm seas we saw an opportunity to try vertical jigging off the Catt with  Steel Shad blade baits and Berkely Finishers. Only one bass and one walleye but holy cow we caught some big reef sheep. Apparently, the rollover kill did not put as big a dent in the population as I thought. 

Edited September 14, 2025 by Gill-T

[whaler1]

1 hour ago, Gill-T said:

With the calm seas we saw an opportunity to try vertical jigging off the Catt with  Steel Shad blade baits and Berkely Finishers. Only one bass and one walleye but holy cow we caught some big reef sheep. Apparently, the rollover kill did not put as big a dent in the population as I thought. 

That’s fantastic. How big?  They fight like warriors at first and then they just give up. Cool fish.