Fisherman pack your poles and ready your bait because Lake Erie is, quite literally, swimming with walleye.
Walleye, which are also called pickerel, yellow pike, walleyed pike, or white salmon, are a large freshwater sport fish. They typically range in size from 14 to 22 inches and weigh 2 to 4 pounds, however, they can get as large as 36 inches and 16 pounds (ODNR 2012). Walleye are found throughout most of the northern United States and Canada; they prefer cold water to warm water and like to rest on the sandy or rocky bottoms of rivers, streams, and lakes. This fish gets its name from the reflective film of pigment covering its eyes that helps it see in murky waters; this pigment also makes them more sensitive to light and active at night (American Expedition 2015). Walleye are also well renowned for their flavor.
The walleye’s value as a sport fish makes it a well monitored species. Last year a record breaking number of of 188,701 walleye were fished from Lake Erie (Hilts 2019). The good news does not end there. Every August, biologists take nets and survey about 40 locations between Toledo and Huron for young walleye (Hlavaty 2019). The most recent conclusion? Fishing is bound to be pretty good. Matt Wolf, a fishery biologist for the Ohio division of Wildlife, stated that this year’s hatch of walleye is the second-highest on record for Ohio’s waters. It’s larger than the twenty-year average of walleye hatches. In fact, the total number of walleye in the lake is estimated to have gone from 41 million fish in 2018 to 45 million fish age 2 and older in 2019 (Hilts 2019). Because walleye can live up to around 20 years, this bounty is bound to have a lasting effect on future fishing (Hlavaty 2019).
So, where’s the best spot in Lake Erie to fish? According to Cleveland.com, walleye have been caught “in good numbers” in 70 to 75 feet of water off Ashtabula, 65 to 72 feet of water off Edgewater Park and Wildwood Park in the Cleveland area and in 50 to 55 feet of water off Lorain (Egan 2019). Lake Erie’s western basin, which has an depth of about 25′ is known for being a particularly good spot for catching walleye (Lake Erie Western Basin 2014).
Good luck and happy fishing.
PHOTO SOURCE
Knepp, Timothy. Walleye (Sander vitreus) from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Accessed September 20, 2019 (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Walleye_painting.jpg)
REFRENCES
American Expedition (2015) Walleye Information, Photos, and Facts. Retrieved September 20, 2019, retrieved from https://forum.americanexpedition.us/walleye-facts
Egan, D’arcy (2019, September 20) Lake Erie walleye hitting; yellow perch are hit-and-miss: Fishing Report for Sept. 20. Retrieved September 20, 2019, retrieved from https://www.cleveland.com/sports/2019/09/lake-erie-walleye-hitting-yellow-perch-are-hit-and-miss-fishing-report-for-sept-20.html
Hilts, Bill. (2019, April 17) Get Ready for Another Spectacular Fishing Year on Lake Erie. The Buffalo News, The Buffalo News, 17 Apr. 2019, buffalonews.com/2019/04/17/outdoors-fishing-recreation-lake-erie-ontario-bass-steelhead-walleye-2019/.
Hlavaty, Kaylyn (2019, September 19) ODNR says Lake Erie will be the place for Walleye, perch anglers. Retrieved September 20, 2019, retrieved from https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/oh-cuyahoga/odnr-says-lake-erie-will-be-the-place-for-walleye-perch-anglers
Lake Erie Western Basin. (2014). Retrieved November 8, 2019, from http://lakeeriefisherman.com/western-basin/.
ODNR (2012) Walleye – Sander vitreus. Retrieved September 20, 2019, retrieved from http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/species-and-habitats/species-guide-index/fish/walleye