Page 5 - Fishing Report | 7-12-17

limit of walleye out there Sunday morning. Due to high winds we were
drifting with worm harnesses in 53 to 60 feet of water. We marked and
caught fish the whole time we were out there. We probably threw back 30
walleyes. Earlier in the week we tried our luck perch fishing but didn’t catch
any…so we turned to walleye and caught plenty; one day off Walnut in 50
feet, the other day off the Point in 53 feet. There have been some reports
of perch limits East of Shades Beach around 50 feet and some catches off
Walnut in 53 feet. Unfortunately there is no consistency to the perch bite.

Here at Erie Sports Store, we are continuing our fishing sales…with rods,
reels and lures at 20% off. We also just started our firearm ammo sale with
Jim Rzomp’s Erie ‘eye
huge savings on guns and ammo. (photo)

Mike @ Lake Erie Bait & Tackle; filed 7-10: On the main lake right now, it’s the best walleye
fishing we have seen in years. There are many sub-legal ‘eyes being caught along with legal fish,

too – maybe 20 to 30 throwbacks for each legal walleye. However, the perch fishing is hit or
miss – no consistent catches…no one is having a good perch season so far; lots of guys switch-
ing to walleye. The smallmouth bass have pretty much moved out of PIB and back to the lake;
but largemouth bass are in the bay and biting. Emerald shiners are missing as well. We got a
good load of emeralds in our nets the other day, but it’s not consistent.

Andy @ Presque Isle Angler: filed 7-10: The Erie Story this year is the missing yellow perch and
emerald shiners. I’ve got to spend most of my day hunting emeralds so I can get just enough for
our shops to survive. But don’t need a big load of shiners because no one is catching perch. Go

figure. I’ve talked to state resource officials in PA, OH and NY, and commercial fishermen across
the lake – no one has an answer to what is going on with perch and emerald shiners. But wall-
eyes – small ones at least – are everywhere. Anglers are catching so many sublegal walleye that
I’m worried about survival of these short fish…when you tow around a little walleye hooked
with a big treble on a board for a period of time before you realize it – what are its survival
chances? For example, one charter captain told me that his boat caught 680 short walleye be-

fore landing a limit of walleyes over the weekend. Our head boat sat in the dock over the week-
end due to a lack of bookings as result of poor perch fishing.

Jeff @ Poor Richards; filed 7-10: Walleye, walleye, walleye everywhere from 35 feet to 70 feet.
Lots of small ones in close; need to get out to 60 to 70 feet to up the catch percentage of keep-
er fish. Best colors for harnesses have been purple & black, copper and watermelon. I have not
seen any ‘eyes over 10 pounds yet. Perch? They were catching some in 50 to 55 feet of water
west of Walnut the other day, but likely they will be gone when anglers can get back out after

this blow. Looks like it is going to be a rough weather week.

Dan @ Elk Creek Sports; filed 7-10: Beginning to sound like a broken record…lots of small wall-
eyes with some keepers mixed in and practically no perch. With so many walleyes in shallower