The Great Lakes are at the heart of their spring run this week. Lake Erie walleye are at full peak in the western basin, Lake Michigan salmon trolling is building, and smallmouth bass are beginning their spawn.
Lake Erie — Walleye Peak
The western basin is at full walleye peak. Trolling deep-diving stickbaits and bottom-bouncers with worm harnesses around the reefs and shoals is producing limits daily. The Bass Islands, Pelee Island, and Kelly’s Island areas are all stacked. Casting jigs tipped with minnows at the reef edges in 12–20 feet is hooking up fast. Some monster walleye over 10 lbs are getting caught on the jig bite. Fish will start migrating east as water warms past 60°F.
Lake Michigan — Salmon Trolling
King salmon and coho are spreading out and the trolling fleet is dialing in. Run spoons and meat rigs at 40–80 feet down in 80–150 feet of water. The Wisconsin side (Milwaukee, Sheboygan) and the Indiana shore (Michigan City) are both producing solid limits. Lake trout are stacked on the deep humps for jiggers.
Smallmouth Bass Spawn
Smallmouth bass spawn is beginning across the system. Sturgeon Bay (Wisconsin), Lake St. Clair, and the islands of Lake Erie are all loaded with pre-spawn and spawning smallies. Tubes and jerkbaits in 4–10 feet over hard bottom is producing. Catch-and-release on spawning beds — the fish are at their most vulnerable.
Steelhead and Northern Pike
Steelhead are winding down in the Lake Erie tribs but a few are still being caught in the Ohio and PA streams. Pike are post-spawn and active in the marshes and weedy bays — large jerkbaits and spinnerbaits.
Specific Spots This Week
Lake Erie western basin is the headline — trolling Renosky stickbaits and Husky Jerks at 1.5–2.0 mph in 18–28 feet around the islands. The reef complex at Niagara, Crib, and Toussaint is producing limits to anglers casting jigs tipped with minnows. The Bass Islands area is loaded. Lake Michigan salmon trolling has been best from Algoma south through Milwaukee — run J-Plug spoons and meat rigs at 40–80 feet down in 80–150 feet. Lake Trout jiggers are killing it on the deep humps off Frankfort and Manistee in 100–200 feet. Smallmouth pre-spawn is firing in Sturgeon Bay and Lake St. Clair — tubes and jerkbaits on the rocky shorelines in 6–12 feet of water.
Conditions and Outlook
Water temp 50–58°F across the system. New moon Saturday. South winds Wednesday/Thursday, switching west Friday. Erie walleye bite is the headline.
Local Intel This Week
Western Lake Erie around Kelley’s Island and Pelee — trolling deep-diving stickbaits at 2.0-2.5 mph in 18-25 feet is producing 5-fish walleye limits in 2 hours. Lake Michigan trolling out of Saugatuck and Sheboygan is firing on kings and coho at 50-80 feet down. The Sturgeon Bay smallmouth spawn is on — tubes in 4-8 feet over hard bottom, catch-and-release only. Multi-state licenses required. Walleye 15-inch minimum in OH waters of Erie, 6 fish bag. Tight lines.