Best Fishing Spots on Lake Erie (USA & Canada Best Spots)

Similar to the other Great Lakes, Erie offers great and immense fishing opportunities for many fish species. Popular ports and entry locations that are used for this lake include Cleveland, Toledo, Sandusky, Erie, and Buffalo.

Arguably the best fishing spots on Lake Erie are the mouth of Detroit River, Rondeau Provincial Park, off the village of Put-In-Bay, and Middle Bass Island. These are the most consistent producing locations for big fish on the lake.

The lake itself is split horizontally down the middle with the northern half being the territory of Canada and the southern being territory of the United States. Later in the article, we will discuss what fishing in both countries on Lake Erie looks like. Offshore, the best fishing on Lake Erie is. Limitless and with the immense amount of shoreline along the lake and the parks and fishing access sites that dot it, there is ample fishing along the shore as well.

So what are a few spots that are great for fishing? Let’s look at a few offshore locations and a few rivers and streams as well. These locations were chosen based on their popularity, location, and simply good fishing.

Best 3 Offshore Fishing Locations on Lake Erie

Offshore fishing on Lake Erie can be very good just about anywhere you boat to and can yield huge catches and fun for the entire day. Being a freshwater lake, however, you should be looking for natural cover or islands that offer drastic changes in depth and temperature.

Offshore fishing via watercraft will usually involve trolling or artificial casting near a shore or object. Trolling here is typically done with bait, plugs, spinners, and spoons. For offshore fishing, you may consider a guide or charter as they will know the local scene best.

Another tactic to finding out what’s working on Erie is simple word of mouth. Local bait and tackle shops are usually very happy to help you put the right stuff in your cart for the area.

Detroit River Mouth

A great offshore fishing location of Lake Erie is the mouth of the Detroit River where the river enters Erie to the northwest of the lake. Common locations to launch are Grosse Isle, and Gibraltar, or Monroe Michigan.

This location in the fall and late spring can be a great place to troll during the salmon spawn. Be sure to catch spawn early to get on the salmon as they are entering the river systems.

Lake Erie and Lake Huron to the north share an interesting connection via the Detroit River with Lake St. Clair being in the middle of the stretch of rivers. Offshore fishing yields good results at nearly any river mouth during the early spawn.

Rondeau Provincial Park

If you are fishing on the Canadian side of Lake Erie, the Rondeau Provincial Park offers natural shoreline cover for fish and with its angled peninsula, it can be a great place to troll with bait or plugs.

Fishing springtime on Erie is a great experience for fish in the Percidae family such as perch and the highly sought-after Walleye. This location offers a food amount of cover for them and can be a great place to stop if fished right.

Simple artificials can be used with good success here as well, cast towards shore from a boat. Fish will usually be found in more shallow water when the temperature drops, so early mornings would work great here.

Put-In Bay & Middle Bass

These two islands can be found on the popular port in Sandusky. This entire area and island system are all very close to each other and there rea abundant fishing locations.

Your entire trip to the area can be fished just in this area, with salmon, walleye, and perch running between the islands around the clock. Most of those Islands have lodging and marinas that can be launch points for your trip as well.

There are a number of islands that are not necessarily named that can be easily trolled around and in between as well. This location offers a complex environment for fish that drives schools of them to the area.

Recommended Fishing Charters on Lake Erie

I strongly recommend checking out the following highly recommended fishing guides on Lake Erie. They bring years of experience and are certain to deliver your best fishing experience. Click any of the links below to read customer reviews, learn about each service, check availability, and book your next charter at the best price online.

• Billy D Charters (Port Clinton, OH)
• Eyepopper Fishing Charters (Lorain, OH)
• Pacifictime Sportfishing (Erie, PA)
• Lake Erie Charter Service LLC (Lorain, OH)
• Fishhound Charters (Lakeside Marblehead, OH)
• Reef Bobber Fishing Charters (Lakeside Marblehead, OH)
• Tail Chaser Fishing Charters (Lakeside Marblehead, OH)

For a complete breakdown of the best fishing charters in Lakeside Marblehead, please check out this helpful article we wrote.

Best 3 Inland Fishing Locations on Lake Erie

Inland fishing off of Lake Erie is going to be primarily rivers and streams where salmon make their journey inland every spawn cycle. The benefits of. fishing the river systems is fly fishing may be more prevalent and tactical than other methods.

The waters inland off of Erie offer great fly fishing for anglers that bring riverboats looking to float for days on end. Fly fishing here may be different from where you normally fish and this is where tapping into the local resources will be very important.

Local outfitters dot the river systems and can help you within reason to plan a trip solo along the rivers of Erie but if you are new to the area, you may consider hiring a guide to make sure you get the best experience.

Here are 3 locations that offer great inland fishing that offer amenities and possibly guide services as well. All of these locations are extremely popular during spawn season but understand that the fishing here is excellent anytime.

Niagara River

The Niagara River begins in the northeast corner of Lake Erie and runs into Lake Ontario further northeast. This river is impassable however due to the Niagara Falls but offers a great fishing experience for anglers nearly right up to the falls.

The best location to launch from in this area is Buffalo, New York. The nice thing about Buffalo is its proximity to the main body of Erie as well, which. Makes it a great spot for those fishing rivers and the main lake on the same trip.

Fishing the River itself is easy enough with artificials such as Rapalas and spoons as well as bait. Fly fishing the river is easily done in calmer waters as well. The Niagara River splits into two rivers and travels around Grand Island. The majority of United States-owned water is on the east side of this island, an important thing to know if fishing strictly in the United States.

Portage River

Portage River starts at the town of Port Clinton and the town offers an inlet for the Portage River. The river itself is smaller and less fished than some of the other rivers and runs all the way inland to Bowling Green.

This river splits into smaller rivers inland that are great for fly fishing. Spawn our no spawn the fly fishing on this river is great and with many launch points to utilize it can be a great trip for the whole family.

Fly fishing here is usually done with your typical flies such as wooly buggers and nymph flies. Many anglers during spawn rely heavily on yarn attachments with colors usually being pink and yellow.

Toledo River

The Toledo River enters the mainland through the city of Toledo at the southwest end of Lake Erie. From the mouth of the river, you can fish a great distance through the city itself but further inland you can also find more remote areas of the river to fish.

Further inland, the city of Grand Rapids is a popular launching point for the river if you are avoiding the major cities and it is near Napoleon which is a slightly larger city.

Fishing this river is very fly fisherman friendly and if you are not fishing from a boat, the city of Napoleon offers many great streams and creeks for anglers to the south. One could make a good day’s drive stopping at the creeks along the river heading inland.

For a complete breakdown of the best fishing locations in Ohio to include Lake Erie, please check out this helpful article I wrote.

Does Cleveland Have Good Fishing?

Cleveland itself offers abundant fishing opportunities with the Metro Parks System which allocates reservations for land that are perfect habitat for sport fish such as bass, bluegill, and catfish.

These areas offer more than just spring and summer fishing, many are very popular ice fishing destinations as well and are very busy year round. Here are a few areas that the Metro Park system operates in and around the city of Cleveland.

• Big Creek Reservation
• Bradley Woods Reservation
• Euclid Creek Reservation
• Hinckley Reservation
• Lakefront Reservation
• Mill Stream Run Reservation
• North Chagrin Reservation
• Ohio and Erie Canal Reservation
• Rocky River Reservation
• South Chagrin Reservation
• Buyers Pond
• E 72nd Fishing Area

Is it Better to Fish Erie From the US or Canada?

Many outfitters argue that the fishing is better on the Canadian side of the lake rather than the Ohio side. The problem with that is the licensing for fishing Canadian waters. 

To fish in Canada you need to have a canadian fishing permit as well as a passport or enhanced picture ID. Objectively, however, the Canadian side of Erie is not much different than the Ohio side.

If river fishing is your goal, you may find more luck on the United States side rather than the Canadian side due to the higher number of inlets. The Ohio side of the lake also has half of the islands we mentioned earlier.

The Ohio side of Lake Erie simply has more civilization to launch from as well. Cleveland, Toledo, and Buffalo to name a few. Canada may be better in some ways, but for an American toy legally fish their waters it takes quite a bit of preparing.

Most Sought After Game Fish

There are many fish that you Cana catch on Lake Eire and its many inland waters. Fish species here thrive under the biological supervision of the state’s biology and game departments.

Here is a list of sportsfish mist often sought by local and visiting anglers. These species are indicated by what waterbodies their populations can be found.

Salmon

Species include Chinook, Coho, Pink, Atlantic, Char, and their inland family, Steelhead. Salmon are by far the most interesting fish in Lake Erie based on their unique spawning behavior.

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth Bass can be found in areas where heavy cover is prevalent as well as caught through the ice in shallow waters and inland ponds. An inland pond or river that accommodates cover is best suited for the species. The Cleveland Metro Park system is a great way to catch bass.

Walleye

Walleye are an extremely predacious fish that are common in the main lake itself as well as inland waters. Walleye are caught well during any season, but ice fishing is arguably the best season to catch them.

Sunfish & Bluegill

This species makes for a great fish to pursue on the Metro Parks System in Cleveland. They are not as predacious as a bass but are primarily found in pond environments like bass are.

Perch

Perch are very close to walleye genetically and have the same predacious behavior. Many anglers come to Erie in the fall to fish for perch. They are generally smaller than their walleye cousins but they put up a good fight and make for table fare.

What is the Best Season For Fishing Lake Erie?

Determining the season that you want to fish on Lake Erie will depend on what you are pursuing. If you are chasing salmon, spawning season will likely determine when you arrive.

Ice fishing in the Great Lakes is a very big event and many argue ice fishing is the best way to fish the lakes. Walleye are ravenous during this time and can be caught very well.

Bass and Sunfish will likely be best during the warmer months as the ponds and creeks around the lake will freeze in winter. Salmon spawn usually happens in the fall and this is the most popular time to come fish for them.

Do You Need a Boat To Fish Lake Erie

No, you do not need a boat. The best fishing will be found via boat but many areas around the lake offer great shore fishing. Bait is usually the favorite technique for fishing from shore but artificials work as well.

A common way to shore fish the lake is to camp at campgrounds on a trip from Toledo to Buffalo. Most campgrounds offer access to fishing and the trip can be easily planned for the whole family.

If you do not own a boat but want the boating experience, consider a guide or an outfitter. They can get you on the water and can even help you iron out the details to fish the Canadian side if you would like.

Boats are also different on Erie than they are elsewhere. Lake Erie itself is treated like the sea rather than a lake and. Because of that, smaller boats may not work very well, especially if going into open water is your goal. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish Lakeside Marblehead, check out this article. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Port Clinton, check out this helpful guide.