6/23/26 Lake Erie Fishing Report

June 23, 2026

6/23/26 Central Basin Lake Erie Fishing Report:



Walleyes are in big numbers in the Central Basin of Lake Erie. Short runs offshore and fast, constant fishing have been the norm over the last week. Making the move to Lorain, Ohio was the smartest decision I have made thus far this season. So much of a good decision, we will be moving the first week of June every year from now on to ensure all of our clients are on the best fishing Lake Erie has to offer! 

Family group with a cooler full of Lake Erie Walleyes.
A women with a Fish Ohio and a cooler full of Lake Erie Walleye's.

Skies have been partly cloudy, with a few rain showers nothing major; seas have been in the 3 ft range for the most part. If you have been on Lake Erie before in Port Clinton, Ohio, and think 3-foot seas, “No Thank You!” The Central Basin has much more to offer due to its deeper waters. Central Basin waves are not stacked on top of one another; they are much more spread out, giving for a bobbing motion, not a violent slam in the western short chop. 

Fishing cannot really be any better than right now! We catch fish consistently throughout July, August, and September. However, right now it is simply on fire. We have been trolling 6 Dispy Divers, 2 rods off the downriggers, and a few board lines. Not too many trips have we been able to get our normal 16- to 20-rod spread out! Dipsys have been the hottest method with Silver Streak Mini spoons behind them, targeting fish right around the 40-foot mark in 47 to 52 feet of water. The hot colors haven't changed much: pink panties, nascar, and purple demon taking the lead. 

Group of kids reeling in Lake Erie Walleyes.

  TDD9's Rapala Deep Diving Taildancer hot colors have been Green Tiger UV, Pink Tiger UV, Bleeding Hot Olive, and Black Light.

Old School 40 jets off the board lines fishing in the same area in the water column have also been taking their fair share of shots! We did do something a little different the other day; broke out our Old School secret weapon when the fish dropped to nearly the bottom. 200 wire with TDD11’s Deep Rapala Tail Dancer 11! If you have no clue what I am talking about, you are not alone. Wire is an old-school old-man trick for getting crankbaits down without snap weights. Some of you might say, “You can do the same thing with weights.” Well, I’m here to tell you nothing gets a crankbait down better than wire. We use a single-strand Stainless Steel wire of a certain diameter to get lures down, and with the hard pull and deep-dive curve of the TDD11s, it’s estimated that we were fishing about 43 to 44 feet down in the water column. It worked! Soon after seeing the fish drop on the fish finder, I sent First Mate Caden down in the cabin for the wire rods and baits. It wasn't long after deploying them that rods started bending over! What makes a Lake Erie Guide a good one is knowing how to adapt and overcome fish behavior and ensuring your clients have a great experience! 

Mustad Pro TIps: 

  1. When the fish drop, drop them lures! Fish on the bottom still feed!
  2. Listen to the Old Timers on the ways of fishing; they know a thing or two because they have seen a thing or two!
  3. Fish your fish, not someone elses. Spend the time and fish the marks you're most confident in. Running to your buddy's bite is not always the answer! 


Until Next Time, 

Gotta Go, Fish ON 🎣 Get The Net‼️,

Captain Kris


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