sir-walleye-charters

Current Western Lake Erie Fishing Report

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Western Lake Erie Walleye's Post Spawn Are Hungry!

4/28/26

Calm seas and stable weather has been the story over the last week at Lake Erie in Port Clinton, Ohio! This week's Western Lake Erie fishing report will focus on trolling, as calm waters have been the story. Jig fishing is still going strong; however my recent clients have elected to troll for a better grade of Lake Erie Walleyes. Jig fishing is producing smaller jacks still spawning. Casting and hopping back to the boat has been the key to jig fishing success.

Setting sail in Western Lake Erie from Wild Wings Marina with a west heading to the Toledo water intake has been producing the bites. Seas have been calm less than 2 ft, skies mostly sunny, air temperature in the high 60’slow 70’s, barometric pressure steady, water quality just a light stain of dirt.. I have been leaving the dock at 6 am in the morning running to the fishing grounds in the dark and having all the trolling gear in the water as the sun is cresting to capitalize on that early morning bite before any other boats have a chance to run the fish over. Water temperature is at 54 degrees so the speed has picked up to 2.2 - 2.4 MPH SOG(speed over ground) both over ground and at the lure. Walleye seem to like the sweet spot of 2.3 on the Fish Hawk with 15ft of down rigger cable out. Water depth most productive for me has been in the 22- 23 foot water area. I have been trolling custom painted big stick crank baits on the board lines 70 ft back. For those of you reading this that might not know the lengo we use line counter reels to get lures at a desired depth by the amount of line we put out. The more line out the deeper the lure goes down in the water column. At 70 feet of line I am targeting the 17 to 18 ft down in the water column. On the corners of the boat I went to SPOONS! YES SPOONS in the month of April! WIth the water temperature being in the 50’s right now and the speed picking up Small Michigan Stinger size spoons are taking some “shots”! Shots is a term us captains use instead of the term bites, “shots” just sounds way cooler than bite! LOL! I have been targeting the same depth down in the water with the spoons. The crankbaits are 17 - 18 feet down. The spoons are really hot one day taking lots and lots for shots, then cold the next taking only a couple, it's April and that is to be expected fishing Lake Erie. The overall grade of fish being caught trolling had been very impressive this past week. I think I have had at least 6 Fish Ohio’s in the past week. A fish Ohio is any walleye caught in Lake Erie over 28 inches in length. Anglers can take a photo of their catch and summit it to the ODNR online and get an official Fish Ohio certificate with your picture on it and a commemorative hat pin!

Pro Tips:

When you're trolling for any fish and the bite it tuff speed up! You are most likely going to slow. Walleye especially will bite up to 3 mph!
When trolling look for the current, read your rods and your spread watching to make sure everything is pulling square. The current is not always with or against the waves. Fish with the current and directly into the current will always produce the most shots.

Until Next Time,

Gotta Go, Fish ON �� Get The Net‼️,

Captain Kris

Today's Lake Erie Fishing Report From Port Clinton, Ohio

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 23:00:03 GMT

Lake Erie Walleye Jig Fishing Bite Is On!

4/21/26

Today’s Lake Erie fishing report for Port Clinton, Ohio the wind and weather had finally given us a break. Winds have backed off and the water has cleaned up, allowing us to start jig fishing! Jig fishing is heating up and the walleye are all over the southern shoreline and reef complex.

I came out of the Wild Wings Marina Harbor and set an easterly course down along the shore line in search of cleaner water. Even though fish are being caught right out front of Wild Wings Marina I decided to look for a less populated area with less boat traffic. The air temperature in the low 70’s with a south breeze, barometer steady, winds 15 mps, and 1 ft seas. On the boat ride to the east I noticed that the water was not cleaning up as much as expected with the south wind so I kept the course set. Right after the Camp Perry firing range the water started to clean with what I would call a good stain. I put the Sir Walleye boat in 7 ft of water and started the drift. Boy the sheephead was thick in that skinny water. We didn’t take our first walleye until 9 feet of water. Telling me the walleye would only get thicker the further offshore we drifted. Black Captain Hook’s 1 oz hair jigs did the damage on these Lake Erie walleye’s with purple coming in a close second. The desired depth of water was 10 to 11 feet of water. Vertical jigging seemed to be a little slow so we started casting on the down wind side and working the jig back to the boat. As I was busy netting walleye after walleye, bleeding them, and getting them on ice I soon noticed that I should probably count to see how many more we needed for our legal limit. As I counted the last 3 fish were brought to the boat and that was a wrap for the day. It’s not too often that we get to do a one drift wonder in April on Lake Erie. Man these fish have been on fire all week! As Lake Erie fishing charters season kicks into gear the fishing will only get better! Anglers this week have been catching their daily limits day after day.

Pro Tips:

If vertical jigging isn't producing bites. Cast down wind and hop the jig back to the boat while drifting. I know this can sound crazy to some people. It really works. You can cover so much more water this way. When you pop the rod make sure to have just a little slack in your line to allow that jig to slide across the bottom.
Bottom, Bottom, Bottom remember that these males are right down in the mud on the bottom in April on Lake Erie. Always fish a heavy enough jig to always have bottom contact between every hop. I personally always fish a one oz hair jig on Erie even on a calm day.

Until Next Time,

Gotta Go, Fish ON �� Get The Net‼️,

Captain Kris

Current Lake Erie Fishing Report from Port Clinton, Ohio

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 11:57:22 GMT

Lake Erie Walleyes Are Chomping

April 13, 2026

I feel like a broken record on these reports! Once again the Lake Erie region has been plagued with heavy winds from every direction of the compass and heavy rain. Out of Wild Wings Marina in Oak Harbor, OH where I dock the Sir Walleye in the spring of the year Lake Erie is a mine field of floating sticks, logs, trees, and any and all other debris one can think of! If you're going out please be aware of all the obstructions! Safe boating is happy boating!

Now for the good stuff that you all are waiting for the Port Clinton, Ohio current fishing report! I have been setting a course toward Kelly’s Island out of Wild Wings Marina. What a long, long long run that has been. I have been fishing on the east side of the island and approximately 35 to 40 feet of water speed has been 1.6 to 1.8 mph at the lure on the fish hawk probe system. The air temperature was in the 60s out on the lake within the 70s on shore. The barometric pressure was on a slow rise telling me that these fish were gonna fire! As for lures I have been pulling big stick, crank baits, deep divers custom painted by a good friend of mine Tommy Harris and man have they been producing big fish and big bites unassisted has seemed to be the ticket lately at around 130 to 120‘ back And believe it or not we’ve even pulled some fish on Dipsey divers a three setting at 45 back and one setting at 35 back with shallow diving big stick crank baits some days these big Lake Erie Walleye are playing real nice with real fast limits and other days it’s more of a pick to get to your legal limit. Man the trolling fish we are seeing are definitely fish of a lifetime many of them have been Fish Ohio quality or right there at it. One thing that I have noticed is that a lot of the eggs and these females are very underdeveloped for this time of year, which has me a little bit worried that the water temperature is 44° at depth and around 47 on the surface. Lure color has been all over the board with each day being a different color that I see the most a black and gold one called the night stalker by Walleye X as by far be my top producing lure they will be available for sale on the Walleye X web site here soon as soon as Tommy gets some painted and shipped over to them. I’ve been making this long run over to Kelly’s island due to the water quality at the reef complex has been very, very poor with all the heavy rain and winds we’ve had. We have some southwest wind over the next couple of days which should clean it up. The weekend should produce a major amazing catch rate right out front of Wild Wings Marina.

Couple of pro tips:

Keep in mind when you’re graphing looking for fish to troll on, always trust your electronics as to where the fish are looking for the right marks to know which fish are going to feed and Lake Erie. I look for marks around 20 feet in the water column and those typically are my prime feeders.
Jig Fishing pro tip always look for the right water color not too dirty not too clean. I like between 8 and 15 inches of visibility for jig fishing when you find that right watercolor these Lake Erie Walleye feel nice and safe and the boats don’t spook them and they can still see your jigs.

Until Next Time,

Gotta Go, Fish ON �� Get The Net‼️,

Captain Kris

2026 Lake Erie Walleye Jig Fishing Charters Are Underway

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 13:54:56 GMT

Current Lake Erie Fishing Report 4/7/26

Lake Erie fishing charters for the 2026 season are under way. Walleyes have made it to the spawning grounds of Lake Erie and are biting! My first charter of the season was over this past weekend. Long standing client Steve wanted to be the first one out of the gate to kick the season off.

Steve and his group showed up Friday afternoon to beat the wind and rain predicted for Saturday morning. The skies were mostly sunny, seas 3 ft, air temperature was a warming 65 degrees with a south west wind. The warm air blowing over the lake made it very comfortable to be out there. Steve was even in a short sleeve shirt and shorts! At noon we pushed off the dock at Wild Wings Marina and I set a course for Locust Reef, a popular jig fishing spot for this time of year. I noticed that the water was super dirty out to the 12 ft mark then started cleaning up. To my surprise there was about 8 inches of visibility in the water column at Locust Reef. I set us up for a drift on the south neck drifting towards the shallows. The first drift we pulled one fish, that's very typical due to the fact everyone is getting a feel for the Lake Erie jig fishing as it is different from any other jig fishing you might have done. On Lake Erie I use all one ounce Captain Hooks hair jigs, so the rhythm to jig and stay on the bottom without snagging up has to be refined. I was going around the boat and working with the clients showing them the method that works best for me before making a move to what I felt would be better fishing. Several boats were at Locust Reef running over the fish all day, and I do not like to fish in a pack of boats. When I felt that my clients adequately adapted to the Lake Erie Walleye jigging technique , and no longer had any confidence to catch any fish as the graph got bare and the fish came in slower. I slowly made a move to the west to an unnamed jig fishing spot that produces on a regular basis. To my surprise there was not one boat there and the water was much better quality than the last spot. I marked many more fish while setting up for the drift making me think this is going to be fire! The jigs dropped in the water and the practice run at Locust paid off. The bite was not fire like I had hoped, a steady and slow pace walleyes came in the boat. We did not get a limit, which is not uncommon for early April However we did manage enough walleye to keep our interest and for Steve to put on an Easter fish fry!

Top producing colors for the day were purple, black, and white. Jig fishing is more of a reaction strike and I find that color on a regular basis does not matter. It's all in the technique! At the end of the charter Steve was so pleased that he added extra days to his next charter coming up at the first of May!

Pro Tips:

Keep that jig hopping! Never drag it along the bottom. Hop, Hop, Hop, Hop…..
Always fish the right “color” of water. 8 inches of visibility is plenty for jig fishing
Fish colors you have the most confidence in will always catch you the most!

I will have the Sir Walleye back out over this coming weekend for more jig fishing. I like to do a soft start to the fishing season to allow me time to correct anything that the storage gremlins may have broken during the winter. Things will start heating up and I will be fishing much more in the future. In down time Captain Matt and I will continue to “fun” fish and be posting content on Social Media!

Until Next Time,

Gotta Go, Fish ON �� Get The Net‼️,

Captain Kris

Lake Erie Fishing Is Happening!

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 21:42:47 GMT

Current Lake Erie fishing report 3/31/26

3/31/26

Lake Erie fishing is as good as it can be right now for March! Last week we were plagued with high winds and tornadoes even! With that being said I have been quite pleased with the walleye behavior after the mud started to fall out of the water from the lake being stirred up from the high winds. The water temperature is warming and so is the bite!

I have been trolling lately on my fun fishing excursions. For those that might not know the charter captain slang, fun fishing is what we call fishing with our family and friends on a day off “work”. It is definitely fun to take you all fishing, however “fun” fishing allows us time to relax, scout, and test new baits before putting it all to use on your Lake Erie charter.

As most of you have figured out already, my best friend Captain Matt and I have been fishing a lot lately to stay on the fish and test new systems to make our charters the best they can possibly be! I can’t really speak too much at the present time as to what we have been testing, but I can say this much: We both believe it is going to increase our hook up ratio and land more fish in the boat! Now for the good stuff: the current Lake Erie fishing report. We have been launching the boat most days around 8 AM in an area that is way less popular with most fishermen this time of year and making a long run to the fishing grounds around the islands to avoid the boat ramp traffic. We launched yesterday morning and set our course for where we caught fish Sunday. The skies were partly cloudy, air temperature was in the low 40’s, sea’s at 2 ft or less. Upon arriving at our destination just East of the island we noticed that the water was really dirty, more color than the day before so we went on the move with the wind to find the transition water where the water has just a good stain to it. Making the baitfish feel safe and the walleye hungry. The trolling lines went in the water 3 on my side assisted with 2 oz snap weights, 3 on Captain Matt's side went in unassisted targeting higher in the water column. In short order the first fish came to the boat, a nice 24 inch walleye. Then a short while later another fish on the same lure on the unassisted side. Told me I was fishing too deep and needed to make a color change on my side. I reeled all 3 rods in and put different color lures on getting rid of the white base lures that usually do well this time of year and went with predominantly purples and a crazy pink lure with a black head and purple dots. Sounds crazy but let me tell you all it worked! As soon as my side went back out we were in the heat of the battle with 2 to 3 fish at a time dancing around each other to get them all reeled in. In just a short time, just over an hour and half we had our limit of some of the best grades of Lake Erie walleye we have seen this season!

A couple of pro tips: Speed, speed, speed keeping your lures at the correct speed is one of the most critical things one can do. Our speed over ground never matched the lure speed at all. Speed over ground was 2.2 mph and lure speed was 1.6 mph.. If we would have set up using only our gps speed we would have been way too slow at the lure. The second tip is always trust your electronics never leave fish to find fish they will bite when you get a program dialed in. Dialing in a program takes years of experience no matter what species you fish for. Finding the right water color, right speed, color combo, etc…. All makes a difference, close attention to details always rewards any angler in the long run!

Until Next Time,

Gotta Go, Fish ON �� Get The Net‼️,

Captain Kris

Lake Erie Walleye's Are Heading To The Spawning Grounds

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 13:01:13 GMT

Sir Walleye Is In The Water! Jig Fishing Is Starting!

Exciting things are happening in the Lake Erie region! Most marina docks are in the water, charter boats are starting to float! The Lake Erie fishing is heating up to the east of where I dock the Sir Walleye in the spring of the year. Which means the walleyes are heading my way due to the natural migration of the fish in the spring of the year! Local river fishermen are reporting limit catches, that's telling me the spawn is starting to happen. Local resident walleye have headed upstream and we are awaiting the migration to come down to Wild Wings Marina!

Now for the good stuff the current Lake Erie fishing report; first I am going to report my last fun outing, next tell you all about the bite out of Huron, Ohio. I put the Sir Walleye in the water this past Saturday getting it ready for the shake down run. After a short test ride and putting all the antennas in the upright position and getting reorganized it was time for the shakedown run. I made a phone call to my good friend Captain Matt at Lake Born Co. to see if he would join myself and First Mate Caden on Sunday morning for a shakedown run. Captain Matt said “ Of course I will join you guys!” Sunday morning at about 7:30 A.M. we headed out of Wild Wings Marina, the water level in the mouth of the channel is good but still a 3 ft hump out in the lake. The water color was that good Lake Erie river water stain color, water temp was 38 degrees, winds were kinda funky to start light but coming from 2 different directions if thats possible?? I set a course for what us Captains in the business call the 2x2., Upon arriving at my destination I noticed the water color had changed to a gray stain color. That's not good as the gray color in the water is suspended clay in the water column that takes forever to fall out. We put the 1 oz jigs in the water and went to work looking for an active walleye. After a short time it was fish on! Captain Matt had hooked one up. I went for the net and by the time I grabbed it the fish had come off. Oh well that happens even in the big leagues. We moved around some after that drift and never got on what was a good bite by any means. However everywhere we stopped and fished we at least hooked a fish. That tells me the walleyes are starting to gather in the spawning grounds and when the water temperature reaches that magical number it will be game on! In my experience the jig bite does not really heat up until the water reaches 42 degrees. All in all I am happy to know the western basin ios heading in the right direction.

Now for the Huron, Ohio Lake Erie fishing report. Trolling is dominating the area with Deep Walleye Bandits, Husky Jerks, and Smithwick P 10’s. Fishermen are targeting 38 to 42 feet of water and trolling over those suspended marks at slow speeds. 1.3-1.8 SOG. Limits are being caught west of Huron telling me that the fish are on the move my way! Captain Matt and I have been fun fishing down that way off his 622 Ranger and getting this information first hand!

All in all the 2026 Lake Erie walleye fishing season is starting off in the right direction in my opinion. As the water warms up the fish will become more active and stage on the spawning grounds. Hope to see you all on the water this season! Stay Safe and Tight Lines!

Until Next Time,

Gotta Go, Fish ON �� Get The Net‼️,

Captain Kris

Trophy Walleyes Are Being Caught On Lake Erie

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 08:45:06 GMT

3/18/26 Lake Erie Weekly Fishing Report

High winds have plagued the Lake Erie region the last week, not allowing for much Lake Erie fishing to happen in the last week. South West winds up to 50 MPH has water blown out of a lot of marinas causing another seiche in the western basin. Floating docks that are in the water already are sitting on the bottom from the low water. However there was a little walleye fishing before this blow started.

I headed to Mazurik's boat launch with Captain Matt from Lake Born Co. and his 622 Ranger. The weather man had missed the forecast. The winds were under 10mph out of the north, skies were sunny, air temperature was in the high 40’s, seas were under 2 feet. After I backed Captain Matt down the ramp, launching the boat, I went to park the truck and trailer and noticed that there was only one other rig in the parking lot. I thought to myself that at least the boat traffic shouldn't be bad. LOL. Matt set a course for the SE corner of Kellys Island where we both thought would be a good place to look at this time of year as a common spot for female Lake Erie walleyes to stage for the spawn. The Ranger went on plane and no sooner than we reached a comfortable cruising speed the Lowrance fish finder lit up with marks. Off plane we came and started “looking” to make sure the marks were consistent enough to troll on. After a low speed pass of about half a mile upwind we went to deploy the trolling gear. The water has a good stain color to it making the walleye feel comfortable. If you fish Erie you already know a stain in the water color holds the bait fish and walleyes follow the bait and feel more secure due to lower visibility. Reaching our starting spot, speed was set to 1.3 mph at the lure using the Fish Hawk on the down rigger, the trolling rods went in the water with Smithwick P 10’s and 2 oz snap weights on Captain Matt's side. I chose to put Deep Walleye Bandits on my 3 rods due to the water being 38 degrees in the stained area. Bandits have a different, more aggressive action that the walleye love when the water reaches that magical temperature. I thought it was a little early for the Bandits but hey nothing ventured nothing gained. The first fish came to the boat off Captain Matt's side, then BAM my side fired with number 2 coming in on a Bandit. The next 2 fish came from Captain Matt's side, which told me I’m a few water temperature degrees early on the Bandits. I wound my 3 rods in and quickly switched them over to Smithwick P 10”s matching Captain Matts program. Once back deployed my side of the boat went back to catching fish. Any color with a white base was pulling the work load. White base lures this time of year mimic the large shad in the lake that are the main food source. Always match your bait fish profile no matter what time of year or body of water you're fishing. Just because you caught fish on lure x last year at the same time of year on the calendar does not mean it will work this year! In a short time we were at 10 fish in the boat only needing 2 more for our daily walleye limit. About the time we were giving fist bumps, the skies changed and it started SNOWING on us! The bite slowed way down till the squall passed, a short time after the sun peeked back out BAM 2 rods went off making our daily limit of Lake Erie walleyes! One of the 2 last fish to come to the boat was a 28.25 inch Fish Ohio making the trip out well worth the memories.

With the conditions we had I felt like Lake Erie fishing could not have been any better. Neither of us really had high expectations for this adventure due to previous weather and lake conditions. However the years of knowledge of knowing and understanding feeding and migration patterns of these Lake Erie walleyes paid off for us. The Captains freezers definitely have a head start to the 2026 fishing charters season. To date in the 5 times out on the water since ice out over 60 walleyes have been vacuum sealed and in the freezer! Soon I will start sharing some of these packs of walleyes with the elderly and widows who don’t get fresh walleye often. Sharing these is one of the many ways I enjoy giving back to the community!

Until Next Time,

Gotta Go, Fish ON �� Get The Net‼️,

Captain Kris

Pre Spawn Walleyes Are Biting

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 02:55:16 GMT

3/10/26 Lake Erie Walleye Fishing Report

Made it out on the lake and whacked them Lake Erie walleyes! I was fortunate to spend some time on the lake with my good friend Captain Matt from Lake Born Co. and my son and First Mate Caden. The fishing adventure went off without a hitch and many laughs were had by all. What a fun day on Lake Erie, what we call The Big Pond! I am so grateful I get to fish Erie on a regular basis!

We launched Captain Matt's 622 Ranger at the Huron River boat launch just after sun up so if there was any ice or debris still floating we could see it. On the way out of the river the water was dirty from all the rain and melt. Skies were partly cloudy, temperature was around 40 degrees, winds SW at 15 mph and building, seas started out at 2 ft or so and boy did they grow to 4 to 5 ft for the ride in. Captain Matt set a course for the “flats” area that holds fish when they are staging to come west to spawn every year. After a 20 minute boat ride he pulled the throttle back and looked for the classic walleye hook shaped marks. Most of the fish in fact were laying right down on the bottom. If you know a thing or two about trolling cold water walleye all your marks on the bottom can make for a long day with little results. The Ranger went back on plain and we set a course for the Sandusky dumping grounds that turned out to be a desert. So back to spot A we went. After “looking” around with the fancy electronics we all 3 collectively decided to deploy the Offshore Tackle boards with Smithwick P 10's assisted with 2 oz snap weights. Smithwich P 10’s are a shallow diving crank bait with a lazy side to side wobble, 4 ball bearing rattles they just need to be weighted to get in the strike zone. Collectively we decided to run them down 3 to 5 feet above the bottom to find out if those toothy critters would bite! I won't bore you folks with all the details of our fishing program. Needless to say LOW and Slow was the key to getting bit. Fish after fish came over the back of the boat in no time at all, ending in our 3 person daily limit of some of the finest walleyes Lake Erie has to offer!

I am definitely looking forward to the next few weeks fishing for walleye to get a head start in the Captain’s freezers and to take care of those elderly folks and widows that don't get fresh walleye often. Giving back to those that made this amazing world wide known walleye fishery possible is something I really enjoy! The Sir Walleye goes in the water around the end of the month and rod in hand jig fishing charters will fire up soon!

Until Next Time,

Gotta Go, Fish ON �� Get The Net‼️,

Captain Kris

Docks Are Being Set On The Ice

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 11:33:26 GMT

Lake Erie Walleye Fishing Season Is Just Around The Corner

As Lake Erie fishing charters season for 2026 is rapidly approaching things are starting to happen in the neighborhood. Many of the marinas in the area are starting to thaw out and docks are going in the water or on the ice. I know it sounds strange but many local marinas are setting docks on the ice so as the water thaws the dock will already be in the water. For one example where I start from in April Wild Wings Marina they have around half the docks set on the ice. I have been prepping the Sir Walleye Chaters boat, getting batteries put back in, cleaning, and finishing up some last minute things. In other news the Sir Walleye merchandise shop is set up and rocking. People can order their Sir Walleye T-shirts, sweatshirts, coffee mugs, and more….. Right from the contact section of this website, scroll down under the contact form for signing up for our monthly newsletter and you're there!

For the Lake Erie fishing report will be short this week not a whole lot is happening. Reports of a few brave anglers dodging the floating ice flows down to the east. Huron is where most of the reports are coming from. Trolling Deep Walleye Bandits, Rapala Husky Jerks, Smithwick P10’s and any other big stick crankbait is the ticket right now. Anything that has a white base color shines right now for the most part as our bait fish in the cold months are the big shad. My personal favorite is anything Tommy Harris paints and sends my way to test! Trolling those crank baits below 1.5 mph and keeping them in the strike zone will lead to the most hookups. Do not be afraid to put those Offshore Tackle snap weights in line to get your lures down to depth. I personally use the 50 2 oz method that can be found on the Precision Trolling App by Mark Romanick. Best way to describe this method is you let 50 ft of line out off your line counter trolling reel, clip on an Offshore Tackle OR 16 release or an Amish Outfitters trolling weight release clip with a 2 oz lead weight attached, then let out the remainder of line for your target depth according to what the app tells you based on speed. Hopefully that helps some folks!

It will not be long and Lake Erie walleyes will be flopping all over decks of boats up and down the lake. I sure hope to see you folks on the Sir Walleye this season!

Until Next Time,

Gotta Go, Fish ON �� Get The Net‼️,

Captain Kris

2026 Lake Erie Walleye Fishing Outlook

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 20:54:33 GMT

2026 Lake Erie Walleye Fishing Season Outlook

I thought this would be a good time to talk about my predictions for the 2026 Lake Erie walleye fishing season and back it up with some facts. First let me cover what's currently going on. Current Lake Erie fishing is in a standstill with ice still covering a small percentage of the lake. Marinas and boat launches are still iced in not allowing anglers to get out on the water. Some marinas in my area have started to set their docks back by putting them on the ice in hope for an early spring.

Now for some facts and predictions about the 2026 fishing season. I will cite my sources to the best of my ability at the bottom of this article under my signature. I’m simply just going to give you the facts about how many walleye are in Lake Erie, hatch reports , troll survey results, my outlook for 2026 Lake Erie Walleye Fishing.

First the facts about Lake Erie. As for the hatch reports Lake Erie has been above average for seven years according to this article from March of 2025 from the Ohio Division of Fish and Wildlife.

(Source #1)

“Lake Erie, The Walleye Capital of the World, continues to offer exceptional fishing. The walleye daily limit on Lake Erie is six fish per angler with a 15-inch minimum length requirement. Walleye hatch success has been well above average for seven of the past 10 years, including the three largest hatches ever surveyed. In 2026, anglers will mostly catch abundant 2- to 6-year-old-fish ranging from 15 to 24 inches. Larger fish from 2015 and earlier hatches will provide chances to reel in a Fish Ohio qualifying walleye (minimum 28 inches).”

Some estimate as high as 180 million walleye in Lake Erie. Here are the real numbers by professionals that do this sorta thing for a living. Here are the facts straight from the ODNR.

(Source #2)

“Lake Erie has maintained its reputation as The Walleye Capital of the World because of its world-class walleye fishing, fueled by above-average hatches in eight of the past 11 years. The 2025 western basin walleye hatch index, which includes trawl sites in Ohio and Ontario waters, was 128 fish per hectare (a standard measure of catch per area). A hectare is equal to approximately 2.5 acres. This is the sixth largest hatch of 38 years of surveys and is well above the average of 57 fish per hectare.

Walleye production in the central basin remained strong, with a 2025 survey index of 26 young-of-year walleye per hectare, well above the long-term average of 8 per hectare. This index ranks fourth of 36 years of surveys. Central basin walleye hatches are likely a small component of the lake-wide population, but tagging studies suggest that fish hatched in the central basin spend more time there as adults compared to migratory walleye from the western basin. Above average central basin walleye hatches may seasonally provide local fishing opportunities when schools of migratory walleye are not present.”

What does this mean?? A whole lot of walleye catching for all anglers visiting Lake Erie to enjoy! While I could not find a source to give me an actual number of walleyes in the Lake I believe we get the picture with the above article Lots and Lots, More Walleyes in the catchable size range then ever in history.

My outlook for 2026 Lake Erie Walleye fishing appears to be an above average year with several year classes of walleyes just right for the catching and keeping. Lake Erie fisherman will see an above average year with grade of fish as well; the 2019 to 2021 class for walleye should be in that 24 to 28 inch range making for some wall hanger catches. A large number of walleye should also be in the 16 to 20 inch range from the 2022 to 2023 hatch years. It takes a walleye 3 years to become the legal keeping size of 15 inches in Ohio, This allows them to breed for a solid 2 seasons before being kept by anglers. I’m going to end with this, “Take care of the Lake and it will take care of you!”

Until Next Time,

Gotta Go, Fish ON �� Get The Net‼️,

Captain Kris

Works Cited

(Source #1) Ohio DNR. “LAKE ERIE POISED FOR ANOTHER YEAR OF EXCELLENT FISHING.” Ohio Department of Natural Resources | Ohio.gov | Ohio Department of Natural Resources , 25 March 2025, https://ohiodnr.gov/discover-and-learn/safety-conservation/about-ODNR/news/lake-erie-excellent-fishing#:~:text=Lake%20Erie%2C%20The%20Walleye%20Capital,walleye%20(minimum%2028%20inches). Accessed 23 February 2026.

( Source #2) Ohio DNR. “LAKE ERIE WALLEYE, YELLOW PERCH 2025 HATCH RESULTS.” Ohio Department of Natural Resources | Ohio.gov | Ohio Department of Natural Resources , Ohio DNR, 15 December 2025, https://ohiodnr.gov. Accessed 23 February 2026.

Lake Erie Ice Is Melting Away!

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 19:43:24 GMT

Lake Erie Ice Going Soft Fast

Ice conditions are rapidly going the wrong direction for the ice fisherman and the right way for the boaters. I am definitely no ice expert by any means, however I have ice fishing my whole life since I was a young boy. My observations over the last week have been that ice is going black, soft, and moving around. Reports of several machines falling through the ice since Sunday. One went in on the Ottawa River, one at the A can area, one 4 miles west of Catawba State Park. Even a report of an Airboat breaking through and running 100 yards in the water somewhere North West of the Toledo Water Intake. On Monday night the Lucas County emergency personnel were called to launch their airboat to rescue an ice fisherman stranded at Menkie Marina in Curtice, Ohio. In my solid OPINION the Lake Erie ice fishing is done for the season for most. Warm temperatures, wind, and time of year are not on our side.

Now for the walleye fishing report: Anglers that made it out on the ice were reporting good catch numbers as the fish seem to have lifted off the bottom as I predicted they would have once “stable” weather pattern set up again. The key to success has been looking for those active marks with forward facing sonar. Find a group of walleyes that are swimming around and looking for food that are not dormant and bam, Fish ON! Catches have been reported on just about anything in the tackle box, however the smallest jigging raps with no bait took first place. The grade of walleyes has been good overall with some eaters and a few trophies in the mix. Most anglers have been getting ½ to ¾ of a limit of walleyes.

It will not be long until the docks are in the water and Lake Erie walleye fishing boats are going everyday! Hopefully my next week's report will be from the Sir Walleye Jr boat out doing some livescoping or trolling in open water.

Until Next Time,

Gotta Go, Fish ON �� Get The Net‼️,

Captain Kris

Ice Anglers Are Grinding Away!

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 00:44:19 GMT

Lake Erie Fishing Report Week Of February 11, 2026

This week's fishing report is going to be something a little different than the usual Lake Erie Walleye report.

I will start off talking about the Lake Erie Walleye, the bite has been slow for most anglers. I have not personally been out walleye fishing since my last report however I have gotten the inside information from others. Walleye are definitely here in good numbers, just not very active. Reports for Ice anglers heading all over the lake from just east of the Maumee Bay all the way to Kelly’s Island. Mixed reports of catches with most fishing all day for just a few fish while a small percentage of ice anglers are catching respectable amounts up to limits. Most anglers are targeting 21 fow and deeper jigging rattle spoons with minnows and Rapala jigging raps tipped with minnow heads. Colors have been all over the rainbow with my personal favorites being blue chrome, bluegill, fire tiger, and perch!. Light twitches and slow action has been getting the walleye to trigger. Right now it is the luck of the draw if anglers happen to land on a very small pod of active fish. The Lake Erie region has been under very high barometric pressure, highest being 30.45 that I have seen over the last week. When the barometric pressure is this high, walleye seem to go to the bottom and bury their heads in the mud and not want to play nice. That is exactly what we are experiencing.

Now for the ice conditions of the Western Basin; ice thickness is 10 to 14 inches in most places. Cracks are opening and closing daily depending on lake conditions. I personally know of 3 machines in the last week that went in the water, due to NOT checking with a spud bar before crossing cracks. As the ice moves with the wind so do the “safe” crossing areas. Just because you took that same track yesterday or even in the morning going out does not mean the crossing is still firm! There is a major crack running from K can area (Davis Besse) extending west going just above the Toledo Water Intake to the Michigan main land. This 911 crack as it has been nicknamed over the years claims lives of ice anglers every year! If going out on the Lake Erie ice please be careful NO ICE IS SAFE especially on the big waters.

Now for what I have been up to! Crappie fish in the local backwater and Inland areas have been my interest lately with the walleye bite being slow. I have been having spotty success but able to grind out enough for a meal for family and close friends each time out. What more can a guy ask for??? Crappies have been following the same patterns as the walleye tight to the bottom and tight lipped. The Active Target unit will be lit up with fish and maybe if lucky a few will take the trap set! I have been targeting a local reservoir the last couple trips with not too bad of results! Crappie are on the bottom ¼ of the water column in 21 to 24 fow and moving ever so slowly. Patience to wait them out, stay put and work the fish under me has paid off the most . My most productive bait and presentation has been an old school Marmuska green in color tipped with 2 white spikes. I am using an OLD noodle 6 ft ice rod with a light bite spring bobber. If you are a panfish ice fisherman and don't know about the light bite boobers LOOK them up they will change your life! The light bite bobber has been able to detect the slightest bites and the noodle rod has been able to get the hook set without pulling the jig out of the fish's mouth. I have to give a shout out to my old buddy Clair for hooking me up years ago with this setup. I will definitely be trying to get back out on the big lake soon to try for some more walleyes. Maybe tomorrow??? Who knows ??? With the low barometric pressure moving in the Lake Erie region I would anticipate the walleye coming off the bottom to play as long as we don't get too much of the dreaded S, SW, W, SE, E winds to blow the ice apart.

Until Next Time,

Gotta Go, Fish ON �� Get The Net‼️,

Captain Kris

Lake Erie Ice Fishing Is In FULL SWING

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 15:20:46 GMT

February 4, 2026 Lake Erie Ice Fishing

2/4/26 Lake Erie ice has formed better than we have seen since 2015! Most places I have been there are 10 to 14 inches of solid ice. Ice conditions have allowed me to make it 11 miles off shore at the furthest. I am not recommending any unseasoned Erie ice angler try this far off shore. Pressure ridges are closed tight with the prevailing north winds in the last week. However make sure to spud the crossings and look for where the ice from the north has shoved under the south sheet. As the winds move to SW over the next few days I would expect cracks to start to open up. Some pressure ridges have open water in places however I have been able to locate a bottom in all of them and safely cross to today's date 2/4/26

Now for the good stuff: fishing! The Lake Erie region has been in a very high pressure system with cold temps and prevailing north winds. The walleye seem to be scattered in very small groups and single marks making it hard to get on fish. Some anglers have been very lucky to get on a small pod of active fish and scratch out a limit. While others are fishing all day for just a few. The baits that have been producing the best for me are rapala jigging raps (Bluegill) and rattle spoons tipped with minnows color has not mattered at all for me. I have been targeting 21 FOW and deeper on the flats to get the bites. Small twitches and light jigging action has been the trick to getting a few to bite. The quality for walleyes being caught is overall great with most over 18 inches all the way up to 28 inches.

If you are going out on the Lake Erie ice looking to try your luck at the worlds best walleye fishery be careful and going in groups is always recommended NEVER go alone safety is in numbers on the ice. My disclaimer is No ice is ever “safe”. I am in no way at all saying the ice is good to go. I’m saying that I am personally fishing with family and friends and reporting my findings and opinions.

Until Next Time,

Gotta Go, Fish ON �� Get The Net‼️,

Captain Kris

IT'S Starting Lake Erie Ice Fishing Conditions are building!

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 10:52:37 GMT

Here is what the ice is Really like!!

Right before the big snow storm the Lake Erie ice fishing season has kicked off for a few brave anglers. Reports of ice anglers being on the lake at Catawba State Park just a few hundred yards off shore. Be careful folks if you're thinking of venturing out soon as the lake was just open water a few days ago in the Western Basin. Not to tell anyone what to do but I am personally waiting until the cold snap passes in the next week before venturing out. There is no prize for being the first one to go in the drink! Lol Fish catching reports are mixed with anglers getting a few walleyes for their efforts. I will NOT be offering Ice Fishing Charters however I will be posting updates on the Lake Erie ice fishing catches and conditions as the season progresses. This Captain gets to spend some time on the hard water with family and friends!

Until Next Time,

Gotta Go Fish ON Get The Net,

Captain Kris

Fun Fishing Trip With Friends out of the Huron River

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 10:45:15 GMT

The weather had warmed to 50 degrees F in the Lake Erie region; the skies were mostly sunny with occasional cloud cover. We set an easterly course out of the Huron river in Huron, OH looking for active walleye to target with forward facing imaging. Upon arriving at our destination the water quality was quite good I must say. Fish were actively made on the fish finder so we set up with Rapala Rip N Raps, jigging rapalas, and lead heads with twister tails. Unfortunately the Lake Erie walleyes did not want to cooperate. After some time had passed we decided to give it a go at trolling shallow diving crankbaits with assisted weights at low speeds deep in the water column and boy were we rewarded as walleye after walleye came to the back of the boat and into the net!! The grade of walleyes was just as I expected for the time of year with around a 5lb average. In short order 18 walleyes were boated and we were headed back to the river with a 3 man boat limit!!

Until Net TIme,

Gotta Go Fish ON Get The Net,

Captain Kris

Last Lorain Ohio Outing for 2025

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 10:37:17 GMT

My Last outing on the Sir Walleye was very rewarding with a crew of new to us clients.(That was rebooked for the 2026 season already!) I set a course out of Lorain, Ohio out of the Black River northeast at about 8 miles. The Hummingbird fish finder LIT UP with Lake Erie walleye marks. The skies were overcast and the seas were 3ft or so. (Nothing the Sir Walleye charter boat can not handle!) First Mate Caden and I deployed the same trolling program we have been using the last several trips! Large standard size stinger spoons were the ticket to success on all the rods at what most would consider a high rate of speed for walleye trolling. The fish grade was very impressive I must say!! No Fish Ohio’s over 28 inches but some were very close with good eaters mixed in the cooler. Thank you to All OUR VALUED CLIENTS for making 2025 possible for me and Sir Walleye!

Until Net TIme,

Gotta Go Fish ON Get The Net,

Captain Kris