Lake Erie has to be the most fertile and fish-filled honey hole in the state, and I'm sure a lot of readers would like to fish there.
But most don't know where to go, don't want to spend much money, just want to sit on a bank someplace and enjoy the mewling seagulls and lapping waves while catching a few finned critters. You can take Erie fish from border to border, but it's in the Western Basin that most anglers would like to try their luck, so I drove up again recently and visited places where I've fished for long years. They should provide a catch for you.
My first stop was an overnight visit to Port Clinton. I stayed at America's Best Value Inn in the downtown area because it's back door was right on the Portage River. I only had to walk 50 feet or less to be fishing. I used two fish finder rigs, basically a pair of No. 6 snelled hooks about a foot apart with a half-ounce sinker below and baited with nightcrawlers. On one trip or another I've caught sheepshead (an exotic fish for inlanders), channel cats, bullheads, yellow perch, white perch, carp and even a rare smallmouth there.
If you don't plan to stay overnight, try your luck on the river in front of Fisherman's Wharf. There's a nice little park with benches, and you can relax there at no cost except for bait, and find much the same fish. My catch here was predominantly sheepshead. Port Clinton is a pleasant little town that offers headboats at Fisherman's Wharf and elsewhere and six-pack charters. There are some good restaurants there, too, and I enjoyed a dinner at Rosie's Bar & Grill — a basket of fried yellow perch, French fries and cole slaw. Always tasty.
My first stop elsewhere next morning was Old Bay Bridge (Sandusky Bay Bridge Access), which parallels Ohio 2 over Sandusky Bay. I've fished here dozens of times and caught predominantly channel cats, some big ones, but also the usual sheepshead, yellow perch, etc. You can fish along the bank or opt for a nice little wooden fishing pier with rod holders. There's plenty of parking.
Next, you might like to try your luck at Catawba State Park on the northwest corner of Catawba Island. It's a good spot for families with shade, picnic tables, a kids' play area, restrooms and a fine cement fishing pier that offers the usual fish. You might try the Dempsey Fishing Access near Marblehead, too, with a nice long pier, and plenty of parking as well as a launch ramp. Or visit the Marblehead Lighthouse State Park just south of the little town of Marblehead with more picnic tables, and plenty of shoreline that holds cats and some smallmouths, as well as yellow perch for those with a small boat and a launch ramp within range.
Don't forget East Harbor State Park with very good camping, swimming and shoreline fishing. And a fine long cement pier in downtown Huron that ends in a small lighthouse well out in the lake, and often offers fair to excellent yellow perch fishing. For those who want to go out in a boat and fish for walleye, there are several headboats in Port Clinton and elsewhere, and you can fish half a day for around $40 per person.
You'll need information on everything from accommodations to food, directions, phone numbers, and sights to see, and these are waiting at Lake Erie Shores and Islands by calling 419-625-2984 or 800-255-3743. There's still plenty of time to plan a weekend or weeklong visit, and plenty of fish waiting to be caught. Summer is always a good time to go.
Dick Martin is a retired biology teacher who has been writing outdoor columns for 30 years. You can reach him at richmart@neo.rr.com.
