Erie Question

[bigr]

Lets say if Erie gets ice early January, are walleye in the Western basin already in numbers or do they just begin a migration as the winter goes on. It's on my bucket list this might be the year. With Erie being more and more popular is lodging/access even more of a problem or has the area expanded. What is the reality of the area.   

[crappieslayer37]

Lets say if Erie gets ice early January, are walleye in the Western basin already in numbers or do they just begin a migration as the winter goes on. It's on my bucket list this might be the year. With Erie being more and more popular is lodging/access even more of a problem or has the area expanded. What is the reality of the area.

the fish are in the western basin, now all we need is ice. I say February would be more realistic.

[tater140]

Lodging and access can be a bit of a problem as Erie becomes a more and more popular ice destination.  Camp Perry used to be a great access until it got shut down.  I have heard stories of the parking lot being full at Catawba and the Sheriff there to direct traffic elsewhere.  It seems like the ice gets good enough and locked in earlier to fish around the island area first and then progresses Westward as the season goes on.  Further west there becomes more parking and access available, just early season it can be crowded around the Catawba area. 

[coopason]

Go to Ohiogamefishing.com.
Join and you can access plenty of archived Information on Erie Ice Fishing,
reports from the prior couple years when erie had 2 foot of Ice.

Lots of great information on the HAZARDS of accessing from Catawba State Park.

enjoy

[brink]

Ice on Erie in January is pretty optimistic.  If you weren't going every weekend a couple winters back where you could go virtually anywhere on the western basin, you might have missed the 100 year bite.  The 20 year bite anyway.

[Gills-only]

Go to Ohiogamefishing.com.
Join and you can access plenty of archived Information on Erie Ice Fishing,
reports from the prior couple years when erie had 2 foot of Ice.

Lots of great information on the HAZARDS of accessing from Catawba State Park.

enjoy

.           I hope I'm wrong, but I think the days of 2' ice on Erie are long gone.

[Strokem]

There are several choices for lodging, it depends on how close you wanna be. Now as for parking I'm only aware of 4 places and I heard one spot is completely shut off now and another(Base)you can have parking & access if you rent one of the houses or barracks. As for Ice on Erie!!! I wouldn't even consider until at least mid January at the earliest and that's only if all the conditions happen.
But hey let's stay optimistic cause there is no funner thing than to go out on Erie!!!!

[Ice Scratcher]

.           I hope I'm wrong, but I think the days of 2' ice on Erie are long gone.

2 and 3 seasons ago..

<°)))>{

[Ice Scratcher]

The 20 year bite anyway.

Correct, as far as ice off mainland OH near Toledo.  Every 20 years or so, 1995 and 96 were good out there too..

But, most seasons there is some ice, that can be fished, if you watch the wind and like to walk..

<°)))>{

[walleyepac]

It depends what you call the Western Basin, if Huron is considered the Western Basin then I would say yes but the fish that are over by Kellys have been there all year, the fish haven't migrated past huron just too far yet

[Eye Fish]

If lake erie gets ice there will be fish out there. And with the 2 winters that had good ice that caused a record or near record walleye hatches those 2 years. Those fish are now legal size fish. Some guys said they caught well over a 100 eaters to undersize fish this summer trolling. The lake is loaded with millions of those eater size fish. If we do get ice on erie i supect it will be very quick limits of walleye through the ice.

Now for access points. The only places i know of now are Catawba and Wild Wings. Camp Perry you can go out of only if you stay there overnight. Catawba is usually a nightmare to park.

[walleyepac]

Hi, I've shared 1 photo via Photobucket. Please click the link to view photos: http://share.photobucket.com/shareprofile/indexshare.php?id=MzYwNzk=
I pulled this fish out of Huron 2 weeks ago it would have won the fall brawl had I entered, I know better next year!lol

[stanton21]

Camp perry is the way to go. Ez access. Bait shop near by and if the fish move west still closer. I stayed there a few time. Nice place

[Gills-only]

Camp perry is the way to go. Ez access. Bait shop near by and if the fish move west still closer. I stayed there a few time. Nice place

.               I think unless u stay there and rent a room, no parking , I think they done that last year as people were trashing the place!!

[bldfrt]

Hi, I've shared 1 photo via Photobucket. Please click the link to view photos: http://share.photobucket.com/shareprofile/indexshare.php?id=MzYwNzk=
I pulled this fish out of Huron 2 weeks ago it would have won the fall brawl had I entered, I know better next year!lol

That's a huge walleye

[Curt]

.               I think unless u stay there and rent a room, no parking , I think they done that last year as people were trashing the place!!

Yup, you can only go out of there if you rent a room or house there.  I understand why they did it, some people have no respect for anything.

[Jerms32]

We can only keep our fingers crossed and hope to get back on erie again this year