Review of 1998 Eastern Basin Walleye Fishing Reports

Covering Dunkirk through Buffalo, NY Waters of Lake Erie and Canadian Waters of Lake Erie

 August 8, 1998
  Eastern Lake Erie, Canadian Waters
Were gettin 4 to 9 lbs Walleyes out around the weather station straight out
from Port Colborne in 70 to 90 feet of water on the water mellon flavor
worm harness and blk/silver floating rappala on the cannon balls. Not
marking any schools fish are scattered. Purple hot lips with a few
splitshots on the planner boards are producing as well as ever.
Thanks Dave Faucher
August 3, 1998
  Eastern Lake Erie, Canadian Waters
Walleye were scattered and anglers had to range further afield to get their walleye this week. Locally, catches of walleye  were reported  at the 2-mile buoy and west of the Port Colborne weather buoy.  Many anglers traveled  as far as Dunkirk to the south or Port Maitland to the west. Fish were taken in the top 40’. Boats averaged  about 1-2 walleye per trip. Planer boards and deep diving  green and perch-coloured body baits and thunder sticks worked well. Anglers fishing at the deeper part of the water column found  blue\silver colours , produced fish.  Smallmouth bass  were spotty this week and taken  at  25-40’ depths on drifted  tube jigs  and crayfish.
At Port Maitland, good catches walleye were reported off of Rock Point Provincial Park just to the east and 5 miles to the south of the signal light.  Walleye were taken in 70’ of water close to the bottom.  Purple and darker-coloured Ripplin  Redfins  fished from downriggers  worked best.  Big smallmouth bass were taken incidentally by anglers fishing for walleye from downriggers.

Long Point Bay
Catches of walleye  were consistent throughout outer Long Point Bay this week. Anglers averaged 3-4 walleye per trip but had to hunt for them. Walleye were taken in 50-60’ of water from planer boards or downriggers by worm harnesses, or silver/black or light coloured body baits, and power divers.  Salmon, rainbow trout, and lake trout fishing was particularly good off Long Point in waters 160-170’ deep at depths exceeding  100’. Williams Whitefish was a popular lure here.
Smallmouth bass  were still being caught at  Bluff Bar, and  Long Point Tip; however warm water temperatures finally moved them out of  the Inner Bay.  Drift fishing or casting with live bait such as worms or crayfish  were best bets.  Good numbers of yellow perch  were caught  this week at  in the Gravelly Bay Long  Point tip area.
July 21, 1998
  Port Colborne Area
This morning we fished approximately 1 1/2 miles west of the Port
Colborne weather buoy in 85 feet of water.  We boated 12 large walleye
by early afternoon with an average weight of 8 lbs, the largest weighing
in at 9.2 lbs.  5 fish came off the riggers at 25, 37 and 55 feet using
pink and green Riplin Redfins.  The remaining fish came off the planar
boards using jet divers with black/red and black/pink worm harnesses.
George from Port Colborne.
July 14, 1998
  Canadian Waters Of Lake Erie
                                           GENERAL
 Anglers in the east continued to report relatively good walleye fishing this week. Boats returning to Port Colborne and Port
  Maitland reported steady catches of large walleye with some boats limiting out. Yellow perch were a welcome addition to
 anglers creels in Inner Long Point Bay this week. Perch in the 10-12 inch range were picked up near Pottahawk Bar using a
variety of live baits including minnows and worms. Bass fishing in the inner bay has slowed down somewhat with fish heading
 to deeper and cooler waters. Central basin anglers reported fewer walleye this week but plenty of rainbow trout along with
   the odd salmon and brown trout picking up the slack. Walleye fishing has been excellent in the western basin with most
                 action coming off of Colchester and between the East and Middle Sister Islands.
                                     EASTERN  LAKE  ERIE
                                   Port Colborne  -  Port Maitland
 Eastern basin anglers reported relatively good walleye fishing off of Port Colborne and Port Maitland this week. Fish were
 picked up from 5-7 miles out in 50-60 feet of water down approximately 20 feet. Anglers were averaging 3-6 walleye with
  some boats returning with their limit of fish. Hot lures include deep diving Bombers and  Hot Spot in blue\silver and purple
                                         colour patterns.
 Bass anglers reported good success working underwater structure in the 15-25 foot range. Crayfish, minnows and other live
           bait took most of these fish with others being picked up on twister tail jigs and small crank baits.
                                         Long Point Bay
 Bass fishing in the Inner Bay has slowed down somewhat but anglers reported some nice catches of yellow perch near Bluff
  Bar this week. Perch from 10-12 inches were taken in 8 feet of water using worms and minnows. Bass anglers reported
  spotty action in the inner bay and some moved out to the end of Long Point near the lighthouse where action picked up.
  Trout fishermen continue to report excellent catches of rainbow trout. Fish are being picked up north of Long Point near
  Gravely Bay in 60-120 feet of water. Blue, silver and brass coloured spoons such as line dancers and NK28’s have been
  the bait of choice trolled behind planer boards or off of sliders on the rigger. Anglers were also marking walleye inside the
    Long Point to Peacock Point line down 20 feet in 70 feet of water. These fish were hard to fool with walleye anglers
                                  returning with 2-4 fish on average.
July 9, 1998
Canadian Waters Of Lake Erie
GENERAL
Strong winds kept mid-water anglers at bay for much of the week. When the weather cooperated western basin fisherman were rewarded with increasing walleye catches along with good catches of bass and sheephead. Fishing was generally good in the central basin with most boats returning with a mix of walleye and rainbow trout. Long Point area anglers continue to pick up trout and salmon off the end of long point whereas the inner bay flats are the place to be if you’re after bass. Walleye have also been a main stay for anglers in the Port Colborne area with increasing catches of  6-9 pound fish being taken approximately 7 miles from shore.
EASTERN  LAKE  ERIE
Port Colborne  -  Port Maitland
Eastern basin anglers reported relatively good walleye fishing off of Port Colborne this week. Fish were being picked up out about 7 miles near the weather marker. Watermelon coloured worm harnesses and deep diving blue\silver crank baits fished anywhere from 10-25 feet down were producing an average of  3-6 large walleye per trip. Bass fisherman have also done well working structure such as rocky points and underwater humps in 10-15 feet of water. Shore anglers fishing with minnows and worms reported that a few perch along with walleye and pike were being picked up along the eastern pier at Port Maitland this week.
Long Point Bay
The north side of Long Point near Gravely Bay was the hot spot again for  trout fishermen this week. The thermocline was found at 35 feet this week with most rainbow trout and the odd chinook and pink salmon being picked up at or below the thermocline in 60-120 feet of water. Blue, silver and green spoons such as the NK28 have been the bait of choice trolled behind planer boards or off of sliders on the rigger. Smallmouth bass anglers reported that fish are still being taken in inner long point bay on the flats. Drift fishing with live bait such as worms, minnows or leeches is a proven producer of bass in this area.

July 3, 1998
Candadian Waters, Near Nanticoke Powerplant
Just finished a great charter with Delaney Charters
(519-426-3690) by the  Nanticoke Powerplant - 3
walleyes over 9lbs, one smaller, one rainbow 7-8 lbs
and one 20 lb chinook.
suface temp 18C, light chop,  -(action 9-11 in morning
over 70 feet of water - no action between 11 and 2pm
over 110' of water, action resumes over 70' with  fish
caught between 3 and 4pm.
all fish caught  -  just along the ridge between the
inner and outer bay of Nanticoke.  No real choice in
spoon colour - fish hit both black and red spoons as
well as light blue crankbaits - all on extra long
leaders  - all fish caught were female with full
stomaches of alweif -go figure eh!
Rainbow caught at 55feet, chinook off the planer
board - another fish ripped the line from the planer
board as well - but alas we can only speculate it must
have been another great chinook!
Hope to be back later, (by the way the 10lb is on its
way to be mounted) Like your webpages...
Bob.
June 30, 1998
Barcelona Area, NY
My brother in law & I fished Barcelona trolling from 7 am- 4:30 pm and
landed 4 nice walleyes ranging from  8.4 lbs - 4.7 lbs. We lost 2 others
about the same sizes. We were fishing 30- 45 ft  down over 105 ft deep.
Caught all but 1 on Blk/purple harnesses at 2.0 mph, 175 back on boards/
weights. Nothing on dippsys. Thanks to Dawn to Dusk for their help as
this was our 1st trip there. Very nice marina. Mike & Pete-- Rainbow
Gypsy on 68.

June 29, 1998
Canadian Waters of Lake Erie
GENERAL
          The highlight of the week was the opening of bass season on June 27th. Angler’s reported good
       catches of  smallmouth bass in both the western and eastern basins of the lake. Inner Long Point
      Bay also proved to be another    hot spot for bass with most boats having no problems finding fish.
      Walleye catches are picking up in the central basin with anglers reporting catches up to 10 fish per
        boat in 50-70 feet of water between Port Glasgow and Port   Stanley. Anglers fishing off Port
        Colbourne are also reporting steady catches of walleye whereas in the western  basin walleye
      fishing continues to be tough. Rainbow trout continue to provide a strong fishery in the central and
                    eastern basin with fish widely scattered in 50-120 feet of water.
EASTERN  LAKE  ERIE
Port Colborne  -  Port Maitland
Bass fishermen reported a relatively good opening weekend to the season with numerous bass found between 10-20 feet of water near the rocky points and gravel shoals west of Port Colborne and in the vicinity of Mohawk Island near Port Maitland.  Live bait such as crayfish, leeches and minnows produced numerous fish as did casting with small crankbaits such as Fat Raps or Big O’s . Walleye anglers were heading out 3-5 miles in 65-75 feet of water and reporting steady catches all week. Watermelon worm harness’s and smelt pattern Ripplin Redfins were the lures of choice in this area.
Long Point Bay
Despite the warm spring plenty of smallmouth bass remained to greet anglers opening day on inner Long Point Bay. Most fishermen had no problem catching their limit of bass using a variety of baits and tackles. Drifting live bait between Bait Island and Pottahawk Point proved particularly effective for many fishing parties.
Trout fishermen should head to the north side of Long Point near Gravely Bay. Look for fish close to the surface in  60 -120 feet of water. Blue, silver and green spoons such as the NK28 have been the bait of choice with the average trip producing numerous rainbows along with the odd salmon and lake trout.
June 25, 1998
Barcelona Harbor, NY area
Fished about 4 hours onJune 24 and landed 4 walleye.They ranged from 5# to
10#.Two were caught with black and purple worm harnasses off of the boards
and two were taken with fire tigers with large dipsy,s.We were fishing near
the Pa.and N.Y line in 100' of water.If you are in the area and I can
help,Give me a call.My handle is Dusk to Dawn.
June 22, 1998
Dunkirk, NY area
The fishing off the Dunkirk area is starting to pick up with our boat
 picking up two fish and loosing one.Both fish wieghed over 8 pounds and
 were caught on green and silver NK'S in 80'of water 75' down using
donriggers with 250' leads.
 good luck to all

June 22, 1998
EASTERN LAKE ERIE, Canadian Waters
Port Colborne - Port Maitland
Steady walleye catches were reported from Fort Erie to Port Maitland. Anglers were averaging 2-3 fish per boat with a rainbow trout or two thrown in for good measure. Particularly good concentrations were found in the area 5 miles south of Point Abino in 65-75’ of water. Walleye were taken off planer boards by watermelon colored worm harnesses or smelt colored body baits.
Long Point Bay
Walleye fishing was relatively slow this past week with boats averaging 1-2 fish per boat from the bay side of Long Point to the Elbow and the south side of the Point. Rainbows and Chinook salmon were also being caught fairly regularly. Rainbows were taken by NK 28s and dark colored purple bombers worked best for walleye fished off planer boards.
 Lake Erie Management Unit Box 429, Port Dover, Ontario, N0A 1N0
               Telephone : 519 -583-1344 Fax : 519- 583-1547 E-mail: sztraml@gov.on.ca

June 21, 1998
Cattaraugus Creek  Area
Hi Guys, I enjoy your magazine and web site, keep up the good work. Fished
for the first day yesterday and boated an 11 1/2 lb walleye, 30.5" very large
girth, largest fish I ever caught. Fish hit a Hi Tech worm harness, black with
rasberry trolled at <2 mph behind a big dipsy of metallic blue 195' behind
boat. Caught fish 7-8 miles out of Cattaraugus Creek off St. Columbans in 87'
of water.
All fish were located on the bottom with very few fish rising in the water
cloumn, action for all boaters was slow with most boats only getting one or
two fish. Most fish caught were larger than 7 lbs by other fisherman. Larger
scholos should be in area soon.
Good luck,
Cousin Barny
Mike Barnhart
Buffalo, NY
June 12, 1998
Barcelona Area
We fished out of Barcelona 0630-1500 and spent the majority of the day
between the launch and PA waters. Fish were scattered in the water
column with most showing up in 70 to 100 feet of water. They did not
appear to be aggressively feeding and while we had several "knock offs"
only one walleye was boated.Planers and dipsies were unproductive and
all action was 40 to 60 feet down on reef runners,(purple and pink). The
fish we kept was feeding on  mostly smelt and gizzard shad. That's all. ..John Erich.
June 6, 1998
Canadian Waters
Hey there... Was out fishing off of Rondeau Point (Point aux Pins) for the
last week. Water temp is between 58 and 63. Fishing 74 - 80 feet of water
where you're marking large schools of baitfish 5 - 8 feet down from the
surface. Walley seem to be suspended about 45 - 55 feet down. Best way of
triggering strikes is by using a
#0 Pink Lady with a 2 foot leader hooked to a Long "A' Bomber. Dark colours
are working best. (Black, blue, purple, and red) Only getting limited
strikes off of the planerboards and still catching the odd Rainbow off of
the Downriggers at 30 - 35 feet
Hope it helps!!! Happy Fishing.
Graham J. Brown  BHK  MHK
Competiitve Sports Travel & Tours Intl .Inc.
"Uniting the World of Sports"
111 Heritage Road, Suite 104
Chatham, Ontario, N7M 5W7
CANADA
(519) 352 - 8184  Phone
(519) 352 - 5146  Fax
graham@sport-travel.com
Visit us @  www.sport-travel.com

Last Years Reports
August 19, 1997