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Lake Erie Fishing Maps

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NEW  CENTRAL BASIN FISHING MAPS
Central Basin - West
Central Basin -East

From the Editor

As of this writing (March 28^th), it is finally feeling more like spring. Lake Erie again looks like a lake and not the FROZEN TUNDRA of just a few short weeks ago. The excellent ice-fishing experienced by many this past winter is now a memory. Marinas are slowly beginning to open, docks are slowly starting to appear in the water. Fishermen are checking their tackle and their boats. Soon, anglers will be chasing walleyes.

Preliminary reports are that walleye numbers should be up and the forecast is promising. A very solid 2001 hatch will introduce good numbers of 13-15 inch walleyes into the fishery this year. The strong 1999 hatch will produce fish in the 16-18 inch range. Also, larger fish in the 20-26 inch range will be available from the good 1996 and 1998 catches.

A big question remains on the extent of the ‘dead zone’ this summer in Erie’s central basin. We’ll have to wait and see if this problem persists and how much it will affect the walleye catches in central Lake Erie.

And water levels continue to sink. The forecast is that Lake Erie water levels will be down another foot from a year ago. Keep a spare prop in your boat this summer.

This past year we lost one of Lake Erie’s finest ambassadors, Jim Fofrich Sr. Over the years Jim worked relentlessly to protect and conserve Lake Erie’s fishery resources. Most recently was his leadership in the smallmouth bass fishery with his participation in numerous tag and release projects. In March I attended the annual Charter Captain’s conference where Jim Fofrich Jr. gave a moving speech on what his father meant to him and to the Lake Erie Community. He mentioned that one of the lessons learned was Jim’s philosophy of what it meant to him to be on the Lake. Being on the lake was like being a guest in someone’s home. While in the home one should show respect of both the home and those in the home. Lake Erie was truly home to Jim Fofrich Sr.

We hope you enjoy the new "ONLINE" format of our publication. In each issue we will offer the full magazine and individual articles in PDF format as well in HTML format. For those fishermen (and I know there are many) who have not yet caught on to the computer lingo, simply go to www.walleye.com to see what we’re talking about. Wait a minute, if you’re reading this, you are already there, that is unless someone printed this text out and shared it with you, and we hope that happens often.

The current issue will be fully displayed and available from our web site for
NO CHARGE. Subscribers to the magazine will gain password access to all previous issues of the magazine. Since 1995 we have archived many dozens of articles on fishing Lake Erie.

Till next time, good fishing!