The wonderful fishing weather should lure a legion of anglers outdoors this weekend, and licenses won't be needed. Saturday and Sunday are Fish For Free Days in Ohio, a couple of license-free days designed to bring out new and former fishermen.
A few limits of walleye are still being caught on the Sandusky and Maumee rivers in Northwestern Ohio, but the run is starting to wind down. The white bass are already making an appearance, and should be plentiful in the rivers very soon. GENERAL FISHING REPORT
There's no excuse for not fishing this surprisingly balmy weekend, even if you have yet to buy an Ohio fishing licenses. Saturday and Sunday are Ohio's Fish For Free Days, with no licenses required. The crappie fishing is very good all around the state, bass are biting and the Lake Erie walleye and yellow perch fishing is becoming more productive each warm, sunny spring day.
The walleye bag limit has jumped from four to six fish per day on Lake Erie with a 15-inch size limit. The Lake Erie bass fishing is now closed through June 28. Bass can be caught, but not kept. The steelhead trout bag limit will jump to five fish per day on May 16.
RIVERS AND STREAMS
The Northeast Ohio rivers and streams continue to warm, chasing the steelhead trout back to Lake Erie for the summer. Only a few trout are still being caught from the deeper pools on minnows worked under a float. Some steelhead trout have been caught while trolling the lower portions of the rivers with shallow-diving Rapala lures, including Shad Raps, in chrome-black and chrome-blue colors.
Rainibow trout have been released in the East Branch of the Rocky River and in Paine Creek, a tributary of the Grand River. The best lures have been jigs or hooks with PowerBait or jigs tipped with maggots or waxworms worked under a float. As the waters continue to warm, spoons and spinners will come into play and so will smallmouth bass.
The walleye runs in the Maumee and Sandusky rivers are winding down as water levels continue to stabilize. The Sandusky River has been unusually productive this spring. Anglers are casting floating jigs heads tipped with colorful plastic twister tails on Carolina or Lindy rigs. The white bass run is just beginning on both rivers, and should blossom soon.
LAKE ERIE
The night walleye fishing around Cleveland is starting to sparkle, with fair to good catches reported from Lakewood's Gold Coast to the East 72d St. area off Cleveland. Walleye are being caught after dark from the east wall in Lorain's Spitzer Marina and most of the pier heads from Marblehead to Vermilion for patient after-dark fishermen. Shoreline and near-shore boat fishermen are doing best with Rapala Husky Jerk and Reef Runners lures in clown colors and blue-chrome combinations.
The spring yellow perch fishing is warming up in about 40 feet of water off Avon Lake and Lorain. The top Lorain spots include the Lorain Harbor lighthouse and the St. Anthonys area. Good-sized perch are being caught on or near the bottom on emerald shiner minnows.
The Western Lake Erie walleye fishing continues to be good, although fewer spawning walleye are hanging around the Niagara Reef complex. Trolling fishermen are working the waters west of Catawba Island, around the outside buoys marking the Camp Perry firing range and the Bass Islands. Both minnow-style plugs and spinner rigs and nightcrawlers are catching walleye.
INLAND LAKES, RESERVOIRS
Crappie are still the hot topic at local lakes and reservoirs. Finding crappie is the key, with some already in a post-spawn mode and heading to deeper water while others are just beginning to move to the shallows. The crappie bite is just beginning at Berlin Reservoir, which is at full pool right now, but it's in full swing in the bays and around the docks and shoreline cover at Mogadore, Wingfoot, Mosquito and Pymatuning lakes. Mogadore and Wingfoot crappie are in 4 to 6 feet of water, where some nice yellow perch are also being caught. The bluegill fishing has been very good at Mogadore Reservoir.
Expect a crowd of bass anglers racing around Mosquito Reservoir on Saturday for the Mosquito Madness tournament. Trophy muskies have been caught at Pymatuning Reservoir while casting Heddon Sonar and Scatter Rap lures for walleye along the causeway and while wading the points. Some wading fishermen are casting jig-minnow rigs.
Wellington Upground Reservoir has been a hot spot for largemouth bass in 13 to 18 feet of water on lead-head jigs and trailers.
The well-stocked Youth Fishing Ponds at the Akron District Office of the Ohio Division of Wildlife, 912 Portage Lakes Dr., are open Saturday from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. After the special session for Ohio Fish For Free Days, the kids' area will be open on weekends from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Rainbow trout are also being released today at the Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation in Cuyahoga Heights.