[wademaster]

I had a friend who moved to Ohio a couple years ago that I used to do a lot of fishing with. Saturday, after getting off of work me and a friend of mine are heading up there for several days to fish and hang out with him. We're going to hit Lake Erie in a boat, some of the rivers and other lakes. He's been catching lots of walleye and even a saugeye. Smallmouth, catfish, carp, you name it and we're after it. Pike and musky would be great but who knows. Anybody been there or have insight into this? Thanks

P.S. We'll be staying in Cuyahoga Falls....

 

[jerry condrey]

Ohio bound

I have fished Erie before for smallmouth. Try rocky points with split shot rigged plastics. We wore 'em out on camo colored Yamamoto cut tail worms, lemon pumpkin Zoom finesse worms.

 

[dbeam]

no suggestions, I do hope you have a great trip..

Darrell

 

[gambusia]

Stick with walleye, and smallmouth bass.

Good luck

 

[Fish_Fiend]

Get after some pike if the chance arises!

Sent from my SM-T217S using Tapatalk

 

[Scooty Puff Jr.]

Sounds awesome. I just moved to NC last year from about an hour south of where you're staying. This time of year the walleye are mostly out west near the islands but it is possible to catch some that don't make the migration out west. The perch bite should be decent somewhere between 30-40 FOW. Check out www.ohiogamefishing.com for the best reports. Awesome website with really helpful people. You should be able to target the smallies around the break walls, maybe even some perch or crappie. It's early so the water temps are still low. In the summer it's a long ride out to get to the fish. We used to head out of Geneva or Ashtabula starting in late May and early June for 'eyes, but a lot of guys head out from around the Browns stadium and do decent this time a year in reasonable depths. By summer you need to be out 10-15 miles in 50-60FOW to target em. Oh and you might still find a stray steelhead in the shallows this early. Talk about fun! I've hooked up with those in 40FOW+ and you'd swear you had a tuna on the end of that line, it really is one the best fights you'll ever have! Honestly the ONE thing I miss most about Ohio was Lake Erie and the freshwater fishing in NE Ohio. It's some of the best in the world.

 

[wademaster]

Very helpful thus far....thanks. Any additional info is appreciated.

 

[Birdman571]

It can blow pretty hard on the North Coast in the Spring and turn Erie into an unforgiving monster. Don't test her. She'll whoop your, well anything you put on her.
Have a back-up plan that includes rivers for smallmouth. Growing up in Lorain, I'd ride my Schwinn to the Vermillion River and do pretty good wth Mepps spinners and catching craw dads and bouncing them with a split shot.

There's some good impoundments in eastern Ohio. Check the Plain Dealer for D'Arcy Egan's Outdoor column for reports n tips.

Go Buckeyes! O-H!

 

[jerry condrey]

Friend of mine says you should venture to Astabula County, town of Jefferson. Fish the upper sections of the Ohio River. Lots of rocky banks, and they love a pumpkin speedcraw on the split shot rig.

 

[Bleedingblue]

I've fished Conneaut creek for steelhead. Caught some smallies there too. You can drive a boat a fair ways back up the creek. There are quite a few public access areas on the local rivers that you could hit if the big lake is too rough. I've never fished them, but the bass islands on Erie are a reasonable distance away and are supposed to be great smallmouth fishing.

 

[biglenr]

Friend of mine says you should venture to Astabula County, town of Jefferson. Fish the upper sections of the Ohio River. Lots of rocky banks, and they love a pumpkin speedcraw on the split shot rig.

I think you might be referring to another river, but I can't figure out which one. The Ohio river doesn't go within 100 miles of Ashtabula... Ashtabula is on Lake Erie (northern boundary of ohio), while Ohio river is southern boundary of state.


====

But be careful on that lake. Treat it like you would the ocean.... I've spent a very unpleasant day on a 20' boat out there when the early morning glassy calm turned into 6' swells when we were 6 miles from shore. It's relatively shallow (for such a huge body of water), and the winds can build up big waves quickly...

While you are in the area.... You really need to visit the Pymatuming Resivoir on the PA ohio border. Bring a loaf of bread.

Search youtube for pymatuming carp and you'll see why. It's something you need to see to believe.

 

[jerry condrey]

I'll check that and see. Never fished the area. We fished the Erie out of Buffalo, NY. I was going by second hand info.

 

[jerry condrey]

Cuyahoga River is near there, and has smallies and pike, the site says. Anyway, I feel confident you'll find them.

 

[Lateral line]

I just moved to greenville from Cleveland Ohio. Lake Erie is awesome. If you stay inside the break walls along downtown Cleveland near Burke lakefront airport and rock n roll hall of fame you can catch multiple species. Largemouth walleye pike. I've had success with a red eye shad, various cranks, and a jig n pig. You will also get into sheephead or freshwater drum so hang on they can get pretty big. Inland reservoirs to check out would be mosquito reservoir, Berlin, and Milton. Electric only lakes include mogadore and LaDue reservoirs. Definitely checkout ohiogamefishing.com and go to northeast report and Lake Erie report. If you are into bass check out dobass.com. Great info from a tournament series I used to fish

 

[basshead]

When I go somewhere new and have a few days to fish I hire a reputable guide the first day (or half-day). Pay attention to them and ask as many questions as possible. Ask about the area too and head out on the info he/she passes along. A guide split three ways is not such a hard pill to swallow, you'll get some terrific info, and you may actually catch a few fish on their watch too!

 

[Alotahp]

I grew up in Tallmadge. The creeks and water around Monroe falls hold some nice fish!! Mogadore Reservoir is pretty nice too but haven't fished there in years.. Lake Berlin isn't too bad when you can get out there during the week. Lots of rivers to fish!!!

 

[wademaster]

Ended up fishing several places. I'll post a thread in a bit. I'm still in Ohio and have to make the long journey back home in an hour or 2. I'll post a thread this evening when I get home so keep your eyes open! Thanks for all the input fellas!!!


Sent from my kayak...

 

[dbeam]

looking forward to it. I hope the drive was not too bad and you could enjoy the beautiful countryside and this great weather..

Darrell