Photo by Michael T. Williams

Though it continues to change, Lake Erie currently supports one of the best smallmouth bass fisheries in North America. Savvy anglers willing to keep a variety of location and presentation options in their bag of tricks should be able to enjoy consistent action on lunker smallmouths throughout the spring season.

Understanding how Erie smallmouths use the lake is vital to finding fish, simply because there is so much water. On a lake this big, success is a matter of finding the habitat type that's producing more than being on a specific "hotspot."

With this in mind, here's a look at the best areas to fish this spring for big Lake Erie bronzebacks:

PENNSYLVANIA
North East Area
Close to the Pennsylvania-New York border is the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission's Safe Harbor Marina in the town of North East. This marina provides an excellent access area to search out the bass-filled waters within seven miles or so.

Bass anglers have several good options while fishing out of the Safe Harbor area. Smallies invariably relate to changes in bottom structure. A step of even a couple of feet can attract fish, though larger, more pronounced structures tend to pull in the most fish.

The waters around North East are well seasoned with rock ridges and chunk rockpiles that hold smallies throughout much of the season. Good bass-holding water can be northwest of the marina. Watch the sonar unit for depth changes. Some structure lines run north to south, while others run east to west. It pays to run the boat in and out from shore as well as parallel to it when looking for good spots.

Bass-holding breaks occur throughout depth ranges of 15 to 35 feet. While cruising, mark any potential spots with a buoy or a GPS icon. Look over the best areas slowly and carefully. If a spot seems like it has fish-holding characteristics -- sharp breaks, good size, the presence of fish on the sonar -- take time to fish it.

The most popular method of fishing such rocky structures is on a controlled drift. Stop the boat upwind of the structure, and then allow the prevailing wind and wave action to move the boat over the area. Tube bodies dressed on 1/8- to 1/2-ounce tapered-head, insert-style leadhead jigs are the preferred presentation. Match the jighead weight to the depth and wave conditions. Deeper water and rougher seas call for heavier jigs.

Good rocky structure can be found along the inshore areas from North East west toward Presque Isle. The most popular area is a few miles west of the landing, known locally as the "Ws," where erosion ditches on the face of the shoreline bank has etched a series of patterns that can be seen as the letter W. An abundance of rocky structure exists out from the Ws.

The Safe Harbor Marina is about 2.5 miles east of North East off Route 5.

Presque Isle Bay Waters
Presque Isle Bay is another hotbed of early-season action. The bay, 3,000-plus-acres fronting the city of Erie, attracts plenty of springtime smallies, and often provides the first bronzeback action of the year. Bass may be taken along the edge of the shipping channel, which is well marked with navigation buoys. Cast or drift tube jigs, twistertail grubs or bucktail jigs along the edge of this structure.

Smallies will also hold along the edge of the extensive flats that lie off the peninsula. Expect to find them in and around newly emerging weed growth. A suspending jerkbait can be excellent for working these flats. Bass may also be taken along the city side of the bay, along the many pilings and breakwaters found there.

Good springtime smallmouth fishing may be found in the main lake proximate to the Presque Isle entrance. One of the most popular is the "Cribs," two cement pilings in front of the Hammermill plant. Bass hold close to the pilings, as well as near natural structure in the area.

Between Presque Isle Bay and North East are several creeks that enter the lake. The rocky flats in front of these creek mouths can provide fast action when the fish are shallow. This is more excellent suspending jerkbait water. Twelvemile, Fourteenmile and Sixteenmile creeks are among the best areas.