OHIO
In Ohio, the 2003 year-class of walleyes that dominated catches across Lake Erie during the 2006 season will be a year bigger for the 2007 season. With most of the 2003 females becoming mature and spawning for the first time in 2007, anglers can count on a heavier migration than they’ve seen in past years.

Travis Hartman, a fisheries biologist with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, said that the location of walleyes in July would depend on summer weather.

“During cooler years like 2006, the adults, especially the females, don’t tend to migrate as far into eastern Ohio or Pennsylvania and New York,” said Hartman. “In hot summers such as 2005, the adults migrate as far east as Buffalo and as far north as Saginaw Bay in Lake Huron.”

Weather conditions are always the deciding factor on how well anglers will fare from one day to the next. The good thing about most walleye anglers is their ability to adapt to conditions and make adjustments as necessary.

“Ohio anglers should adapt to weather conditions and determine where the biggest schools of fish are to have success in July,” Hartman added. “In western basin waters, West Sister Island is usually a favorite July staging area. Look for schools of bait (usually shiners) and the walleye that follow them. The best areas tend to be north of West Sister Island to the Canadian border, and east along the border to North Bass Island.”

Other key areas off the shores of Ohio to target include the central basin.

“The sandbar area offshore between Lorain and Vermillion is usually good in July,” Hartman noted. “The east side of the bar can be loaded with baitfish and walleyes. Another area to try is the weather buoy at the north end of the bar and then east along the Canadian border.”

If the summer is exceptionally hot, look for migrating females to be anywhere from Avon Point to Conneaut within five to 10 miles of shore.

Other than the 2003 year-class, older fish back to 1990 will be present in catchable numbers.

“Some 21-year-old fish from the big 1986 year-class will still be found in creel surveys,” Hartman said.

One of the most productive Lake Erie walleye-fishing techniques is to troll Dipsy or Jet Divers using stick baits or worm harnesses. Don’t forget to put on a good hunk of bait. Walleyes react well to the smell of meat coming off a lure.

If trolling isn’t your dish, try working the depths with bottom-bouncing jigs. Tip your jig with a shiner, crawler or leech. Once you locate a good pod of fish, the chances of landing a few of these lunker ‘eyes depends on how well you can adapt to the conditions.

One of the best launches to use is the Shelby Street Boat Launch at 101 Shelby Street, Sandusky, OH 44870. This is operated by the city of Sandusky, and costs $5 a day.

Check the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Web site for regulations, as well as plenty of information on where to go to enjoy this fantastic fishery at www.ohiodnr.com.

For more information on lodging and tourism, contact the Ohio Division of Travel and Tourism at 1-800-BUCKEYE. You can hear a general Lake Erie fishing report at 1-888-HOOK-FISH.