You can reach big walleye from eastern Lake Erie’s piers, brickwalls and even beaches. (Shutterstock photo)
August 20, 2025
By D'Arcy Patrick Egan
Lake Erie’s walleyes prefer cool, deep waters in summer, and boat anglers relish bringing home coolers filled with flavorful fish caught while trolling those depths with planer boards and downriggers. A growing number of shoreline anglers, however, are casting from piers and breakwalls, especially after dark, and finding surprising success at catching walleyes. Many call it “the night bite.” Gifted with exceptional night vision and sharp teeth, walleyes are designed to be voracious predators in low-light conditions, and they head to the shorelines to feast on schools of shallow-water baitfish once the sun goes down.
While boat anglers have a decided advantage for catching walleyes during the dog days, casting from shore becomes productive when Lake Erie’s waters begin to cool.
Climate change has limited the ice cover of Lake Erie in recent years, giving hardy shore anglers an extended walleye season. It’s not uncommon to find fishermen casting and catching walleyes in late fall, winter and early spring when there is open water.
Casting from the piers and breakwalls, and even the beaches along the shorelines, can not only put a limit of walleyes in the cooler, it can result in some of the biggest fish hooked and landed each year.
Advertisement
WHEN TO GO The Pennsylvania walleye season runs from the first Saturday in May until December 31. In New York it is May 1 through March 15. Early May can be productive for shoreline anglers, and only leftover ice can cause anglers to stay away that time of year. In summer, primetime tourism season, the action heats up as western-basin fish make their way east.
Autumn through ice-up provides the most opportunities, as walleyes devour temperature-sensitive gizzard shad moving to warmer near-shore waters. It’s a time when walleyes fatten for the spring spawning season and provide opportunities for anglers casting after dark.
Catching walleyes from shore requires patience. The timing of when the fish venture to shallow water on a given night to feed can be somewhat erratic. When the schools of hungry fish do make the scene, the angling action can be spectacular.
Advertisement
BEST LURES AND TACKLE A 7-foot, medium-heavy spinning rod spooled with 8- or 10-pound-test monofilament line is the standard. Many anglers prefer 10-pound braided line with a 4- to 6-foot leader of 8-pound-test monofilament.
A variety of diving plugs are needed, with dark color patterns, including purple and black, the predominant tones for mimicking gizzard shad. Silver-blue and silver-black colors work well too. The Smithwick Perfect 10 Rogue is designed for deeper waters off piers and breakwalls, as are the Rapala Husky Jerk and Bandit Walleye Shad .
To trigger strikes, jerkbaits provide an erratic retrieve and can be fished in shallow waters. Top options include the Dead Eye Junior , Rapala X-Rap and Berkley Flicker Shad .
Jigs and swimbaits have become very popular in recent years. Vibrating rattle baits, such as the Cordell Super Spot and Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap , are easy to cast a long way and can easily be worked at various depths.
WALLEYE TRIP PLANNER Eastern Lake Erie’s walleye shoreline hot spots. New York Perched on the Niagara River below Niagara Falls, Lewiston is a fishing town with prime places to cast for walleyes. The Village of Lewiston Boat Launch is a popular waterfront experience where you can cast from the docks. The Riverside Motel is a nearby lodging option. Across the street from the motel, the Griffon Brewery and Gastropub is a good spot to grab a meal and a drink. Also, be sure to check out Artpark and its hiking trails that lead down to the river.
Freedom Park sits on Unity Island between the Niagara River and Black Rock Canal. Ferry Street, where it ends at the Niagara River, is a favored spot of night anglers. Bird Island Pier, which extends from the southern end of Freedom Park well past the Peace Bridge, offers access to a ton of water.
No trip to the Buffalo area is complete without sampling the city’s eponymous fare, Buffalo wings. Highly regarded chicken wing spots include Elmo’s Restaurant & Bar (try the double-dipped Cajun honey mustard wings), Sidelines Sports Bar and Grill, Duff’s, Gabriel’s Gate and Doc Sullivan’s.
For bait and tackle, Captain Bob’s Outdoor Bait Shop is close to Buffalo Harbor State Park in Buffalo. Russ’s Bait & Tackle and Scime’s Tackle are both on the west side of Buffalo.
The Dunkirk Harbor Fishing Pier is a good location to cast for walleyes early and late in the day, as well as wade the nearby beaches. The peak walleye bite here occurs in September and October.
Off the Hook is a cozy restaurant adjacent to the pier that features traditional seafood dishes and is a local favorite. Steelbound Dunkirk and the Central Station Restaurant are excellent options as well. All three eateries are close to the Dunkirk Pier.
Best Western Dunkirk, Comfort Inn & Suites and Clarion Conference Center are all affordable places to stay. Stock up on fishing supplies at Bill’s Hooks in Dunkirk and Jerome Miller’s Bait Store in nearby Irving.
Pennsylvania The mouths of all the streams along the Pennsylvania shoreline of Lake Erie offer wading anglers a good shot at catching a top-notch walleye. The best waters are Walnut, Elk, Raccoon and Crooked creeks, as well as Tenmile, Twelvemile and Sixteenmile creeks. There is a strong resident population of walleyes here that has grown over the last decade. Shallow-running jerkbaits are best for the shallow mouths of the creeks.
Deep-diving lures can be cast in the channel leading to Presque Isle Bay from South Pier in Erie. The foot of Holland Street in Erie is another casting hot spot for walleyes. Presque Isle State Park offers shorebound options, but closes for fishing at sunset.
Dining options in Erie include Pineapple Eddie Southern Bistro, which offers Southern and Caribbean cuisine. Shoreline Bar & Grill sits directly on Presque Isle Bay and features walleye on the menu and a killer chicken Cobb salad. Room 33 Speakeasy and Smuggler’s Wharf are popular as well.
The Hampton Inn & Suites Erie Bayfront, the Courtyard Erie Bayfront and Comfort Inn near Presque Isle are solid lodging options.
Tackle shops include East End Angler in the Harbor Creek area and Poor Richard’s Bait & Tackle in Fairview.
This article was featured in the August issue of Game & Fish magazine. Click to subscribe .
