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June 14th, 2006 West Erie County, DWCO Randy Leighton, WCO Brook Tolbert Conditions: Walleye fishing has good to excellent with a number anglers commenting "It's as good as the 80's". Catches have been good West of Walnut Creek in 35 to 40 feet of water with reports that "their hitting everything". Perhaps a bit exaggerated, but none the less, its been good. Reef Runners and crawler harnesses have been popular fished with small dipseys off the boards and flat lining in the shallower waters. A number of anglers have picked up a few cats while perching the along the bottom. Perch fishing has continued to pick up as well with many jumbos being hooked and a good number of limits already taken. Schools are forming off of Walnut and off the Point at Presque Isle. Bass fishing is still good along the lake shore in 20 to 35 feet of water and in Presque Isle Bay. Lake Erie water temperatures off of Toledo are 68 degrees, off Cleveland, 66 degrees and off Erie 63 degrees. PA Cleanways Does It Again: A few weeks ago area volunteers led by Michelle Dunn conducted an organized stream side cleanup along Dutch Road by the CSX railroad crossing ("the tubes" area). This event was sponsored by PA Cleanways in cooperation with the Western Pennsylvania Watershed Program. This clean up event yielded a staggering 2.86 tons of trash and 275 to 300 tires. A special thanks for a spectacular effort in helping to keep our access areas clean and open to fishing. For more information on PA Cleanways and how you can help go to www.pacleanways.com Law Enforcement: PFBC boats are now on the water help ensure boat safety. If you are stopped, consider the minor inconvenience, your assurance that officers in our area are doing their part to keep our shores and our boaters as safe as possible. Careful management and calculated experiments in minimum size and limits along with many natural factors have given anglers on Lake Erie some of the best Perch and walleye fishing in years. This year is starting out as another banner year with many limits already being brought in by happy anglers. Unfortunately, there are those few individuals that see no reason for limits or minimum sizes and elect to keep everything they catch often using illegal methods and more than the allowable tackle. Typically these individuals either do not understand the reasons for these regulations or just don't care. As tempting as it may be to take more than the allowed daily limit, it is wise to remember that "tomorrow is another day." Officers will be strictly enforcing these regulations in an effort to apprehend the greedy. If we ask to see your catch, don't be offended, but instead look at as doing your part in allowing us to find those individuals breaking these laws. All seasons, sizes and creel limits for Lake Erie as well as all Commonwealth waters are clearly defined in the angler regulations book received with your fishing license. They can also be viewed on the PFBC website Officers have found many early season safety violations on the water. Lack of, or non serviceable PFDs have been a common problem along with discharged fire extinguishers and unserviceable VFDs. Check your equipment carefully. Just because your gear was in great shape last year doesn't mean it is safe this season. Fire extinguishers can leak pressure and PFDs put away wet can become mildewed and unserviceable. Winter critters love the stuffing as well. Compressed air horns can leak and visual distress signals (flares) have expiration dates on them. Trailer lights put away full of water will unlikely work the following season. Be sure all required navigational lights are working and displayed between sunset and sunrise. Sunset and sunrise times can be found in the PFBC Boaters Handbook available at any boating store, most bait and tackle shops as well as on the PFBC website. A quick double check of on board safety gear may save your life. Marker buoys are now in through out Presque Isle Bay to assist boaters in identifying minimum wake areas and swimming areas. These markers are the traffic signs on the water and citations can be issued if they are ignored. Boaters are advised that specific minimum wake areas in the area include the Erie channel to the lake, Marina Bay and its entrance channel, Misery Bay and Horseshoe Pond, and areas with in the marker buoys around Dobbins Landing and Beach 11 outside the Erie Channel. Local Weather: Wednesday Night Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 50s. North winds 5 to 10 mph. Thursday Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 70s. Northwest winds 5 to 10 mph. Thursday Night Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 50s. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph. Friday Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 70s. Friday Night Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 60s. Saturday Partly cloudy. Highs in the lower 80s. Saturday Night Partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 60s. Sunday Partly cloudy. Highs in the mid 80s. Sunday Night Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 60s. Monday Partly cloudy. Highs in the mid 80s. Monday Night Partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 60s. Tuesday Partly cloudy with a chance of thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 80s. Chance of rain 30 percent |
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