Lake Erie Conditions

[SS-Slayer]

I read an ealier post by Juls the ice was around 6" on Erie. Does anyone in the Ohio waters know if we have a consistent ice mass yet? I am waiting on call back to book a charter out of Catawba. With this weather maybe I'll get the call in a week or so! I have been wanting to try one of these outings for the past couple of years. Looking forward to jigging some eyes and give the gills a break!

[Juls]

There are soft spots out there and there was also some open water by Mouse Island. The airboats were breaking through as they were going out yesterday.

Rick says, "it should firm up by the weekend, if the wind doesn't bust it all up".

Juls

[SS-Slayer]

Thanks Juls!

[fishontoday]

Hopefully we will be fishing off of catawba real soon. I am going to call the baitshops today and see what they have to say.We drive from Hillsdale ,Michigan and go out of catawba on 4 wheelers.

[tlshealy]

There were 4 wheelers and sleds going out of catawba today, about 8" as far as I went out walking (maybe a mile) still a lot of slush under the snow. But should get healthy in the next few days. I didn't get anything but I heard some folks the went further west got some.
Tad

[SS-Slayer]

Booked my trip last night. I will be heading out (with a couple of friends) on Friday Jan 30. This will be our first guided trip on the ice and we are all roaring to go!
Looking for those big hens!
Rick

[Juls]

Rick was out yesterday with a friend...here is his report that he put on another site:
Just got off the ice West of Crane Creek. We ran the air boat out of Metzgers Marsh. Broke through at the mouth of Cooley Canal for app. 1/4 to 1/2 mile out. Broke through twice more between there and A-Can. Fished 1 mile West of A-Can in 25 ft, on 8 inch's of good ice.
We were there from 1:00 till 4:30. We iced 14 and lost that many. White pimples and White Do-Jiggers were the best, right on the bottom.
I'd be carefull and check often if your running out of Crane Creek.
----------------------------------------------------
There were a lot of folks fishing out of Catawba on Sunday. The parking lot was full of trucks and trailers. I counted 6 airboat trailers, and a bunch of atv & snowmobile trailers.
Several people walked out.

It looked like there were at least 75-100 shanties dotting the ice from the green can at Catawba out to Green Island.

Reports are that the ice is solid from Cawtawba to the islands and is about 8-9 inches thick in most areas.
Airboats that ran across did not break through.

That's all I know right now.

Juls

[SS-Slayer]

Sounds Good.

Thanks

[bigbird]

My brother and brother in-law live in Wisconsin and I live in Pennsylvania. We would like to meet somewhere on Lake Erie and try our hand at fishing for Walleye on Lake Erie for the first time. I don't really know where to begin other than to ask for help.

1. When is the best time?
2. Where should we go? (Cleveland, Erie, etc.)
3. Where to stay?
4. Use a guide?

Thanks in advance!
Bigbird

[Captain Dave Amberjack]

Hello, Are you speaking of ice fishing or of spring or summer fishing, let me know and I'll try to help, I've had boats in the Port Clinton, Island areas for more than 30 years will do our best to help. Dave