Cool day on the water

Great size for eating! Limited out of course....lol...mmmm!

Trolling just of shore of Leamington for these yummy fellas!

Another hungry fellow while jigging for perch off of Leamington!

Caught while jigging for perch about 6 miles from Leamington!

Lake Erie is one of the most productive of the Great Lakes, with numerous species. Walleye, perch and bass fisheries are among the best in the world. James Hall, owner of Hall’em In Sportfishing says that he specializes in walleye and perch fishing on Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, and the Niagara River. He has two available boats, the largest can fit up to five people. He supplies all of the fishing gear and supplies, just bring yourself, food and drinks, and a fishing license. When fishing for perch, Hall recommends live bait, as “perch are too well fed to bite on artificial lures.” Hall says that emerald shiners are the best. Because of the large amounts of nutrients in the lake, the perch are very large. In the spring, they can generally be found in 55 degree water, but will move into shallower, warmer water after they spawn. Walleye on the other hand prefer colder water. During the fall and spring, they will be in shallow, 15-30 foot deep water. However, as the water warms in July and August, walleye can be found at depths of 75-90 feet. Because they are so deep in the summer, they often do not survive after being caught. Hall recommends keeping any walleye you catch, or targetting other fish if you are practising catch and release. Walleye average in the five- to six-lbs range and can be as large as 12lbs. Trolling is the most common method for walleye fishing, with anglers targeting drop-offs and mid-lake humps. Ben Woo, organizer of the Berkley B1 bass fishing event, says Lake Erie is home to small and largemouth bass, but it is the smallmouth that the lake is famous for. The shallow waters of the lake allow for these fish to thrive. When fishing for smallmouth bass, Woo recommends looking for drop off points around 20-35 feet deep. These fish can almost always be found near rocky bottoms or shoals, making this a great place to start. Woo says that using a drop shot rig with small, plastics worms or minnows has been known to work well for smallmouth bass. A tube jig is also a great alternative. In addition to the above mentioned species, Scott Luey, CAO at the City of Port Colborne says that muskie, northern pike, and panfish can also popular. In particular, anglers can find great shore fishing from the docks located at Sugarloaf Marina. When targeting muskie, Luey says they are close to shore early in the season, which opens the first Saturday in June. Early summer and fall are best for muskie. These are some of the largest fish in the lake, with anglers catching muskie over 40” long! Luey recommends trolling or casting using artificial lures. However, he reminds anglers that muskie are the “fish of 1000 casts” meaning patience is needed. If your setup is not working, try something new. Michelle Cuthbert, communications officer for the City of Port Colborne says there are a number of exciting events taking place over the summer. Anglers are invited to take part in the Port Colborne & District Conservation Club Kids Fishing Derby on June 17. Located at H.H Knoll Lakeview Park, head to www.pcdcc.com for more information, or call Kathy McQuire at 905-835-2261. Later in June, on June 22-23rd, Port Colborne will be hosting the Budweiser Shootout. This derby focuses on walleye fishing. For more information, call Erie Tracker at 905-834-9218. In addition, there is a Thursday nightWalleye League at Sugarloaf Marina. For more information, call 905-835-6644. The Berkley B1 event is a premium bass fishing series, going on its tenth year. In 2018, Port Colborne will play host to one of the events on August 10-11th. Boats are to launched at the Sugarloaf Marina at 7am, with a daily return at 3pm. There are a number of great prizes up for grabs including a fully equipped 2018 Ranger Bass Boat with Mercury Motor, valued at $40,000. This elite fishing series is also family friendly with a number of activities for kids. Head to www.berkleyb1.com for more information and to sign up! To book a fishing trip with James Hall of Hall’em In Sportfishing, give him a call at 905-308-7313, or check out www.halleminsportfishing.ca for more information. LAKE ACCESS There is a fantastic boat launch located at Sugarloaf Marina in Port Colborne. Located at 3 Marina Drive, there is ample parking at this four lane launch. It costs $115 for a seasons pass, or $15 per day to launch and park. Seasons or seniors passes must be purchased from the marina’s head office, but day passes are available at the boat launch ramp pay & display machine. Call Sugarloaf Marina at 905-835-6644, or send an email to [email protected] From Toronto, Take Queen Elizabeth Way/QEW, and follow signs for Niagara/East Hamilton/Fort Erie. Continue for 52KM before merging onto ON-406 S. For more information about visiting Port Colborne, check out: @PCTourism @sugarloafmarina @tourismportcolborne www.portcolborne.ca/page/anglers