Lake Erie Multispecies Fishing in August. Perch are in full swing, smallmouth bass are starting up and the walleyes and catfish are still going strong.

Walleyes

Let’s start with the ‘eyes. Normally in August, you target rock piles to catch fish. Fish in the rocks are there to feed. There could be more fish out in the mud flats, but rock fish are hungry and ready to bite. Start off in the morning in shallower spots on the reef. Cast 18-inch weapons with 3/4-ounce weights, tipped with half a nightcrawler. Windy days are better, as fish will be more active. Gull Reef, Kelleys Island Shoal and points off the islands are prime spots, especially early and late in the day.

Winning tip 1: Use #4 and #5 Colorado blades in the rocks. They’ll have a strong pull on the retrieve, making it easier to keep your speeds down. Barely touch the rocks on your retrieve. As far as deep-water spots, going east of Kelleys Island is best. You’ll be in about 40 feet of water. Cast out and count to 25 or 30, and begin retrieving with a 1-ounce weight on the weapon.

Winning tip 2: Pay attention to your fish finder. On certain days, fish will be high in the water column. Retrieves will start after 10 seconds. Constantly change until you get regular bites. Trollers will be out in deep water also, north of Huron and Vermillion in 40-plus feet of water. Tru-Trips with spoons will still be hot at this time. 60 to 100 feet back will be a good starting point, with speeds around two miles per hour. Vary speeds and depths as needed.

Winning tip 3: If the bite is slow, than Tommy Harris’ Spoonzillas work great—they’re spoons with small harnesses on the back. You can use nightcrawlers as a fish attractant.

Winning tip 4: Time to sneak out some crankbaits: they’ll get you bigger fish. JT’s Custom Crank Baits in purple color variations work great in August.

Perch

Let’s talk some perch now. Around the islands, west of Green Island and Rattlesnake Island are good in 30 feet of water. Mark a school of fish, drop your anchor and fish with minnows on a spreader. Spreaders are a wire with two hooks attached.

Winning tip 5: When looking for fish, sometimes you’ll just see bait on the bottom, but that’s okay. Fish it! Sometimes fish are tough to mark and seeing bait is better.

Winning tip 6: This is my favorite tip for perch: keep your motor running on the boat while fishing. The noise from the motor will attract fish. Many days, it makes a difference.

Bass and catfish

Smallmouth bass will start to heat up, but that is more an issue in September. In August, look for deep drop offs around the islands and the reefs. Fish will swim up and down the rock piles and will usually bite in spurts. If you like using artificial baits, then the crawfish and goby look-alikes work the best.

Catfish are in big bite mode. Most of the catfish are caught in the Sandusky Bay. Look on your charts for the Sandusky Bay Bridge and fish in that area. Nightcrawlers on a single hook and weight work well. One to 1.1/2-ounce weights are the best to use.

Winning tip 7: Try to get raw, uncooked shrimp. The catfish love these, they work well when the fishing is slow and they produce bigger cats. Catfishing is not in the spotlight much because of the great walleye fishing, but it’s fabulous. Shore fishing is also good if you do not have a boat. The Bay’s Edge Bait and Tackle store is nearby to help you navigate the area if you’re not familiar with it.

MWO

For more information…

Captain Mark Cahlik

Mark 1 Sportfishing & Lodging

mcahlik@gmail.com

TEXT: 419-656-5060