I want to go bass fishing on Lake Erie!!!! - The Hull Truth

pastaman1234 · 05-16-2007, 08:16 PM

I am looking for a decent place to stay on Lake Erie to go bass fishing. I prefer a place on the lake with overnight docking. I live in NJ so someplacegeographically friendly would be great. I heard something about the bass islands but i have no idea where or what they are about. I am not looking for anything "budget" here, just a nice place to stay on the water in an area with good bass fishingand some good restaurants wouldn't hurt.Thanks........................Tom

mr buck · 05-16-2007, 08:42 PM

I see your in Jersey.....you should hit the western NY (buffalo) area since its closer and would be on your way to the western basin where the bass islands are (cleveland is 3 hrs from buffalo and bass islands another 2 hrs I believe). Lots of lodging in buffalo area and there are some areas west along the lake towards Dunkirk. Don't think you'll find many overnight areas in Buffalo though, but you could just get a motel and keep the boat there.

ggill · 05-16-2007, 09:37 PM

Pastaman,

As previously stated, the Buffalo area is a great place to start for great smallie fishing. On the eastern most end near Buffalo people fish for the bass in front of the former Bethlehem Steel Plant and south towards a shallow reef called Seneca Shoal. Lodgeing in this area would be found in the Town of Hamburg which is located about 3-4 miles to the south. Most of the hotels/motels are clustered around the I-90 exit 57a or b, I can't remember. You would launch at a marina locally called the small boat harbor, I'm not sure of it's "official" name, maybe Erie Basin Marina. I'm not sure if transient docks are offered there. The harbor is literally located .5 to 2 miles of the fishing areas I stated above.

In the Dunkirk area, (which is also very close to an I-90 exit) there is a nice hotel (the franchise name escapes me right now) located right on the water next to the Chadwick Bay Marina, I think they have a website. Transient docks are available here as well. A lot of guys run west for the smallies in this area.

PM me if you are interested & I will take the time to get some better info for you.

Greg

GWC3 · 05-16-2007, 10:15 PM

Am familiar with western lake erie and bass islands. seems a pretty long way from NJ though - depends how long you want to drive and stay (a weekend?). Note that lake erie can get nasty quickly being so shallow so weather can be a factor in a fishing boat ("bass boat" etc - its done but caution and good boat handling required). That said, the bass islands (and the major island being south bass) are more a party / vacation visit place than oriented for fishing - but there is a municipal marina for overnights as well as hotels etc (in season they get pricey though). You can take the ferry to the island and I have seen trailered boats - and there is a boat launch ramp at the state park on the south end of the island (cant stay overnight there though). But most who fish lake erie (for bass, perch and walleye) are out of the seaside port towns - and the western erie basin has some of the best fishing I'm told. So from cleveland working west the port towns are lorain, vermillion, huron, sandusky and port clinton (I have had my boat at all but lorain). I cant comment on whats eat of cleveland though. But if your minds made up to get to the western basin I can get more specific about marinas etc (and the richardson chartbooks are great sources of info if you have access to them).

Brad1 · 05-16-2007, 10:16 PM

Now your talking my waters. I highly recommend you get yourself up to Erie this month to check out the smallie fishing. 20 inchers are common. I'd recommend Wolverine marina in Presque Isle Bay for docking your boat. Boat US members get a discount there. They have nice shower /restroom facilities. It cost me $22 per night to transient there. Nice thing about Presque Isle Bay, if the lake is too rough, you can boat / fish in the bay.

Bass island is on the very western end of the lake. Also know as Put-in-bay. Very nice place to visit. I highly recommend doing a trip there. Might want to get the kiddies off the island before dark as the night life gets a little wild there in the summer time. I don't know what the smallie fishing is like over there right now, but they're catching walleye there right now. If you want to catch smallies, PA waters in May is fantastic.

I know of some good places to eat in Erie, PA as well. Not fancy places, but get good crowds and have awesome bar food.

Let me know if you need more info.

Brad