April.
The expected start of the new 2021 fishing season is the first week of April 2021. If Lake Erie is not ice free by then, I will
start my fishing season as soon as she is. In April, we can either fish for smallmouth bass and/or perch. The walleye
season is closed until the first Saturday in May.
Perch: Perch fishing is the best from last ice through end of April. Any day the waves are less than 2 feet is a good day
for perch fishing. I am looking forward to get back to perch fishing this April. When last fished on Lake Eire, in October of
last year. The perch fishing was just awesome. The perch were biting pretty good and had some nice size. We were
getting doubles and triples of perch that day per pole that day, with both clients getting doubles at the same time often.
Smallmouth bass: smallmouth bass fishing in April is a deep water fishery on Lake Erie. When the spring water
temperatures climb up from the low 30°F to the low 50°F, the smallmouth bass usually stage on the end of points that
extend from spawning areas. We will be fishing from 10 to 35 feet deep. Typically we will be drifting, fishing vertically
with either heavy metal spoons or large shiners on a Carolina rig.

May.
In May, we can either fish for smallmouth bass, perch and/or walleye. The walleye season is closed until the first
Saturday in May. Actually this is the best month of the year to fish. You never know what is on the end of your line. The
same spot on the lake you can get all three species within five minutes.
Perch: perch fishing is usually good until about the middle of May. After Lake Erie water warms above about 60°F (about
the end of May) the perch fishing usually gets more difficult. The big schools of perch begin to break begin up and
scatter across the lake bottom, and then the perch pods can be found anywhere from 20 to 90 feet of water. You can
always catch perch anytime during the year, but you have to spend more time finding each pod of active perch and each
pod will usually contain less fish than typically found earlier in the year.
Smallmouth bass: smallmouth bass fishing is drifting with tube jigs this time of year. When the water temperature in
Lake Erie climbs above 55°F the smallmouth bass move up to the tops of humps and flats in depths ranging from 10 to
20 feet. The smallmouth bass scatter to feed and spawn at this time.
Walleye: walleye fishing this time of the year is either a night bite, long lining Rapala lures. Or my preferred method,
drifting with jigs and blade baits. When fished this way, drifting with jigs, you usually catch bass and walleyes at the
same time. It is straight out the best fishing possible, using light lines, drifting, and catching fish in shallow water.

June/July/August
In June, July or August we can either fish for smallmouth bass and/or walleye. The lake is usually flat this time of the year
(best chance of light winds all year) and the water temperature is above 70° but the smallmouth bass and walleyes are
very active.
Smallmouth bass: the smallmouth bass are gradually sliding into deeper water as Lake Erie water temperature
increases in the summer sunshine. The smallmouth bass will be typically be near deep offshore reef and humps till the
fall now. The smallmouth bass fishing is great, we will be switching now more towards using crawfish and leeches,
Carolina rig or drop shotting. Fish are very active and can be caught all day long.
Walleye: the walleye fishing is fun now because the water temperature in Lake Eire has finally warms up so we can
switch to the worm harnesses and bottom bounce (my preferred method) until the fall. As soon as Lake Erie water
temperature is above 55°F, it’s a worm bite for walleyes. Last season I used over 3,500 worms. It’s the best fishing, light
lines, worms, and big fish.
August/September
Lake Trout: in August or September is when I target Lake Trout or Steelhead fishing using light lines, spoons and will be
fishing out of either Dunkirk or Barcelona in the deep water in Lake Erie.

September.
In September, we can either fish for smallmouth bass, perch and/or walleye.
Perch: perch fishing starts to get great again. The perch are schooling up in close to shore and feeding very heavily trying
to bulk up for the winter. Fishing can be fast, with doubles and triples.
Smallmouth bass: smallmouth bass fishing is moving back closer to shore as the water temperature begins to drop in
Lake Erie. The fish are back in the 15 to 30’ range again. We can fish with tubes, drop shots, spoons, or crawfish, it’s very
nice fishing this time of year.
Walleye: the walleye fishing is fishing for large rooming schools of walleyes in deep water from Dunkirk to Sturgeon
Point. The fishing can be very good with large numbers of big fish caught.

October.
In October, we can either fish for smallmouth bass, perch and/or walleye.

Perch: perch fishing is assume this time of year. The perch are schooling up in close to shore and feeding very heavily
trying to bulk up for the winter. Fishing can be fast, with doubles and triples. Usually the last weeks of October are some
of the best perch fishing of the fall if you can get out because of the wind and waves.
Smallmouth bass: smallmouth bass fishing this time of year can be hit or miss. The bass can either still be in shallow
water or they can be moving out to the deep water where they will spend the winter waiting for spring. So we have to
do a bit of searching to find active fish. Challenging and fun to check everywhere.
Walleye: the walleye fishing this time of year can be hit or miss. By the end of September the weather is turning towards
fall on Lake Erie. That means possibility of it being windy and with big waves. The walleyes have spread out over the
whole lake and can be along the shore lines to miles out from shore. Therefore it can take some searching to find active
walleyes. But when you find them, they can be large and be actively feeding.

I am taking charters booking for the 2021 fishing season, Now! Book your dates!
Tight Lines
Captain Mark

To book a Fishing Charter, please go to my web site: http://www.marklorenccharters.com/ and check my
calendar for available dates, then call or text me at 716-534-5905, or email at MarkLorencCharters@gmail.com
to secure your charter date.

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