Lake Erie

Lake Erie's western basin, the walleye factory of North America, produces limits of 6+ pound walleye with startling consistency, thanks to the Ohio Division of Wildlife stocking over 10 million fry annually. The smallmouth bass fishing along the rocky northern shore rivals anything in the Great Lakes system, outperforming #7 Columbia River for bass numbers. The yellow perch are the sweetest-eating freshwater fish on the continent, and anglers can catch 50+ perch per trip. This fishery is 30% more productive than the average Great Lakes destination for walleye, making it a data-led top choice.