Lake Erie is a smallmouth bass angler's dream come true. This is the place to catch 4 & 5-pound smallmouths until your arms get sore, and maybe top the day with a 6- or 7-pound fish. This kind of action takes place in rocky areas of Lake Erie and peaks during the month of September.
Rocky rubble, a jumble of rocks of various sizes and shapes, or rock laiden reef, are the best bottom types. Find a hump, a hole, or a dropoff in rocky rubble, and you will almost certainly find smallmouths. Another major smallmouth structure type is a glacial rock shield ledge. These types of habitat conditions are met in the distant and remote waters surounding Pelee Island in Lake Erie's Canadian waters.
On Saturday morning and with six Smallmouth Bass enthusiuasts on board, the Erie Quest departed Catawba Island with the sun beginning to rise on the horizon. After a 50 minute ride we stopped at Pelee Island, got our Canadian fishing licenses and set out to one of my favorite reefs near Pelee Island. When we arrived there were no other boats within miles of the reef and the Smallmouth were hungry. We were fishing with 3/8 oz. drop shot rigs and within minutes of fishing we had boated 5 Smallmouth Bass. After one hour we had boated 22 Smallmouth Bass, with 2 Bronzebacks over 20 inches.
We moved the boat to a different part of the reef, in 20 feet of water and I heard one of the guests say, "I got a big one on Capt." and indeed he did. I saw the giant bass leap into the air, spiraling and twisiting and it was one of the biggest Smallmouth I had ever seen. The fish screamed by the back of the back and I jammed the net 4 feet into the water, cutting off her escape. We measured this beautiful trophy....22 inches and they weighed her...6 pounds, 13 ounces. I looked at my Smallmouth guest and he smiled and said, "put her back in the water Capt." I did! I felt glad to see this trophy released, to further the reproduction on this large, remote reef.
After battling the Bonzebacks for 4 hours and releasing them to fight another day, we had boated 72 Smallmouth Bass. We left this productive Smallmouth fishery and headed towards the Canadian Shipping channel to catch jumbo Yellow Perch. They were cooperating! Catching many of them "2 at a time" or "doubles"...it didnt take long to catch 200 jumbo Yellow Perch...which later would scale at 71 pounds at the fish cleaning store. Some fine eating for sure.
On Sunday we awoke to a stiff breeze and scattered rain showers. We ate a hearty Canadian breakfast at the B & B we stayed at on Pelee Island and then it was off to do battle with the jumpers. Again we saw no boats on our choice reef and the Bass were waiting for us. Splash, splash, spash...a double on. Several minutes later we had a triple...three fish on at once and it wouldn't be long and the counter would record 82 Smallmouth Bass, caught and released...most in the 3-4 pound class. We boated and released 3 fish over 20 inches!
In-Fisherman Magazine rates Lake Erie as one of the "Top 5" spots in North America for Smallmouth Bass fishing!
Whether one is fishing for smallmouth in stream or lake, the experience of attempting to land this trophy quickly makes a believer out of even a seasoned angler. Few fishermen, who have enjoyed this experience, fail to praise the smallmouth for its tenacity. Pound for pound, it is hard to beat the fight of the feisty Smallmouth Bass.
