Lake Erie

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Boat launches

101 public boat ramps and launches on the U.S. shoreline, from the Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota DNR boating access lists (official state data) and OpenStreetMap. Tap a state to open its list. The list may be incomplete, and fees, hours and conditions change, so confirm before you go.

Size & creel limits

Each state sets its own seasons, size limits and daily limits for its part of Lake Erie, and Great Lakes waters often have rules that differ from inland lakes. Look up the current rules for the state you fish:

• Michigan: Michigan DNR ↗
• Ohio: Ohio DNR Division of Wildlife ↗
• Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission ↗
• New York: New York State DEC ↗

Bait & tackle nearby

Bait and tackle shops near ports on the U.S. shore. Call ahead for hours and what live bait is in stock.

Michigan

• Jeff's Bait & TackleMI
  1756 N Dixie Hwy, Monroe, MI · 734-289-4901Directions ↗

Ohio

• Maumee Tackle - LakesideOH
  10408 Corduroy Rd, Curtice, OH · 419-836-7351 · Live bait advertised: nightcrawlersDirections ↗
• Maumee TackleOH
  104 W Wayne St, Maumee, OH · 419-893-3474 · Live bait advertised: live baitDirections ↗
• Bay's Edge Bait & TackleOH
  5359 E Bayshore Rd, Port Clinton, OH · 419-732-6155 · Live bait advertised: live minnows, shiners, soft craws, wax worms, night crawlersDirections ↗
• Herb's Sportsman's SupplyOH
  1713 NE Catawba Rd, Port Clinton, OH · 419-797-2455Directions ↗
• Jeanett's Bait & TackleOH
  4849 E Weyhe Rd, Port Clinton, OH · 419-797-2279Directions ↗
• NAS BaitOH
  8629 E Northshore Blvd, Lakeside Marblehead, OH · 419-798-4382Directions ↗
• Erie Shore Hookers Bait & TackleOH
  235 1/2 E Shoreline Dr, Sandusky, OH · 419-621-5700Directions ↗
• Cranberry Creek MarinaOH
  4319 Cleveland Rd E, Huron, OH · 419-433-3932 · Live bait advertised: live and frozen bait, including golden shinersDirections ↗
• Central Basin Bait & TackleOH
  5312 Liberty Ave, Vermilion, OH · 440-967-6466Directions ↗
• Lakeside Bait & TackleOH
  925 Colorado Ave, Lorain, OH · 440-288-2002Directions ↗
• George's Hook N GunOH
  5150 W Erie Ave, Lorain, OH · 440-282-2660Directions ↗
• Harbor Bait and TackleOH
  1248 High St, Fairport Harbor, OH · 440-354-8473Directions ↗
• Lake Shore Bait and TackleOH
  81 Minnesota Ave, Ashtabula, OH · 440-964-3174Directions ↗
• Snug Harbor Bait & TackleOH
  1021 Broad St, Conneaut, OH · 440-593-3755Directions ↗

Pennsylvania

• Poor Richard's Bait and TacklePA
  6821 W Lake Rd, Fairview, PA · 814-474-5623Directions ↗
• East End AnglerPA
  4702 East Lake Rd, Erie, PA · 814-898-3474Directions ↗
• Presque Isle Angler DocksidePA
  34 State St, Erie, PA · 814-455-2973Directions ↗
• Folly's End Campground, Fly, Tackle & Bait ShopPA
  8600 Avonia Rd, Girard, PA · 814-474-5730Directions ↗

New York

• Bill's HooksNY
  5139 W Lake Rd, Dunkirk, NY · 716-366-0268Directions ↗
• Chadwick Bay MarinaNY
  30 Central Ave, Dunkirk, NY · 716-366-1774Directions ↗
• Russ's Bait & TackleNY
  1226 Niagara St, Buffalo, NY · 716-882-7667Directions ↗
• Big Catch Bait & TackleNY
  2287 Niagara St, Buffalo, NY · 716-877-0971Directions ↗

Local tips

• Erie is shallow, so it builds steep waves fast. Check the marine forecast and know your nearest harbor.
• Western Basin reefs near Port Clinton and the islands hold walleye in spring; by summer the fish spread east and suspend.
• Presque Isle Bay at Erie, PA is a protected spot for perch, bass and panfish when the main lake is rough.
• Great Lakes conditions change fast. Wear a life jacket, check the marine forecast, and carry a VHF radio when you run offshore.

View on interactive map

Zoom and pan on a street or satellite map. Red pins are boat launches; tap a pin for directions.