Presque Isle Bay --- May-July
The picturesque waters of Presque Isle Bay yield fantastic fly fishing for a multitude of warm water gamefish. Easily accessed from Presque Isle Sate Park, Presque Isle Bay is formed within a 6-mile long peninsula jutting into Lake Erie. Massive sandbars with steep drop offs, weedlines, and rock rubble structure create diverse habitat for Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Panfish and submarine sized Northern Pike. The waters within the bay system are easily waded and many clients will complete a "Peninsula Grand Slam" in the course of a days fly fishing, landing all three major gamefish species.
Starting in the month of May, large numbers of Smallmouth Bass pour into Presque Isle Bay from Lake Erie for the spring spawn. Some of these battling bruisers will top 20 inches in length and weigh over 5 pounds, a true trophy fish on a fly rod. Smallmouths are caught by blind casting along rock bars, jetties, points, and drop offs. They continue to hammer fly patterns like Clouser Minnows throughout the month of June and into early July. Under good conditions, a competent fly caster can easily hit double digits on these tail walking, head shaking gamesters.
When you think of Northern Pike, think weeds. Northerns will unload on your fly, erratically stripped along the edge of emergent aquatic vegetation. They are also found "laid up" on sand bars where you can actually sight cast to fish as long as your leg. Stripping a lead eyed bunny bug along the bottom in front of these fish will cause them to swim over, flare their gills and engulf your fly. Get ready to clear your line quickly as they speed off for the nearest weed line and cartwheel through the air. Our Northern Pike average 4 to 8 pounds and aggressively take large 6" and 8" fly patterns. There are also 40 inch long monsters swimming around that will make your heart stop when you see them chase your fly. A good morning can bring a dozen of these freshwater Barracuda to hand.
Largemouth Bass make their appearance at this time also and are often found in the same type of aquatic habitats while fishing for other species. Large fish can silently slurp in your popper as they open their mouth and suck it in like a vacuum cleaner. Every season, we release fish that will take a grown mans fist down their throat. Smaller fish will frequently school up and bust shoals of baitfish on top in a saltwater style feeding frenzy.
If you're looking for a tasty meal to take home, panfish are always available for your angling pleasure. Bull Bluegills, slab sized Crappies and even Yellow Perch can all be taken on a fly in Presque Isle Bay and offer an enticing diversion when pursuing other species.
Coming to Erie for a family vacation
at the beaches or business trip? Take some time to enjoy the fly fishing
that Presque Isle Bay has to offer. Very few places can offer such a diverse
array of species that are eager to take a fly. It can easily be equated
with fly fishing saltwater flats, only you're in fresh water. Catching
a Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, and Largemouth Bass all in the same
day will complete your Peninsula Grand Slam on a fly and leave you with
a lifetime memory not soon to be forgotten.