Cowles Creek

Lake Erie is the 4th largest out of the 5 Great Lakes. Just like its sister lakes, Lake Erie was carved out by the glaciers. It is also the 13th largest freshwater lake in the world. Compared to the other Great Lakes, it is the shallowest and the most southern Great Lake. Lake Erie has many busy ports and provides drinking water to many people in 3 states. Erie is one of the busiest fishing lakes in the entire Great Lakes System. Lake Erie is considered to be one of the best walleye fisheries in the northern part of the country.

Emerald shiner, spottail shiner, gobies and gizzard shad are abundant. Young of the year yellow perch are also important food sources for walleye and smallmouth bass.

In early spring, walleye migrate towards the Western Basin to spawn. As the shallow water warms during the late spring and early summer, walleye migrate towards the Central Basin of Lake Erie, to find cooler water. White bass, white perch and yellow perch have similar spawning movements as walleye. In the fall and winter time, majority of the walleye make their migration back to the western basin of the lake around the many islands. Ice fishing around these islands is extremely popular. During the spring time, spawning smallmouth and largemouth bass will move to shallow water to spawn. Look for pea gravel or holes in the weeds for bedded bass. Post spawn, the bass will start to move to their summer areas near deep water.