By Mark Schram, myfishingpartner.com
Lake Erie continues to produce some of the greatest sized walleyes in the United States. The 2015 ice fishing season has been spectacular, with some huge fish moving through the Port Clinton, Ohio area.
These fish are currently returning from the eastern basin to partake into their annual spawn rituals on the western basin and rivers.
Many of the fish being caught are from the epic class of 2003, in which these fish are now in the 27-32 inch ranges. according to the Ohio DNR, over 20% of Lake Erie’s walleye population is estimated to be from this year class.
Due to the commercial harvesting done on Lake Erie, especially on the Canadian side of the border, selective harvest methods by recreational anglers are largely ineffective.
Since the commercial operations do not utilize selective harvest in their operations, many anglers take the same approach. Bottom line, if the sport anglers do not harvest fish, the commercial operations likely will.
At this point the Lake Erie walleye population is extremely healthy and can sustain the annual harvests by anglers and commercial operations. That will not always be the story moving forward as the 2003 class will eventually be purged from the population either through harvest or natural life cycle.
Last weekend was likely the last opportunity for ice fishing on Lake Erie in spring of 2015. The warm temperatures have eroded the ice quickly, and open water is now being seen along the western basins.
