OHIO — Fishing on Lake Erie is a tradition for many Ohioans living along the lakeshore, or those dedicated to the sport ready to cast their lines in.
According to the annual Lake Erie fish surveys, released by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife, walleye hatches were below average while yellow perch hatches were above average in two of the three management zones.
ODNR said while the walleye hatch was below average in 2024, the species had “robust hatches” from 2018 to 2023, allowing anglers to continue to enjoy many more years of fishing. Yellow perch fishing will be good in the western half of the lake.
The department combines its trawl surveys with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources’ surveys to check the success of spawning and early life survival of yellow perch and walleye in the western basin. In the central basin, the state’s trawls and used alongside other agency surveys to gauge the hatch success.
The trawls are used by biologists to determine how many young fish will be catchable in two or three years. The Lake Erie Committee of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission then uses the information to determine the annual harvest levels for walleye and yellow perch.
Lake Erie is known as "The Walleye Capital of the World," according to ODNR because of its world-class walleye fishing. Currently, the lake has a robust population following six straight above-average walleye hatches; however, this year the surveys showed a below average hatch.
The 2024 western basin hatch index was 19 fish per hectare, a standard measure of catch per area, making it the smallest hatch since 2016 and below the average of 58 fish per hectare, ranking 21st of 37 years. ODNR said anglers can expect the fish to contribute to the catch in 2026.
Central basin results were similar, with an index of seven young-of-year walleye per hectare; below the average 7.6 fish per hectare, making it the lowest value since 2017. ODNR said the central basin walleye hatches are likely a small component of the lake-wide population, but tagging studies suggest those fish hatched there spend more time there compared to the migratory walleye to the west.
Typically, walleye reach the 15-inch minimum length for harvest within two years after hatching. ODNR said thanks to the above-average hatches in previous years and the fish's lifespan being able to outlast a decade, anglers can expect excellent fishing for walleye.
To monitor Lake Erie's yellow perch, the populations are managed regionally within management zones. The Division of Wildlife uses these to monitor the hatches and determine safe harvest levels by comparing the results to other years.
This year, the western basin yellow perch was above average and ODNR said it should contribute significantly to the 2026 catchable population. The survey index for Ohio-Ontario was 673 young-of-year yellow perch per hectare; higher than the average 462 per hectare and ranking seventh of the survey’s 37 years.
The Division of Wildlife said in the past decade trends have shown more consistent hatch success in the western bin and expects this year’s hatch to continue the trend of good yellow perch fishing in 2025 and beyond.
Within the central basin, there are two management zones for yellow perch, the central zone ranging from Huron to Fairport Harbor and the east zone, stretching from Fairport Harbor to the Ohio-Pennsylvania border. The central zone saw an index of 50 young-of-year perch per hectare, above the average 37. Meanwhile, the east zone saw 11 fish per hectare, below the average of 36.
ODNR said the variability in regional yellow perch hatch success is expected because of Lake Erie’s size, the difference in basins and zones, and prevailing weather. ODNR said hatch success is largely determined by timing and availability of favorable conditions for both the spawning and survival of new yellow perch in the spring and summer. The department said strong lake-wide hatches are rare.
The central zone hatch ranked 10th and the east zone hatch ranked 22nd of the 35 survey years.