# Pier fishing for walleye



## yonderfishin

Anybody have any suggestions on bait or techniques used to catch walleye from piers in erie ? I asked a similar question in the walleye forum but not getting any responses. Ive been reading lots of information on here about trolling , but I dont see much about casting from a pier. Because casting and trolling are different there has got to be things better suited for casting from a pier than trolling , am I right ? Other than catching a couple walleye by accident on minnows and seeing them caught on leeches under a bobber in the findlay reservoir I really have no experience fishing for them. I am planning to go out off Huron pier and do some perch fishing and then try for walleye as the sun is setting but dont know what I am gonna need for the walleye. Any suggestions ? thanks


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## rutnut245

Wrong time of the year.


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## yonderfishin

Thanks for the fast response , but walleye live in lake Erie year round  If it aint the "prime" time of year they can still be caught , or I can use the info later.


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## olderfer

In the fall, huge numbers of shad (and perhaps other baitfish) migrate along the south shore of the lake. Walleyes, including state-record size fish, come in to feed on them. They are caught from Marblehead westward to Luna Pier (Michigan), and probably many other places as well, by casting plugs (rapala, bomber long A, rattletrap) out into the blackness. Most fishermen use long rods and light line to maximize casting distance. I have not heard of pier fishing working when the water is warm or the sun is shining.

Jim


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## AtticaFish

RutNut is talking about the fall fishing which can be good from the piers - huron, lakeside, mazurik, catawba... not sure about any further east or west. At that time of year, most everyone is throwing rattle traps, shad raps, husky jerks, or some kind of long stinny crank bait similar to what is used for trolling open water.

I have heard rumors ( never saw the fish  ) of a mutual friend trolling the shallows on the left side (would be west side) of huron peir. I would honestly think they probably do come up into the shallow areas after dark in search of an easy meal but have no personal experience. I'd say best bet would be a moonless night using a wide wobbling - slow sinking or suspending crank. Just my .02.


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## yonderfishin

Cool, thanks for the info. Just two weeks ago I spotted two people who are regulars to the pier heading down the pier at just about sundown , they said they were after walleye and that when the perch stop biting then the walleye start. I asked what they were fishing for but didnt want to take up much of their time so I didnt find out what they were using. I was dissapointed to leave there that evening and would have stayed half the night but only had perch rigs and dead minnows which were only working on catfish after the sun went down. Next trip over there I'll hang around after dark trying for walleye when the perch turn off.


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## DeathFromAbove

I was told that some guys were getting some at Luna Pier after dark during the walleye run. I never got to check it out, but I didn't totally discount it either. They can get in pretty close some places during the spawn.


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## Flathead76

Casting for walleyes at night is a late fall thing.


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## yonderfishin

Flathead76 said:


> Casting for walleyes at night is a late fall thing.



Ok , so they are all only out in the deepest parts of the very middle of lake erie this time of year and can ONLY be reached by trolling from a boat ? I dont know walleye , probably late fall is the very best time for catching them from piers , but it makes no sense that it would be the only time for it.


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## josh617

its kind of a myth that the only time that walleye can be caught off of piers is in the fall. thats not the case like attica said, you can catch them in the spring and i ve actually caught a few in the middle of july, from shore, if the bait is shallow the fish will be too. Not all the walleye are out in the middle of the lake there are shallow populations.


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## Yanky

As its always been explained to me, and as my reading on different walleye texts have shown, they dont like water thats too warm. So when the water starts to warm up after winter, and all the baitfish are nearer to shore, they come in to feed and fatten up. However, once water temps get too warm, they generally dont stick around, and they head to cooler water. Same thing in the fall. When the water cools to that certain zone, they come in, but head out once it gets too cold and the baitfish are no longer around. Ive caught walleye from shore/piers in either the spring or fall when the water temps are in that small band of temperature where the baitfish are abundant. Almost always in turbulent water with rain or small to decent waves too. Not sure on the why behind that one. 

I will say that in the last 3 years or so, shore fishing has not been that great, but about 4 years ago it was fantastic. Im not sure why that is, only that its what ive noticed.


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## yonderfishin

Yeah I guess that does make sense. Whats throwing me a little bit is the water off some piers is maybe 18 or 20 feet deep , which seems like it would be deep enough for fish that like cooler water to hang around. In the local reservoirs , walleye thrive in that deep of water and come up shallow to feed at night. Still , its probably the size of Erie compared to a smaller body of water that makes them react differently to water temps.


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## boss302

the ohio epa conducts their Lake Erie electroshock sampling at night becuase it gives them a representative population sample (predatory fish move in at night to feed on the lil' guys). Walleye do move in at night in the summer. they may not be as concentrated as during the spring or fall, but they are there. 

They do the sampling right up against the shoreline/breakwalls. You can't catch them if you don't try.


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## josh617

thanks boss for backing me up. its kind of funny how people can be so narrow minded when it comes to fishing or anything for that matter. But like Yanky said shore fishing has been very hit and miss the last couple of years.


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## Flathead76

My comment way no way narrow minded. I was telling him that fall was the best time to fish for them at night.


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## boss302

Flathead76 said:


> My comment way no way narrow minded. I was telling him that fall was the best time to fish for them at night.


ya'all *and others * need to take a chill pill (and not try to read betwene the lines of internet posts). As you partialy stated, Fall _and spring_ are probably the best seasons, on average, to target eyes from shore. However, I just wanted to point out that they are there year round. They may not be there in consistastly heavy numbers, but are they consistantly there in the spring and fall? The best time to catch perch is in the fall, but try telling that to the packs of boats all along the north coast most every day in the summer. Mabe they know somthing the rest of us don't.

What's the line in the kid rock song? somthing about catchin' walleye from the dock.........in northern Michigan.


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## ress

The FALL bite happens to be the BEST time ,, not the only time. I've caught a few fish in the summer off the PC peir in the late evening watching the sun go down.


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## yonderfishin

Thanks for all the information , all of it it is good. Im seeing that late fall and early spring can be the best time for catching walleye from docks/piers , but as I imagined , they do come in close during the summer months just not as many of them. Now I just have to invest in some good crankbaits , etc. and I'll be ready to atleast give it a try next time Im out there.


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## blackcorrado

caught a walleye last year, july or august, inside the cleveland breakwall out of a weedbed, so some are there. I was in a boat but the weedbed was shallow and within casting distance of shore. It was on an old erie dearie? Not saying you should use those but I don't see why you couldn't cast "weapons" from shore or like everyone else was saying, crankbaits, Husky Jerks HJ12 or HJ14. 

Rapalas are 20% off dick's sporting goods north olmsted right now, not sure for how much longer.


I did just read a post about a guy catching 4 from shore in the middle of july but he did say it was 15 years ago!

Get out there and catch a few so you can show some pictures to the dis-believers!


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## DeathFromAbove

I saw a couple kids catch a few eye's off Lakeside on erie dearies. Everybody's throwing these high priced baits ,and these kids popped a couple on old .99 cent E.D.'s and worms. Never think you know it all.


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## Lake Erie

So many posts, so much confusion.

Generally speaking, pretty good. 

Don't get into the survey electroshocking. You will confuse people trying to link that with fishing.

All the things you've probably head are probably half correct. As a past fisheries worker, I've seen both sides. Fisher folk don't usually want science, they want to catch fish. So here it is:

1. Shore fishing at various locations around western lake erie is best, overall, in the late fall. Good and limit catches can be had if you have the paitence and warm jacket.

2. Spring is the next best. I won't go into details.

3. Summer is always a possibility. I've seen single and 3-4 walleye near shore in summer scuba diving within 50 yards of shore. It takes luck, but every now and then you can put a lure in front on one from a shoreline locattion.

So if shoreline fishing is your option, then put one pole in with a minnow off the bottom and walk around casting with another pole. You never know what you might catch.

Lake Erie


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## wanderin_eyes

Just my .02 cents. I usally fish from a boat out on the lake. The western basin has it's share of resident eye's. If it didn't the head boats from PC wouldn't fish for them. I do not know if they have adapted to the warmer water or the reason. Most of the big fish head east for cooler water. I fish the reefs and west sister during the year The fish are there. It is true that Spring is great and fall is great. Summer has it ups and downs since the numbers go down. 
Think outside the box also. Instead of trying out on the end of the pier walk the shore line and watch and listen for bait scatering and cast to them there.
Try around sea walls and weed beds. I know fish the piers in the ocean everyone wanted on the end of the pier. They walked right by the 2-3' water where the fish were chasing the bait.

Good luck and have fun


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## saltwater_slayer

some of you might of already posted this or might already know but in the fall, i know its on fire down in luna pier. we use bomber long a jointed lures, preferably the red minnow.


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## grubbz

I've never fished erie from shore or pier. I've fished the maumee in spring, lots of eyes then, and if I fished for eyes now eventually I'd catch one, because there are some resident river eyes. Would take time and wouldn't get a limit, but would learn alot about the river that I could use in the spring and other areas. So, even if you don't slam them from shore in the summer, it would be a worthwhile experiance and make you a better fisherman, and the ones you catch will feel like an accomplishment. By the way, don't be affraid to experiment. At the local res. I've caught eyes on erie deries, rooster tails, cranks, and swimbaits, but only 1 or 2 at time and there aren't many in there. Good luck and enjoy the hunt.


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## Pipobee

Right now I'm going off of Lakeside pier and I've seen a couple walleye coming in each night. Some around 11 and some around 1. The husky jerk clown has done the trick every time. Tonight I'll be trying a husky jerk yellow perch as well as the clown. I was scanning through the posts in here. From what I know, the walleye will come in to spawn and they'll come in to feed. It's unlikely to find walleye around the piers over the summer because the water temperature rises. They'll be headed out into the lake soon now that the water temperature is getting to 55 degrees. The walleye that I've seen caught are around 25" and 7-9 lbs. Beautiful fish. The walleye will move back in closer to shores in late fall when the water temperature drops. Good luck fishin!


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## Capt. Crude

Too bad when the season starts at Lksd (this week) you have to pay 20$ to get in there for 24 hrs.


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## hookedonfishing

if your fishing off the huron peir husky jerks work blue/chrome silverrblk clown all take walleye from what i've seen other colors as well pending on time couple weeks ago was reported 4 caught off west wall .they might just hit on ur perch rig throw on some them minnows give it a whirl or if u have worms toss it out no crankbaits needed, if u have some twister tails give it a shot u never know what u will catch.but please if ur going be fishing peirs at night etc have a headlamp lantern flashlight something last fall rumor some knucklehead went walking out to lighthouse and steped in the big gap wasn't useing any light source broke leg .all you can do is try fish r in there but not many r going mention it to keep spots to themselves .


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