# Camp Perry - Catawba



## waterbite (Sep 26, 2009)

Looking to fish Perry or Catawba area this weekend and would appreciate any first hand info on ice, cracks or travel issues. Would like too run off shore to 21' ÷ if reports are favorable. Thank you

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## steelhead1 (May 14, 2004)

I'm out now in 19 FOW. The snow is a b$#@%. Got quad stuck a few times. 2.5 miles out no ice issues but look crappy past us.


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## Ey3FrenZy (Jun 9, 2010)

Out in 25 fow out of Catwaba. Few marks but 0 fish. Walking was a real pain with all the shove ice and knee deep snow drifts.


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## Tankgod3 (Apr 24, 2016)

Do NOT go to Camp Perry with a four wheeler unless it has high ground clearance 4x4 and all four tires chained. Took us 2 1/2 hours to go almost 2 miles. I cannot count how many times we got stuck in the drifts. They are BAD. 1 to 3's. My Foreman 500 4×4 was no match. Snow mobile is a must. Said enough is enough and drilled hole in 19 fow. No marks. Said to hell with it. 2 1/2 hours back in. Completely exhausted mentally and physically. Seen what appeared to be 3 abandoned four wheelers. Should have turned around way before we did. Kept going on the hope it would get better. Had 8 1/2 inches of good clear ice two miles out. Boots on the ice confirmed.


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## 21579 (Jan 15, 2010)

Tankgod3 said:


> Do NOT go to Camp Perry with a four wheeler unless it has high ground clearance 4x4 and all four tires chained. Took us 2 1/2 hours to go almost 2 miles. I cannot count how many times we got stuck in the drifts. They are BAD. 1 to 3's. My Foreman 500 4×4 was no match. Snow mobile is a must. Said enough is enough and drilled hole in 19 fow. No marks. Said to hell with it. 2 1/2 hours back in. Completely exhausted mentally and physically. Seen what appeared to be 3 abandoned four wheelers. Should have turned around way before we did. Kept going on the hope it would get better. Had 8 1/2 inches of good clear ice two miles out. Boots on the ice confirmed.


Same way at Crane! Anything with wheels is a no go. Sleds are good to go!


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## fishermanbob (Dec 14, 2011)

waterbite said:


> Looking to fish Perry or Catawba area this weekend and would appreciate any first hand info on ice, cracks or travel issues. Would like too run off shore to 21' ÷ if reports are favorable. Thank you
> 
> Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk


reading your post makes me glade i 'm home. Good luck. Stay safe.


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## waterbite (Sep 26, 2009)

Thank you for the reports. I may not use my sled much but in these conditions, its sure handy to have. Hope to have a good fish report tommorow. 

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## Bigfillet (Feb 5, 2015)

Waterbite good luck tomorrow and please report back. I’m hoping the ice holds and conditions improve for quads this week.


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## catfish_1999 (Jan 17, 2016)

It was slushy in spots and lots of snow out of Crane today. Went out on sleds and did ok but the ice is a bit sketchy here and there. Caught 4 fish in an hour and then shut off. 24 fow. Moved around a few places and nada, back in at around 3 with many torn up spots from wheeled vehicles .


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## Deadeyedeek (Feb 12, 2014)

I suspect with the warm up, snow gonna turn to mush and water


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## waterbite (Sep 26, 2009)

Went out of Catawba. Followed a decent path out stopped before the first crack at 22' 8" ice. no marks no hits. Found a decent path across the crack and went north to 27' had 5" ice. Not many marks but was able to work a few fish. Very light bite. Iced 3 keepers while dropping 4 more. Silver castmaster was most productive. Way out was not back. No deep drifts. Way back in.... was tricky. Crossing the seams was hairier. saw a lot of soft spots and spots were quads were digging in slush didn't see any broken ice where someone broke through but did hear of that happening somewhere. After seeing ice firsthand decided to stay home Sunday as the forecasted winds and temperatures aren't what I like. Be safe everyone 

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## Kenlow1 (Jul 14, 2012)

Gonna be a lot of water and slop on ice in next several days with temps on rise. Probably a wet ride out and back.


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## Junebug2320 (Apr 23, 2010)

First year of ice fishing. Buddy has all the gear. We trekked just past the shove ice on the main trail. Twenty foot of water. Had a camera which revealed a soft bottom, a few rocks and no fish. A Guy headed in when we were walking out told us dont waste our time. Consensus was not many folks catching fish. Very suprised about the strain to make the walk, I had to stop a few times. Especially since we had two atv’s available. Note taken!!


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## HappySnag (Dec 20, 2007)

Junebug2320 said:


> First year of ice fishing. Buddy has all the gear. We trekked just past the shove ice on the main trail. Twenty foot of water. Had a camera which revealed a soft bottom, a few rocks and no fish. A Guy headed in when we were walking out told us dont waste our time. Consensus was not many folks catching fish. Very suprised about the strain to make the walk, I had to stop a few times. Especially since we had two atv’s available. Note taken!!
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


you did good,you did not swim.when you take fourweeler and cut new trail on new ice one guy has to walk in front and check the ice with spud bar,if you do not do that if you run over thin ice you loose your 4 wheeler and you should have pfd on this way the 4 wheeler do not suck you in.dont be afraid to go out.just do that right.sombady has to be scouting first.when you have cut trail you are coshes on new ice.when you cros cracks you inspecy them before crosing.


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## odell daniel (Nov 5, 2015)

we fished saturday out of catawba, made it out to 27 ft, we were getting nothing, made another move put the camera down and there were perch everywhere, caught a few small ones, big walleye were coming in and taking a look but couldn't get them, small walleye only, the farther out we went the better the ice got, we were on 8 to 9 inches of black ice, lots of areas where your on 4 to 5 inches of black with 4 inches of white ice, had no problem with snowmobile, did see a couple quads get stuck. Unless you have GPS I would head in before dark, finding your way through the shove ice would be a challenge at night.


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## fisherman 2 (Dec 29, 2012)

you guys are living dangerously...8" of ice is not a lot for safety on erie


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## waterbite (Sep 26, 2009)

Everyone has do to their own risk-benefit analysis and decide for themselves what's acceptable. Everyone has a personal opinion on what's acceptable but it's an individual decision. Ice thickness is only one factor to think of. A few years ago, guys got blown off on ice of 14" or more. Ive advised friends not to go on days of forecasted high south winds, they went anyways and got in trouble . If there was nowhere for the ice to move too they would have been OK. There was open water on the north end of the WB. but again... they evaluated the risks and decided for themselves 

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## Eye Doctor (Mar 15, 2014)

Exactly why I cancelled my trip for M-W this week. 10-30 out of the SSW is not good. Might come Th if she holds but not holding my breath.


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## AvianHunter (Jan 23, 2009)

Camp Perry is no longer allowing parking due to deteriorating conditions


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## s.a.m (Feb 22, 2016)

Watched a tug boat doing circles in the Maumee river this morning behind Nabisco.


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## kisherfisher (Jul 16, 2012)

Thanks for the update Avianhunter.


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## odell daniel (Nov 5, 2015)

never go out on lake erie ice with the wind at your back, learned that from In depth outdoors,


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## HappySnag (Dec 20, 2007)

if you have good ice and is locked up from shore to islands,regular wind will not brake the ice,do not mather on direction.i fish there south wind good ice 50 mph wind,the 911 crack was working from 2' to 4'..everithing was fine.
big defrence if you have open water,you do not need any wind,the ice crack and curent carie the sheet,with out any wind.


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## EYE HUNTER (Feb 9, 2011)

Happy Snag I always enjoy your post but thats bad advice for those who dont know better. South winds are bad and you may very well find yourself floating or at the very least on the wrong side of a wide crack. It doesnt matter how thick the ice is, its no match for Erie wind and current. Winds over 20 mph in any direction can cause problems. To say as long as its locked up you are ok is wrong for a few reasons. The lake is never locked up. Even if the lake is 100 % frozen and Im not sure that ever happens, cutters open paths in shipping lanes that give ice plenty of room to move. If cutters werent a factor ice can still shove up on top of itself and does all of the time. South winds should always get your attention and strong south winds should keep you home. I was on over a foot of good clear ice on Saginaw Bay 2 years ago. We were crushing them and I couldnt wait to get back out. Bay was locked up so it looked like we had good days ahead of us. In one afternoon the entire bay broke up and was stacked up on shore. Season over in the blink of an eye.


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## HappySnag (Dec 20, 2007)

EYE HUNTER said:


> Happy Snag I always enjoy your post but thats bad advice for those who dont know better. South winds are bad and you may very well find yourself floating or at the very least on the wrong side of a wide crack. It doesnt matter how thick the ice is, its no match for Erie wind and current. Winds over 20 mph in any direction can cause problems. To say as long as its locked up you are ok is wrong for a few reasons. The lake is never locked up. Even if the lake is 100 % frozen and Im not sure that ever happens, cutters open paths in shipping lanes that give ice plenty of room to move. If cutters werent a factor ice can still shove up on top of itself and does all of the time. South winds should always get your attention and strong south winds should keep you home. I was on over a foot of good clear ice on Saginaw Bay 2 years ago. We were crushing them and I couldnt wait to get back out. Bay was locked up so it looked like we had good days ahead of us. In one afternoon the entire bay broke up and was stacked up on shore. Season over in the blink of an eye.


how much wind we had now,check catawba,it is locked up.people point out ice is open,it is in Huron,not between catawba,west sister and south bass.
everybody has to make decision for him self ,not to blame on Trumph
if you like extreeme you have to be prepere for that,take with you cayak on skies and use that as sled.
using cell phone in ohio while driving kiled in one year more then 1000 people,you have beter chance to die while you driving to ice.
are you staying home ?


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## s.a.m (Feb 22, 2016)

HappySnag said:


> how much wind we had now,check catawba,it is locked up.people point out ice is open,it is in Huron,not between catawba,west sister and south bass.
> everybody has to make decision for him self ,not to blame on Trumph
> if you like extreeme you have to be prepere for that,take with you cayak on skies and use that as sled.
> using cell phone in ohio while driving kiled in one year more then 1000 people,you have beter chance to die while you driving to ice.
> are you staying home ?











So where'd the ice go off of Toledo?


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## nightranger (Oct 2, 2011)

s.a.m said:


> View attachment 464841
> 
> So where'd the ice go off of Toledo?


the meltoff from the detroit river flow ate it after it lifted.the west wind finished it off.the powers working against you are sun light, wind,and melting snow lifts the ice off its shore mounts and your at the mercy of mother nature. time to respect her.


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## EYE HUNTER (Feb 9, 2011)

Snag I love to ice fish and i accept the risk that go along with it. My point is simply its dangerous enough when conditions are right, dont tempt fate when the conditions are wrong. Ice has not been good for years and many are chomping at the bit to get back out there, which could make them desperate enough to go when the conditions are wrong ie a strong South wind. I have nothing to offer experienced lake erie ice fisherman in fact Im always picking theirs brains trying to learn myself. My post is for those that lack experience and are going to trust someone like yourself that has been doing it for years and posts often. The lake is never locked up and can and will move at any given moment. One of the most basic rules of ice fishing is respect the wind. With Erie you have also be aware of the current as well.


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## rml-l.erie (Mar 3, 2016)

EYE HUNTER said:


> Happy Snag I always enjoy your post but thats bad advice for those who dont know better. South winds are bad and you may very well find yourself floating or at the very least on the wrong side of a wide crack. It doesnt matter how thick the ice is, its no match for Erie wind and current. Winds over 20 mph in any direction can cause problems. To say as long as its locked up you are ok is wrong for a few reasons. The lake is never locked up. Even if the lake is 100 % frozen and Im not sure that ever happens, cutters open paths in shipping lanes that give ice plenty of room to move. If cutters werent a factor ice can still shove up on top of itself and does all of the time. South winds should always get your attention and strong south winds should keep you home. I was on over a foot of good clear ice on Saginaw Bay 2 years ago. We were crushing them and I couldnt wait to get back out. Bay was locked up so it looked like we had good days ahead of us. In one afternoon the entire bay broke up and was stacked up on shore. Season over in the blink of an eye.


excellent reply, eye hunter----not everybody gets it


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## Deadeyedeek (Feb 12, 2014)

Thare is allways the envelope pushers..lets see what happens


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## ALWAYSNETIN (Feb 18, 2008)

ILL HAVE MY STX IN THE WATER IN A WEEK OR SO IF THIS KEEPS UP YEA BABY LOOK OUT WALLEYE!


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## ALWAYSNETIN (Feb 18, 2008)

JIGGIN AT FENWICK SOOOOOOOOOOOOON


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## TimberTall (Oct 14, 2018)

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## TimberTall (Oct 14, 2018)

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