Maumee River and Lake Erie Report- 22 October 2017-Still Have Emerald Shiners

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Maumee River

There are basically two times of the year that seem to produce the hottest  fishing action. One is in the spring when waters begin to warm and fish begin to wake from their winter doldrums. The other is in the fall when fish feel an urgency to bulk up for the winter. Fish feed ravenously during autumn when waters start to cool, which jumpstarts their metabolism. Fish sense that leaner times are just ahead and they need to put on weight to get them though tougher times. Baitfish become scarce the closer it gets to winter, but as weeds die off the remaining baitfish become exposed. Predators, like walleye, bass, catfish and pike, take advantage of it.

Nice river cat on chatterbait with motor-oil tail

Fall is salmon time, too. Up north Michigan’s salmon species run the rivers from September through October on their annual spawning runs. Kings and pinks show up first in September, followed by silvery cohos. The cohos are normally still around well into November. Add to this some fall-run brown trout and steelhead . As you have seen in the past few reports we are beginning to see a good steelhead population run right here through the Maumee river, from Buttonwood to Grand Rapids Ohio (the dam area) its a good time to target these fierce fighters.

Lake Erie

Surface Temp 61
Winds S at 10 – 15 knots
Waves 0 – 2 feet
Water Clarity: Poor-Mud starting to clear up.