Great Lakes Fishing Report & Forecast: January & February
Our fishing report is brought to you buy our valued partnership with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and with our men on the water, Cannonball Runner Charters and Grand Bend Fishing Charters!
Lake Huron
It was a great season on the water, and we are excited to get 2025 rolling!
Winter is here, and most of us have boats winterized and stored for the off-season. Many anglers, including us, are preparing for some ice fishing! The winter months are a great time to prepare for the open-water season, ensuring you're ready to go as soon as the ice clears to start chasing spring salmon!
Existing Gear
Before the season begins, we ensure all equipment runs the latest software. This provides the most up-to-date features and ensures that all our networked devices communicate properly. Our Raymarine Axiom 2 Pro allows us to update via WiFi, which makes it easy.
It’s also a great time to organize your boat and do a deep cleaning. I remove the fishing tackle, lifejackets, and safety gear to clean all those compartments. It’s a good time to ensure all safety gear is accounted for, functional, and up-to-date for the new season.
I use this time to reorder my fishing tackle. I organize my lures by brand and size to help me find what I’m looking for. I also sharpen hooks and replace them as needed. Going over and replacing all the lines is a good idea so you don’t miss any big fish in the new season.
New Gear and Upgrades
The marine industry is ever-changing, and boat show season is a great way to learn about new products. If you are looking to upgrade your marine electronics, it can be a great time to purchase, as boat show specials are often available. It’s also a great chance to meet with the sales reps for questions and product recommendations. Installing new electronics now will allow time to familiarize yourself with them before the season.
I’m really looking forward to my new SHOCKWAVE marine suspension S2 Commander captain seat! When you are on the water every day, sometimes twice a day, it’s important to protect your back from the constant pounding of waves. Our guests also enjoy the S5 suspension bases while on rougher water.
Plan Now
If you are looking to get on the water this 2025 season, now is the best time to book dates and avoid disappointment. We offer half- and full-day packages as well as on-water trolling clinics. Get on the water and make memories that last!
By: Captain Ryan Sharpe
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Lake Erie
Lake Erie’s anglers had a year to remember in 2024, and 2025 looks to be no different. Walleye fishing was phenomenal, a new normal that should continue in the next year. Smallmouth bass have been a popular target for anglers and will be a focus for many as winter turns to spring. Among the main attractions on Lake Erie early in 2025 are steelhead, which should thrill tributary anglers well into spring.
The Walleye Capital of the World is poised to hold onto its title for years to come, and anglers can expect another fantastic year of walleye fishing on Lake Erie. Despite a low walleye hatch index in 2024, Lake Erie has a robust walleye population, and these long-lived fish should thrill anglers for a decade or more. This year, some fish from the booming 2023 hatch should reach the 15-inch minimum length requirement and help anglers reach their bag limit.
Walleye fishing is now a year-round activity on Lake Erie. Fish that summered in the deeper portions of the lake migrate west throughout the fall and winter in preparation for spring spawning. Many fish can be caught in January and February in both the western and central basins. Western basin anglers enjoy the spring spawn both in rivers and off reefs, and summer and fall fishing can be spectacular across the lake.
Smallmouth bass fishing has grown in popularity on Lake Erie, and as spring arrives, bass fishing will kick off with fervor. The opportunity to catch a trophy bass in the lake is always present. Spring, summer, and fall offer the best bass fishing, but don’t sleep on early-season bass looking for an easy meal.
Anglers in the central basin look forward to winter because it drives steelhead into tributaries. In spawning waters like Conneaut Creek and the Chagrin, Grand, Rocky, Vermilion, and Ashtabula rivers, cast into shallower waters, especially near boulders, woody debris, and riffles. Spoons, spinners, minnows, jigs, nightcrawlers, and spawn sacs all work well to entice steelhead ready for spawning. Steelhead can be caught in the rivers well into April, creating ample opportunity for shore-bound anglers to enjoy the lake’s bounty.
In 2024, the Division of Wildlife released a young steelhead into the Cuyahoga River for the first time. Those steelhead should spend a few years in Lake Erie before returning to the Cuyahoga River. While 2025 is likely too soon to catch steelhead released during 2024 in Cuyahoga’s waters, dedicated anglers may catch stray steelhead from other rivers that venture up the Cuyahoga this year. In future years, this will be the seventh Lake Erie tributary hosting steelhead.
Winter fishing in Lake Erie can be difficult, but the lake still offers rewards for those interested in pursuing cold-weather fishing. Walleye, smallmouth bass, and steelhead claim the spotlight for now, but fishing reaches a fever pitch as spring returns. Check Ohio’s current fishing regulations for information before your next trip.
By: Will Babb
Lake Ontario
January and February are the time for boat shows, and sportsman shows should be the place to meet up and check out what’s new. They should be making a comeback. Check out the ones specializing on Lake Ontario.
2025 is here. Most people will be ice fishing the bays around Lake Ontario for perch, bluegills, and crappies. There will also be those after the toothy northern pike. Perch will be the big story. Good places to try will be Sodus Point, Sandy Pond, Lake View, and Chaumont Bay. The pike will also be in the same place but you will be a touch shallower. Please be safe on the ice. Ice can be thin in spots, especially after wind. No fish is worth someone’s life.
There will be two types of fishing going on in Chaumont: perch and giant walleye! Common sizes are 7 to 18 pounds, with up to 14 pounds expected. There are many different ways to fish this fishery. Most of these will come off rocky points and shelves. Be careful, as excess is limited; get there early. Please be respectful of the local landowners' wishes.
Another popular spot is Oneida Lake. Walleye and perch fishermen hit it hard year after year. There are many popular derbies on this lake worth checking out. Check out the north shore near Constanta; there are lots of popular locations. Godfrey Point is really popular.
Don’t be afraid to check out the Finger Lakes. Be careful, as open water is not unusual in some areas. Lake trout are also really popular as they move shallower with the cold water.
Lake Champlain also has many derbies. Check out some great northern pike action. This lake also has Great Lake trout action this time of year.
Ice fishing on some smaller lakes in the area can be great for bluegill and crappie. They are a bit shallower if conditions are sketchy.
Tributaries will be in full swing for steelhead and brown trout. Depending on snow conditions, fishing will be on a riverbank or drift boat. Check out local guides; oh my God.
The hot spots will be Salmon River, Oswego River, Oak Orchard, Maxwell Creek, and the mighty Niagara. Check the river flow rates to be safe. Don’t forget about the Sandies and the Black River, either.
If you only lake fish, this is a great time to book your charter. Or, if you're a do-it-yourselfer, it’s time to get ready! It's a good time to repair reels or make new purchases. Tight lines, everyone!
By: Ed Monette
Lake Michigan
Winter is again upon us, and that is the time to update, clean, and maintain for Great Lakes anglers. Our boats, motors, fishing tackle, and any other related gear are often neglected in the heat of the short boating season that we enjoy.
I will start with a quick overview of what I would consider general maintenance for the three main motor/drive styles we see on the Great Lakes. Up first will be our outboard options. The basics are pretty straightforward, four strokes require regular oil changes, no different than our cars on the road. If you happen to have older two-stroke outboards, we can skip the oil change but have to add oil to the remote tanks. Water pumps and lower unit oil can usually be done in tandem if you are a do-it-yourself guy or may be separate if having a dealer do the service. I recommend changing both the pumps and lower unit lube yearly. While many wait longer to do water pumps, the rubber impellers can take a set, making them less efficient. This, in turn, can make our motors run either warmer than usual or overheat. It is a simple and relatively inexpensive job to just change them out.
Next, let’s look at our inboard/ outboard style options. These are our most maintenance-intensive options with more parts involved. Starting with the motor side of things, oil and filter changes are first on the list. Unfortunately, for many of us, winterization is required in the Great Lakes region. This process varies wildly between the different manufacturers and I usually recommend a qualified mechanic if you are not comfortable researching and doing this yourself. Next, we move to the outdrive aspect of these models. The boots, hoses, and bellows that help connect the outdrive to the transom mounts all need to be inspected and periodically replaced. The outdrive itself then needs the gear lube changed, and while we are there doing that, you should replace the lower water pump. These need attention for the same reasons that they need addressed in our outboard setups.
The final option we are looking at today is the various straight inboard configurations. These will require the standard oil change and winterizing of the motor unless it is set up with a closed cooling system. Again, I would recommend a qualified mechanic for these procedures. You will also want to address the water pump impeller in these models that pumps in seawater if they are an open cooling system or the exhaust is raw water cooled. The transmission will also need its own inspection for fluid and seal changes as required, along with the bearings and seals that protect the shaft that drives the prop of our vessel.
By: Captain Don Mapes
Lake Superior
Lake Superior's Chequamegon Bay / Apostle Islands region is a popular location to ice fish (when safe ice is present) in January / February. Depending on the weather, ice fishing generally starts in Chequamegon Bay mid/late December out of Ashland and late December to early January along the Washburn side of the Bay. The variety of fish in the area makes it a popular destination. Anglers fishing the shallow nearshore waters (less than 20’) along Ashland and Washburn generally target Yellow Perch, Walleye, and Northern Pike. Anglers fishing deeper waters off Ashland and along the Washburn side of the Bay target Brown Trout, Splake, Coho Salmon, Whitefish, Lake Herring, Smelt, and Burbot. Fishing presentations are generally the same while fishing on the Chequamegon Bay / Apostle Islands. Most anglers jig with spoons, jigging raps, or blade baits. Sometimes tipped with a piece of minnow or wax worm. Size of your bait, colors, and jigging cadence varies daily, so it's best to experiment until you determine what the fish want. Anglers also use tip-ups or automatic hook-setting devices with shiners.
The large 2022-year class of Lake Herring(cisco), which has been the prime forge for nearly all predators in the system, have started to become too big for all but the largest predator fish. This large year class of herring still contributes to the overall forge base, but not to the extent of previous years. This high forge base results in higher growth rates and a more robust-looking appearance in the game fish.
If the late Fall open water trolling is any indication, there should be an ample supply of Brown Trout in the 20-24” range available this upcoming ice season.
As the fishing season starts, success can be very good and continues as anglers stay on the “fresh bite” and follow the safe ice as it expands North into the Bayfield area. As the ice fishing season progresses and safe ice expands into the Apostle Islands, anglers start to fish deeper water (Bobbing) for Lake Trout. Anglers generally use a heavier rod and reel combo or a traditional “bobbing” hoop with wire line. A reel holding lots of line is recommended since you may fish for Lake Trout in 300’ of water, but 90-180’ of water is more common. Heavier baits are generally used while fishing for Lake Trout in stronger currents. Heavier spoons, tube jigs, swimbaits, jigging raps, or “beatles” (horizontal jigs) are popular bait choices. Sometimes, adding a piece of cut bait is needed to catch fish. The average Lake Trout size through the ice is 22-23” with fish in the 30’s to 40” range caught every winter.
Depending on the severity of the winter, safe fishable ice conditions may form later in January or February in Saxon, Cornucopia, and along the South Shore (Herbster, Port Wing, and the Superior entry).
The Superior harbor is also a popular spot to ice fish. Anglers can have productive trips fishing for Walleye.
By: Karl J. Scheidegger
