Erie, PA

About Erie PA

Erie is a city located on the south shore of Lake Erie in Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. Erie is the fourth-largest city in Pennsylvania. It’s located north of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, halfway between Buffalo, New York, and Cleveland, Ohio.

Fishing in Erie, PA, is known for being the “Flagship City” because it is the home port for the wooden-hulled ship, Niagara, used at the Battle of Lake Erie in the War of 1812.

Erie, Pennsylvania, is home to the oldest land lighthouse on the Great Lakes and was chosen by Field and Stream as one of the nation’s top twenty family-fishing spots. The waters of Lake Erie are known for incredible sport fishing for Walleye, Steelhead, Lake Trout, and smallmouth bass.

Lake Erie PA

Lake Erie is the 13th-largest natural lake in the world and a unique waterway with incredible fishing in Erie, PA. Lake Erie is the shallowest of the Great Lakes, with a depth of 210 feet at its deepest points; other Great Lakes reach depths of over 1500 feet. Lake Erie covers 9,910 square miles and borders four states and Canada.

Lake Erie supports a wide variety of healthy fish populations, including bass, trout, walleye, steelhead, salmon, crappie, bluegill, yellow perch, sunfish, pike, and muskie. These fish species thrive in abundance, making Lake Erie a top destination for fishing charters. On top of its famous sport fishing, Lake Erie has more consumable fish than all the other Great Lakes combined.

Smallmouth Bass Fishing Charters

Lake Erie, PA, is one of the premier smallmouth bass fisheries in the country. The big smallmouth bass is attracted to Presque Isle Bay, known as their premier spawning ground. Erie bass fishing charters are best when the lake begins to warm, making the season from late April through August.

The hungry, aggressive smallmouth bite until early summer. It’s not uncommon to catch 6-pound smallmouth bass in Lake Erie, Pennsylvania. To better understand fishing charter pros and cons, read this short article.

Sport Fishing

Lake Erie is most known for its size and abundance of game fish, making for memorable fishing trips. An average of 1.5 million fish is caught every year in Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay, and the tributaries.

The most popular game fish that call Lake Erie home are largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, lake trout, walleye, and steelhead.

The fish in Lake Erie are known for being plentiful and to growing large, which is why these fishing charter trips are so successful. The sportfishing season officially starts when the water warms up in the early summer, and the larger fish move to deeper waters. 

Top Targeted Fish Species

Smallmouth Bass

Walleye

Lake Trout

Rainbow Trout

See all fish species >>>

Erie, PA Fishing Charters

Anglers from all over the nation and all walks of life come to Lake Erie, PA, to target game fish like bass, trout, walleye, and steelhead.

Your full-time captain is available to accommodate families, couples, kids, avid anglers, or novices looking to target a specific fish species or experience all of the famous Lake Erie.

Our Lake Erie fishing guides have been fishing the lake since they were kids. Our mission is to expose the great town of Erie, PA, and all the great smallmouth and walleye sport fishing Lake Erie has. Your licensed captain will have everything you need for a successful trip, including the United States Coast Guard Safety equipment, fishing gear, tackle, boat, and knowledge of Lake Erie fish’s habits to find the best spots.

The high season for smallmouth fishing charters begins in May after their annual spawn. The Walleye fishing charters’ prime time starts in June.

Guided fishing trips are an ideal way to experience the incredible fishing on Lake Erie. Your chances of going home with your personal best are the highest while on board a Lake Erie fishing charter.

Walleye Fishing Charters

Lake Erie, PA, is often referred to as the Walleye sport fishing capital of the world. The Walleye charter fishing heats up in Lake Erie, PA, as temperatures begin to rise in the early summer months.

The best months for walleye sport fishing charters are June, July, August, and September.

Walleye charters are done when the water temperature reaches the mid-50s to low 60s, when the Walleyes begin to school in 50 to 60 feet of deep water. Resident Walleye can be caught near shore as the season starts picking up and offshore as the summer progresses.

Later in the summer, walleye fishing charters usually involve your guide trolling deeper water with downriggers, spoons, and dipsey divers. Another productive method used on Walleye fishing charters is open-water drifting with jigs toward the bottom of the water column.

Lake Erie fishing in Erie, PA, provides an ideal environment for trophy Walleyes by giving them easy access to colder water and high-protein baitfish.

Lake Trout in Lake Erie, PA

Lake trout are active targets starting as early as April. The month of May is the best month for fishing in Erie, PA, for a Lake Trout fishing charter, with the highest chance to catch a hard-fighting trophy, Lake Trout. Typically, trolling is the best method to fish for Lake Trout in Lake Erie. These Lake Trout tend to prefer Shiners, Gobies, and other small baitfish. Fishing for Lake Trout slows down around early June, right as the Walleye season is starting.

Steelhead in Lake Erie, PA

Lake Erie fishing means steelhead to many anglers, providing world-class steelhead charters. Fishing in Erie, PA, and its creeks provides the perfect habitat, allowing them to thrive in significant numbers. A steelhead fishing charter is best during the fall months in Lake Erie. Steelheads gather at the creek’s mouth as the waters of Lake Erie start to cool down for their annual run upstream. The creeks of Lake Erie, PA, are famous internationally for the annual spawning runs of Pacific steelhead trout.

Lake Charter Captains

To see a complete list of great Lake Erie Fishing Guides, please click here!

Nearby Tourist Attractions

Erie, Pennsylvania, is home to several professional arts groups and semi-pro sports and offers plenty to do on both land and water. Attractions and waterfront dining surround Lake Erie.

Lake Erie attracts over four million visitors every summer for recreational activities in Presque Isle Park. Presque Isle State Park has 7 miles of beaches for boating, swimming, fishing, and world-class sunsets.

Popular Erie Tours and Attractions

Fishing in Erie, PA, has a tour for almost everything. Some of the most popular tours include Whiskey Barrel Tasting, Erie Food Tours, Allen Stoneware Gallery, and Board and Brush. Other popular attractions near Lake Erie, PA include Erie Zoo, Splash Lagoon, the Erie Maritime Museum, and the Tom Ridge Environmental Center.

Lake Erie Wine

Lake Erie is also known as Lake Erie Wine Country for its 20 distinct wineries along the lake’s southern shores. Pennsylvania ranks 4th nationally in grape production and 8th in wine production, with approximately 14,000 acres of grapes. Pennsylvania’s mild climate and rolling terrain provide some of the best grape-growing conditions on the East Coast. Specifically, the warm waters of Lake Erie are ideal for growing grapes.

Lake Erie Ale Trail

Erie’s region is home to many breweries that make up the Lake Erie Ale Trail. Each brewery uses simple ingredients and personalization to refine its beer. Each brewery is unique and continuously expanding.

Presque State Park

Fishing in Erie, PA, around Presque Isle Park offers plenty to see and do. The 3200-acre park has some of the region’s most scenic beaches, trails, and marinas. The park has plenty of spots for biking, hiking, skating, swimming, fishing, boating, canoeing, and sports. Many bird species migrate through Presque Isle, making this park ideal for birdwatchers. 

Nearby Lake Destinations

When fishing in Erie, PA, you also have great deals available on the following lakes that match your search criteria.

Explore the complete Lake Erie system: Start with our Lake Erie fishing hub, use Lake Erie Pennsylvania for the state-specific fishery, compare Lake Erie fishing charters, or view Lake Erie fishing packages with lodging.