Thawing Out on Lake Erie
March 07, 2025 Erie 2 photos
Bass (Smallmouth)
Bass (Smallmouth)
Bass (Largemouth)
Bass (Largemouth)

Trip Summary

Queue the wake up yawn with the morning stretch. We are all waking up here in Erie, PA, after a long, hard winter. That means Presque Isle Bay and Lake Erie are thawing as well, and some great fishing is just around the corner. Living here in Erie, PA (Harborcreek now), we all are chomping at the bit once that ice comes off to get the boats back out and start chasing a multitude of fish: perch, walleye, bass, trout, and panfish, to name a few. There is something for everyone once our ice comes off. Our target, when the ice comes off, is almost always big Lake Erie smallmouth bass. Fishing for smallmouth bass on Lake Erie and Presque Isle Bay in the spring is world class. It doesn’t take long for their metabolism to start kicking in and feeding heavily again after a long winter locked under the ice. The typical season starts sometime in March or early April. Once the water temps start getting into those upper 30s or low 40s, the bite can be really good. We only target them by casting with artificial, but some folks have good luck with live bait as well. The largemouth fishing in Presque Isle Bay usually gets good around this same time, as they can often ramp up even before the smallmouth thaw out from their deeper water haunts. The perch and panfish bite is usually great early, too, as well as trout (in the streams and in the Lake/Bay), and walleye start kicking some, too. To stay up to date with the most current Lake Erie and Presque Isle Bay fishing reports, check out our page, as we’ll be updating them weekly during the peak seasons. We hope you are ready for some great Lake Erie bass fishing this year! Tightlines. -Captain Destin
Destin DeMarion
Erie, Pennsylvania, United States
Big Fat Bass Guide Service – Erie thumbnail
Excited to catch some fish in Erie? Then Big Fat Bass Guide Service has a trip with your name on it! Depending on the time of year, you might hook into Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, and whatever else is biting. On these trips, it’s common to use...

Other reports from this captain

Early June Fishing Report
Early June Fishing Report
June 5, 2025
We’ve made it to June! Through the wind, rain, and cold of spring 2025 here in Erie, PA, summer is finally knocking. As I write this, it’s expected to hit 87°F — just a few days after barely reaching 50. I’m ecstatic to finally trade in the boots for flip flops and get back to chasing fish under blue skies. A Strange Spring Across Lake Erie Staying in touch with guide buddies and “hammers” (great anglers) across the East and West Basins of Lake Erie, the consensus is clear: it’s been a strange spring. We’ve seen plenty of quality smallmouth caught across all three basins, but the inconsistent weather seems to have stretched out our usual bite windows. Water temps would warm up, then cool right back off, keeping many fish in a kind of limbo. That said, the “behind schedule” spring might actually set us up well for early summer. Smallmouth Report – Presque Isle Bay and Lake Erie Over the last couple of weeks, our clients have been catching smallmouth in all three phases — prespawn, spawn, and postspawn. Most of the bite has leaned finesse: dropshots, tubes, senkos, jig minnows have all put fish in the boat. That said, power fishing still is viable too, with A-rigs, jerkbaits, and chatterbaits producing some. Hot Tip: The next full moon is June 11. If conditions line up, we could see another wave of spawners. However, most of our recent fish have been postspawn with some prespawners mixed in. That means: Slow is Pro — slow down your presentation and thoroughly work areas to stay dialed in. Fish can be more finicky this time of year. Work areas thoroughly and finesse presentations slowly, but efficiently. Walleye Report The walleye bite continues to improve as more fish migrate east. We’re catching them as a bycatch while bass fishing in 10–30 ft. Meanwhile, anglers are doing well all the way out to 40–45 ft using plugs and crawler harnesses (trolling or drifting). Out in front of the peninsula has been hot and we’ve been catching some east of the city. We’re using forward-facing sonar to cast at individual fish — an exciting, active way to fish. Want to learn how? Let’s get you on the schedule. Perch Update Perch are still showing up occasionally while bass fishing in the Bay — especially postspawn fish fattening up. Most of the bigger schools have moved back to the lake, so key in on bait concentrations. Tight lines, Captain Destin DeMarion Big Fat Bass Guide Service
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Erie May Wrap Up and June Report
Erie May Wrap Up and June Report
May 20, 2025
As May winds down and June rolls in, Lake Erie smallmouth bass are finally getting that signature spunk back. After a brief cooldown, we’re seeing water temps in the mid-to-upper 50s on the main lake and low 60s in Presque Isle Bay—perfect for active bass. Right now, we’ve got fish in all three phases of the spawn. In the Bay, postspawners are showing up in offshore areas, but prespawn and spawning fish are still around. Out on the main lake, the spawn is going in some areas, with many fish still waiting to go—especially in the cooler zones away from the Bay. When fish are spread across all phases, it opens the playbook. Look for them shallow, mid-depth, or deep—on beds, guarding fry, fattening up before or after the spawn. Forage is plentiful right now, too: emerald shiners, baby perch, gobies, shad, craws, and more. Pay attention to what they’re eating. Feel their bellies—if they’re soft, they’re feeding on baitfish; if they’re crunchy, it’s craws. Match the hatch with size and color. Hard baits like jerkbaits, spy baits, A-rigs, cranks, and hair jigs are excellent. For soft plastics, try drop shots, tubes, Neds, swimbaits, grubs, or Senkos. Watch the weather and moon phases—a warming trend during a full or new moon often triggers a new push of spawners. That said, full moons can make for tougher daytime bites, as non-spawning fish feed more at night with the extra light. Other Species Updates: Walleye – Evening bite is still best around creek mouths. Expect walleye bite to to heat up as the migration from the west continues. Lake Trout – Anglers are still doing well trolling near “The Mountain” around the NY line in 100’+ depths. Perch – We are getting sporadic catches of postspawn perch in the Bay while bass fishing. Most big schools have moved back to the lake, so focus there. Memorial Day Special & June Availability We just had Memorial Day and May 27th open up due to a client’s knee surgery. I’m offering a 2-day, 8-hour guided trip special for just $1200 — a $100 savings! June is filling up fast in the past couple of weeks, with limited dates remaining: June **hidden content** If you want to get in on the summer deep bite (July–early September) or secure a prime fall trophy smallmouth spot (October–November) or lake trout jigging/scoping big fall walleye, now’s the time to get on the books, as many of my prime fall dates are already filling. Tight lines, Captain Destin DeMarion Big Fat Bass Guide Service
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Mid-May Erie Fishing Report
Mid-May Erie Fishing Report
May 12, 2025
Warm weather has finally arrived in Erie, Pennsylvania, with air temps hitting the 70s this week. Combine that with the recent full moon, and you know what that means—love is in the air for the bass. Current Conditions Presque Isle Bay is sitting right around 60°F, which is prime spawning temperature. Meanwhile, the main lake is still a bit behind, with temps in the low to mid 50s, and slightly warmer water around the mouth of the Bay. We’re in that transitional window—prespawn, spawn, and postspawn fish are all present, especially in the Bay. The main lake is largely in prespawn, but warming quickly and not far off from a major spawn wave. Other Species Notes Walleye: Anglers are catching them at night near creek mouths, while others are finding success trolling during the day—from the shallows out to deeper drop-offs. The bite is picking up with the warming water and is only going to get better. Lake Trout: There are still good reports of lakers being caught while trolling near “The Mountain”, east of Erie, close to the New York line. If you’re targeting trout, this zone remains a solid option. Perch: We’ve landed some big, sporadic postspawn perch in Presque Isle Bay, but most of the larger schools have pushed back into the main lake after their spawning cycle. What to Look For In the Bay: Spawning fish are locked onto shallow flats and marina areas. Fry guarders and postspawn fish are hanging around and just outside the shallows, feeding up. Prespawn fish are still staging too—look for 5-20’ drops and hard spots adjacent to spawning grounds. Find the right area, and you can really get into a pile of fish. In the Main Lake: Mostly prespawn fish, but signs of change are coming fast. Focus on chunk rock flats and subtle depressions—perfect staging zones. Warmer water is pushing activity around the Bay mouth. Try Thompson Bay flats and the Hammermill stacks. Prespawn fish may range from the shallows out to about 30 feet. Tight lines, Captain Destin DeMarion Big Fat Bass Guide Service
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