Damn Good Lake Erie Fishing Guides

The best fishing trips in Lake Erie are:

• D3 Charters guided by Don L.
• Captain Ken's Wild Wings guided by Kenny L.
• In Between the Lines Sportfishing guided by Mark S.
• Lake Erie Sportfishing Charters guided by Dustin T.
• Dog's Life Sport Fishing guided by Matthew S.

Our Damn Good Guides currently offer 84 trips in Lake Erie, and the most popular trips in the area are Walleye & Steelhead Trolling guided by Nick, Lake Erie Walleye: Jigging/Casting guided by Nick, and Fairport Harbor Walleye Trip guided by Joseph.

Our guides in Lake Erie are rated a 4.81 out of 5 based on 7709 verified reviews on Captain Experiences.

All guides on Captain Experiences are vetted by our team. You can access their reviews, click through trip photos, read bios to get to know them, and preview trip details like species, techniques, group sizes, boat specs and more.

Looking for kid friendly guides / fishing lessons in Lake Erie? Check out our beginner and family friendly guides in Lake Erie.

Deep Sea fishing is the most popular type of fishing in Lake Erie as well as lake fishing, nearshore fishing, and river fishing.

The most commonly sought after species in Lake Erie are: 1. walleye, 2. perch, 3. steelhead, 4. smallmouth bass, and 5. lake trout.

The most common fishing techniques in Lake Erie are light tackle fishing, trolling, and artificial lure fishing but jigging and drift fishing are popular as well.

Prices in Lake Erie can range anywhere from about $550 to $1,600, but the average price for a half day trip in Lake Erie is $908. The average price for a full day trip in Lake Erie is $1,141.

Hiring a guide provides a number of benefits and many choose to book a fishing guide for a combination of experience, local knowledge, convenience, and cost-effectiveness.

Working with experienced fishing guides who know the best local spots and techniques can dramatically increase your odds of a great day. Having someone who is on the water every day and knows the area like the back of their hand is going to give you the best chances of success.

Booking a guide is also more cost effective, especially if you only get out a handful of times per year. When you consider all of the costs you would incur on your own such as the price of a boat, maintenance, insurance, gas, high-quality gear and tackle, repairs, and more, you’ll find that DIY is sometimes not worth the expense.

Even if you’ve got a great setup already in your home waters, booking a guide also provides a great opportunity to experience new techniques, new locations, or even a chance at a new target species to knock off the bucket list.

The most popular season for fishing in Lake Erie is summer, and most anglers book their trips 83 days in advance.

See here for more information on fishing licenses in Lake Erie, bag limits for target species, and fishing season regulations in Lake Erie. When in doubt, your guide will always know all the relevant rules and regulations in Lake Erie.

With an average of 1.5 million fish caught in Lake Erie every year, you won't go home empty-handed. While the lake is known for steelhead, many other gamefish live in its waters and provide a variety of phenomenal fishing opportunities.

For most of the anglers on Lake Erie, fishing means steelhead, steelhead, steelhead. The lake and its tributaries are one of the best steelhead fisheries in the world and the fish is the signature of the area. The best steelhead fishing will often be found in a part of the lake called the mountain, where the lake is deepest and the cold-water fish will congregate as the water warms elsewhere.

Catching lake trout can require a bit of extra tackle but these fish are well worth it. Fishing the depths of “the mountain” is a great place to find these fish and with a typical weight of 8 to 12 pounds these fish will wear you out. Trolling with a diving disk that will take your spoons or lures down to the right depths will ensure you are within striking distance. Although the popularity of these fish has waned in recent years, lake trout are still an exciting and delicious gamefish perfect for any group.

While trout and steelhead are the most popular fish for this lake, Lake Erie is also home to other popular species including bass, walleye, perch, crappie, and bluegill. Largemouth and smallmouth bass are well-known game fish across the country but in a lake like this they grow slow but that doesn't mean small.

Bluegill can be found almost anywhere and their high action on minimal tackle makes them some of the most fun fish to catch. Crappie prefer brush and shallower water and are basically the next step up from bluegill. That being said do not discount this voracious fish because they are a blast to catch and a delicious meal. The only other fish that may beat crappie for the best white meat fish is the walleye. Other than their spectacular food qualities walleye are known for their trolling rigs and funky fighting style. There are plenty of game fish to catch on Lake Erie and is a great place for anglers to try something new.

When heading out on Lake Erie always be careful and consider your safety. When in doubt, contact a guide to take you out and ensure the conditions are good. Lake Erie is the shallowest of the great lakes and is prone to more severe weather including fast shifts from calm rollers to large waves as well as significant fog. When you're ready to take a trip, head out of Cleveland, Buffalo, Detroit, or Toledo as your major jumping-off points to get out on the water.