Lake Erie Fishing Report Sep 17, 2025: Walleye, Perch, and Smallmouth Action Near Cleveland

Artificial Lure here with your Lake Erie fishing report for Wednesday, September 17, 2025, from Cleveland. Grab your gear and let’s get right into it.

**Weather & Water Conditions:**
We’re starting the day with **sunrise at 7:01 AM** and expect **sunset at 7:31 PM**. The forecast from the National Weather Service calls for **east winds under 10 knots**, mostly clear skies, and **highs in the mid 70s**. Water temperatures are holding steady—about **70°F off Cleveland**. Waves will be gentle, less than a foot, which means great boat control and safe shoreline casting. The UV index is high, so don’t forget your sunscreen.

**Tidal and Lake Movement:**
While Lake Erie isn’t tidal, today’s **wind patterns and low wave action** mean shoreline and breakwall spots will see classic late-summer clarity. This will have a direct effect on how fish relate to structure and bait movement—expect active feeding periods around dawn and dusk.

**Recent Fish Activity:**
Anglers have reported an uptick in action as fish start to school up tighter ahead of fall. **Walleye** numbers have been strong, especially in mid-depth waters (15-30 feet) just west of Cleveland Harbor, with folks boating solid limits using diving crankbaits and worm harnesses. **Yellow perch** action is picking up between Edgewater Park and Gordon Park, especially near rocky bottoms or submerged structure. Small jigs tipped with minnows or emerald shiners have been producing full buckets, with perch often schooling so you can get a dozen or more when you find them.
**Smallmouth bass** are still hanging around the breakwalls and rock piles—casting ned rigs or tube jigs in 6-12 feet closer to shore is putting some real heavy fish in the net. A few lucky anglers landed bass in the 4-pound range this week.
**Steelhead trout** sightings remain light but should pick up in the coming weeks—keep an eye on creek mouths like Euclid Creek or the Cuyahoga River, especially after a rain.

**Best Lures & Bait:**
- For walleye: **Deep-diving crankbaits**, purple and gold patterns, and **crawler harnesses** have been hot.
- For perch: **Small teardrop jigs** tipped with live minnows or salted shiners are best.
- For smallmouth: Try **green pumpkin ned rigs**, **smoke tube jigs**, or even a drop-shot with finesse worms.
- Early mornings and late afternoons are best—target rocky humps and transition zones.

**Hot Spots:**
- **Edgewater Park breakwalls**: Great for perch and smallmouth.
- **Gordon Park riprap**: Prime spot for walleye, especially after sunset.
- **Cleveland Harbor light pier**: Mixed bag—perch, bass, occasional sheepshead.

**Other Tips:**
- Fish are active during low-light hours. The cooler night temps this week improve the bite, so set your alarm early or hit the water just before dusk.
- Safety first; keep an eye on the wind. Even low waves near piers and outflows can stir surprise currents.

That’s the scoop for today around Cleveland on Lake Erie. Thanks for tuning in—don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a bite.
This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Artificial lore. Here with your Lake Erie fishing report for Wednesday,
September seventeenth, twenty twenty five from Cleveland. Grab your gear
and let's get right into it. Weather and water conditions.
We're starting the day with sunrise at seven oh one
am and expect sunset at seven point thirty one pm.
The forecast from the National Weather Service calls for east

(00:22):
winds under ten knots, mostly clear skies, and highs in
the mid seventies. Water temperatures are holding steady about seven
weeks per hour. Waves will be gentle less than a foot,
which means great boat control and safe shoreline casting. The
UV index is high, so don't forget your sunscreen. Tidle
and lake movement. While Lake Erie isn't tidle, today's wind

(00:45):
patterns and low wave action means shoreline and break. While
spots will see classic late summer clarity. This will have
a direct effect on how fish relate to structure and
bait movement. Expect active feeding periods around dawn and dusk.
Recent fish activity anglers have reported an uptick in action
as fish start to school up tighter ahead of fall.

(01:07):
Accurate numbers have been strong, especially in mid depthed waters
fifteen to thirty feet just west of Cleveland Harbor, with
folks boating solid limits using diving crank baits and worm harnesses.
Yellow perch action is picking up between edge Stratter Park
and Gordon Park, especially near rocky bottoms or submerged structure.

(01:29):
Small jigs tipped with minnows or emerald shiners have been
producing full buckets with perch off in schooling, so you
can get a dozen or more when you find them.
Small mouthed bass are still hanging around the break walls
and rock piles, casting med rigs or tube jigs, and
six to twelve feet closer to shore is prinks some

(01:50):
real heavy fish in the net. A few lucky anglers
landed bass in the four pound range this week. Steelhead
trout sidings remain light but should pick up in the
coming weeks. Keep an eye on creek mounts like Euclid
Creek or the Cuyahoga River, especially after a rain. Best
lures in bait for walleye. Deep diving crank baits, purple

(02:13):
and gold patterns and kroller harnesses have been hot for perch.
Small teardrop jinks tipped with live minnows. Or salted shiners
are best for smallmouth. Try green pumped in med rigs,
smoke tube jigs, or even a drop shot with finesse worms.
Early mornings and late afternoons are best. Target rocky humps

(02:36):
and transition zones. Hot spots, headwater, park break walls great
for perch and smallmouth. Gordon Park rip wrap prime spot
for walleye, especially after sunset. Cleveland Harbor light pier, mixed
bag perch, bass, occasional sheep's head, other tips fissure active

(03:00):
during low light hours. The cooler night tempts this week
improved the bite, so set your alarm early or hit
the water just before dusk. Safety first, keep an eye
on the wind. Even low waves near piers and outflows
can stir surprise currents. That's the scoop for today around
Cleveland on Lake Erie. Thanks for tuning in. Don't forget

(03:21):
to subscribe so you never miss a bite. This has
been a quiet please production. For more check out Quiet
Please dot ai