Reef bite is peaking

Walleye, especially males, are stacked on and around the Ohio reef complex on Lake Erie, making for some of the hottest walleye fishing of the year.

The reef complex is located north of Oak Harbor, OH, near the Davis Besse Nuclear Power Plant. The best action has been in 6 to 14 foot of water, Most anglers are using hair jigs or blade baits. The favorite hair jigs are 1/2 to 1 ounce in purple, dark green or chartreuse. The jigs are being fished verticle or pitched and dragged. Many anglers tip the jigs with minnows, but a lot also fish them bare.

All types of blade baits are used with the most popular being Silver Buddies, Sonars, Vibees and Zaps in colors ranging from green to gold.

Trollers are finding spawned-out females in the navigational can area north and east of the reefs, and around the Bass and Kellys islands.

The reef bite should go another week or so and then many of the fish will move into near-by areas to feed and a good bite should continue. The majority of the fish right now are 18-22" from the 2003 spawn with some bigger fish mixed in.