Lake Erie was literally at the top of its game again in 2017 after setting a new all-time mark in 2014. And with the way things are going in this Great Lake, don’t be surprised if it happens again this year. It’s scary … scary good.
Based on the Lake Erie creel census where thousands of anglers were surveyed between May 1 and Oct. 31, walleye fishermen experienced the highest catch per unit effort that the lake has ever seen in the 30 years of the census. In 2017, the catch rate was .52 fish per hour, nearly three times the 30-year average. While that might not seem like anything special, let’s put it into a better perspective.
“Our previous best-ever catch rate for walleye on Lake Erie was .32 fish per hour,” says Jason Robinson, fisheries biologist for the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation’s Lake Erie Unit. “That came in 2014 and that was a great fishing year. In fact it was our last record year. It was that much better last year.”
So let’s talk actual numbers. Over 70,000 walleye were harvested last year – caught and kept for the frying pan. It doesn’t get much better than fresh walleye in the hot oil (or no matter how it’s cooked). However, the Catch Per Effort (CPE) is based on the total catch and that was nearly 120,000 walleye last year.
Based on the Lake Erie creel census where thousands of anglers were surveyed between May 1 and Oct. 31, walleye fishermen experienced the highest catch per unit effort that the lake has ever seen in the 30 years of the census. In 2017, the catch rate was .52 fish per hour, nearly three times the 30-year average. While that might not seem like anything special, let’s put it into a better perspective.
“Our previous best-ever catch rate for walleye on Lake Erie was .32 fish per hour,” says Jason Robinson, fisheries biologist for the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation’s Lake Erie Unit. “That came in 2014 and that was a great fishing year. In fact it was our last record year. It was that much better last year.”
So let’s talk actual numbers. Over 70,000 walleye were harvested last year – caught and kept for the frying pan. It doesn’t get much better than fresh walleye in the hot oil (or no matter how it’s cooked). However, the Catch Per Effort (CPE) is based on the total catch and that was nearly 120,000 walleye last year.
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