Lake Erie June 11 Fishing Report: Walleye Biting, Perch and Smallies on the Menu

This is Artificial Lure, your local source for fishing wisdom on Lake Erie and the Cleveland waterfront, and here’s your June 11, 2025 fishing report.

We’re waking up to classic early summer weather—temperatures right around 66°F this morning, headed to a high of about 79°F this afternoon. Skies are fair with a light breeze; perfect for both shore and boat anglers. June days are long, with sunrise at 5:52 AM and sunset at 9:05 PM, so there’s no shortage of daylight for chasing your favorite species. Wind has been steady out of the southwest, making for gentle chop but nothing too dramatic. There’s been well below average rainfall this month, so water clarity is solid for this time of year, and the lake temp sits at about 63°F, prime for active fish.

The walleye bite is still the main draw, with anglers reporting solid action from both shore and boat. According to FishUSA’s June 9th update, the hot zone for walleye has been out in 40–45 feet of water during the day. Deeper-diving plugs and small spoons behind divers are producing the best numbers. At night, folks are doing well trolling shallow plugs—bandits and stickbaits—in 7–15 feet just off the Cleveland breakwall and near Edgewater. Catch rates are picking up, with many limits reported, especially from boats working that deeper contour.

Yellow perch are hit-and-miss but worth the effort if you find the schools. Ohio Department of Natural Resources recommends emerald shiners on spreaders or crappie rigs to maximize success. The main perch hot spot has been around the mouth of the Cuyahoga near the harbor, and out toward Gordon Park.

Smallmouth bass are stacking up around rocky structure, with numbers reported both in the main lake and up into the mouths of the Rocky and Chagrin rivers, per Cleveland Metroparks and local daily reports. Drop shot rigs with natural-colored plastic minnow imitations and jigs tipped with swimbaits are working best. Make sure you’re minding the black bass regulations—only one fish over 18 inches until June 21st in the Lake Erie zone.

Steelhead are still a bonus catch near tributary mouths—Fairport and Conneaut have a little better action, but a few are being picked up closer to our side, especially by anglers drifting spawn or casting smaller spoons early and late in the day.

For hot spots today, try trolling the 40-foot contour line between Edgewater and Gordon Park for walleye, and pitch jigs around the Rocky River mouth for smallies. The E. 72nd Street fishing area is also producing a mixed bag, especially for shore anglers.

For bait, emerald shiners are your go-to for perch, while walleye are keyed in on deep-diving crankbaits, spoons, and nightcrawler harnesses. Smallies want soft plastics and jigs.

Thanks for tuning in to today’s fishing report. Be sure to subscribe so you never miss the latest bite. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.