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1,375,895-acre section. Geneva to the Pennsylvania line: big water, big marks. Deep walleye and steelhead trolling grounds with the lake's first real lake trout depths. The lake tops out around 92 ft. The depth chart is built from real NOAA hydrographic survey soundings, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Spring walleye on Lake Erie - Central Basin East hold shallow, usually 4 to 15 ft. They move out to 15 to 35 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 40 ft. Put Erie north pier first on the milk run — a gravel shoal near 12 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run the evening and early morning. The summer box starts with a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Erie north pier (12 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (25 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Sharp break (25 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Offshore hump (40 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Early season steelhead use the shallows, holding in 3 to 20 ft. Summer is a 5 to 45 ft game here, winter a 4 to 15 ft one. The chart's best answer is Walnut Creek marina — inflow / creek mouth, 25 ft, prime for fall. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on an orange dodger + fly high in the column or a thin spoon off boards and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Conneaut Creek mouth (1 ft) | Small spoon or spinner at the mouths, Jig + waxworm under float |
| Summer | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep hole (1 ft) | Orange dodger + fly high in the column, Thin spoon off boards |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Walnut Creek marina (25 ft) | Spinner (silver/blue), Casting spoon |
| Winter | 4 to 15 ft | midday | Conneaut Creek mouth (1 ft) | Float jig (black/purple), Bead rig |
Early season yellow perch use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 35 ft. Put Sharp break first on the milk run — a drop-off near 25 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow feeding flat (10 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Sharp break (25 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Sharp break (25 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (25 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
In spring, smallmouth bass run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 45 ft. Rock reef is the standout, a rock pile at roughly 10 ft, rated prime for spring smallmouth bass. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (10 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (15 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Shoreline point (12 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Sharp break (25 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: lake trout in 10 to 40 ft. As the season builds they drop to 28 to 92 ft, wintering in 20 to 80 ft. Top water on the chart: Erie north pier, a gravel shoal in the 12 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning. Summer baits: a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Erie north pier (12 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 28 to 92 ft | dawn | Deepest basin (82 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Erie north pier (12 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep hole (59 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Come spring, look for white bass tight to the bank in 2 to 12 ft. They move out to 8 to 25 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shoreline point: a point around 12 ft that scores prime in fall. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A slab spoon or a small topwater (schooling fish) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Erie north pier (12 ft) | Curly-tail jig (white), Small lipless crank |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (12 ft) | Slab spoon, Small topwater (schooling fish) |
| Fall | 6 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (12 ft) | Jigging spoon, Blade bait |
| Winter | 15 to 40 ft | midday | Offshore hump (40 ft) | Jigging spoon (deep), Blade bait |
Lake Erie - Central Basin East also holds brown trout (25 to 60 ft in summer), channel catfish (8 to 25 ft in summer), white perch (15 to 40 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 102 structure features on Lake Erie - Central Basin East; the deepest is Deepest basin at about 82 ft.
Access data: Ohio DNR — Boater & Stream Access. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Ohio waters are set by the Ohio DNR Division of Wildlife — and special regulations can apply to Lake Erie - Central Basin East specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ohio fishing regulations →
Lake Erie - Central Basin East is about 92 ft (28 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real NOAA hydrographic surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target walleye, steelhead, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, lake trout, white bass, brown trout, channel catfish, white perch on Lake Erie - Central Basin East.
Erie north pier is the top-rated area: a gravel shoal in about 12 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For walleye, the summer bite is best in the evening and early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Lake Erie - Central Basin East is regulated by the Ohio DNR Division of Wildlife. Check the official Ohio regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Ashtabula River 21 mi, OH/PA · Lake Erie - Presque Isle Bay 25 mi, PA · Deer Cr. Re. 38 mi, ON · Grand River (Steelhead Alley) 39 mi, OH · Pymatuning Reservoir 40 mi, OH/PA · Conneaut Lake 40 mi, PA · New Lyme Lake 41 mi, OH · Findley Lake 45 mi, NY · Springwater Pond 46 mi, ON · Sanders Pond 47 mi, ON · Silver Lake 48 mi, ON · East Branch Reservoir 51 mi, OH
See how Lake Erie - Central Basin East stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ohio · best walleye lakes in Ohio · best channel catfish lakes in Ohio · best yellow perch lakes in Ohio
Browse all Ohio fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA hydrographic surveys. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.