Ice Fishing Lake Erie

Okay i have heard mixed opinions on this,  Can you go out and ice fish the big lake?  I know most ppl go to erie to fish in the bay but i would like to try to catch some walleye.  I read about the ppl who had to be rescued last year in ohio but they said that the weather ppl said there would a chance of moving ice due to a warm up.  Erie is a good drive for me from pittsburgh and i kinda dont want to drive up there for blue gill and crappie.  I would apriciate any advice on this subject
thanks and good luck

I don't personally know anyone that targets walleye off of Erie through the ice. It's not that it can't be done but most years the lake freezes unevenly creating ice dunes on the lake.With dunes you can have very dangerous conditions because the ice can be less than an inch to four feet thick.

Most people target steelhead off of Trout run, Godfry Run, Walnut and Elk Creek.
This is generally fishing over water that is pretty shallow from one to maybe five feet. On some occasions when the lake freezes flat we have ventured out to depths of thirty plus feet but that is an uncommon year. We also fish the Walnut boat basin and the channel to the lake.

If I were to target walleyes I would target the areas where they first appear in the springtime.

Currently the lake is ice free

I know some people fish off over by hammermill when its later in the year. They usually do pretty well on perch but use caution.

Ice fish Pymatuning if you want to fish for eyes....
I would be afraid to go out there, and you should too!!!!!!!

You can certainly fish Lake Erie for walleye through the ice. The western basin and around put-in-bay/islands is the place to do so. There are some reputable ice-guides in that area who start their trips around mid Jan typically according to safe ice. The good guides will transport you out in airboats and stay with you the full day as well. With the way this winter is going, I'm booking a trip with some friends myself. Looking forward to giving it a try!

ORIGINAL: ShutUpNFish

You can certainly fish Lake Erie for walleye through the ice. The western basin and around put-in-bay/islands is the place to do so. There are some reputable ice-guides in that area who start their trips around mid Jan typically according to safe ice. The good guides will transport you out in airboats and stay with you the full day as well. With the way this winter is going, I'm booking a trip with some friends myself. Looking forward to giving it a try!

Yup. The Charter boat I've been on in Port Clinton, OH offers ice-fishing trips where they will take you out in snowmoblies around the islands

ORIGINAL: eyeassassin

Okay i have heard mixed opinions on this,  Can you go out and ice fish the big lake?  I know most ppl go to erie to fish in the bay but i would like to try to catch some walleye.  I read about the ppl who had to be rescued last year in ohio but they said that the weather ppl said there would a chance of moving ice due to a warm up.  Erie is a good drive for me from pittsburgh and i kinda dont want to drive up there for blue gill and crappie.  I would apriciate any advice on this subject
thanks and good luck

Guided in Western Ohio--yes.

Anywhere in Erie--no. never. do not do it. The ice shifts way to much out here. We do not get a nice flat level surface--we get more of a moon scape with hills craters and gaps.

right and i am going to make a trip to the western basin i just dont know if i am going to use a guide or not.  i have talked to a good many ppl so far and most say that you dont have to have one and really the only benifit of using a guide is the airboat.  some ppl have said you can stay right on put in bay and walleye fish right around the island and catch fish.  i have called a couple guides and some have alright prices and some are way to high.  so it is still up in the air.  i know i will be going sometime around the end of jan begining of Feb

yeah theres some in the channel in spring and fall. its worth trying if you make sure its safe! remember ice breakers come through and it makes it very unstable but when it becomes thick enough give it a try. I use cicada's in chrome for them when I try only caught a few, just use caution!