Ira Vogelsang of Ostrander, Ohio, caught this prehistoric-looking bowfin while fishing last week at the Mazurik Access Area located on the north side of the Marblehead Peninsula, just west of Lakeside. The bowfin is a bony fish and regarded as taxonomic relics dating back to the Jurassic Period. Common names include mudfish, mud pike and dogfish. (Photo by Beau Ewing)

Fishing is finally getting back to normal. The walleye fishing is just about where it should be for this time of year, which is closer to the islands. The walleye fishing west of Green Island to F Can and G Can is very good right now.

Casters have been getting limit catches, as well as those that have been trolling. The fish, for the most part, are in deep waters. Casters have been using one-ounce weights on Weapon-style small spinner rings tipped with a nightcrawler. Anglers have been letting the rigs sink to the bottom before retrieving the lures slowly.Trollers are still using Tru-Trip diving planers with worm burners set at 80 to 100 feet back.

The walleye moving closer to the islands this week has resulted in limit catches.

Catfish catches are still strong in the Sandusky Bay area, with many big catches coming into Bay’s Edge Fish Cleaning. As usual, fresh shrimp is the bait of choice. The best fishing spots have been around both of the bay bridges.

After a lot of walleye fishing trips this summer, I took the time this week to chase a favorite, the plentiful Lake Erie smallmouth bass. We caught most of the feisty bass while we were drifting in 12 to 14 feet of water.

Look for the off-colored water when smallmouth bass fishing because this has the bait moving, and the bass eager to feed are following the baitfish. Also, there have been more catches of largemouth bass than smallmouth bass, lately, as lake Erie changes its stripes for bass fishing.

We have seen the first decent catches of yellow perch showing up. A perch bite has been developing west of Gull Island Shoal in 32 feet of water and west of Rattlesnake Island. There have not been any limit catches of perch yet, but it’s a positive step that the schools of perch are finally showing up.

This week’s report is short and to the point. Get out there and fish and have fun everyone!