A Reel Good Time! Fishing Itinerary for Erie, PA – Hosted by VisitErie View All ItinerariesThis trip can be either one day or two and depending on weather conditions on Lake Erie and is available year-round. Weekend trips (Fri-Sun) are preferred for this itinerary. Fish from shore or stream, bring your boat or hire a charter. Northwest Pennsylvania is one of the country’s greatest angling destinations and Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and the surrounding creeks, streams, tributaries and ponds are the places to land your big catch! Marinas, boat launches and bait and tackle concessions dot Erie’s Bayfront. Lake Erie was recently ranked #3 out of the Top 100 Best Bass Lakes of the Decade by Bassmaster Magazine. Cast your line for diverse game fish species including steelhead, trout, muskies, walleye, pan fish, pike, bluegill, smallmouth and largemouth bass, salmon, catfish, perch and crappies. The best part about fishing in Erie PA? It’s available year-round! Fishing enthusiasts are presented with a variety of options in the spring. Steelhead is plentiful from late September to early May in Lake Erie tributaries and creeks. In April, pan fish and bass are found in smaller ponds, while pike and muskies are seen in Presque Isle Bay depending on the ice melt. April also brings the arrival of trout season plus the appearance of bass and walleye in Lake Erie. All of the above-mentioned fish species are available in May with the exception of Steelhead. Smallmouth bass travel to Presque Isle Bay in May to spawn and June is heavy with trout, bluegill and inland pike. DAY 1 Check in to your lodging facility any time after 3 PM 6 PM Dinner with VisitErie at a local restaurant that features fresh-caught Lake Erie fish (list is below) Return to Hotel DAY 2 Breakfast should be on-the-go as your day starts early aboard one of Erie’s charter fishing boats. Most offer charter excursions for Lake Erie perch, smallmouth bass, walleye, or trout and operate year-round. (If you do not have a Pennsylvania fishing license, let VisitErie know and we will get a temporary one for you.) Not a morning person? No problem! Our charters also venture out in the afternoon or early evening, depending on the catch and weather of course. We have several partner fishing charter businesses to select from. Fishing Charters: Buckets Fishing Charters GypsyLyn Fishing Charters Tight Lines Sport Fishing LLC. XTR Fishing Charters NOTE: Depending on what time you choose to go out on a charter, lunch will be provided and hosted by VisitErie at a location to be determined. If you choose an early morning charter, VisitErie will meet you at the boat, take you to your hotel if you need to change, etc. and then we will depart for lunch. If you choose a charter later in the day, VisitErie will coordinate and pick you up from your hotel and depart for lunch. Once you return from your fishing adventure, rest up, change and get ready for an evening of laughs at Kellar’s Magic & Comedy Club! Kellar’s: A Modern Magic & Comedy Club – Cocktails & Conjuring – Dining & Deceptions with shows appearing and disappearing nightly. Before Houdini, there was Kellar – a magician from Erie, Pennsylvania who defined magic so brilliantly that author Frank L. Baum based his immortal character “The Wizard of Oz” on him. Henrich “Harry” Kellar (1849-1922) has been forgotten by history – UNTIL NOW! Kellar’s not only pays tribute to Kellar but looks inside his life and illusions with memorabilia and genuine artifacts from Kellar’s career. The magic and comedy club is also a block away from the site of Kellar’s boyhood home. Featuring the biggest names in Magic and Comedy performing live on stage, from TV shows like America’s Got Talent, Penn & Teller: Fool Us, The Tonight Show, and Last Comic Standing. After the Show return to your Hotel. Day 3 Depart for Home Erie Restaurants that Serve Fresh-Caught Lake Erie Fish* Hands-down (or is that fins down?) the most popular locally-sourced fish in our area is Lake Erie perch. Fried, baked or grilled, several of our local restaurants are serving up perch in a variety of ways. Bayfront Grille (inside the Sheraton Erie Bayfront Hotel) Colony Pub & Grille The Cork 1794 JRs on The Bay/Sloppy Duck Saloon Pineapple Eddie Southern Bistro Rum Runners RumRunners Cove Shoreline Bar & Grille (inside the Courtyard Bayfront Hotel) Smugglers Wharf Syd’s Place Woody’s Backwater BARge & Grill *Some restaurants only offer perch seasonally and do not feature it on their regular menu. Please check with the restaurant of your choice for details. Helpful Fish Bits Make the most out of your fishing trip and check out these great links, helpful tips, weather and water conditions, boat plug-in information and where to chow down on a plate of freshly-caught fish. Plan ahead and see what’s biting in Erie PA! FishErie.com Northwest Pennsylvania Fishing Report by Darl Black, an outdoor writer who has appeared regularly in national and regional print publications for over 40 years. PA Fish & Boat Commission- Fishing Lake Erie & tributaries: http://www.fishandboat.com/Resource/Lakes/Pages/LakeErie.aspx Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission mobile app, click here. Lake Erie Tributary Fishing map Erie Extreme – Hosted by Dave Lefebre, one of the most successful Anglers in the history of FLW (Fishing League Worldwide) Fun Fact fishing sheet from our friends at the Erie Sports Commission – ESC FishingInfo sheet Boat Plug-ins Charge your boat battery at any of the following locations (visit our Stay page for hotel contact info): Bayfront Inn, Ramada by Wyndham Bel-Aire Hotel, The Presque Isle Hotel, Courtyard Bayfront Marriott, Glass House Inn, Hilton Garden Inn, Holiday Inn Express (Peach St.), Quality Inn & Suites Presque Isle, Riviera Motel, Sheraton Erie Bayfront, SpringHill Suites, Steelhead Inn, Sunset Motel, TownePlace Suites, Wingate by Wyndham. All of the above-mentioned partner fishing charters, restaurants and marinas are taking all the necessary precautions to ensure you have a safe experience. Always remember to wear your mask and practice social distancing.