March 25, 2025 – First Trip of the Season! | Lake Erie Fishing Report

Yesterday marked the first outing of the season, and man, did it feel great to finally hit the water! The weather wasn’t exactly playing nice, and the fish were a bit stubborn, but they were still out there, waiting to be found. With a few days of shifting conditions ahead, I expect things to change, but that’s just part of the game.

The Program:

We launched around 2:00 PM and wrapped up at about 4:30 PM. The fish were scattered, but certain areas held solid pockets of action. We worked our way from Sterling to the banana dyke and checked out several spots along the way. Fermi area had some fish in cleaner water, but not enough to convince us to drop rods. Instead, we set our sights elsewhere.

Just east of Stoney Point, in 16 to 20 feet of water, we found a nice concentration of fish. The marks were promising, and we gave them a solid 15 minutes, but not a single pullback. They were there—but not biting. Frustrating, but that’s how it goes sometimes.

The north side of Brest Bay held some fish, and we managed to pull a few in 10 to 14 feet. But the real sweet spot? Between Brest Bay Marina and Sterling State Park, also in that 10 to 14-foot range. The water was stained and muddy, but that didn’t stop the fish from being there, and that’s what mattered most.

The Setup & Baits That Got It Done:

We ran our Bandits 25 to 35 feet back, and one thing became crystal clear—if it didn’t have white on it, they weren’t touching it. That was the magic ingredient.

The wind kept us guessing on speed, making it tricky to dial in, but we worked between 1.0 and 1.4 mph, adjusting as needed.

As for lures, a few stood out as the undeniable champions of the day: 🎣 Red Head – Classic and reliable 🎣 Goby – Stood out well in the stained water 🎣 Pink Lemonade – A go-to pick that got some attention 🎣 Purple Gator – Always a solid choice

It wasn’t an easy bite, but the first trip of the season is always a learning experience. We found fish, figured out what they wanted (and what they didn’t), and shook off the winter rust. Now, we’re dialed in and ready for the next round.

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