Catawba Fishing Brief - 2026-07-16
Western Basin Lake Erie waypoints. Verified against Coe Vanna Charters + Natural Atlas. Mouse Island Reef is the structure ~0.94 nm N of the island itself. 7/16 is a CAUTION: the lake is fishable (wind NE 10 kt or less becoming E, buoy 9.7 kt from N/NNE, waves 2 ft or less, no marine advisories) but NE is the wave-building quadrant for the shallow north reefs and there is widespread wildfire smoke + an AIR QUALITY ALERT through 1:15 AM EDT 7/17. Favor the close and south-tucked spots (Mouse Island Reef, Marblehead seam); only make the exposed WNW Niagara/Round run if the lake stays flat. Morning smoke thins after ~2 PM. Water 79.3F, full summer scatter - troll to find pods, jig what you mark.
Reel Quest

Catawba Pt Assoc Launch
APPROXIMATE. Private community ramp at the tip of Catawba near Mouse Island. Verify exact location.
Launch

Mouse Island REEF
VERIFIED. Actual fishing reef, NOT the island. ~1.2 nm NNE of launch. Limestone shoal, 0.33 sq mi, least depth 9 ft. At 79.3F troll the perimeter to find scattered pods, jig back through them. Closest reef and today's best pick - tucked close to the ramp and least exposed to the NE chop that builds on the north reefs.
Fishing

Niagara Reef (buoy 5)
VERIFIED. Lighted buoy 5 marks the reef. ~6 nm WNW of launch. Best structure in range, but today's NE/N wind puts open fetch on this run - only go if the lake stays flat, and turn back if 2 ft chop builds. Troll 18-22 ft edges, jig rocky outskirts 12-16 FOW.
Fishing

Round Reef
VERIFIED (Coe Vanna). Named in lakeeriefish for jigging, 10-16 FOW. ~5 nm WNW of launch, part of the Niagara/Round reef complex. Fish it alongside Niagara on the morning run.
Fishing

Marblehead Current
APPROXIMATE. Just E of Marblehead Lighthouse in current break. High-current walleye zone named in lakeeriefish. Tucked under the south shore, so it is protected from today's NE wind - a solid pick when the north reefs are chopping up. Reef Runner / Husky Jerk 18-28 FOW @ 1.5 mph, bottom third. Verify exact current break with fish finder. Quick bail to Catawba or Port Clinton.

Toussaint Reef
VERIFIED. Named in lakeeriefish for jigging. ~9 nm W of launch. A long open-water haul - fishable on a light-wind day, but a long way out with NE chop and morning smoke cutting visibility. Only if the lake is genuinely flat.

Crib Reef (buoy 7)
VERIFIED. Buoy 7 marks it. ~10 nm NE of launch. Less crowded than Niagara. The longest haul on the list, and it runs straight into today's NE wind - skip it unless the lake is dead flat.