Catawba Fishing Brief - 2026-07-21
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. 7/21 is a NO-GO: Small Craft Advisory in effect through late tonight, west wind 15-25 kt becoming northwest, waves 1-3 ft building to 2-4 ft, slight thunderstorm chance late. West is technically Catawba's lee quadrant but 15-25 kt over the shallow basin stacks square chop a low-freeboard PWC has no business in. The front moves fast: Wednesday the NW wind diminishes 15-20 to 5-10 kt and waves subside to 1 ft or less by afternoon, making a late-Wednesday launch realistic. THURSDAY IS THE DAY - N/NE 10 kt or less, waves 1 ft or less, sunny, whole reef complex back in play. Water 76.8F. Expectation note: the mid-June mayfly hatch pushed a chunk of the walleye east out of the Western Basin, so the bite is thinner - work current seams, troll to find pods, and pivot to smallmouth or perch without hesitation. Thursday's flat water is the day to learn in-line boards solo. These waypoints are loaded for that window, not for today.
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. Your shakeout stop when the window reopens. First reachable structure on a marginal Wednesday afternoon, and the closest read on whether fish are still using the reefs at all. At 76.8F the reef-top bite is gone: troll the 14-22 ft perimeter at 1.6 mph to find scattered pods, then jig back through with a 3/8 oz hair jig. Give it 30-40 min, then move west.
Fishing

Niagara Reef (buoy 5)
VERIFIED. Lighted buoy 5 marks the reef. ~6 nm WNW of launch. Best structure in range and the whole reason to wait for Thursday. Make the run early while the water is flattest. Troll 18-22 ft edges at 1.4-1.8 mph, jig rocky outskirts 10-16 FOW. Best spot on the list to put the in-line boards out: open water, no chop, room to spread. Do NOT attempt this 6 nm push on a Wednesday morning that has not laid down yet.
Fishing

Round Reef
VERIFIED (Coe Vanna). Named in lakeeriefish for jigging, 10-16 FOW. ~5 nm WNW of launch, right next to Niagara. Fish the two as a single complex on one trip out.
Fishing

Toussaint Reef
VERIFIED. Named in lakeeriefish for jigging the rocky outskirts. ~9 nm W of launch. THE FLAT-DAY STRETCH - sees a fraction of Niagara's pressure. Thursday only, not Wednesday. Nine miles is a real commitment on a PWC: check the buoy before committing, watch fuel, turn back if the wind is climbing. Snap-jig or vertical-jig 10-16 FOW, or troll the outside edges at 1.5 mph.

Marblehead Current
APPROXIMATE. Just E of Marblehead Lighthouse in the current break. High-current walleye zone named in lakeeriefish, and one of the spots still holding fish now that the population has thinned. Closest to home and the most sheltered option, which makes it the right call for a marginal Wednesday afternoon shakeout. 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.

Crib Reef (buoy 7)
VERIFIED. Buoy 7 marks it. ~10 nm NE of launch. Less crowded than Niagara but the longest haul on the list, and it sits directly into Thursday's light N/NE breeze. A fine alternative to Toussaint if you'd rather run northeast than west, on Thursday only.