Catawba Fishing Brief - 2026-07-24
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. 7/24 is a GO and the CALMEST day of the week: buoy 45005 at 7:40 AM reads SE wind of just 5.8 kt (lightest since Monday) with the last valid wave height 0.3 m (~1 ft) at 7:20 AM. No Small Craft Advisory on LEZ143, no hazard banner on the Ottawa County point forecast, empty alerts array in live.json, no fog, no storms. LEZ143 calls E winds 10 kt or less and waves 1 ft or less all day. Barometer flat at 1022 hPa under a settled high. Water eased to 75.2F. Run everything, and if the in-line boards did not go out yesterday, today is the second chance. INTEL: the walleye pattern got more specific and moved CLOSER TO HOME - newest Port Clinton reports have fish on worm harnesses drifted or cast around F Can at the Camp Perry firing range, Clinton Reef, and the water between Catawba and Marblehead in 18-26 FOW worked 4-8 ft off the bottom, keepers mostly 15-22in with occasional 24in-plus. That Catawba-to-Marblehead stretch is only 3-4 nm from the ramp, the best value per mile today. Perch still called the best in 15 years in 16-24 FOW on the reefs north of Catawba. Two programs: weighted harnesses for walleye, spreader for perch. Note: waves come up to 2 ft or less tonight on an E to W wind swing.
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. START HERE. Perch central: the best-in-15-years bite is happening right here in 16-24 FOW, so drop a spreader with shiners on any school you mark. For walleye work the 14-22 ft perimeter at 1.4-1.6 mph to find pods, jig back through with a 3/8 oz hair jig. Also your shakedown stop - get the spread sorted on 1 ft water before committing to distance. Under a settled high the walleye bite is a low-light game; if it's slow midday, sit on the perch.
Fishing

Niagara Reef (buoy 5)
VERIFIED. Lighted buoy 5 marks the reef. ~6 nm WNW of launch. Best structure in range and in the west-moving walleye corridor. On a 5.8 kt SE wind this run is about as easy as it ever gets. Troll 18-22 ft edges at 1.4-1.7 mph, jig rocky outskirts 10-16 FOW. SECOND CHANCE to put the in-line boards out if yesterday got away: open water, room to spread, no chop. Start with ONE board, dial the release tension, add the second once it feels routine.
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. Straightforward run on today's near-glass water.
Fishing

Toussaint Reef
VERIFIED. Named in lakeeriefish for jigging the rocky outskirts. ~9 nm W of launch. THE STRETCH OPTION, and today genuinely supports it - sees a fraction of Niagara's pressure and sits in the same western water as the F Can / Camp Perry reports. Nine miles is still a real commitment on a PWC: watch fuel, hit REFRESH before committing, turn back if the wind climbs. Snap-jig or vertical-jig 10-16 FOW, or troll the outside edges at 1.4 mph.

Marblehead Current
APPROXIMATE. Just E of Marblehead Lighthouse in the current break. FRESHEST INTEL ON THE BOARD and the best value per mile today. Port Clinton reports name the water between Catawba and Marblehead in 18-26 FOW as a current producer, fish taken DRIFTING OR CASTING WORM HARNESSES 4-8 ft off the bottom, keepers mostly 15-22in. On a 5.8 kt wind the natural drift is too slow, so use the trolling motor for a controlled 1.0-1.3 mph drift or pull the harness behind a bottom bouncer. Verify the exact current break with the 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. On today's near-glass lake it's a fine alternative to Toussaint if you'd rather run NE than west. Watch fuel on the 10 nm run.