9/15/26 Lake Erie Walleye Fishing Report — Central Basin out of Lorain
September 15, 2026
Lake Erie Central Basin walleye are back on the chew as the hypoxia slowly moves out. We have to go a long way to get to the fish — but every mile is worth the trip. Our program has changed slightly for the deeper water of the Central Basin. For those who may not know, Lake Erie gets progressively deeper the farther east you travel.
Skies have been mostly cloudy, air temperature in the mid to upper 70s, winds mild, and seas in the 2- to 4-foot range. Water temperature is 74.8 degrees on the surface and 74.2 degrees fifty feet down — meaning there’s no thermocline, and we won’t get one in Lorain this season.
I’ve been departing the Port of Lorain under the moonlight and setting a northeasterly course about 18 miles to start our troll — roughly a 1.5-hour run on our vessel. But let me tell you, once we reach our destination in 68 feet of water, the bite is game on from the first lure in the water. We’ve been catching almost a full limit before all the lines are even deployed. 300 feet of 12-lb American wire with deep, old-school Thundersticks have been the top producers, fishing an estimated 50 feet down in the water column (give or take, depending on current and speed). My best speed at the lure has been 2.3 to 2.5 mph on the Fish Hawk. Best colors: Maui (custom painted), Blue Chrome, Mojo, and Pink with Chrome.
The Dipsy Diver program has been 150 feet of line out on a 3 setting, 120 feet on a 2 setting, and 90 feet on a 1 setting, all with Jr. shallow-diving Thundersticks — the same colors I’ve been fishing for a month or better: Mojo, green specks, brown trout, and the like.
What’s a Dipsy Diver?
If you’re wondering what a Dipsy Diver is — a Dipsy Diver (see Figure 1) is a round, disk-shaped diving device that takes your lures down past their normal dive curve. They’re designed to be fished from a horizontal position off the gunwale of the boat (see Figure 2).
Overall, the walleye grade has been outstanding — lots of fish over 20 inches, with a few in the 15.5- to 18-inch range. Limits have been the norm over the last week; sometimes we really have to work to get them and still make it back to the dock by return time, with 3-plus hours of travel. Soon the hypoxia should be completely out of the Central Basin off Lorain, and the walleye will move back closer to port when the baitfish return. Rumor has it Lake Erie walleye are already heading west from the Ashtabula and Geneva areas. Soon — very soon!
Call (574) 253-8314 to book your Lake Erie walleye charter with Sir Walleye Charters.
Mustad Pro Tips:
- When fishing assisted lures with lead, speed matters — whether you’re casting or trolling. The slower you go, the deeper the dive with the same amount of line out.
- Learn new areas to fish, and trust your electronics — you spent good money on them. Grab quality Mustad hooks and boat tools at the Mustad Fishing website and use code SIRWALLEYE20 at checkout for 20% off the entire site.
- Look for the right water — brackish water is no good in the Central Basin of Lake Erie.
Until Next Time,
Gotta Go, Fish ON 🎣 Get The Net‼️,
Captain Kris
Sir Walleye Charters