We’ve made it to June! Through the wind, rain, and cold of spring 2025 here in Erie, PA, summer is finally knocking. As I write this, it’s expected to hit 87°F — just a few days after barely reaching 50. I’m ecstatic to finally trade in the boots for flip flops and get back to chasing fish under blue skies.
A Strange Spring Across Lake Erie
Staying in touch with guide buddies and “hammers” (great anglers) across the East and West Basins of Lake Erie, the consensus is clear: it’s been a strange spring. We’ve seen plenty of quality smallmouth caught across all three basins, but the inconsistent weather seems to have stretched out our usual bite windows. Water temps would warm up, then cool right back off, keeping many fish in a kind of limbo. That said, the “behind schedule” spring might actually set us up well for early summer.
Smallmouth Report – Presque Isle Bay and Lake Erie
Over the last couple of weeks, our clients have been catching smallmouth in all three phases — prespawn, spawn, and postspawn. Most of the bite has leaned finesse: dropshots, tubes, senkos, jig minnows have all put fish in the boat. That said, power fishing still is viable too, with A-rigs, jerkbaits, and chatterbaits producing some.
Hot Tip: The next full moon is June 11. If conditions line up, we could see another wave of spawners. However, most of our recent fish have been postspawn with some prespawners mixed in. That means:
Slow is Pro — slow down your presentation and thoroughly work areas to stay dialed in. Fish can be more finicky this time of year. Work areas thoroughly and finesse presentations slowly, but efficiently.
📊 Current Temps:
- Lake Erie: ~60°F
- Presque Isle Bay: Low to mid 60s
Walleye Report
The walleye bite continues to improve as more fish migrate east. We’re catching them as a bycatch while bass fishing in 10–30 ft. Meanwhile, anglers are doing well all the way out to 40–45 ft using plugs and crawler harnesses (trolling or drifting). Out in front of the peninsula has been hot and we’ve been catching some east of the city. We’re using forward-facing sonar to cast at individual fish — an exciting, active way to fish. Want to learn how? Let’s get you on the schedule.
Perch Update
Perch are still showing up occasionally while bass fishing in the Bay — especially postspawn fish fattening up. Most of the bigger schools have moved back to the lake, so key in on bait concentrations.
June Availability
Limited June Dates Left:
🗓️ June 6–7, 23–24, 27–28, 30
Plenty of Prime Summer Slots in July & August:
🗓️ July 1–4, 7–12, 14–19, 21–22, 24–25, 28–31
🗓️ August 4–6, 11–16, 18–23, 25–30
If you’re looking to get in on the summer deep bite for bass (July–early September) or grab a trophy smallmouth/lake trout trip (October–November) — now’s the time. My best fall dates are filling very quickly.
Specialty Trips Available
Smallmouth School
→ Two-day instructional trips focused on fish location, electronics, and pro-level decision-making. Learn how to consistently find and catch more and bigger fish.
Forward-Facing Sonar Walleye Trips
→ Cast, don’t troll. Learn the cutting-edge way to catch trophy walleye — the way top pros are doing it now.
🎣 Book Now
Fish with a former Bassmaster Elite Series pro — and let’s write your next fish story together.
Tight lines,
Captain Destin DeMarion
Big Fat Bass Guide Service
724-790-4232 (4BFB)
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