Late August is starting to feel a little different on Lake Erie.
We’ve had cooler weather, rain, plenty of wind and some pretty significant changes in conditions lately. Water temperatures have dropped some from their summer peak, baitfish are beginning to move, and we’re slowly starting to see the first signs of the late-summer transition toward fall.
We’re not there yet, but things are beginning to change.
On one of my last trips, one thing that really caught my attention was how much bait I was seeing higher in the water column early in the morning. Birds were also getting tighter and actively working over that bait.
That’s usually one of the first telltale signs for me that things are starting to transition.
September can be one of the most interesting months of the entire Lake Erie fishing season because the fish don’t all make the same move at once.
September Lake Erie Fishing: Pay Attention to the Changes
One of the biggest mistakes anglers can make this time of year is fishing where the fish were instead of paying attention to where conditions are pushing them now.
During summer, Lake Erie’s water temperatures and thermal structure can become relatively stable. As cooler nights, rain, cold fronts and stronger winds become more frequent, that picture starts changing.
Wind is especially important.
A sustained wind can move warm surface water, bring cooler water toward the surface, mix portions of the water column and create significant temperature differences from one area of the lake to another.
That can move bait, and when the groceries move, the predators usually aren’t far behind.
Pay attention to water temperature this time of year.
Don’t assume yesterday’s temperature or yesterday’s productive depth will be the same today just because you’re fishing the same general area.
This is the point in the season where things slowly start moving around.
Lake Erie Walleye Fishing Remains Excellent
The Lake Erie walleye fishing out of Erie, Pennsylvania has continued to be outstanding, and this remains one of the biggest opportunities heading into September.
When conditions have lined up, we’ve often been catching our boat limit of walleyes casting in roughly a couple of hours.
We’re actively fishing with light tackle using jigs and plastics, crawlers and several other open-water presentations. Depending on the day, we’re targeting individual fish with electronics, fishing schools of walleyes or working productive areas where bait and fish are concentrated.
It’s an extremely interactive way to fish for Lake Erie walleyes, and we’ve introduced a lot of people to it this summer.
Some of my favorite trips have been with anglers who had never caught walleyes this way before.
Recently, Tim, Ken and Fred came up from West Virginia. These guys are 78 to 80 years old and absolutely put the hammer down on them, quickly catching their limits casting.
Then they added something I’ve never seen hit the deck of my boat before.
A burbot.
Burbot are a freshwater member of the cod family and are often referred to as “poor man’s lobster” because of the texture and quality of the meat.
They were generous enough to give me the fish to try.
Verdict?
It’s pretty dang good.
You never quite know what Lake Erie is going to give you.
September Is a Great Time to Learn to Cast for Walleye
If you’ve wanted to experience Lake Erie walleye fishing but don’t necessarily want to spend the day trolling, September is a great time to book a casting and jigging trip.
You don’t need to be an expert.
A large percentage of the anglers we’ve taken this summer had little or no experience fishing walleyes this way. That’s part of the fun.
We can spend the trip simply catching fish, or we can make it more instructional and work on electronics, forward-facing sonar, boat positioning, jigging techniques and how we’re actually locating these fish.
September also gives us flexibility.
If conditions allow, we can target walleyes, smallmouth bass or potentially do a combination trip and experience multiple sides of Lake Erie in the same day.
Smallmouth Bass Are Beginning Their Fall Transition
The Lake Erie smallmouth bass fishing is also slowly starting to transition.
Finesse techniques are still producing a lot of our bass right now. Drop shots, Ned rigs, jigs, minnow-style plastics and other subtle presentations continue to lead the way.
But September is usually when I start seeing the door crack back open for more power fishing.
As water temperatures gradually fall and baitfish begin repositioning, some smallmouth start pushing shallower again. That usually becomes more noticeable through September and into October.
And I love it.
Crankbaits, swimbaits, jerkbaits and other moving presentations can increasingly come into play as those fish get more aggressive.
For clients, that can be some of the most fun smallmouth fishing of the season.
Instead of soaking a finesse bait in deep water all day, we may be covering water, making casts and actively hunting feeding fish.
Follow the Bait
Emerald shiners, alewives and gizzard shad can become major targets as we move toward fall.
Gobies aren’t going anywhere either. They’re still an easy, high-value meal sitting along the bottom.
That creates an interesting dynamic.
Some bass may be roaming or pushing baitfish while others remain glued to bottom-oriented forage.
It’s one reason fall fishing on Lake Erie can have so much variety.
There are days when we may fish very deep water as well as surprisingly shallow water during the same trip.
That’s Lake Erie.
Don’t get married to a depth just because it worked yesterday this time of year.
Follow the conditions. Follow the bait. Follow the fish.
Fall Lake Erie Smallmouth Get Big
There’s another reason I love this time of year.
The fish start getting absurdly fat.
As fall progresses, Lake Erie smallmouth begin feeding heavily in preparation for winter. A fish that might have weighed 4 1/2 pounds during summer can sometimes be another half-pound or even a pound heavier later in the fall.
Big smallmouth develop shoulders and those bellies get round.
When you hook one on a moving bait in cold water, you’re quickly reminded why Lake Erie is one of the best smallmouth fisheries on the planet.
We just received another pretty incredible reminder of that during the Bassmaster Open held up the lake in Buffalo, New York.
On Day 1 alone, 114 bags weighed more than 20 pounds.
That’s insane.
Especially in August, when smallmouth are typically at some of their leanest weights of the year.
We get spoiled living here.
This fishery is incredible, and we’re truly blessed to have it in our backyard.
What Happens as Lake Erie Gets Colder?
September is really just the beginning.
As we move into October and November, falling water temperatures continue changing the fishery.
Smallmouth continue feeding hard and often get heavier as fall progresses.
By mid-to-late October, lake trout also start becoming a much bigger part of our fishing, along with some steelhead opportunities in the lake.
We are not a stream steelhead guide service. Our fishing remains out on Lake Erie.
Lake trout fishing generally gets better and better as the water cools, and November can be one of the best times of the entire season for them.
By late November, if weather allows us to stay on the lake, we’re typically thinking more about lake trout and bass than walleyes.
That’s also when Lake Erie starts becoming much less predictable from a weather standpoint.
Some years we get great windows. Other years, Mother Erie starts shutting the door.
The Lake Erie Fall Brawl Is Coming
Fall also means one of the biggest walleye events of the year is right around the corner.
The 2026 Lake Erie Walleye Fall Brawl runs October 17 through November 29, bringing anglers from around the region to Lake Erie in pursuit of giant fall walleyes.
The event is always a reminder of just how big these fish can get.
While our late-November guide fishing usually shifts more toward lake trout and bass, October and earlier fall still offer opportunities for anglers looking to learn more about locating and casting for walleyes before the lake cools down further.
If you’ve wanted to learn this style of fishing, September is a great time to get comfortable with the techniques while the bite is already strong.
September Guide Dates Are Available
This is the part I really want to emphasize.
September is currently our biggest opportunity for anglers who still want to fish with us in 2026.
October full-day availability is already filled, and our remaining fall calendar is getting pretty tight.
September Availability
September 2
September 3, 4 to 6-hour trip available
September 4
September 8, 9
September 11
September 14 to 17
September 28, 30
These dates can be used for Lake Erie walleye fishing, smallmouth bass fishing, electronics instruction or combination trips, depending on conditions and what you want to accomplish.
If you’ve been thinking about trying our casting-style walleye fishing, September would be the time I’d recommend getting on the calendar.
October Availability
Our full-day October dates are currently booked, but some 4-hour openings remain available.
Contact me directly for the current openings because these can change as weather and existing trips move around.
November Availability
Current openings include:
November 2, 4-hour trip
November 3, 4-hour trip
November 4, 4-hour trip
November 17 (pending)
November 18
November 23 to 25, weather permitting
November 28, weather permitting
November 30, weather permitting
The later we get into November, the more Mother Erie gets a vote.
Late-November fishing can be excellent, particularly for lake trout and bass, but weather becomes increasingly unpredictable around Thanksgiving.
We’ll always make the safest decision.
If we book one of those late-season dates and Lake Erie simply doesn’t cooperate, we’ll work together on rescheduling. At that point in the calendar, that may mean moving the trip into the 2027 Lake Erie fishing season.
Don’t Overlook September
Everyone talks about Lake Erie in spring and everyone gets excited about giant fish in late fall.
September sometimes gets overlooked between the two.
It shouldn’t.
We still have outstanding walleye fishing.
Smallmouth are beginning to transition.
Water temperatures are slowly falling.
Baitfish are beginning to move.
Power fishing opportunities start improving.
And we have the ability to target multiple species and completely different types of water during the same trip.
It’s one of the most dynamic periods of the Lake Erie fishing season.
Based on what I’m already seeing with bait, birds, weather and water temperatures, that transition is slowly starting.
Now we follow it.
Book a September Lake Erie Fishing Trip
If you’re looking for a Lake Erie fishing charter or guide in Erie, Pennsylvania, especially for casting and jigging for walleye, smallmouth bass fishing or electronics instruction, I still have several September dates available.
October is already extremely limited and November will increasingly depend on weather.
September is a great window.
Whether you’re an experienced angler looking to learn more about electronics and open-water fishing or you’ve never cast for a Lake Erie walleye in your life, we’ll tailor the trip around what you want to accomplish.
Contact Big Fat Bass Guide Service to reserve one of the remaining September dates.
Let’s go fishing.
Tight lines,
Captain Destin DeMarion
724-790-4232 (4BFB)
Big Fat Bass Guide Service
DestinDeMarion.com
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Lake Erie Fall Fishing FAQ
Is September a good month to fish Lake Erie?
Absolutely. September is one of the most versatile months of the Lake Erie fishing season. Walleye fishing can remain excellent while smallmouth bass begin transitioning toward fall patterns. Cooler water and changing baitfish locations can create opportunities from deep offshore water to much shallower areas.
What fish can you catch on Lake Erie in September?
Our primary September targets are walleye and smallmouth bass. Depending on conditions, anglers can target either species or potentially fish for both during the same trip.
Can you cast for Lake Erie walleye instead of trolling?
Yes. Big Fat Bass Guide Service specializes in casting and jigging for Lake Erie walleyes rather than trolling. We use jigs, plastics, crawlers, electronics and other open-water presentations to actively target fish.
Do I need experience using forward-facing sonar?
No. Many of our clients are completely new to forward-facing sonar or casting for open-water walleyes. Trips can include instruction on electronics, fish identification, boat positioning, lure presentation and how to target individual fish.
When does Lake Erie smallmouth bass fishing get good in the fall?
The transition generally begins during September as water temperatures cool and baitfish begin moving. Power-fishing opportunities often improve through September and into October, while late-fall smallmouth can become exceptionally heavy as they feed aggressively before winter.
How big do Lake Erie smallmouth get in the fall?
Lake Erie produces trophy-class smallmouth throughout the season, but fall fish can become noticeably heavier as they feed heavily. Individual bass can sometimes gain roughly a half-pound or more compared with their summertime condition.
When is the best time for Lake Erie lake trout fishing?
For our style of fishing, lake trout generally become a bigger part of the program during mid-to-late October and November as Lake Erie cools. November can produce some excellent lake trout fishing when weather allows us to safely get on the lake.
Do you guide for steelhead?
We occasionally encounter and target steelhead in Lake Erie, particularly later in the fall, but we do not offer stream steelhead trips.
When is the 2026 Lake Erie Fall Brawl?
The 2026 Lake Erie Walleye Fall Brawl runs October 17 through November 29.
Where do your Lake Erie fishing trips take place?
Big Fat Bass Guide Service operates on Lake Erie out of Erie, Pennsylvania, targeting smallmouth bass, walleye, lake trout and other seasonal opportunities.
Are September 2026 Lake Erie fishing trips still available?
Yes. Several September dates remain available, but October full-day availability is already filled and November is increasingly limited. Anglers interested in a 2026 trip are encouraged to book September while dates remain open.
