Monster muskellunge a major victory at Leesville: NE Ohio fishing report

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Mike Durkalec is best known for helping to provide superior fishing opportunities all around the Cleveland Metroparks, despite its urban setting. He's also an avid angler, and constantly in search of trophy muskellunge, one of the biggest challenges in freshwater fishing.

On his day off last Sunday, Durkalec drove past West Branch Reservoir, his favorite Ohio muskie fishing hole after famed Lake St. Clair, where muskies grow extremely large.

"They were holding a muskie tournament at West Branch, so I kept going south and launched at Leesville Reservoir, a pretty muskie lake in Carroll County," said Durkalec. He tied on his favorite muskie lure, a foot-long Medussa rubber bait with a triple tail, and began working likely habitat.

"The fish hit at mid-morning, and it was a heart-stopper," he said. But lonesome fishermen also realized he would have to battle an extremely big, very angry muskie to the boat and net it himself, a herculean task. Adding to the tension, he could see the fishing hooks held the big fish with only one tine of the lures's two treble hooks.

After a long fight the muskie finally ran out of gas. Durkalec adroitly slipped the net under her and carefully brought her aboard. To make sure he would never forget this fish — it stretched 50 inches, boasted a broad head and huge girth, and weighed an estimated 40 pounds, or more — Durkalec took a photo of them both using a camera attached with a suction cup to the windshield of his boat.

"Then I released her and, just trembling, poured a cup of coffee and sat there for 20 minutes, waiting for my pulse to settle."

Ohio's state muskie record is a 50-incher that weighed 55 pounds, caught by Joe D. Lykins from Piedmont Reservoir way back on April 12, 1972, 52 years ago.

Bumpy lake afternoons settling The calm waters of Lake Erie have been whipped up by afternoon winds lately, but heading into the weekend it seems the offshore waters off Lorain and Cleveland, and most likely all of the way to Conneaut, will be primed for good walleye fishing.

Don Moore at Harbor Bait & Tackle in Fairport Harbor reports the best walleye fishing has been in 64-66 feet of water, and the big walleye are cruising close to the lake bottom. Most anglers are trolling spoons and stickbaits, but a few fishermen had done best slowing down and working tandem spinner rigs and nightcrawlers.

Surprisingly, steelhead trout have moved in along the lighthouse break wall in airport harbor and anglers are doing well casting spoons or suspending jig-maggot rigs close to shore. While the back side of the Fairport Hump just offshore of the Grand River is giving up nice yellow perch, the small pods of fish are difficult to stay on top of.

Lorain, Vermilion, Cleveland fishing good Walleye are hanging around the 50-foot depths, while steelhead trout are cruising the near-shore waters and river mouths. The walleye are suspending about 40 feet down, and chasing diving plugs ranging from Dead Eyes to Bandits and Flicker Minnows.

Cooler nights help inland fishing The largemouth bass fishing is starting to perk up around the Portage Lakes, especially Turkeyfoot and Mud lakes, and at Mosquito and Berlin reservoirs. Casting drop shot rigs along the edges of the drop-offs, as well as swim baits in bluegill or shad patterns, or frog lures around the weed beds would be productive.

Fall Brawl Sign-Up Parties The popular Fall Brawl walleye derby is still a month away, but some tackle shops are celebrating with Fall Brawl Sign-Up Parties. Coming right up are:

Oct. 3, 4-7 p.m. — East End Angler, 4702 E. Lake Rd., Erie, Pa.;

Oct. 5, noon-4 p.m. — Central Basin Bait, 910 Main St., Huron:

Oct. 8, 5-8 p.m. — Jann's Net Craft, 3350 Briarfield Blvd., Maumee; Oct. 11, 2-5 p.m. — Sandusky Bait Company, 101 Shelby St., Sandusky;

Oct. 12, noon-4 p.m. — Bay's Edge Bait & Tackle, 5359 E. Bayshore Dr., Port Clinton.

The Fall Brawl will be held from Oct. 19-Dec. 8.