It’s Official: Lake Erie Is America’s Best Spot for Bass Fishing

Lake Erie's huge population of lunker smallmouths makes it a dream for bass fishing.

With a surface area of 9,910 square miles, Lake Erie is the fourth-largest of the five Great Lakes.

And its huge population of lunker smallmouths makes it a dream for bass fishing.

What Makes Lake Erie the Best

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Fishing season typically lasts from fall through spring. While there are restrictions on the number of smallmouths you can take during certain seasons, that doesn’t deter avid sport fishers from coming here to enjoy the peacefulness of the lake and practice their skills. Think fly fishing during the warmer months and ice fishing during winter.

Bass fish typically bite best between 20 and 40 feet of water, but they can be found deeper, especially during the warmer months when they move into cooler water zones. The largest bass ever caught in the lake weighed more than 10 pounds, but they typically average between 2 and 6 pounds.

For more about bass fishing in America, check out “Best Bass Fishing Spot in Every U.S. State.”