Delayed harvest: For Lake Erie Walleye, good things come to those who wait

A Lake Erie walleye fishing charter launched from Dunkirk, New York, but a Wednesday forecast of high winds and six-foot breakers forced the trip’s cancellation and pushed the outing to Thursday, if conditions improved. The Eastern Lake Erie Charter Boat Association reported “all-time great” walleye hauls this summer, with historic catch rates especially in the eastern basin, best reached from western New York. After arriving a day early, a traveler bought a non-resident license in Cassadaga and fished nearby waters. At a Clarion Hotel welcome reception, New York DEC biologist Pascal Wilkins said recent angler surveys show record performance—doubling the catch rate over five years.