The North-Shore Angler’s Guide to Fishing Long Point Bay
Long Point Bay is the crown jewel of Lake Erie’s north shore, and it sits less than an hour’s drive from our front door in Burford. The 40-kilometre sand spit that forms the bay shelters some of the most productive — and most protected — water on the entire lake. When the wind is howling and the main lake is unfishable, Long Point often gives you a workable corner. That combination of shelter and fish is why anglers from across Southwestern Ontario keep coming back.
This guide breaks down the bay’s two distinct halves, the species you can target through the open-water season, where to launch, and the gear that gets it done. Whether you trailer a deep-V or fish from a tin boat, Long Point Bay fishing rewards anglers who understand the water.
Inner Bay vs. Outer Bay: two fisheries in one
The bay is really two environments. The Inner Bay — the shallow, weedy, warm water tucked behind the spit near Port Rowan and Turkey Point — averages only a few feet deep. It is a largemouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch and panfish factory, and it warms quickly in spring. The Outer Bay, facing the main lake, runs deeper over sand, gravel and scattered rock. This is where walleye, smallmouth bass and big schools of perch roam, and where most trolling and drifting happens.
Knowing which half suits your target species — and the day’s wind — is the single most important decision you will make.
Species and seasons
Walleye. The marquee fish. Walleye stage and feed through the Outer Bay and along the deeper edges of the Inner Bay. Trolling worm harnesses, crankbaits and spoons over 18–35 feet and sometimes in deeper water is the bread-and-butter approach once fish spread out in summer. Stock up on blades, beads and crawler-harness, crank baits, spoons and components from our tackle selection and proven lures.
Yellow perch. Long Point perch are legendary, and a slab-filled livewell is well within reach. Anchor over schools in 25–40 feet, drop a perch rig tipped with minnows, and hang on. You will want a few bait buckets and spreader rigs.
Smallmouth bass. The Outer Bay’s rock and gravel hold hard-fighting smallmouth that punch well above their weight in Erie’s clear water. Drop-shot rigs and tube jigs shine.
Largemouth bass and pike. The weedy Inner Bay is the place — work the cabbage and pencil reeds with spinnerbaits, soft plastics and topwater.
Steelhead. Long Point also holds rainbow trout, particularly as water cools. Small spoons trolled high in the column will take them alongside walleye.
Always confirm current seasons, slot sizes and limits in the Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary before you head out — Lake Erie sits in Fisheries Management Zone 19, and rules change.
Where to launch and access the bay
Reliable public launches ring the bay. Turkey Point and the Old Cut launch at Long Point put you onto the Inner and Outer Bay respectively. Port Rowan offers protected Inner Bay access, while Normandale and Port Dover open the eastern water. Pick your ramp based on wind direction: tuck behind the spit on a south-west blow, and fish the eastern shoreline when the wind swings north.
A simple gear checklist
- Medium and medium-heavy spinning or trolling rods and smooth reels
- Quality line and leaders — fluorocarbon leaders earn bites in Erie’s clear water
- A landing net big enough for a double-digit walleye
- A well-stocked box of harnesses, spoons and jigs from our Fishing department
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to fish Long Point Bay? Open-water action runs from the spring opener through fall. Perch and walleye fishing typically peaks from mid-summer into autumn, while the weedy Inner Bay fishes best for bass and pike once the water warms.
Do I need a boat? A boat opens up the bay, but shore and pier anglers still take perch, panfish and the occasional walleye from access points around Port Rowan, Turkey Point and Port Dover.
What licence do I need? A valid Ontario fishing licence. Review current regulations on the provincial website before fishing.
Gear up at Triggers & Bows
We are a short drive north of the bay in Burford, and we stock the rods, reels, harnesses, spoons and terminal tackle Long Point demands. Browse the full Fishing department online — with $19.95 Canada-wide shipping on most items — or visit the store and talk tactics with people who actually fish these waters. Tight lines, and we will see you on the bay.