Presque Isle Bay Fishing
Ramps, piers, coves, limits and charters in Presque Isle Bay at Erie.
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Getting to know Presque Isle Bay
Presque Isle Bay is the sheltered bay behind the Presque Isle peninsula at the city of Erie, opening to Lake Erie through the channel at its east end. The catch here runs to yellow perch, largemouth and smallmouth bass, northern pike, panfish and, in fall and spring, steelhead.
It lies entirely in Erie County, inside the city of Erie and Presque Isle State Park, and falls under the same Lake Erie rules as the open lake. Listed here for the bay: 7 ramps, 3 piers, 7 coastal access areas, 17 tributaries feeding the lake and 40 Erie County charter and guide listings.
USGS GNIS, PFBC access and Erie steelhead layers, retrieved October 23, 2026.
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Bay ramps on Presque Isle Bay
- Bay Harbor Public Ramppaved ramp, 20 trailer spaces, dock, fishing pier, unlimited horsepower; owner Erie Port Authority
- Chestnut Street Boat Ramp on Presque Isle Baypaved ramp, 25 trailer spaces, dock, fishing pier, unlimited horsepower; owner City of Erie
- New Lagoon Accesspaved ramp, 30 trailer spaces, electric motors only; owner Bureau of State Parks
- Niagra Launchpaved ramp, 35 trailer spaces, dock, unlimited horsepower; owner Bureau of State Parks
- Old Lagoon Accessboat ramp, 5 trailer spaces, electric motors only; owner Bureau of State Parks
- Vista Launchpaved ramp, 20 trailer spaces, unlimited horsepower; owner Bureau of State Parks
- West Pier Launch on Presque Isle Bayboat ramp, 45 trailer spaces, dock, fishing pier, unlimited horsepower; owner Bureau of State Parks
Piers around Presque Isle Bay
- Chestnut Street Boat RampCity of Erie, no fee, parking 10 spaces or more, Local Gov't
- Bay Harbor Public RampCity of Erie, no fee, parking 10 spaces or more, Local Gov't
- West Pier LaunchErie, no fee, parking 10 spaces or more, State Parks
More shore access on Presque Isle Bay
- Vista LaunchErie, ramp, shore fishing, Unlimited Horsepower
- Niagra LaunchErie, ramp, shore fishing, Unlimited Horsepower
- New LagoonErie, ramp, shore fishing, Electric Motors Only
- Old LagoonErie, ramp, shore fishing, Electric Motors Only
PFBC access areas layer and USGS GNIS names, retrieved October 23, 2026.
Where creeks meet Presque Isle Bay
No major steelhead tributary enters the bay itself; the Pennsylvania steelhead streams reach the open lake east and west of Erie, 17 of them with pages here.
- Cascade Creek1.4 mi in PA, Cascade Creek @ Public Parking Lot Niagara Pier
- Conneaut Creek43.2 mi in PA, Conneaut Creek @ Griffy Road
- Crooked Creek, Erie County11.9 mi in PA, Crooked Creek @ Abels Road Bridge
- Eightmile Creek7 mi in PA, Eightmile Creek @ Shades Beach Park
- Elk Creek, Erie County31.2 mi in PA, Elk Creek Access
- Fourmile Creek9.5 mi in PA, Fourmile Creek @ Lawrence Park Golf Course
- Godfrey Run1.1 mi in PA, Godfrey Run Mouth @ Fairplain Road
- Orchard Beach Creek3.2 mi in PA, Orchard Beach Creek Mouth
- Raccoon Creek, Erie County5.3 mi in PA, Raccoon Creek @ Raccoon Park
- Sevenmile Creek7.1 mi in PA, Sevenmile Creek @ Route 5
- Sixmile Creek14 mi in PA, Sixmile Creek @ Route 5
- Sixteenmile Creek10.7 mi in PA, Sixteenmile Creek @ Halli Reid Park
- Trout Run near Avonia, Erie County7.4 mi in PA, Trout Run Mouth
- Turkey Creek5.2 mi in PA, Turkey Creek @ Childs Road
- Twelvemile Creek8.4 mi in PA, Twelvemile Creek @ Route 5
- Twentymile Creek4.1 mi in PA, Twentymile Creek @ Angler Parking Area
- Walnut Creek21.9 mi in PA, Walnut Creek Access
PFBC Erie Steelhead tributary, parking and easement layers, retrieved October 23, 2026.
Named coves of Presque Isle Bay
- Misery BayErie County, GNIS bay
- Thompson BayErie County, GNIS bay
- The MouthErie County, GNIS bay
USGS GNIS, retrieved October 23, 2026.
Presque Isle Bay level station
NOAA CO-OPS Great Lakes water levels reading for Erie, Lake Erie (IGLD85), recorded October 23, 2026; retrieved October 23, 2026. Values are provisional.
The NOAA Erie station stands on the harbor at the mouth of Presque Isle Bay, so it reads the bay level too.
The keeper rules anglers follow on Presque Isle Bay
| Species | Where | Creel and size | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muskellunge and tiger muskellunge | Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and peninsular waters and tributaries | 1; minimum 40 inches | Open year-round |
| Northern pike | Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and peninsular waters and tributaries | 2; minimum 24 inches | Open year-round |
| Walleye | Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and peninsular waters and tributaries | 6; minimum 15 inches | Jan. 1 through March 14 and May 2 through Dec. 31 |
| Largemouth and smallmouth bass | Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and peninsular waters and tributaries | 4 (combined species); minimum 15 inches | Jan. 1 through April 10 and June 13 through Dec. 31 |
| Largemouth and smallmouth bass | Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and peninsular waters and tributaries | 1; minimum 20 inches | April 11 through June 12 |
| Yellow perch | Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and peninsular waters and tributaries | 30; minimum 7 inches (Dec. 1 – April 30); none May 1 – Nov. 30 | Dec. 1 through April 30 (7-inch minimum); May 1 through Nov. 30 (no minimum) |
| Sunfish, crappies, catfish, rock bass, suckers, eels, carp, white bass | Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and peninsular waters and tributaries | 50 (combined species) | Open year-round |
| Burbot (scuba divers, nonmechanical spears or gigs at 60 feet or deepe | Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and peninsular waters | 5 | June 1 through Sept. 30 |
| Burbot (hook and line) | Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and peninsular waters and tributaries | 5 | Open year-round |
| Smelt (hook and line) | Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and peninsular waters and tributaries | No daily limit | Open year-round |
| Brook and brown trout | Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and peninsular waters and tributaries | 5 (combined trout and salmon); minimum 9 inches | 8 a.m. opening day of the regular trout season until midnight Labor Day |
| Brook and brown trout | Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and peninsular waters and tributaries | 3 (combined trout and salmon); minimum 15 inches | 12:01 a.m. the day after Labor Day until 12:01 a.m. the Friday before the opening day of the regular trout season |
| Rainbow trout (steelhead) and salmon | Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and peninsular waters and tributaries | 3 (combined species); minimum 15 inches | 8 a.m. opening day of the regular trout season until 12:01 a.m. the Friday before opening day the following year |
| Lake trout | Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and peninsular waters and tributaries | 2; minimum 15 inches | 8 a.m. opening day of the regular trout season until 12:01 a.m. the Friday before opening day the following year |
| Baitfish/fishbait | Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and peninsular waters and tributaries | 50 (combined species) | Open year-round |
| American eel | Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and peninsular waters and tributaries | 25; minimum 9 inches | Open year-round |
| Mussels/clams; sturgeon, spotted gar and other threatened and endanger | Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and peninsular waters and tributaries | 0 | CLOSED YEAR-ROUND |
Presque Isle Bay shares the Lake Erie table of the Summary; the steelhead streams have their own tributary rows.
Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and their tributaries take a Pennsylvania fishing license plus a Lake Erie permit ($9.97), or a combination trout and Lake Erie permit ($20.97); the resident license is $27.97.
All anglers fishing Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and their tributaries (including waters flowing into them) need a Lake Erie permit or combination trout/Lake Erie permit; not required on the East and West Basin ponds (Waterworks Ponds, Presque Isle State Park) or inland ponds, lakes and reservoirs in Erie County.
It is unlawful to transport VHS-susceptible fish out of the Lake Erie Watershed into other watersheds except when certain conditions are met; dead recreationally caught fish may be transported for human consumption.
2026 Pennsylvania Fishing Summary (PFBC), p. 14, retrieved October 23, 2026. All Pennsylvania limits.
Permitted guides near Presque Isle Bay
- Small Program Charterscharter, Aliquippa, (724) 601-1919
- Xtr Fishing Charters Llccharter, Butler, (724) 679-4510
- Gypsylyn Fishing Charterscharter, Cabot, (724) 316-2529
- Comn'In Hot Sport Fishingfishing guide, Centerville, (814) 671-5131
- Captain Kurt Charterscharter, Conneaut, (717) 496-1290
- Something Catchy Charterscharter, East Springfield, (814) 460-4600
- Captain Fritz Curtze, Llcfishing guide, Edinboro, (814) 450-4319
- Chasing Dreams Sportfishingfishing guide, Edinboro, (814) 449-0245
- 12 Mile Charterscharter, Erie, (814) 806-5555
- Angleharder – The Fishing Chartercharter, Erie, (814) 882-4968
- Bayle Out Sportfishingcharter, Erie, (814) 840-1145
- Big Fat Bass Guide Servicefishing guide, Erie, (724) 790-4232
- Bomber Charterscharter, Erie, (724) 683-1053
- Ciao Charterscharter, Erie, (814) 882-7428
- Ditch Chicken Charterscharter, Erie, (814) 460-0726
- Dogs Life Sport Fishingfishing guide, Erie, (605) 840-4363
- Erie Doghouse Charterscharter, Erie
- Goose’S Steelhead Fishing Guide Servicefishing guide, Erie, (724) 977-1755
- Heartbeat Sport Fishingfishing guide, Erie, (814) 881-1790
- Jpolanco Fishing Guide Servicefishing guide, Erie, (814) 746-8188
- Knot Right Fishingfishing guide, Erie, (814) 240-9396
- Malalad Sportfishing Llcfishing guide, Erie, (814) 572-4751
- Marks Musky Adventuresfishing guide, Erie, (814) 602-5651
- Nemesis Sport Fishingfishing guide, Erie, (814) 392-3999
- Nemesis Sport Fishingcharter, Erie, (814) 580-8381
- New Revolution Fishing Charterscharter, Erie, (814) 602-7136
- Off The Isle Charterscharter, Erie, (814) 397-3374
- Old Timer Fishing Charterscharter, Erie, (814) 490-6955
- Red Dot Chartercharter, Erie, (814) 812-9565
- Reel Hooked Up Sportfishing, Llcfishing guide, Erie, (814) 392-7169
- Reel Obsession Fishing Charterscharter, Erie, (412) 612-7506
- Tell No Tales Charters Llccharter, Erie, (814) 746-5809
- Waterbok Llcfishing guide, Erie, (814) 434-2460
- Dirty 30 Lake Erie Charterscharter, Lake Erie, Erie Pa, (724) 882-4741
- Robert H. Wilsonfishing guide, Erie, Pa, (814) 657-4025
- Bite Force Sportfishingfishing guide, Export, (724) 787-4111
- A&A Fishingfishing guide, Fairview, (814) 528-7943
- All Day Musky Charterscharter, Fairview, (412) 580-2180
- Bassonlinefishing guide, Fairview, (724) 333-3898
- Berger Man Charterscharter, Fairview, (814) 323-3031
Bait, tackle and marinas around Presque Isle Bay
- Perry's Landing Marinamarina, Erie, under a mile
- Bay Harbor Marina Servicemarina, Erie, under a mile
- Presque Isle Angler Bait & Tackle Docksidebait and tackle shop, Erie, 2 miles
- Wolverine Park Marinamarina, Erie, 2 miles
- Anchor Marine Ltdmarina, Erie, 2 miles
- Port of Eriemarina, Erie, 2 miles
- Erie Western PA Port Authoritymarina, Erie, 2 miles
- Sierra, 5800 Peach St Unit 203bait and tackle shop, Erie, 4 miles
- Sportsman's Warehouse, 2075 Interchange Rdbait and tackle shop, Erie, 4 miles
- Gander Mountain, 2088 Interchange Rd Ste Fbait and tackle shop, Erie, 4 miles
- Chadwick Bay Marinamarina, Erie, 6 miles
- East End Anglerbait and tackle shop, Erie, 7 miles
- Pennsylvania Commonwealth Of– Fish and Boat Commission– Walnut Creek Access–marina, Fairview, 7 miles
- Poor Richard's Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, fairview, 8 miles
PFBC charter boat and fishing guide permit list (county of business) and Yellow Pages listings, retrieved October 23, 2026.
Events on and near Presque Isle Bay
Beyond Presque Isle Bay: the open lake
- Lake Eriegreat lake
- Lake Erie steelhead streamstributaries
- Cascade Creeksteelhead tributary
- Conneaut Creeksteelhead tributary
- Crooked Creek, Erie Countysteelhead tributary
- Eightmile Creeksteelhead tributary
Spinning and casting reels from Piscifun for Presque Isle Bay
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A photo guide to fish at Presque Isle Bay
Photo: Engbretson, Eric / U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain
Photo: Virginia State Parks staff, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Robert Colletta, Public domain
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Photo: Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0
Presque Isle Bay: what Keystone anglers want to know
Which license plus permit does Presque Isle Bay require?
Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and their tributaries take a Pennsylvania fishing license plus a Lake Erie permit ($9.97), or a combination trout and Lake Erie permit ($20.97); the resident license is $27.97.
Which Pennsylvania ramps put boats on Presque Isle Bay?
7 ramps are listed on this page, among them Vista Launch, Niagra Launch and Chestnut Street Boat Ramp on Presque Isle Bay.
Which fish do anglers take from Presque Isle Bay?
Yellow perch, largemouth and smallmouth bass, northern pike, panfish and, in fall and spring, steelhead.
Do steelhead streams enter Presque Isle Bay?
17 steelhead tributaries have pages here, among them Cascade Creek, Conneaut Creek and Crooked Creek.
Which Erie County captains work Presque Isle Bay?
40 Erie County charter and guide listings are on this page, from the PFBC permit list, for example Small Program Charters.
How many walleye may a Pennsylvania angler keep on Presque Isle Bay?
6; minimum 15 inches; Jan. 1 through March 14 and May 2 through Dec. 31.
How many perch may I keep from Presque Isle Bay?
30; minimum 7 inches (Dec. 1 – April 30); none May 1 – Nov. 30; Dec. 1 through April 30 (7-inch minimum); May 1 through Nov. 30 (no minimum).
What does the NOAA Erie gauge show for Presque Isle Bay?
The NOAA Erie station reading is printed in the water level band, with its time and datum.
Which Pennsylvania piers reach out over Presque Isle Bay?
3 piers and 7 coastal access areas are listed, such as Chestnut Street Boat Ramp and Bay Harbor Public Ramp.
Is Presque Isle Bay part of Lake Erie for the rules?
Yes; the Summary covers Presque Isle Bay in the Lake Erie table, and the Lake Erie permit applies.
Give a whole day to Presque Isle Bay
Choose a ramp in the bay, then read the Lake Erie table.