CLEVELAND, Ohio — The focus on Lake Erie walleye fishing will drift eastward toward Fairport Harbor, Geneva and Conneaut, where large schools of walleye are feasting on smelt and emerald shiners found in those cooler, deeper waters.

It’s such a consistent transition that walleye fishing tournaments were scheduled many months ago for the coming weekend.

John Karl Gribble’s DB Marine & Outdoor Sports, 5750 N. Ridge Rd., Madison, is holding its Big Fish Friday Open shootout and 2-6 p.m. weigh-in Friday, followed by the Lake Erie Walleye Trail’s Geneva On The Lake tournament on Saturday, with a 3:30 p.m. weigh-in at Geneva State Park.

The weather is always a concern when fishing the wide Ohio waters of eastern Lake Erie. LEWT Director Jason Fischer was happy to report a National Weather Service forecast of mild northerly winds for the weekend.

“We’re looking forward to a large field for both events,” said Fischer. “The popular Berkley Lures Van and its team of pro anglers will be on hand at DB Marine on Friday, and the LEWT will host a Fall Brawl Sign-Up Party there from 4-8 p.m.” The Fall Brawl walleye derby is Oct. 17-Nov. 29.

Expect a slight change in fishing locations after strong northwest winds in recent days, said Don Moore at Harbor Bait & Tackle in Fairport Harbor. Local anglers on Thursday found the northerly winds had pushed cooler water toward the shoreline, and anglers who had been fishing 14 to 15 miles offshore were finding success just 8 to 9 miles offshore.

The top tactic was trolling Dipsy Diver and Jet Diver diving planers about 15 feet off the lake bottom while presenting bright-colored spoons or worm burners — spoons trailing a spinner rig and nightcrawler.

Some fishermen had found success much closer to shore just before dawn while trolling spoons or Flicker Minnow lures, a bite that faded after sunrise. With cooler waters along the shoreline, some steelhead trout were already making an appearance.

Out and about

Mike Miller of Medina captured the inaugural Saturday Shootout leading up to The Walleye Derby (Oct. 18-Nov. 30). Miller was casting a Northland MVP jig head and live nightcrawler using live scope tactics to weigh in a 7.3-pound walleye at Erie Outfitters in Sheffield Lake. Saturday Shootouts continue Sept. 5, Sept. 26 and Oct. 10 for anglers entered in The Walleye Derby.

Smallmouth bass fishermen have been scoring on hefty smallmouth bass around Conneaut Creek harbor and the bubble discharge off the Perry Nuclear Power Plant on drop shot rigs. If anglers can find them at bait shops, live leeches have been a secret for success.

Most drop shot bass anglers work a plastic worm or body bait, such as the 3.6-inch green pumpkin Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Flat Worm that helped Jason Lucas win the Major League Fishing championship recently on Western Lake Erie.

Squirrel, dove hunts open Sept. 1

The annual opener of the Buckeye State hunting seasons will arrive on Tuesday with squirrel (Sept. 1-Jan. 31) and doves (Sept. 1-Nov. 8 and Dec. 12-Jan. 1), followed by the waterfowl campaigns for Canada goose and blue-winged and green-winged teal (Sept. 5-13).

The statewide deer archery hunting season opens Saturday, Sept. 26 through Feb. 7, the longest archery deer season in the nation. This year, special deer management permits ($15) are available to allow hunters to harvest extra antlerless deer on both private and public lands.