What fish can you catch at Erie?

Chinook salmon, Coho salmon, Lake trout, Steelhead. Each has its own season, preferred tide and water-temperature window at Erie.

When is the best time to fish Erie?

October has the most species in season (4 of 4) — Chinook salmon, Coho salmon, Lake trout, Steelhead. Seasons shift by a few weeks in a warm or late year.

Is there anything biting at Erie in winter?

January, February, June, July are the quiet stretch — none of the species we track are in their window then. The bite picks back up in March.

What tide is best for fishing Erie?

4 of the 4 species here feed best on moving water. Moving water is what pulls bait through the mouth, so the hours either side of a tide change usually beat dead slack.

Where are the tides for Erie measured?

NOAA CO-OPS station 9063038, at 42.1540, -80.0760. What Inlet? scores the live tide, current, solunar and weather for that station.

Erie, PA Fishing Report — Species & Bite Guide

🎣 See today's live bite forecast for Erie →

Species at Erie

Chinook salmon
staging kings stack at the river mouth ahead of the fall spawning run
Season: Aug–Oct · Tide: moving water · Light: low light · Water: 45–58°F
Coho salmon
cohos follow the kings into the current seams ahead of the spawn
Season: Aug–Oct · Tide: moving water · Light: low light · Water: 45–60°F
Lake trout
cold-water structure fish, shallow enough to reach the channel in spring and fall
Season: Apr–May, Oct–Nov · Tide: moving water · Light: any light · Water: 40–55°F
Steelhead
the fall and spring runs stack steelhead in the current below the first barrier
Season: Mar–May, Sep–Dec · Tide: moving water · Light: low light · Water: 38–55°F

What's biting at Erie, month by month

January	Off-season — nothing on the roster is in its window.
February	Off-season — nothing on the roster is in its window.
March	Steelhead
April	Lake trout, Steelhead
May	Lake trout, Steelhead
June	Off-season — nothing on the roster is in its window.
July	Off-season — nothing on the roster is in its window.
August	Chinook salmon, Coho salmon
September	Chinook salmon, Coho salmon, Steelhead
October	Chinook salmon, Coho salmon, Lake trout, Steelhead
November	Lake trout, Steelhead
December	Steelhead

Typical seasons for this stretch of coast — a warm or late year shifts them by a few weeks. The live forecast scores today's actual conditions.

How Erie fishes

Tide is the clock: moving water pulls bait through the mouth, and the turns around slack are when most of the roster feeds hardest.

Tides here are read from NOAA station 9063038 at 42.1540, -80.0760 — see it on NOAA CO-OPS.

Shops & partners near Erie

🏪 No partners at Erie yet — be the first!

Run a bait shop, guide service, restaurant or tackle brand here? We'll feature you on this page and in the live app — free, with a line about what you do. Email hello@what-inlet.com.

Common questions about Erie

What fish can you catch at Erie?: Chinook salmon, Coho salmon, Lake trout, Steelhead. Each has its own season, preferred tide and water-temperature window at Erie.
When is the best time to fish Erie?: October has the most species in season (4 of 4) — Chinook salmon, Coho salmon, Lake trout, Steelhead. Seasons shift by a few weeks in a warm or late year.
Is there anything biting at Erie in winter?: January, February, June, July are the quiet stretch — none of the species we track are in their window then. The bite picks back up in March.
What tide is best for fishing Erie?: 4 of the 4 species here feed best on moving water. Moving water is what pulls bait through the mouth, so the hours either side of a tide change usually beat dead slack.
Where are the tides for Erie measured?: NOAA CO-OPS station 9063038, at 42.1540, -80.0760. What Inlet? scores the live tide, current, solunar and weather for that station.

Inlets near Erie

Fishing a different inlet today? Every one has its own species roster and bite pattern.

See Erie on the map

The national heat map opens centred here, every inlet coloured by today's score. Zoom in for satellite imagery and the NOAA chart — depth soundings, the channel and the bars.

🗺️ Open Erie on the heat map →

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