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Status of  the Lake Erie 
Walleye Fishery 2021
OHIO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE
Contacts - Sandusky:[PHONE]     Fairport Harbor:[PHONE]     Wildlife.ohiodnr.gov
Lake Erie’s walleye population 
is increasing.  
The 2020 hatch continues recent successes. 
• Four of the past seven walleye hatches 
have been from above-average to 
exceptional, including two of the 
largest hatches ever sampled.
• These successful hatches created 
strong 2015, 2018, and 2019 year
classes that are driving population 
growth in the current age-2 and older 
population estimate. 
Excellent fishing should continue in 2021 and beyond.
• Most catches will be 15-24” with trophy-sized fish from 2003-2010 year classes. 
• In 2020, the number of walleye harvested per hour was the 4 th highest on record.
Revised March 2021
• In 2021, 95 million fish are estimated to 
be age-2 or older. The 2021 estimate 
varies noticeably from 2020’s prediction, 
but that is expected with large year 
classes entering the population. 
• Despite this variation, the growing 
population is nearing that of the mid - to 
late 2000s and late 1980s when Lake 
Erie became recognized as the Walleye 
Capital of the World.