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    Southwestern OntarioFMZ 19

    Wheatley Harbour – Lake Erie

    Wheatley Harbour public marina, Wheatley, ON (Chatham-Kent)

    Marker
    Leaflet © OpenStreetMap
    Seasonal availabilityDirections Official FMZ 19 rules

    About this water

    One of the best launching points into Erie's western basin, with easy access to summer walleye and jumbo perch grounds.

    Open Lake Erie western basin water off a working commercial harbour. Shallow basin that builds a steep chop in wind. FMZ 19.

    WalleyeYellow PerchSmallmouth Bass

    FMZ 19 regulations — Lake Erie

    The Canadian waters of Lake Erie — the shallowest and most productive Great Lake — together with Lake St. Clair and the Detroit, St. Clair and Upper Niagara Rivers. It is not the Lake Ontario zone.

    • Walleye: open all year on Erie; S-4/C-2 – 46 cm min (varies by area, check).
    • Yellow perch: open all year; S-50/C-25 (Erie).
    • Muskie (St. Clair): 3rd Sat in June – Dec 15; 137 cm min, S-1/C-0.
    • Smallmouth bass: last Sat in June – Dec 15 on Erie; S-6/C-2.

    Zone check: FMZ 19 set by review — Great Lakes water body: access point on Lake Erie, Lake St. Clair or a connecting channel. Coordinate falls on the land side of the mapped boundary, so the zone is set from the water actually fished. Reviewed 2026-08-12.

    Summary only — always confirm current seasons and limits on the Ontario MNRF FMZ 19 page before your trip.

    Seasonal availability

    Open-season windows for the species found at Wheatley Harbour – Lake Erie, taken from the FMZ 19 regulation summary. Green months are within a published open season — they are not a prediction of how well fish will bite.

    Best months to plan a tripany listed species open
    WalleyeOpen all year
    • S-4/C-2 – 46 cm min (varies by area, check).
    Yellow perchOpen all year
    Smallmouth basslast Sat in June – Dec 15 on Erie

    Summary only, and seasons change annually. Confirm dates on the Ontario MNRF FMZ 19 page before your trip.

    Fishing tips

    • Erie perch stack tight to structure — bottom rigs with emerald shiners produce.
    • St. Clair muskie sight-fishing shines in the shallow south basin all summer.
    • Erie's western basin is shallow and dangerous in a blow — watch the wind forecast, not just the current conditions, before heading out.
    • Access: Public lot at the harbour.

    Solunar Calendar— Wheatley Harbour – Lake Erie

    🌔

    Waxing Gibbous

    93% illuminated · Age 12.2d

    Solunar rating93/100

    🌔 Tue, Aug 25

    93% · Rating 93
    minor8:54 PM – 9:54 PM
    major2:24 AM – 4:24 AM
    minor8:54 AM – 9:54 AM
    major2:24 PM – 4:24 PM

    🌔 Wed, Aug 26

    97% · Rating 98
    minor9:39 PM – 10:39 PM
    major3:09 AM – 5:09 AM
    minor9:39 AM – 10:39 AM
    major3:09 PM – 5:09 PM

    🌕 Thu, Aug 27

    100% · Rating 100
    minor10:22 PM – 11:22 PM
    major3:52 AM – 5:52 AM
    minor10:22 AM – 11:22 AM
    major3:52 PM – 5:52 PM

    Major windows (~2 h) cluster around moon transit and antitransit; minor windows (~1 h) around moonrise and moonset. Local approximations — verify against a printed almanac for planning.

    Gear setup

    Setup:
    Medium spinning for perch; trolling for walleye
    Rod:
    7' medium spinning rod; 7'6" trolling rod
    Reel:
    Size 2500 spinning; line-counter trolling reel
    Line:
    10 lb braid; 15 lb monofilament for trolling
    Best bait:
    Minnows, Worms
    Best lures:
    Worm harness, Spoon, Deep-diving crankbait, Perch rig
    Directions

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