Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission

Apply for a Lake Erie Fishing Permit

Purchase a Lake Erie Permit to fish in the waters of Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay, and their tributaries including waters that flow into those tributaries.

Waters Where a Lake Erie Permit is Required

The main tributaries where a permit is required are:

  • Cascade Creek
  • Conneaut Creek
  • Crooked Creek
  • Eightmile Creek
  • Elk Creek
  • Fourmile Creek
  • Mill Creek
  • Raccoon Creek
  • Sevenmile Creek
  • Sixmile Creek
  • Sixteenmile Creek
  • Turkey Creek
  • Twelvemile Creek
  • Twentymile Creek
  • Walnut Creek

A permit is also required for all of those waters that flow into these main tributaries.

Waters Where a Lake Erie Permit is Not Required

Anglers fishing the East and West Basin ponds (Waterworks Ponds, Presque Isle State Park) are not required to possess a Lake Erie Permit. Anglers fishing inland ponds, lakes and reservoirs in Erie County are not required to possess a Lake Erie Permit.

Buy a Combination Trout and Lake Erie Permit

An angler may need both a trout permit and a Lake Erie permit to fish in waters in the Erie area. Rather than purchasing these individually, a combination Trout Lake Erie permit may be purchased.