Beach Towns: Cast A Line At Port Clinton

Something’s fishy in Port Clinton — this beach town just west of Sandusky is nicknamed “The Walleye Capital of the World,” and it’s a moniker they take seriously.

Every New Year’s Eve, the city hosts its annual Walleye Drop, which features the lowering of a 600-pound fiberglass walleye at the stroke of midnight. But the fish takes center stage in the summer, too, kicking off summer fun in May with the aptly named Walleye Festival that includes live music, a children’s fishing derby, parade, carnival rides and more than 130 vendors.

As the weather warms up, the city fills with fishing enthusiasts clamoring to cast a line from plenty of local access points including the adjacent 10-acre Catawba Island State Park and Waterworks Park, home to Lake Erie’s last remaining (though now defunct) timber-frame lighthouse.

If you’re not a walleye fisherman, fret not. Grab a scoop of bright blue Lake Erie Cookie Monster ice cream and snap an Insta-worthy pic in front of the Melting Memories mural at Andy’s Party Mart, or catch the sunset at Dock’s Beach House while sipping on frozen rosé and enjoying a beer-battered walleye dinner — freshly caught, of course. portclinton.com