The Eastern Lake Erie Walleye School returns to the Greater Niagara Fishing Expo February 19-22, 2026, at the Niagara Falls Convention Center in Niagara Falls, New York. It will feature significant changes from past offerings, based on input from both attendees and exhibitors. These changes include new content and format, multiple instructors in each class, and, best of all, it is included with general admission to the Expo!
Taught by highly skilled educators and walleye anglers who fish the waters of Eastern Lake Erie, this in-depth school is for the experienced walleye angler who wants to improve their walleye catch from Lake Erie during early spring through late fall.
The school will consist of twelve hours of Walleye education taught in six individual, two-hour classes spread across Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of the Expo. Each class will have a minimum of two instructors teaching a specific topic and include a Q&A. It will be taught in the large ballroom, with seating for over 300 anglers. These classes will follow the same process as the other Seminars held at the Expo, with no registration required and seating on a first-come, first-served basis. An individual can choose to attend as many of the six classes as they desire based on their interest in the topic of the class.
These customized classes will be taught by Capt. Ross Robertson, Captain Craig Sleeman, Captain Dylan Nussbaum, Captain Pete Alex, Captain Charlie Klaus, Captain Tom Miranda, Destin Demarion, Mike Yarema, and Calvin Vander Boon. They have a wide range of expertise from countless hours of on-the-water experience, as well as years of tournament success and seminar presentation. These instructors, when not delivering the classes, will also be available during the Expo to talk walleye fishing with attendees.
The main topic and time frames for each of the six classes are as follows:
Class A: Pre-Trip Preparation, Walleye Bait Reactions, and Erie, PA Techniques
Instructor(s): Pete Alex and Calvin Vander Boon
Day/Time: Friday 12 - 2:15 PM
Class B: How to Catch Bigger Walleye A to Z
Instructor(s): Ross Robertson, Craig Sleeman, and Dylan Nussbaum
Day/Time: Friday 2:30 - 5 PM
Class C: Forward Facing Sonar - A Game Changer for Trolling and Casting for Walleye
Instructor(s): Craig Sleeman, Destin Demarion, and Dylan Nussbaum
Day/Time: Saturday 9:30 - 11:45 AM
Class D: Eastern Lake Erie Deep Water Walleye Techniques
Instructor(s): Ross Robertson and Craig Sleeman
Day/Time: Saturday 12 - 2:15 PM
Class E: Where, When, Why and How for Walleyes from Buffalo to the Pennsylvania Line
Instructor(s): Charlie Klaus and Tom Miranda
Day/Time: Saturday 2:30 - 5 PM
Class F: Casting for Lake Erie Walleye in the Spring, Summer and Fall
Instructor(s): Dylan Nussbaum and Mike Yarema
Day/Time: Sunday 10 - 12:30 PM