Western Basin Michigan Water

[BostonWhaler33]

I'm a college kid who plays basketball at Northwood and am from Novi. I'm new to fishing Erie and I'm trying to get the hang of it. My dad doesn't know much about fishing but always goes with me and he is new to erie also. We are tired of driving down there and getting skunked so any help I get get from anyone would be much appreciated.
Last year in August I bought a 2004 17ft Boston Whaler with a 90 Mercury on the back. I went out a few times last year for perch with my dad and I couldn't get the hang of it(Dumping Grounds). We didnt catch more than 10 the two or three times we went out, we just struggled. Over the winter I installed a gps/fishfinder, bought two basic yellow planner boards, drift sock, reef runners, spoons, and dipsey divers. Now I'm trying to put everything together and be productive to catch fish. We usually go out of Bolles Harbor. The first time we went down for walleye this year we fished between Turtle Island and the light house using blade baits and jigs with minnows. No luck on the jigs but we got 3 24''s on a perch colored blade bait. I realize that the jig bite is coming to an end, whats next for both perch and walleye in Michigan waters?

I'd really appreciate any help I can receive about whats coming up next and what to use. Thanks!!

[fishfry]

To bad you missed the jig bite this year it was hot. And i do think it's comming to an end..weapons are next, but haven't heard any reports yet..that and trollin spoons...i fish out of meinkies and i know some of the big hitters get fish on reef runners but i think that's better a little further east,near the reefs and islands. good luck too you ,this year is just starting..you can't catch'em from the couch.just keep checkin in on the forum. and spend some time at your local bait shop..soon they will know you by name and relay info too you.

[BostonWhaler33]

Ya I was bummed I missed the jig bite, I wasn't able to make it down during the season. Thanks, I appreciate the info!

[ebijack]

The dumping grds area will be holding fish for quite awhile. Also brestbay and just north of fermi. The bell bouy is another good area. West sister area will be turning on around june. Trolling harnesses, spoons and drifting with harnesses are all very common presentations. Like everywhere else on erie, the fish tend to move daily. You will get alot more reports for the michigan waters if you sign up for the michigan sportsman's web site and check daily. Go to forums, warm water species, then select detroit river, lake erie. You need any specific's just PM me.

[gregnwtf]

Ya I was bummed I missed the jig bite, I wasn't able to make it down during the season. Thanks, I appreciate the info!

You didnt miss the jig bite. We are still throwing jigs and pulling a few bottom bouncers on and around the reefs. With this rain the walleye should be hanging around the bay. I fish the reefs hard through mid May. I will be jigging this weekend and will be around the reefs.

[salmonslayer19]

Young man there is still some jigging to be done by Turtle Island and the Dumping Grounds straight out from Bolles. But its slowing quickly and the Farm Fish Are MOVING IN.

But the Transition is happening to Trolling and Drifting season. Seen some of your listed gear. Not bad for a start, you will want to try to invest in some Harnesses, most of us are making are own but you can get some good harnesses from local bait shops or contact Corey at Gail Force Tackle he will set u up for sure. Next your gonna want to head to Bass Pro and get some of there 1oz inline weights and a few 3-4 oz bottom bouncers dont worry about color. Try to pick up another set of inline boards a nice 2 aside and some bottom bounces down the hatch is a good spread, you can cover a vast amt of water column.

Your gonna want to start closer into shore around13-14ft and slowly work out towards the line 17-21ft start over by Raisin River Bouys and troll or drift thru Brest bay area(you could launch out Sterling State Park) this time of yr and troll and drift a little further N You will strt to see the Troller Gangs out there and you will just need to follow suit.

Hot colors are gonna be Purples,Chart,Chart/Orange,some Blues...

Hope this helps any other questions just ask.

[BostonWhaler33]

Thanks SS19. I will be finished with school on Thursday the 10th and am planning to make a trip to the pro Friday and down to the lake on Saturday. A few more questions If you dont mind...
1) I'm having a tough time getting my engine to go below 2.0. I see most of the posts so far are around 1.6. I have one drift sock (36), would I need to buy another or would one bring me down to the right speed. Also, does there come a point where I will be trolling at a speed as fast as 2.0 later in the year?
2) When you talk about drifting and with crawler harnesses is that the same way as the jig bite? Just kill your engine, throw your bag over cast your harness and real it in slow?
Thanks for all the help, I'm really learning a lot from everyone on here!

[gregnwtf]

Your trolling speed early season generally will be from 1.5 to 1.8, then as the water warms into the middle of the summer the troll speed goes up 1.8 to 2.6. Have two drift bags about the same size as putting two bags out while trolling gives you more control. Your drifting speed should stay under 1.6. With a small boat, your one bag should work fine for drifting. I have see alot of small boats use one bag on a long line 10-15ft away from the boat to hold the speed. Dont tie the bags off right next to the boat, they work better being away from the boat. When jigging, you want the slowest drift to hold the spot. When casting or pulling bottom bouncers you try to hold 1.0 -1.6. Big waves means big lead and lite breeze is lite weight. I have bottom bouncers from 3/4 oz up to 6oz. Depending on depth and winds. Try to keep bottom bouncers at 45 degree angle or so. Janns Netcraft is where I get most of my worm harness gear as I make all my own.

[salmonslayer19]

Trolling /Drifting season is kinda broke down into a few sections.

We are starting drifting, trolling harnesses, and casting weapons. As Capt. Hoyt said below SPEED is the key and a game changer. You get 6 lines with you and your father or a buddy, you have a smaller boat so 6 is probably just right for room capacity.

Over the next few weeks your gonna wanna troll harnesses, this is were you will need the 1oz weights from Bass Pro and inline boards, then you will run some bottom bounces closes to boat or down the chute. Also pending on winds and weather DRIFTING with your bottom bounces with harnesses on them and drift casting your weapons with your dad or buddy's. Speed: for trolling harnesses you need to be around .9--1.4. drifting is relatively the same so you will want another bag and setting different length leads on the rope plays with the speed.

Then as water warms in late june/july/august you will need to invest in some JET DIVERS either size 20 or 30 and you will start running a spoon presentation. run a 6ft leader of 12-17lb florocarbon or mono to a HIGH QUALITY ball bearing swivel to connect spoon too. This presentation will be similar to harnesses run two divers off each side behind inline boards and two divers down chute no boards. cover the water column in 5ft depths. Speed will be from 1.9-3.0 but consistent catches come in the 2.0-2.5 range last few seasons.

I have had buddies with Whalers they have had to use a Trolling Tool called a "Easy Troll" it screws on to the Cavitation Plate of your lower unit of motor and it slows you to trolling speeds. look it up on web.

[wakina]

I have ran harnesses and spoons off of Jets and inline boards for the past 7 years and very successfully I might add! I have not used an inline wt since starting to use the Jets. To much stuff to keep track of, to many things to store, the simpler the better. Remember if you are fishing in 20 ft of water and you have only 21 ft of line out then you stand a good chance of snagging the bottom with inline wts, especially on the reefs while making turns or slowing down to net fish. You only need one size of Jet diver, you adjust your depth with the amount of line out, so why carry 3 different sizes of jets? I personally use the jet 40's, less line out to achieve the desired depth. Less line out means less time for that eye on the other end to shake the hook. Jets work well at any speed!! This year I started using the tru-trip 40 deep divers they work just like a jet and look like a jet but have a trip release that works great and dive deeper quicker! Here is a link!

http://www.walleyetacklestore.com/bigfishtuff.html