recent walleye action

[gregnwtf]

Depending on the crew and the mood of the fish on your spot determines your take for the day. Saturday we handled probably 200 perch of size range from 4 to 11 inches. 4 spots and a bite that was odd to figure out. The afternoon bite picked up just in time for the guys to say they need to get in for the 3 hour ride home. Sundays bite was good also with decent quality. The size is good if you sort thru them. Coolers of 8 to 11 inch are good if you work for them. A good bite and good size over to the east edge of the islands has been good also. Ashtabula perch a nice size and quick limits also. If you get a good spot by yourself and you have the right touch you can get a nice box of fish. A friend had takes of 47 pounds on 90 fish and 60 lb on 6 man limit. 16 lb on 30 fish for Chuck in the perch tourney recently. Ohio waters producing well in some of my old classic spots I have fished for many years. Perch trips available for the islands areas and the western basin around the reefs. 30 ft Sportcrafts for 6 ppl and even a 22ft CC for up to 3ppl. Dates are limited. Walleye have slowed the last several days for unstable air moving and cool air. Reports of less than 6 eyes for the day for the crews. Perch is the way to go if you can get out on the water.

[gregnwtf]

Had a call yesterday from a guy from Idaho. He wanted to go out trolling for walleye this week. I guess its too bad we pulled the boats a month ago otherwise it could have been a good trip. Recent action trolling has been decent but I think most ppl are deer hunting due to good weather. The river may be my option this week or the old Huron pier during late nights under a cloudy night. Erie shoreline water clearity looks good most areas for nearshore perch fishing or late trolling, if your boat is not in storage like mine. Good luck.

[gregnwtf]

Mid Winter blues for some, fishing for others. Last Saturday was a nice day, about 60 degrees. A fellow captain went out trolling for awhile during the warm part of the day and did well for early Jan. They boxed a dozen or so walleye. Trolling and jigging been taking fish. Spoke with another capt yesterday that was jigging recently and taking walleye also. Top of the lake may harden with this cold snap, at least in some areas. Less than 10 weeks till walleye charters start on the reefs. Phone ringing for summer trips already and havent sent out winter letters yet. Get your lures made and new line on the reels, its getn close to spring time.

[CAPTBRIAN]

I have some great April specials for the jigging season just give me a call to check open dates. 614-354-0652

[gregnwtf]

Took a trip to Janns Netcraft today for lure making supplies then drove up to the marina. Cold winter day along the lake and holding at 27 degrees. Went through the marina then checked the campsite etc. From the beach it was all rows of push ice and spotty areas of open water about as far as I could see from Wild Wings beach. People are stirring around and getting anxious but still going to be awhile, still cold and still early. It was good to get up there today.

[gregnwtf]

Here are a few openings I have for April and early May.
I have a couple Sundays, the last Saturday and one Friday morning open in April. The first weekend of May is open all 3 days so far.
These a jigging trips with all gear provided if needed. All our rods are identical with Shimano reels.
The reefs are just a couple miles out of my marina so more time with a rod in your hand. Just simple fishing fun during the walleye spawn. You dont like the cold, lets go during the summer. Call and ask about the date or time frame you want to fish.
Jig season starts in 4 weeks for me ! Time to get the camper out of storage.
Wild Wings said some docks will start going in early next week if possible.

[gregnwtf]

Spent all day at the lake today. Took the camper up, set-up and etc. A walleye tourney out of Fenwick Marina today. Not much action with jigging yet with cold water temps in the mid to upper 30's. Some boats jigging getting a handful and some only getting one or two walleye. The small boats are doing some trolling with crankbaits very slow. Husky jerks 70ft at 1.1 to 1.2. The area most of them fished was from The open area from Green, Catawba, F- can and then North. Marking alot of fish but slow bite. The winning bag of 5 walleye was about 51 pounds total. The biggest single walleye was near 14.5 pounds. Most of the bags were 38-48 pounds that we heard in the time I was at the marina.
Fenwick dredging now at the area the channels come together and then they will be cleaning the entrance at the lakefront. Warm sunny conditions will help turn the fish on at the reefs. Maumee bite has started to turn on the last couple days as the warm runoff hits the spawn areas. Our boats are going in the water the next few days. Ready to fish after a long winter no thanks to Punksy Phil. A couple peak dates open for April mid to late month. Mid to late month should shape up to be some fantastic jigging like it should be if we get normal weather. Some wind helps with some some plankton moving around to feed the walleye fry. I also have Friday April 19th available for either a morning or afternoon jig trip for those of us wanting blow the day off work.

[gregnwtf]

Plenty of air moving last weekend but we still pulled our share from the lake. Sunday was called short but still got half a limit. Friday Saturday Monday and Tuesday was great fishing from 8 to 20 ft. Didnt seem to matter where we went. The afternoon over the weekend was best but early morning weekdays was fast action. Now the wind is blowing and all that may change things some by time we can get back out again. Saturday is sort of up in the air for wind. Lot of nice males already starting to milk. All ours came on jigs with best colors being dk green, purple and chartruse and a big shiner. Overall great weekend for these guys from Illinois. Already booked for 2014.

[gregnwtf]

Cold, freezing rain, no wind then to a building strong east wind on Sunday. My drift lines kept changing, hands going numb. Catch a couple walleye, reset your drift, chatch one then the wind shifts again. Finnally after lunch time the wind desides to stay east. We just kept at it till 3:30 and it just quit for us. Got them half of their limit after all that. The color didnt seem to matter to us. Green,purple, green with chartruse, black n purple and all chartruse. The large minnows triggered the bite for sure. This cold water they need the minnow on the jig. I talked to several guys that didnt have live shiners and didnt have much in the coolers. Fish ae on the bottom and suspended half way down but the trollers had similar luck as the drifters. Hey, thats fishin. Both boats had about equal coolers with different methods but the same results. No secrets just out among the few hundred boats out front all doing the same thing. Water temp was 43 yesterday with mixed areas of clean and stained water. The Maumee is pumping alot of stained water into the lake after the hard rains and more to come this week. Back at it again this coming weekend.

[gregnwtf]

I fished Wednesday eve and Thursday morning. Very windy Wednesday evening with some stained water on the reefs of course. Did the best right in the shallow part of the reef the last 2 hours of light. Jig n minnow. Thursday I awoke to a very cold morning with south winds. Ice on the boat. I thought as we headed out, they are going to bite good today. Started 11-13 ft and got 1 there, 3 more drifts there and nothing. Went to Locust with nothing on top the reef and then the deeper water was cleaner. Started to get a few in the deeper water, then the wind upped 2 notches. 2 bags out, 1 oz jigs and cant hardly feel bottom. Went to the beach off Crane, clean water, hooked a really big fish and it spit the jig. Then the wind howled 40-50 for alittle bit, we called it a day about 12:30. Just not the spring days any of us had been hoping for. Thats fishing and thats Mother Nature. Water in the harbor dropped probably a foot in 6 hours. This weekend should be good. Purples and Greens for jig colors.