Planning mid August trip with family, would like help

First, I would like to say hello to everyone here. I have been following this board for a couple of months as a guest and I will say it is the only one I have saved to my favorites on my computer(even at work). You all are great, it is wonderful seeing how you all work together as a team and are willing to share info so easily. That is why I joined.

So now, like many others here have done, I am asking for your professional recommendations. I am planning a trip to the big lake Aug 8-12 with my wife and young son. I have only been on the lake once ever several years ago on a charter. We have a 17 1/2' Alumacraft Navigator Sport with a 115 and a 9.9 kicker. I am a bit concerned about it being too small but have been on other large inland waters for years, just not the great lakes. What wind directions are best for the lake and our boat size for venturing out to where everyone is catching the walleye? Do you advise us to go that far out or stay closer in? For help, if needed, do most of you run on ch 79? I have been watching the reports and followed what is working for spoons/harnesses. Will these same presentations be working in August? What is the general migrational pattern for the walleye on Erie?

Any help from any of you would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!

The weather this year has not been reliable. The weather man says 1-2 fters and its 3-5 when you ge there. In a small boat like that it could ruin your trip. I would have a back up plan if you cant get out or stay in the rivers and inlets. Get a couple charter numbers like eyehunter, if he has cancelation you can maybe walk on. I myself would not got out with wife and child in 17 ft. boat very far unless your going to perch fish close. If a thundersorm poped up and you were not paying attn. erie could eat you up.Im sure all of us on here has got a aw-**** story from bieng on lake in bad conditions. Make sure you have a 2 way vhf radio

First of all you are not saying were you are staying and what port you are going out of, second of all your boat is fine for 4 footer or less, but you need to remenber the storms, let us know more information and skipper 9 who works the islands east
will be glad to help you, or us reel sport we work the reefs
west area. We need to know if your set up to troll, want to perch etc. Wayne Reel Sport team 419 265 2736

If your fishing east of the bass islands call me before you arrive. .. just not friday afternoon's. .. any other time ok... 614.327.7144. I put you on fish if I can....

Thank you all. We are staying near Port Clinton and we will be putting in at Catawba Island SP. We have a VHF radio installed and will keep in touch while on the water. Skipper9 & Wayne Johnson, if weather is not suitable for our rig I will call you and see if you have any walk-ons available. We have set the boat up for trolling and would prefer this method for walleye. We have set up to run 2- 8' Cabelas Depthmaster combos off of sides and 2- 6' rods off back corners. We are set up with planers, Deeper Divers (several sizes), and TT 40's. We do not have any downriggers or lead core line. We will be running braid on the Depthmasters and mono on the other two. We are coming prepared with an assortment of cranks, spoons, and worm harnesses. For perch, I picked up some spreader rigs of various configurations the last time I was on Erie with a charter. Skipper9 & Wayne Johnson, I will call you a couple of days before we come up from Central Illinois and see what the conditions are like. Thank you for your help.

Telling someone who has a 17.5 footer that he will be ok in waves to 4feet ??? Really ???? You just posted that Sat. you guys had 4 ft waves and it was very rough and you couldnt make it past the 5 miles you were out and you fish out of a 30ft Sportcraft but a 17.5 footer will do the same?? .. Simply amazing to tell someone that . Seems you dont know the lake that well Wayne as you have had a few close calls this year with weather related decisions as you have posted them.

LAke Erie is and can get very nasty real quick as us locals know . Giving info like you just did can cause someone to get in trouble and even die on Erie as she is unforgivable many times a year to inexperienced boaters.

Good Fishing

Non Pack Hunter !!!


PS . Make sure you pick a safe charter if you need one . If the bite is 15 miles out and he cant make that run to the fish being its so rough , he should cancel the trip and not just take you 5 miles out to fish as then its just for the money period.


PSS here is a good thread started on another fourm with a guy with a 17footer . Lots of GOOD advice there ..


http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/commu...d.php?t=236985

Thank you FishHead315!

I was wondering about the wave height also. I have had the boat in 4 footers (total from trough to top) because we got caught in them. Did not like the experience. I feel better in 2ft or less. But there is a big difference from big water rollers and small water waves. Away from shore are the waves more of a rolling action or small and choppy waves? If so, how far out does one need to go to get away from the choppy waves? Just asking.
I took a look at the other forum and it was informative. I also like the idea of not being a pack fisherman. The best part of being on the water is the solitude, not the battle of the boats. We will keep track of the weather and go from there.

Heh... another link to OGF from fishhead... :rolleyes:

I know a few people that take their 18ft boats out in 4's on a fairly regular basis. BUT these people each have 20+ years of experience on Lake Erie.

Let me make it clear, I would not condone anyone intentionally taking an 18ft boat out in 4ft waves if they are not well experienced on the big lake and feel completely comfortable doing so.

Wave period and steepness make a huge difference in what 4ft waves look and feel like. I was out in 4-6ft'ers in a 18ft fish-n-ski a few years back. We anchored 6 miles out when the storm rolled in. With 150ft of anchor line out, the bow rolled right up and over each wave and smoothly through the troughs. The waves were mostly 5's and 6's, but rollers.

The other problem is that 4ft'ers can easily become 6ft+ in a blink of an eye.

My opinion; ideally you will be looking for (like you said) waves of 2ft or less. If you feel like "pushing it" 1-3ft would be the top mark (and not going very far out). Now keep in mind, a LOT of times I have gone out on a 1-3's forecast and found it to be almost flat out and a few times have found it to be bigger than 1-3's.

With your size of boat and experience level, maybe consider fishing around the islands area. The islands area can offer some great fishing in the summertime if you hook up with the right people. You would then have the safety of the islands for wind/wave blocking if need be or in case of an emergency you can beach onto one. From Kelley's Island it isn't that far to the deeper water where you could potentially find some walleye during the hot months on a calm day.

Be very flexible with your plans. Have a plan of where you want to go out of and out to that day, but be willing to change once you see the lake. Change could be changing where you're going to fish or it could be cancelling the fishing day at the last minute.

to fishhead concerning boat size I started out in lake in 16 ft mirco craft and fish in everything lake has to offer, been on lake
for over fifty years and been in every thing it has to offer, as of last sat. We had clients that were sick and stop short because
of a school of fish, but they want to stay out, so we didn't want to go any farther out, as for safety of our crew as anyone that has been on our boat safety is first and have cancel maney trips for that reason, as for knowing the lake I think we have maney more hours than alot of people have. A 17 ft boat is fine
as long as you take you time and be safe about it.

Wayne, I think you have enough years on the lake to offer your opinion. Don't bother explaining your position to anyone who is as rude as f...head315. He sounds like he knows everything........except how to communicate in a friendly manner. Maybe that's how they do it on OGF.