whats next after the jig bite

I know most of you love to troll.I only visit Erie during the hot jig bite. I would love to troll but don't have a kicker. I only have 18.5' stratos so I suppose I could drag some bags behind the yamaha 150. Anyway, sorry I got off track... I've never fished Erie after the hot jig bite. I'm wondering what you guys could tell me about the walleye fishing in the Western basin after April? I hear things about casting weapons? I've heard of some charter captains that don't troll at all on Erie. I think I saw something about that on the Babe Winkleman show. I would love to be able to head over and fish eyes all year long. Do the walleye hang out in the reef area all year? I'm sorry for always posting such ignorant questions.

thanks in advance for all the help!!

Not an ignorant question at all.... After the jig bite some guys go to or stay with trollin either reef runners, husky jerks or spoons or worm harnesses. You will be able to troll with your big dog motor once the fish get really active and you can troll around 2.0 mph. However if you just don't want to troll then you can catch walleye on worm harnesses around the cans like A can B can or the north side of west sister island or over by green island and a lot of charter captains I kno go to Canada or over to the shipping channel by Toledo. Guys will be trolling in all of these places but doesn't mean that you have to. They can just cover more ground that way and is better. When there is no drift . Hope this helps

There will always be what we call resident walleyes on the reefs but they will not be there in the numbers that you see during the jig bite. They are most often caught during the low light periods of dusk and dawn. There should be a good trolling and casting bite just off the reefs from the Islands west well into June but that will depend on the water temps. and baitfish availability. Then as June runs into July there will be fish available in the West Sister area and up in the area along the Canadian border and this could last into the fall but once again it will depend on water temps. and baitfish availability. Please note that the West Sister area should hold fish almost all the time after the spawn.

Thanks guys. I do want to give myself the best chance to catch fish so nothing is out of the question. I just know that I couldn't get the boat to go slow enough for the early spring trolling. as a first time boat owner trolling will take me some time to become good at it.

I appreciate your information!!

Also normally a really good trolling bite July right out in front of crane creek. Caught my share of limits there several times.

One of those Captains here that Casts Exclusively Walleye Weapons Gold blades

Bottom bouncers and harnesses are usually a good bet if you are a drifter.

Depending on how much if any wind. Early May can be breezy but also fairly calm. Small crawler harnesses just above bottom will work well. On flat days with no wind a jig and worm or minnow can still produce fish. An old time way is sit on structure with a live bait rig ( Lindy rig ). Early May is transition from spawn as the walleye rise from the bottom to feed. Starting to see the fish rise over the weekend and some walleye taken on harnesses , weapons , and jigs all with worms. Then there also were alot of walleye taken on a bare jig.
Water temp was 53 today and I found plenty of walleye on top of the reefs and around the same areas. Male walleye spewing (milk) all weekend. Water temp is a key for what the walleye will want and you will start seeing more arches just off bottom. I saw nice arches in 25 ft water just off the edges of the reefs today so its near time for all crawlers.