I’m up for the weekend and could use some help on location, depth and color. Can troll or jig. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks fellas (and Juls)!!!
Printable View
I’m up for the weekend and could use some help on location, depth and color. Can troll or jig. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks fellas (and Juls)!!!
Well….nevermind. We found them and got a quick 2 man limit. I’m all for helping out and sharing…..so, here goes. Northwest tip of Kelley’s island. 30’ water. Pretty clean. 2.0 mph. Chrome anything. Unassisted 50’, 70’, 90’. Let’s all help each other out this season. There were quite a few boats out there by the time we left. Can’t believe we were the only ones who read this site every day. Plenty of fish to share info!!! Tight lines guys! (And Juls!)
I haven't been up yet this year. We got 3 good days a few weeks ago but it went down hill fast. Don't think there has been much going on. Way to go finding them today. What was the water temperature. Thanks for reporting.
46ish degrees
I was out there today and didn't have much luck. I spent most of the day trolling. First over by Breast Bay because of the NW wind. Only caught one there. By 11 I left and headed for Turtle Creek. Waves were still 2 to 3 foot so it took some time to get out to West Sister. Water was some clearer but still very stained. After trying there for a while without any luck I decided to head to the reefs. The water did clear up but still no luck trolling. There were a bunch of boats in between Cone reef and Locust so I did some jigging and did manage to catch a few. Now that we have a better Satellite image it will help to know what areas to avoid. Probably be heading out there Monday again. Thanks for reporting Gobucks!
Thank you for sharing, Gobucks. Wife and I were out in the same area, between the monument and Kelly's, pulling Bandits in 45' of water heading NE with the (small) waves. We fished 1:30-4:30 and put 6 hogs in livewell, none milking or visibly full of eggs. We lost two that managed to get unhooked on the way in. Best leads were 40-55 unassisted. Caught nothing deep. Water was much clearer than I expected - was able to see the prop pretty easily. RC Crush and Seasick Frog were by far the best producers. Nothing on chromes. I was running much slower, 1.1-1.6 so perhaps I should have been going faster. I know that generally you want to troll with the current, which hopefully is the same as the waves. Yesterday, it seemed the current was going in a direction different than the waves but I couldn't be certain and didn't find a pattern that triggered them to bite. If anyone wants to share how we should be thinking about the current vs. waves when trolling in a 20' boat I'm all ears.
Went back out to same area today and ran same program and had 2 man limit from 8am-10am. Funny thing… .yesterday there were maybe 5 of us out there…..after yesterdays post, today, there was 100 boats when we showed up. We slept in on purpose and found it a parking lot when we got out. Coincidence??? Dunno…but if you read the posts on this site and don’t give back to others with information, tips or tricks, you should be ashamed of yourself.
60 lb bag of 12 today. All 24-26”. After we hit our limit, we were reeling lines in to go home and got 2 more 26”ers. Kinda hard to watch them swim away after catching them!
Was out today, 16 for 4 guys approximately 9:00-1:00. 64 lbs at the cleaners. Bandits 60-80’ back unassisted. Between Green and Niagara (I know that isn’t very specific). Lots of boats there.27-30’.
Thanks guys for all the good information. Was planning a trip this coming weekend but been watching the weather and the wind/waves may not cooperate. Due to work I only have a day or two on the weekends to get on the lake, so I pay close attention to the weather. GoBucks thank you for starting the information and sharing. If I don't get out this weekend due to weather I plan to the following and will keep reading this site and will give feedback as well. Thanks
I too am considering a trip on Saturday... weather pending. If you want to collaborate should the weather work out give me a shout.
Sounds good. Ill keep in touch
Many…if not most…of us, are weekenders. We love to fish, but still have jobs. I don’t think any of us want to be the “Googan” who pulls right up on head boats and tries to fish out of their coolers. But this is the best walleye fishing since the 80’s when my grandfather, “The Kentucky Colonel” ran a charter business. And there are literally millions of walleye out there. And we have the awesome privilege of fishing this lake. Just this weekend I saw license plates from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Indiana. People travel from far and wide. So let’s make sure we all have a great time, with the time that we DO have, on the lake. And share information. Tight lines!
chx-wing - The way I determine the direction of current is to start trolling directly down wind with a dipsy on each side with same settings and lure. But the lure is not necessary for this. Make All things equal rod, rod angle up and to back and same lines on each reel.
Then you watch the angles of line going into the water. The angle off the rods should be the same and distance away from the boat the same as line enters the water. When all these things appear equal, the current is also equal below you in the depth your divers are running. Many times the current is different and one will pull harder than the other. If the port pulls stronger than starboard, further back and further from boat, then current is more from starboard. and vise versa. Try to keep trolling until your lines are reading equal to each other. Note the direction on compass and that is either up current or down current. This system can work with flatline lures back but the dipsy or Lite Bite divers tell the story more obvious to me.
Rickerd
Any thoughts for this weekend? Might be a little choppy, but is anyone heading out and any advice for locations to jig?
The jig bite was on last week, caught some nice ones on the crib reef.
We went to Turtle point for three days, we got there Wednesday evening and it was choppy so we went out Thursday morning and only got two jigging, went back our around four and got six in the boat lost two at the boat and one short throw back. It was a very slow bite. I heard it was going to be bad this morning so we did not get up too early but we did hear the boats going out and coming back in rather quickly, most turned around at the mouth of the lake, it was BAD. We decided to come back today instead of Saturday evening. I think it supposed to bad until Monday but the water will be a mess after the huge waves today.
Thanks for the report Fishfinder. Without a doubt the weather has been crazy! I swear March was better than April. Two of my buddies went out of Huron on Monday and the fishing was brutal. They pulled everything but the kitchen sink and caught nada. According to them, the fish were in the dirty water but would not chew. They found clean water but didn't mark any fish.
Let's hope things turn around soon.
I got my boat ready 2 months ago. It's not a big boat so I need 2 feet or less. The last 2 weeks of February was better than March. I'm maybe gonna make it up Sunday but who knows. Ohio can be bipolar.
I understand that, I have a 17 deep V and I like to stay within 12 MPH wind But it is always better out of any direction other than out of the east.
Good Morning everyone. I am heading up Thursday evening to fish Friday and Saturday. It looks like the weather is going to cooperate and any guidance would be appreciated. Is the jig bite still on? If so any spots better than others? I plan to go out of Catawba would like to jig or cast to start then can troll. Thanks in advance for any info...
Following!
I am a lowly weekend warrior myself. Plan is to fish Friday and Saturday and spend the night at PIB both nights. Tentative plan is to jig fish the Starve, Mouse Island Reef, and Scott Point Shoal areas on Friday since they are "on the way" to PIB. Then thinking of hitting the west reefs (Niagara, Toussant, etc.) on Saturday. Plans are made to be broken so who knows what we will actually do but that is how we plan to start.
I am always down to give help and get help so if you want to start a text chain or something, I am in! Phone is 614-738-3131
Tom - Thanks for the reply and yes, Ill text you my number today and we can keep each other informed over the weekend... Looking forward to a nice time on the lake.
So happy to see my thread is still alive a couple weeks later!! Good job sharing info guys. I’m heading up tomorrow for the weekend also. I will post results one way or another, good or bad. Looks like the only blue water is north of Kelley’s and west of the islands. Hope it continues to clear up. Good luck boys! (And Juls!)
Looking forward to hear how you do. I was blown out when I went 4/17 and the water was mud lol. I plan on heading back in a couple weeks. It is a long drive from Elkhart when can't get on the water. Good luck this weekend
Got up to the lake from the Nati and in the water by 1:00pm. Caught 12 by 7:00pm. North of Kelley’s around the pack of 35 boats. All depths from 60’ back to 120’. Perch colored flickers and bandits. Great start to the weekend. Excited to hear how everyone else is doing. Tight lines boys (and Juls)!
Here we go again… no one sharing info all weekend.
Anyway, We ran the same setup and same location with the same 100 boats today just north of Kelley’s. Tough day. Only 8. Changed colors, speed, depth…no luck. Hopefully someone did better and can help us out for tomorrow…anybody…Buehler…Buehler.
Greetings! The wife and I launched on Sunday, May 5th, at Catawba at 7am. Headed towards J can and started dragging cranks at 7:30am. Got our limit on Bandits by 9:15am. 2.4 mph. No Trash, No Shorts, all 20" or better. One 27" 7 pounder. What a great day on the water with my bestie. Tight Lines everybody!
Thanks for the report! I’m not sure. I know where J can. is. Which direction is that from the state park launch?
Sunday 5/5/24 Didnt even start fishing until 11AM SE of Niagara Reef (ya we joined the 50+ other boats). Picked up 4 shorties sliding past the D-can on bottom bouncers harnessing gold blades. The old man, who wont give up on his box of Erie Dearies from the 90s picked up a nice 18"on gold....that was our only keeper
Saw lots of trollers pickin' up fish. Lovely lady @ Channel Grove pointed us out to the Niagara reef and said, "Gold blades on harness is all we ever drift with."
Can locations...
Lake Erie Latitudes and Longitudes
It been a while since anyone posted - I had some time yesterday so I went out in the afternoon for a few hours. I started out west of the island trolling (but Im still without the kicker motor - shop says it should be fixed this week). I couldn't get slow enough. Lots of marks but too fast and nothing. I went over to south of south bass island and north of mouse island just east of the ferry path ( right over mouse reef) and drifted casting worm harness. Gold blade with a 3/4 oz forward weight (barrel weight). I caught 5 walleye and 1 white bass in about an 1 1/2 hours. Drifted a couple of time across the reef. 1 walleye was 13 inches so it went back but kept the others. Also had a few nice bites that I missed. I got some stuff planned for today with the wife, and wont get out, but may get out tomorrow morning... Good luck!
I was out yesterday casting nw of Kelly’s and near the line for a limit in 35’ of water. Nothing too fast and furious, just a nice steady bite.
Coming back up for the weekend and love reading your guys posts. Are more people drift/casting w crawlers now? Or still trolling?
Drift fishing started three weeks ago. May and June best months for drifting. Troll all season. When the bite is on, drift fish. Easier and most think more fun. When things slow down or it's a tough day, or little to no wind for a drift, troll.
Hey all great thread!! I’m heading over tomorrow night starting to fish Saturday and staying on Kelley’s for a week.. will post..
Up for another weekend of fun on this Greatest of the Great Lake of ours. Haven’t seen any recent updates… I’ll post one tomorrow night. Hopefully with some good info. Let’s help each other out!!