Western Basin Michigan Water

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!!

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.

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!

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.

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Originally Posted by 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!

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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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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

Hit BB around 10 this morning. Started in 12 f.o.w. with harnesses and headed towards a waypoint. Before we got to that waypoint we had 1 in the box and missed 3. Trolled for a bit longer then turned and headed back over the waypoints. We ended up with 10 and 1 nice perch. Lost at least 30 light biters before we had to leave at 2. 1.2mph average speed, 14 f.o.w. out from sterling. The wind kept changing directions and the I-pilot worked great for awhile then losts it's freakin brains again and wouldn't work. Nice quality fish and besides the misty rain this morning not a bad day. And a big THANKS !!! to the guys in the blk lund that moved out of the way as we were working a very small spot. They noticed us working it over and politely let us continue as they were trolling randomly towards us. That's how it should be.
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g2...t/100_2013.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g2...t/100_2011.jpg

Those are some really nice fish! Thanks for bringing up those bottom bouncers forgot to mention them in my previous post. You are very lucky to have strangers allow you to keep working your fish, they most often run right in and spoil it for every one. Those fellows have some very good karma coming their way, I hope they enjoy it because they certainly earned it today with the respect they showed for you!!

BB was Brestbay. Actually we only got one on a bouncer. The rest came about 6 ft down on inlines. All males, none milking.

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Originally Posted by ebijack

BB was Brestbay. Actually we only got one on a bouncer. The rest came about 6 ft down on inlines. All males, none milking.

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Well that straightens that out and thanks for the heads up on BB. But bottom bouncers can and do produce in the shallow stuff this time of year.

Is there anyway I could see a picture of a set up? If I'm reading everything right the few options are like this...

1) Ive got my main line from the rod that connects to my board...From there I tie my bottom bouncer with my crawler harness connected to that? For drifting.

2) My main line to my board...connected to a reef runner. For trolling.

3) My main line to my board...connected to my dipsey diver, connected with a spoon. For trolling.

Thanks everyone!

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Originally Posted by wakina

Well that straightens that out and thanks for the heads up on BB. But bottom bouncers can and do produce in the shallow stuff this time of year.

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I always have a bouncer out. My wife's favorite way to fish is with all bouncers, no boards. I have bouncers to 8oz. Down around Lorain mid summer there are day's where a 3 to 6oz inline 3 to 5 cranks off bottom will out produce a bouncer and days where the bouncer shines. Gotta check em both. And I'm talkin 40 to 60 f.o.w.

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Originally Posted by BostonWhaler33

Is there anyway I could see a picture of a set up? If I'm reading everything right the few options are like this...

1) Ive got my main line from the rod that connects to my board...From there I tie my bottom bouncer with my crawler harness connected to that? For drifting.

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No board when drifting. Line from rod right to the bouncer and put in rod holder after setting depth. Also don't tye to each lure/weight. Use snapswivels or duolock snaps on your line and clip to each lure/bouncer.

goto You Tube and type in Lance Valentine Walleye. check his downloads, you can see what your asking. he has a spoon video,planer boards,keel weights,divers,jets,snap weights.... he talks about how to set rods up inside boat, he talks about rods and line, different weights and reasons for different weights....

type Walleye fishing in You Tube 6,000+ videos from all the big names and t.v shows

also type in: Linders fishing,mark romanak 411, next bite, trolling lake erie.

Next you are gonna want to join michigansportsman.com they have a section dedicated strictly with lake erie fishing. Also goto downriverwalleyefederation.com alot of seasoned vets on there, and tour pros.

Very good advise on the videos available!! One of the best pc's. of information I have ever gotten came off the show The Next Bite, they were using the minnow worm harness spacers from Bass Pro Shops and they were catching alot of fish, I have always been a believer that the main attraction on the worm harness was the blade and I still am. They were also using the XPS Hatchet Blades which they only casually mentioned but were plainly visable in the show, and they turned out to be the best thing that I have ever bought or seen on the TV for walleye fishing and they weren't even plugging the blade but the spacers. The blades are no longer available but the spacers are, which I do not use very often if ever. I managed to purchase a couple of hundred blades in each of the colors that produced fish in numbers while they were on close out at 3 blades per pack for $.99 two years ago, so I am set for life on those blades.

Does anyone use the gulp alive minnows or night crawlers on their spinner rigs or do you use real night crawlers?

I have tried both and never had any luck I always went back to the real ones. Swim baits work better for eyes than the gulp minnows but they are a far cry from the real thing. I tried the gulp minnows on perch and didn't catch a fish but caught them on real shiners on the same rod with gulp on one hook and a shiner on the other!

Whaler you are getting off track here good buddy, Crawlers there expensive there dirty, they stink,they dick your boat up, CRAWLERS.... Gulp and other artificial baits are a WHOLE other chapter in the book of fishing.... LIVE BAIT:):)

I dont know were you live in MI. but I was at Fishermans Cave in Erie today and Corey from Reel Naughty his mom had just Re-Stocked them with Blades,Beads,Hooks, and there Top Producing Harnesses they were 2.79 which is a great deal for there quality..... Jeffs tackle on way into SSP has some good Tackle right now.

remember the deeper into the trolling season the less availability for this equipment. I seen guys buying the whole hooks of purple blades and Confusion patterns, white was hot for jigging season so Whites are going quickly in the Blades.... A buddy told me Bass Pro rossford was out of shiner looking 1/2oz in line weights.

Sunday is gonna be a big day if weather holds to pattern for kicking off trolling from what I have read and heard from bouncing around the shops today, some will still be jigging but I know several charters who are booked and they will be trolling Breast Bay.

I have Gulp in worms and minnow shapes for trolling and jigging. There are times where they will catch fish, but nothing like live bait. There are ways to catch 3 limits using only 1 doz crawlers but I find it a PIA and just use as many crawlers as it takes. There are ways to keep the dirt problem down to almost nothing. If you don't want to use harnesses, alot of guys troll spoons and or cranksbaits all season and do quite well. When the floating weeds become a problem is when I switch to spoons.

have been playing with trigger x minn.all jigg season..they dont set the world on fire..... have got alot of fish on them..but they do add a littlle more to your jig,,,going to try them on the perch this season and see if they do any good there..has anyone else used these...

I live in Novi but I know exactly where the Fishermans Cave is in Erie. Ok, LIVE bait it is! I just saw a few videos on the Gulp and it looked great. Unfortunatly I wont be able to make it down there until the 11th. Hopefully they still have some in stock. I'm also going to try the Gander Mountain in Novi to see what they have as well.

I'm excited to get exams over next week and put everyones great advice to the test! Thanks everyone.

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Originally Posted by RUSS

have been playing with trigger x minn.all jigg season..they dont set the world on fire..... have got alot of fish on them..but they do add a littlle more to your jig,,,going to try them on the perch this season and see if they do any good there..has anyone else used these...

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I have some in different colors but have yet to catch anything on them yet. Just like gulp, they stink!