Trolling off Huron 9/6

Went fishing today with my buddy John,his daughter and her boyfriend.Started at the Huron dump.Had some residual rollers from the previous night NE winds.Set out bandits on our 4 inline boards and two dipseys on 3 setting.
After an hour had one fish on a bandit.Had some weeds too on some of our gear.Picked up and ran north and set up on some marks.Started picking up some fish but was slow bite.Tried to find an active pod but never did find anything.Just had one fish every 20-30 min.
We ended up with 12 fish from 16-24".Tried to keep speed 2.5 mph.Our dipsey only caught 2 fish all day.On a harness and a white spoon harness.The best lure by far was our blue chrome bandit run from 130-160 total with 2oz.That color caught 8 of our fish.Fished around 5hrs total.

Wish I would have known you were going out. I drove up but decided to try for perch out by the intake. I havent tried for walleye since i got all the new gear and if they were biting good didnt want to go home empty handed. Only got 12 perch tho

To bad I didnt know you were going out. I have yet to try the new gear trolling and if they were biting good didnt want to get nothing. Went to the intake and got 12 perch. Still not good for a 2 and a half hour drive

When the walleye bite slows down this time of year,is not the ideal time trying out new gear to troll.You might learn how to set out some of the gear and what does and does not cause tangles.But not catching much slows down the learning curve.In another month the fishing will improve though if you still are planning to fish.

I was hoping to get back up there one more time this year. Not sure it will actually happen but I'm hoping it does. I was thinking about waiting until spring to try the gear. I have a basic understanding of how it all works and runs. I have been out on charters several times and we were trolling. Personally I enjoy casting and drifting myself. But I would really like to get familiar with trolling and get a better understanding. I'm sure it will take time luke anything else but I gotta start somewhere. I figured in the spring the fishing will be better and wont be as frustrating if the bite is good

When do the walleye start picking back up around Kelly's? Beginning or middle of October?

Each year is different,mainly depends on the weather.I had been fishing with a guy that preferred to cast on the reefs in the fall.Typically by mid Sept we would start catching them on gull and on the east side of Pelee.So we didn't troll much from mid Sept thru mid Oct.But by mid October he would move his boat over to Huron thru the first week of Nov.Some years the fishing was good off Huron,other years the bite was better later into November.As the water cools the fish head west and stage off Huron in late fall and early winter then head to reefs in late winter to spawn on the reefs in March.

I thought pelee was in Canadian water

Yes,Pelee is in Canada.We would buy Canadian liscence and cast or troll north of border.But due to Covid,no US boats allowed across the line this year.What size boat do you own Tony?

24 foot four winns 245 vista. Back deck is a little small. Comfortable with 3 guys. 4 a little crowded.

That's a good size boat to trailor,but better able to handle the waves on Erie.

It did pretty good in 3 footers a month ago. Wish I lived closer cause it's a haul

itsbob: Can I ask what baits you use when casting in the Fall?

Baha299

We use mayfly rigs all season and in the fall casting into the rocks.I tie my own and use 20lb Seaguar fluorocarbon with double hooks and a quick change clevis with gold #4 Colorado that's 2ft long.The fall bite usually starts this week.If there are fish on the reefs will usually find them in 18-12fow.I have braid on my spinning gear.Make short casts and bounce the sinker off the bottom.I usually use 5/8 or 1/2oz sinkers.Alot of times cannot tell difference between a rock or a walleye pulling on your rigs.Be prepared for snags too.Hope the fall bite on rocks is good this year.Will miss going into Canadian waters to fish this year.The east side of Pelee is magical on certain days in the fall.Hardly any boats and you see huge flocks of birds too.