Calling all casters

Hello, went out yesterday however got a very late start. Went casting yesterday around mouse island using some worm harnesses with purple blades as well as some chartreuse blades. Pulled a couple out however have had quite the issue with 13-15 inch eyes. For as many of the smaller fish that I have caught, our numbers should be tremendous in a couple years. Moved on over towards Port Clinton about 2 miles west of Catawba and a mile to mile and a half south west of catawba can. Same set up with a different colored blades....still only caught those smaller number of fish. A lot of white bass however the thick of the spawn for them is going on right now!

Is anyone else casting right now or am I just a tad to early? If so, where are you going if you are located around the catawba area?

You are not the only one, we tried Sunday and Monday with basically the same results you mentioned. On Sunday we did get 4 keepers, two 18" and two 20", which gave us hope for Monday. Monday we worked hard for 5 hours and had a great time in the lake, really enjoyed the boat and beautiful weather but no keeper walleye. We did catch our share of white bass and others but that was it. It seems like everyone around us was trolling, I just can't bring myself to do that yet. We were working the area between Kelley's and Put-In-Bay both days, marking a ton of fish but they did not like our presentation of worm harnesses or anything else I could find in the boat to try. Maybe next time.

Was out yesterday West of Catawba Mouse Island reef then out to D can no keepers lot of white bass and some white perch and farm animals

we did good sunday casting gold and copper weapons on a 8 count. went back to same area yesterday and couldnt get them going at all. one barely legal and one short. agree that next year should be fun casting again or at least in a couple more months maybe they will be legal fish. hope so don't like trolling

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Originally Posted by El_Skipper

Hello, went out yesterday however got a very late start. Went casting yesterday around mouse island using some worm harnesses with purple blades as well as some chartreuse blades. Pulled a couple out however have had quite the issue with 13-15 inch eyes. For as many of the smaller fish that I have caught, our numbers should be tremendous in a couple years. Moved on over towards Port Clinton about 2 miles west of Catawba and a mile to mile and a half south west of catawba can. Same set up with a different colored blades....still only caught those smaller number of fish. A lot of white bass however the thick of the spawn for them is going on right now!

Is anyone else casting right now or am I just a tad to early? If so, where are you going if you are located around the catawba area?

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We were in the same general area yesterday - around Mouse and dodging the ferries. I keep my boat in West Harbor and hoped to find them close to home. Our results were similar to yours. I thought it was just me but based on the posts here, I guess that's not true. I also enjoy casting more than trolling so we'll just keep trying. Good luck fellow casters!

I'm from the far west end of the lake. Fished Sunday right along the Michigan line. Casting gold and copper blades. Caught between 35 - 40 walleye and kept 7. Several of the throwbacks were 15" but I did not keep them for shrinkage. I need them to be 15 1/2 before I keep them. ODNR checked us as well. Fished 5 hours.

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Originally Posted by RobM1969

We were in the same general area yesterday - around Mouse and dodging the ferries. I keep my boat in West Harbor and hoped to find them close to home. Our results were similar to yours. I thought it was just me but based on the posts here, I guess that's not true. I also enjoy casting more than trolling so we'll just keep trying. Good luck fellow casters!

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I agree I have much more fun casting and playing the game of feeling the bite and then winning the war on reeling them in! My boat is no where set up to troll and I cannot get the throttle to go slow enough. Im hoping to create a few very good contacts that are in the east harbor/west harbor/catawba area to share "hot spots" with for perch and walleye a like.

I am out of Midway Marina in west Harbor.

I have been drifting and casting for several weeks now with fair success. The fish I had been getting were bigger fish and closer to the bottom. Between Rattlesnake and Green and just west of Niagara. Most came on a purple double blade harness. I'm not set up to troll and really have no desire to. I prefer to fight the fish also!

Never was a trolling fan myself. I don`t have my boat any longer and damn I`m missing it after reading this. I gotta get floatin again with the future this lake has.

I love casting too. Spent an hour Saturday night 5/28 casting with my 11 yo. We were just south of Clinton reef. We caught a fish almost every cast with harnesses. must have caught a dozen undersize walleyes though a couple were 15 inches. I like them a bit bigger since I have some if freezer already. Sunday morning same area to north of Catawba green can. We caught 40 walleye to keep 5 up to 18 inches. Harnesses and erie deeries pulled the meat. Then on Monday morning with my 16 yo, we caught 9 walleye in couple hours and let them all go. A few were 15 or 16 inches. So plenty of action right out of my harbor. Catawba Orchard Beach. The water was warm enough for tubing in the afternoons, so my whole family was happy.
Rickerd

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Originally Posted by rickerd

I love casting too. Spent an hour Saturday night 5/28 casting with my 11 yo. We were just south of Clinton reef. We caught a fish almost every cast with harnesses. must have caught a dozen undersize walleyes though a couple were 15 inches. I like them a bit bigger since I have some if freezer already. Sunday morning same area to north of Catawba green can. We caught 40 walleye to keep 5 up to 18 inches. Harnesses and erie deeries pulled the meat. Then on Monday morning with my 16 yo, we caught 9 walleye in couple hours and let them all go. A few were 15 or 16 inches. So plenty of action right out of my harbor. Catawba Orchard Beach. The water was warm enough for tubing in the afternoons, so my whole family was happy.
Rickerd

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Thanks for the update. Will be heading up to Marblehead tonight with my 2 boys and will try to get out tomorrow & Saturday - weather permitting. I will try to remember to post a report.

Good news, as I plan to go out casting this week... would prefer to catch a lot of fish and have to let them go than go all day and get squat.

I'll troll if I absolutely need to, i.e. if casting is unproductive, but it's a hassle to slow the boat down enough, and I really hate setting up all the gear. Not to mention, it's a lot more fun to reel in ANY walleye on a spinning real spooled with 8-10 lb line than to just drag one in on a big baitcaster loaded with 15-20 lb stuff, but especially a BIG one.

Fished the F and G can area Friday and Saturday morning drifting a harness close to bottom and casting gold mayfly rigs up higher. Friday was sunny and I had better luck on the harness near the bottom. I was off the lake by 11 with my limit of fish from 19" to 23" with probably 20 shorts. Saturday was cloudy and I could only fish until 9 and only got one 21" keeper but the shorts were in a feeding frenzy. I probably caught 35 shorts and a slew of farm animals and cats. Most were got up high at 10' or less Saturday. If it's action you want try this area before you troll.

Went out on Friday, took a friend. Fished South of F can and a bit to the West. Tried a couple miles North too. All together we caught 38 walleye. Of all of them only 5 made the mark. Those were two 18, one 20, one 23, and one 30. We caught them all on mayfly rigs in 20-22 fow except for the big one. We caught it towing a Purple Deep little Ripper 60 back on our way back East heading home quite a pig for sure. Probably caught 40 farm animals including farm felines, and too many white perch to count. 6 six white bass 4 small yellow perch. Very nice day to be on the water. I feel I am now a cross between a lobster, red beet, and a piece of jerky.:p

[QUOTE=PZeiler;54546]I'm from the far west end of the lake. Fished Sunday right along the Michigan line. Casting gold and copper blades. Caught between 35 - 40 walleye and kept 7. Several of the throwbacks were 15" but I did not keep them for shrinkage. I need them to be 15 1/2 before I keep them. ODNR checked us as well. Fished 5 hours.[/QUOTE
I personally don't keep any under 17". Those 15-16 " fish won't slawn until next spring.. keeping those are like killing middle school kids. Wish they would change the minimum size limit.
Legal tho is legal.