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First time ever out. Been following previous threads on bait selections/location, etc. Marked fish here and there all through out the reef complex area and couldn't get bit. Ran various colors/speeds/depths of bandits with no luck. Was out there in the later morning through early afternoon if that matters.
Anyone else have the same bad luck or is it just a case of me being a newbie?
Appreciate all the shared knowledge
Coming up on 5pm and I’m still out here from this am with one in the box. Radio charter had a lot of empty coolers. I am a relative newbie as well.... but I have been working hard at it all day. Trolling husky jerks around most of the reef areas that weren’t too muddy and then a little further East. At times marked a lot.... but be it the East wind, sunny conditions, dirty water, my color selections and depths... it has been terrible or all of it. Great fishing, bad catching. I’m here for two-three more days and lost for how to do it better tomorrow. Launched out of fenwicks, staying in port Clinton. I almost gave up at three to go see if there were any crappies in the marina... but could have done that at home. May resort to it tomorrow if the same first 8 hours of the day repeat themselves. Long ride over from Wi to once again get my tail kicked :). This is the earliest I’ve ever been here as well.
We were out there for 4 hours or so today with one strike and 0 fish. Also didn’t see any other boat grab a net... Just one of those days. I’m thinking this wind from 3-4 days ago messed with them a bit. Beautiful day out there none the less.
Speed is critical this time of year. Slow is the name of the game. I’ll be out tomorrow to give it a shot.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bbrack34
I spoke with a lot of fisherman once off the water and everyone of them had the same experience. A common theme was the fish were there and really low in the water column.... that tells me maybe they just were not active and it was one of those days. After much thought, I will be repeating my plan from today - fishing slow, a little deeper and in cleaner water if possible. Good luck out there.
Check out my post, fish were biting. Most everyone caught fish. Jiggers were hammering the 16 inchers with a bigger one every now and then.
Did you use boards?
You make me feel better. We skunked Saturday. Some guys blamed the mud. some said the big blow last week. I thought the water color was perfect. We threw everything we had at them everyway a person can think to throw it. Even live shiner drifts lines at all depths. Best marks came off the contour point that lies between big pickeral and cone. Bigger fish tended to lay low but biggest majority fish marked up high. Shiner tipped jigs got the only two decent hits I got. I even tipped the back hook of a couple bandits with a shiner. I had one bandit shiner get nipped half off. The only thing I didn't try was to anchor and vertical fish. But our drift was .8 and slower already. I don't think it would have helped.
Yes, in line boards.
tuff day for me to started out jigging niagra no luck watched about a dozen boats come and go while we were there switched to trolling ended up with 4 80 back best white and pink lure did best fish came so slow didnt really get a real pattern going only seen 1 other net go all day
Don't give up on those jigs when fishing the western basin reefs. By jigs, I am referring to metal jigs, not leadheads. Try casting small Sonic Baitfish over those rockpiles like a 1/10 or 1/6 oz size. Years ago, a 1/6 oz gold Crippled Herring consistently hammered those rockpile walleyes. Unfortunately, Rapala/Luhr Jensen discontinued that size. Now, the smallest Herring is a 1/2 oz...a little too heavy for the rocks. Fortunately, the Sonic BaitFish took over the slack and has established itself as maybe even better than that 1/6 oz Herring.
Still using them on Erie to this day also have a few 1/6 , 1/4 and 1/3 left that you sent me years ago guess who. 27ft sportcraft drawbridge marina....Quote:
Originally Posted by capt pete