Casting Report - 7/11/10

Fished NW of west sister in 28 ft water. Started at 7:30 and the morning started of with a bang with 4 fish in the cooler and 3 throwbacks in first 20 minutes. 1 hour later only 6 fish in the cooler. The little bit of breeze we had stopped and nothing wanted what we were offering. Fish 3 more hours without a keeper. We continued to catch a small fish here and there. Moved around the general area for some time. Then headed in closer east of gravel pit. The algea bloom was starting to cover the water in streaks. A light breeze started out of the south east. The fish started biting again - yellow perch, white perch, sheephead, catfish, and walleye. Ended the day with 11 keepers and 15 throwbacks. 2 keepers 24" - 25". All walleye, large and small were caught were on gold. Some of the Colorado gold blades that worked included, hammered deep cut #5, diamond cut #4, #4 baitfish with either a green or a brown/orange scale pattern. Nothing else work. Mark a lot of fish in almost every location. When we were cleaning the fish, they were all full of fat - so they have been eating good.

thanks for report

Not being from the area, but enjoying the reads…. and planning on next summer, when you and others talk about casting, it sounds like a spinner rig? Weighted in what manner? I don't see much of that on smaller lakes by me. Thanks!!

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Originally Posted by cycleguy

Not being from the area, but enjoying the reads…. and planning on next summer, when you and others talk about casting, it sounds like a spinner rig? Weighted in what manner? I don't see much of that on smaller lakes by me. Thanks!!

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It's basically a Carolina rig. Egg sinker goes on the main line, tie on a snap swivel and attach your harness. Casting, bottom bouncing whole drifting or trolling are all going to use some variation of this setup. Casting harnesses are usually going to have an 18" leader, bouncer harnesses are generally 36" long and trolling can be 5-6' leaders. Usually casting harnesses are going to be a single blade, gold is always a good color to start with. Most commercially made harnesses are going to have two hooks (some have one, some have 3) and you put the noise of the night crawler on the front hook then put the second hook through its body. Make sure you straighten them out to get the best possible presentation and prevent spinning up of your line.

Mayfly rigs, more commonly known as "weapons", are going to be similar to casting harness. The exceptions are that you use a partial crawler, they usually have small (size 3 and under) blades, single hook and there's a bead tied into the loop and you put your sinker over the loop, the bead keeps it from sliding down to the blades. I'm not entirely familiar with weapon fishing, so hopefully someone else can add to and/or correct anything I've said.

Good luck!

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Originally Posted by cycleguy

Not being from the area, but enjoying the reads…. and planning on next summer, when you and others talk about casting, it sounds like a spinner rig? Weighted in what manner? I don't see much of that on smaller lakes by me. Thanks!!

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It's basically a Carolina rig. Egg sinker goes on the main line, tie on a snap swivel and attach your harness. Casting, bottom bouncing whole drifting or trolling are all going to use some variation of this setup. Casting harnesses are usually going to have an 18" leader, bouncer harnesses are generally 36" long and trolling can be 5-6' leaders. Usually casting harnesses are going to be a single blade, gold is always a good color to start with. Most commercially made harnesses are going to have two hooks (some have one, some have 3) and you put the noise of the night crawler on the front hook then put the second hook through its body. Make sure you straighten them out to get the best possible presentation and prevent spinning up of your line.

Mayfly rigs, more commonly known as "weapons", are going to be similar to casting harness. The exceptions are that you use a partial crawler, they usually have small (size 3 and under) blades, single hook and there's a bead tied into the loop and you put your sinker over the loop, the bead keeps it from sliding down to the blades. I'm not entirely familiar with weapon fishing, so hopefully someone else can add to and/or correct anything I've said.

Good luck!

Very cool… thanks for the info!!

We still use some erie deires on a few lakes at times, and do pretty well on them. Guessing we use them more than it sounds like they are used on the real "Erie" now. Funny how methods come and go.

The casting rigs, whatever you call them (weapons, mayfly rigs, etc) will produce better than the weight forward lures during the mayfly hatch (use one third of a night crawler). I continue to use them all summer fishing them like an Erie dearie on the swing.

I've heard guys mention the swing. Can someone explain that please?

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Originally Posted by Old Wheezer

I've heard guys mention the swing. Can someone explain that please?

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Example would be if your boat is drifting sideways. You would cast your lure out the Stern/bow and count it down to the depth that you want, then begin your retrieve so the lure will come back to the boat in a semi circle sort of way(the swing). Your boats drifting action in one direction will be away from the original line to the lure created by casting out the stern or bow and the retrieving of the lure would produce the swing effect as the boat drifts away from that original line. This can be done to the same effect off of the sides of the boat also. Just cast at a right angle from your drift line.

So no matter how your boat drifts (many do not drift sideways) you can adjust your casting angle to accomplish the same affect that was described above.

Thanks Wakina, one more silly question. Does that type of retrieve have an advantage over a straight in retrieve on the drift line of the boat?

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Originally Posted by Old Wheezer

Thanks Wakina, one more silly question. Does that type of retrieve have an advantage over a straight in retrieve on the drift line of the boat?

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When I was able to drift and cast (I can still drift but casting tears up my previously broken shoulder) the swing always seem to catch more fish than a straight retrieve, I think the swing keeps the bait in the strike zone longer and the movement of the lure may be more realistic to the fish.

just wanted to add I like keeping the slack out of the line also at the start of the swing so you can feel any hits when lure is dropping

Glad to see some of you replying to my post. I know most of the posters on this site discuss trolling but I usually cast when I walleye fish. I have all the gear to troll, but I haven't trolled in 4 years. I enjoy the feel of the bite, the weight and fight on the lighter rod and the frustration trying to figure out why the worm is missing on my lure sometimes when I get it back into the boat. I have been fishing for walleye on Erie since 1966 (I'm currently 56). I have experienced the years of 10 fish/day limits and have personally caught and released more the 100 walleye in a day twice (once jigging and once casting)in my life - and yes - my arm was tired at the end of the day. I started making Lake Erie Hellions when I was 10 years old. (Anyone remember them?) I make all of my harnesses and I am always experimenting. I will still use weight forwards and from time to time I will even throw a golden nugget.

Everything Wakina says is true. (Well said Wakina). I would also add that I find that the speed that you are retrieving a "weapon" makes a big difference. You must take into consideration how fast your boat is drifting as well when you think about your retrieval speed. On windy days, I actually will reel and then stop reeling allowing the drift of the boat to create the blade action.

In regard to fishing the swing, I find that you will get the most hits as the lure is transitioning from the "sideways" track to where the lure falls in-line with the drift of the boat.This is because the lure tends to speed up as it becomes more in-line with the boat.

My latest reports are telling me that anywhere from the area I was fishing in my original post over to about a mile NW of A Can have been producing. I had a buddy who caught 34 keepers casting on Tuesday morning in this general area.

I'm now heading off to Lake Ontario for a few days of salmon fishing in Point Breeze, New York.

Good Luck to all of you on Lake Erie.

So many fisherman, so many different styles. I've never intentionally "fished the swing". I'm sure the boat was contributing to my cast, drag, reel up slack, repeat fishing motion while casting, but it's amazing to me that so many fisherman conquer this fishery with so many different styles. I like trolling, I like catching more fish faster due to covering more water and having 2 rods in the water per person, but there's no denying there's nothing like feeling that strike on a medium-light rod and fighting that fish to the boat. Hell, even when I went on a trolling trip in April, the captain (who I'll not name) was adamant that he preferred trolling got really pumped when a fish hit the crank while he was setting it out.

Good luck on Ontario. Be safe and tight lines. I'm heading up to Erie in 10 hours and I can't wait!

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Originally Posted by Old Wheezer

Thanks Wakina, one more silly question. Does that type of retrieve have an advantage over a straight in retrieve on the drift line of the boat?

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Including what everyone has already said, the swing allows you to cover more area allowing more fish a chance at your bait.

The swing has been recognized as the best technique when counting down. From the splash count to the bottom drag, the swing is efficient. Consider this question, why do charter captains position the best "stick" on the bow? Longer casts, extended time in the strike zone, greater cast directions and better hook sets are in play. The swing was the topic of an In-Fisherman article back in the 80's. Hope this helps.

There is one other trick that works while fishing the swing. Instead of just cranking the lure back slowly, you would count it down as usual and as mentioned trying to keep the slack out of the line as much as possible so you can feel any bites while the lure is falling. Next just reel in the slack until about tight then with the rod tip level or just lower than level toward the water slowly sweep your rod in the direction the lure is traveling and you can feel the wt of the lure and the thump of the blade spinning. If anything changes in that feel set the hook. Then once again take up the slack, reeling your rod back toward the lure, then sweep your rod slowly again and repeat until the lure is boatside. Cast and repeat. You can use this cast and sweep method any where on the boat, believe me it really does work.

Example~~ Cast out the corner of the boat on the windward side, count the lure down and then sweep the rod toward the bow. The object of this is to sweep slowly just so you can feel the wt. of the lure and the thump of the blade, if that feel stops then something has stopped it(fish on). Then reel the rod back until the rod tip is pointed at the lure then sweep again. While you are reeling back to the lure the lure is also falling again staying in the strike zone longer. Once again the sweep must be slow!

I would like to hear more fisherman chime in on the longer cast being a good thing when working the swing. I am a long caster, but have seen and had success shortening the cast as the sweep of the swing is magnified with a shorter / medium swing.

Anyone else have an opinion or want to share experience. :rolleyes:

I agree with wakina about the drag and reel retrieve. Have been using it for years and it does put fish in the boat.
Heading out tomorrow for the first trip since June.

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Originally Posted by Drifter

I would like to hear more fisherman chime in on the longer cast being a good thing when working the swing. I am a long caster, but have seen and had success shortening the cast as the sweep of the swing is magnified with a shorter / medium swing.

Anyone else have an opinion or want to share experience. :rolleyes:

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When I take my wife casting when we are not trolling, she is lucky if she can cast the harness out the back of the boat 30 feet. She counts to 8 and reels very slowly even stopping at times. Funny thing is that she almost always catches the most walleye every time we cast. I tell her she is just lucky. Hope she doesn't read this. She may be on to something. I cast as far as I can on the swing and catch my share of fish but she just always out fishes us.

I agree so much with " The Swing" but you have to flexible and try things. Multiple people on the boat can really help narrow that down. Some days shorter casts are the thing. (Dont know why?) maybe the angle of the blade. Some days a guy holding the rod over the side of the boat dragging and lifting can catch as many fish as the guys with the swing. But that being said they usually catch as many zebra mussells and break alot of weapons.

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Originally Posted by Drifter

I would like to hear more fisherman chime in on the longer cast being a good thing when working the swing. I am a long caster, but have seen and had success shortening the cast as the sweep of the swing is magnified with a shorter / medium swing.

Anyone else have an opinion or want to share experience. :rolleyes:

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I've found when jig fishing (also doing best on the swing) a short to medium cast works better for me. When the fish seem to be biting right in the swing, I don't waste time time before or after it. I cast so the bait gets to the bottom at about 90 degrees or a little before compared to the drift and reel in right after the bait starts dragging almost behind the drift. Shorter casts take less time getting to the sweet spot and reeling in for another. Also can keep in better contact with the bait, especially in the wind.

Now we are learning something. Keep it coming.

Salmon fishing was poor this year. 2 days of fishing we kept 7 fish. We normally find it fairly easy to get our limit. We marked very few fish. Average boat had between 0 to 6 fish. Still going back next year.

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Originally Posted by PZeiler

Salmon fishing was poor this year. 2 days of fishing we kept 7 fish. We normally find it fairly easy to get our limit. We marked very few fish. Average boat had between 0 to 6 fish. Still going back next year.

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Don't feel bad. It's poor on Lk. Michigan too. Has been for a couple years. Did catch a few Perch out there this weekend though.

I used to fish Michigan all the time in April till I realized what I was missing on Erie.

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Originally Posted by Old Wheezer

Thanks Wakina, one more silly question. Does that type of retrieve have an advantage over a straight in retrieve on the drift line of the boat?

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if casting downwind on drift line of boat you are retrieving back where boat had drifted and possibly spooked fish.Your drift speed will also influence the speed your lure goes through the water and thus your depth.Casting perpendicular to your drift you initially have no drift speed affecting your retrieve.You count down to desired depth then start your retrieve.As your lure swings more downwind of boat the drift will increase the speed your lure goes through the water and the less line you have out will both pull your lure up faster.Slow down retrieve as you bring it in to keep lure at desired depth.The guys that catch the most fish keeps their lure in strike zone the longest.