Pre Spawn & Spawn

Hi all. I simply cannot wait to get out this spring. So many if you all are pros and/or have tons of experience so I have to ask. I only come in to fish a few times per year, maybe 3-5 trips. I usually do May through July with pretty fair luck on great eater fish. Wondered how early you have luck on the big fish in April trolling stickbaits?
I have been once towards the end of April and caught a couple big ones but they were already spawned out in 45 degree water. I read they start around 40 degrees? I'd like to try earlier even if I release them pre-spawn. I also assume they are generally shallower then and over humps vs. out in the flats? I know the jig fisherman don't like the trolling pressure so I would stay away and be respectful of that. I primarily fish out of Catawba.

Thanks very much to you all as I have really learned a lot from this site. I don't want to steal spots or fish in the pack but the general speeds and colors sure are helpful :)
Cheers to a safe and fun 2023!

We have been in mid March and have had luck catching past 2 years

Awesome, thanks. I want to try more early spring through the end of June this year. We have had luck with the fish in July and August but the blazing sun and high costs of summer hotel rooms has stung a little at times. Did you have to fish the reefs or were you also able to find active fish "on the flats"?

People are out fishing as soon as the ice clears at the ramps and head out trolling cranks.In the spring the jig fisherman mostly target the reefs for spawning males and the trollers target the deeper water around the perimeter of the reefs for the bigger females.Once the water hits around 52 degrees in mid May the bite changed from a crank/jig to a spoon/ harness bite.Thats when most fish are caught in the flats.Good luck.I have found the best bite is early June.

Great feedback. Thanks so much! It feels good to know this as my ice fishing has been little to none for the past couple of years.

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Originally Posted by DW72

Hi all. I simply cannot wait to get out this spring. So many if you all are pros and/or have tons of experience so I have to ask. I only come in to fish a few times per year, maybe 3-5 trips. I usually do May through July with pretty fair luck on great eater fish. Wondered how early you have luck on the big fish in April trolling stickbaits?
I have been once towards the end of April and caught a couple big ones but they were already spawned out in 45 degree water. I read they start around 40 degrees? I'd like to try earlier even if I release them pre-spawn. I also assume they are generally shallower then and over humps vs. out in the flats? I know the jig fisherman don't like the trolling pressure so I would stay away and be respectful of that. I primarily fish out of Catawba.

Thanks very much to you all as I have really learned a lot from this site. I don't want to steal spots or fish in the pack but the general speeds and colors sure are helpful :)
Cheers to a safe and fun 2023!

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Guys are still/already getting out and getting big fish. Cranks pulled slow. .8 - 1.5 mph. They grow their eggs in the fall, so the big girls are all full of eggs now. I have friends that pull their boats from SD every year to fish Erie and they come the first week of April. The past couple years have been amazing for them. Their fish averaged 5-6 lbs, with lots of 7-9 lb fish mixed in.

Hey thanks for that great info Slim. I will give it my first shot in late March early April weather permitting. I'll look you up for some new bandits too. Thanks again.

Cool offer there Slim with the buy 6 get one free! Just took advantage of it and got some. Great looking custom colors!

Thanks guys! I appreciate it. As for the fishing report, I made it out to Lorain on Monday. Awesome weather for January. Launched out of Hot-waters, which was inappropriately named given the slush floating in the marina.

Met a nice guy named “Dammit-Dave” (sounds like maybe his wife came up with that handle) at the launch and we exchanged numbers so we could share info on the water. The water was very muddy from the marina out to 45+ fow, but the screen was loaded, so we decided to put the lines in. We trolled for 4 hours and were 0/6. The board would drop back 3-4 feet and by the time we touched the rod they were gone. One got off after 5-6 turns of the reel. Never had that happen before. At least not in a row like that. Tried all different baits, speeds, leads, etc.

“Dammit-Dave” was 1/3 during that time. The one they had was on a P-10, 30/30. With a 2 oz. I didn’t have any P-10’s, so I tried some other shallow divers with 2 oz snaps. As we got out to 52-53 fow, the water was looking much better. Nice green stain to it. I made a turn to stay parallel to the good water and when my inside boards stalled, one went back. We landed that one. Decent 5 lb fish.

Landed another one about the same size on the same bait, 30/30 again, on another turn/stall. That was it. Had one more drive-by on the same bait.

The screen was absolutely loaded all day. Never seen anything like it.

I forgot to mention that DDave ended up with 8. They caught all of them on P-10’s, 25/25 or 30/30. And almost all came on turns. It was fairly rough early, so turns were tough, but I guess I should have done more turns later when it calmed down. We did more after we caught the 2 that way. BTW, I found some blanks that appear to be similar to P-10’s that I am going to test. If I like them, I will be buying more.