Smallies

I am trying to figure out how to catch smallmouth on the Lake. I've got a 24 fter without a troller so can't keep it running to stay off the rocks. Any good tips on how to go after these guys? Can you anchor and catch them?

Absolutely yes- you can anchor to catch smallmouth. When the walleye fishing wasn't to great in 01 and 02, I would smallmouth fish. You can use a bobber with craws or just a craw with splitshot or cast jigs tubes and cranks. Smallies tend to school up tight and will move from shallow to deeper water as the sun gets high. You might need a grappling type anchor to hook up in the rocks.

Bigwalleyefan,

You will have almost as much success fishing without a trolling motor (to keep you on active fish spots) as with one for smallmouth on Lake Erie. Wind direction and speed determine how your boat will drift. Once you choose a location to fish, set up to drift the location accordingly.

Slowly run over a chosen location and graph the bottom structure. Try to find a line of bottom structure (rocks, reef or shoal ridge line, shipwreck, aquatic plants, etc.) and set your drift to parallel it as best you can. Keep a few marking buoys on board (plastic bottles with weight & line attached). When you catch a smallmouth, drop a marker. If you caught a few on the first drift, set up your second drift the same and get ready when you near the markers.

I've done over 50 scuba dives in Lake Erie, and have seen smallmouth on almost every dive. Believe me, they are NOT always found where the bass fisherman will tell you they should be during certain conditions. They may be thick in one location on Friday and very few there on Saturday. They do NOT alway "hold up tight" in groups. Just as often I see single fish or pairs, or three. One thing I can tell you is they almost always tend to be in a certain area (say the size of a basketball court) of a given location. The areas around that spot will not have any, or few, smallies at that time. If you catch MORE THAN ONE around a certain area, concentrate on that spot.

I'm always looking for new people to get out on Lake Erie with, so if you have room sometime contact me. I know lots of good smallmouth spots.

West Basin

West Basin, I'll give drifting a try. Those North winds tend to blow me in to close on the NW corner of Kelley's. We drift the NE corner of Kelley's for Sheephead when nothing else will bite or when we have a greenhorn and want to give them a thrill. They don't know the different and don't care. I've snorkeled in the bay on the north side of Kelley's as well and have seen plenty of SM in the boulders just off the beach in 10 feet of water.

Thanks for the info.

If you've never used a drop shot rig, I suggest that you give it a try.

Use a flourocarbon leader attached to fireline or some type of non stretch braid.

Try different types of rubber worms and things of that sort. Different colors and also different depths of water. Different weights and different lengths from the sinker to the hook.

I drifted using these techniques last year because I didn't have a bow mounted trolling motor. I have one this year and I think that it's going to add an entire new piece to the pie.

I can't wait for Saturday!