Need Help Out of East Harbor

[janwil]

We have a family camp out at East Harbor State Park on Oct. 28 - 30 and could use some help locating areas to fish for perch for a camp fish fry. We will have two boats, a 17' Lund and a 16' lund and we will have kids aboard that have never fished before so we can't go too far. So, if anyone can recommend some water around Catawba or Marble-head or even the South side of Kelly's, I would greatly appreciate it. Coordinates would be great if you can share them. I know the bluegill & bass fishing in the harbor well and that is our back up if we can't get out into the lake to fish for perch.

Thank you in advance for any help you can give

[CAPTBRIAN]

It has been a few years but we stayed in the state park one time and in the campground there is water access. Check it out there is a white pvc pipe if its pumping water out and the weeds are not high toss a shiner with a bobber out with open bail as soon as it starts to turn we would catch perch. We caught several limits right there each day of nice 7 and 8 inch perch in the park with the kids.

[gregnwtf]

We have a family camp out at East Harbor State Park on Oct. 28 - 30 and could use some help locating areas to fish for perch for a camp fish fry. We will have two boats, a 17' Lund and a 16' lund and we will have kids aboard that have never fished before so we can't go too far. So, if anyone can recommend some water around Catawba or Marble-head or even the South side of Kelly's, I would greatly appreciate it. Coordinates would be great if you can share them. I know the bluegill & bass fishing in the harbor well and that is our back up if we can't get out into the lake to fish for perch.

Thank you in advance for any help you can give

This time of year , for your situation, I would start shallow. Maybe start near shore, 15-20 ft just off Marblehead litehouse. Then work deeper towards the east side of Kellys. The east side of Kellys from 32 ft on out , off the airport is normally good fishing. About a mile east of the Marblehead litehouse, there are some bumps and rocky areas. You can find these on a chart. The east side of the island is a ways from the dock, 5-7 miles. Beware of the winds, if west winds it can be calm on the east side , but your ride back to the dock could be bumpy. The westend near the reefs has also produced well also, starting shallow and find good water clearity, dont just think the only place the perch bite is in the pack of boats. I normally dont perch fish in a pack and do well. No boat traffic. Perch relate to bait and changes in bottom, like mud to sand or sand to rock, where these meet , perch are best found on these lines as well as open flats. Need anymore help, you may call me. This is my last weekend for the lake unfortunately, winterize time.

[janwil]

Thank you Captain, that was really nice of you to answer in such detail. I agree with you 100% about avoiding packs, I do much better when I find my own fish. I have really good electronics in my boat and after a lot of trial & error, it is this year that I understand my equipment well enough to find fish. Actually if you find the structure you are referring to the fish are there like magic. I have a lot of fun seeking & hunting. It's guys like you and I who start a run and attract a pack.

I wen't out on Tuesday, launched a Mazuriks (or however you spell it) and did really well. We caught 2 limits of nice perch, 6 were 12.5" plus and we kept nothing under 8.5". We also caught a bonus 5lb Walleye. We did our best in 22' of water on a long point between West Harbor Reef and Mouse Island. We had to work for our fish but we kept moving to get to know the area. I do most of my perch fishing between West Sister and Little Cedar Point and all the water in between but I really enjoyed my day in this water.

Thanks again Captain, enjoy your off season and I hope to cross paths with you during the spring jigging season.

Best Regards,
Wil

[janwil]

Thank you for the information CAPTBRIAN, I will look for that pipe. Were you in a boat or were you fishing from the bank? How deep is the water where you caught the perch? I've done well on the bluegills & bass in the lagoon and have caught slab crappies in the marinas but I have never targeted perch in the lagoon; very very interesting, thanks for the info!

My best regards to you'
Wil

[CAPTBRIAN]

We was fishing from shore perch was not our real target we was just trying to catch some fish with the kids and found a group of hungry tasty ones. Our last night there the fish fry was awsome. We all took some fishi home after the week and ate plenty that last night. Also if the big lake is to rough try putting in at dempsy and run across the bay towards sandusky near cedar point we have caught some perch in there before.