Newcomer

[Mdog1031]

I would have to second the motion on Capt Juls, a great contributor on this forum but so are many others. I would recommend a couple different charters to get different points of view. Lund makes a great boat, just choose your days carefully and look at multiple weather forecasts from different sources. Lake Erie wind and wave forecasts have seemed to be not as accurate as they once were, I can't tell you how many times per season the wave forecast was wrong and generally they error on the bad side. I do more perch fishing than walleye fishing just a preference at the dinner table but do some walleye chasing in the early season then switch to perch when the summer heat picks up, less work more relaxing for me. I just retired this year myself and would like to get out more during the week but everyone else is working...go figure. Oh....welcome aboard !!

Any thoughts on dipsy divers vs. downriggers for walleyes? Where are the best perch fishing areas and what baits do you use for perch?

[Matt]

I personally never use or see the need to use a downrigger fishing the west end of the lake for eyes. It pretty shallow so I don't get it personally. From what I can tell nearly everyone either fishes the following: Big planer boards with either body baits or jet divers with spoons or harnesses, offshore planer boards (small inline boards) with the same things attached, or dipsys with spoons or harnesses on them. Any dipsy, jet or body bait you can get will get down to the bottom anyhow. For perch, can't get simpler than a crappie rig and a sinker with minnows... Make sure you get lake shiners! Perch spreaders are also good to use heck even an single sinker with a hook and minnow will work. I make my own rigs and have great success with them.