Is it a walleye slowdown ?

[D.D.E.]

I am thinking about coming up to try for walleye around Kelleys and Marblehead this coming Sunday. The winds look favorable for my small 17 ft. boat. I am wanting some eaters. I do not see many good reports from that area lately, and I notice the charters are going out to west sister, even Canadian waters. I am not able to go that far, and am wondering if it is worth the trip up. I am bringing my son and hoping he will catch some so he will spend more time with me. (Yes I do have a motive)
Thank you for any info.
Dennis

[jonk]

Well things often slow down in the western basin this time of year... right now our problem is different, weeding through all the baby 1 year old fish to get some keepers.

If you're willing to do that you should do ok, and hey, the best day at work is still worse than the worse day fishing.

[basser53]

We are fishing around West Sister all directions for the past month. 2oz. bottom bouncers, harnesses,gold and purple have been best .1.7-2.0 gps speed. Doing just ok. Lots of short walleye 8 to 1 keeper ratio for us. Need lots of worms!! Hope this helps.

[Fishing Addiction]

You could get some shiners and try for perch they are close to shore this time of year either way will be fun to spend time with your son good luck.

[West Basin]

You are very limited in where you can go on Erie with that small a boat. Folks with small boats also often don't think of the boat wakes, especially on summer weekends. You are better off to go away from the big "packs" anyway to avoid being bumped around all day. I doubt your son would enjoy that.

If you don't mind the extra cost of the ferry over to Kelleys then take it and launch over at the State Park, north side. Fish the whole north side, from the northwest corner to Gull Island reef to the long point shoal. Much less boat wake. Almost always walleye there, just a matter of finding them and getting them to bite. Or launch from Mazuriks (ODNR) on Marblehead and fish the west side of Kelleys to South Bass (more boat wakes). Lots of spots to try at both. The big "packs" probably won't be either place so you'll have the areas to yourself and less boat wake.

I've often had the same or better luck fishing someplace else other than where the big fleets go, especially if the fishing is slow. You can find active walleye all over the place this time of year, so your chances of finding them with a small boat are as good now as ever. You might find the next hotspot. Also try, if possible, fishing in the evening after most boats are gone. There is an evening bite and you might be the only one who gets it.