Memorial Day

[gb1234]

I heard it would be too muddy and I heard it would be too buggy. But the wave forecast was for "slight chop" and there was no moon last night. So we headed out of Mazurik's before sun up. The plan was to fish east of Kelly's and circle counter-clockwise around the island looking for marks. But due east of the southern end of Kelly's, in 42 fow, we started marking fish. The water there was not muddy. No bugs. So we put in our lines and headed ENE at 2.0 sog.
We had a purple bandit 80 back unassisted, a purple flicker minnow 110 back unassisted, a couple mostly orange spoons with 2oz weights at 20+60 and 20+80, and a couple crawler harnesses with 2 oz weights, 20+30 back and 20+ 40 back.
By the time we got about half way up Kelly's in 44 fow, we had one of our two limits, so we turned around and trolled back to where we started. There were about 35 boats in sight over there at that time but more were coming. We did start to get some midges by 8am but they weren't bad.
We ended up with our 12 eyes plus 2 tasty drum by 8:55 am. Biggest eye was 28". Threw back 3 shorts. Had a triple and a double today, which hardly left me any time to eat my Pop-tarts. Only one eye on the worms. Other lures caught multiples.
One big fat walleye still had her eggs. I didn't find that out until I got home because the cleaning station was padlocked closed. What's up with that? They have a sign saying it is open from 9am to 9pm. I can't imagine why it can't be open 24x7. But it was closed today at 9:45 am when we needed it.
Didn't bother me too much, though, because that's my fastest limit on Lake Erie ever. Awesome day on the lake!

[PatSea]

Sounds like a great day. Thanks for the report!

[nickpaolini81]

Saturday and Sunday (5/24 & 5/25) we casted among the pack west of Gull Island Shoal. 30-35 fow gold worm harnesses and gold erie dearys took the day. got 50 out of 60 over the 2 days plus 2 perch. not much junk, maybe 6 sheepshead over 2 days and about 10 throwbacks. Water looked good even after Friday's blow......Sunday was the most boats I've ever seen in the islands. at least 200 boats. Midges were there, but not bad enough to be annoying.

[penalty box]

nice job not sure about the tasty drum. were they sheep head? Did you eat them?

[gb1234]

Well, sheepshead are actually a salt water fish. The species everyone around here calls "sheepshead," are really freshwater drum.

People complain about catching them, and call them "trash fish," but they're actually excellent table fare. They taste less "fishy" than walleye, and they have firmer meat, which holds up much better in chowders, and is just more satisfying to chew. In my opinion, freshwater drum filets are almost indistinguishable from boneless chicken breast.

They do need to be cooked a little longer than walleye. Otherwise they will be unpleasantly "stringy."

They have a thicker backbone, so the fillets end up a lot thinner than you would expect for such a big fish. So I throw back the small ones. I also throw back the huge ones. My thinking is that the older drum might contain more toxins.

I'm always happy to add medium-size drum to my live well. It's bonus protein - over and above my walleye and perch limits.

[Ole fisherman]

Back in my younger days, my Uncle kept the sheep's head and made poor mans shrimp from them. He claimed they needed to be eaten fresh, as they did not freeze well at all. He would slice the fillets into strips then boil them and when cooled, dip them into cocktail sauce ! They did taste similar to cold shrimp.

[penalty box]

i've heard of the poor mans shrimp but never tried it.
i'm afraid of a gottcha

[gb1234]

Definitely going to try the "shrimp!"
By the way, we always freeze drum (in ziplocks) - no problem.

[Ole fisherman]

Your right he first person to say that sheep she ad are good after freezing ! For more than 50 years, all I have ever heard is sheep ahead turn to mush m me mashed potatoes after they thaw.......wives tales ???