Kelley's Island Area

[Regionrat219]

I am planning on fishing by Kelley's Island during the last week of April. I am looking for some advice/tips for this particular area? After reading some of the posts, I'm a little worried I may be too far east? Also, I was expecting to be jigging primarily, but it sounds like I should bring some harnesses as well? This is my second trip to the Kelley's Island area and last year, I was a shoe-in for Drum Angler of the Year... Needless to say, I'm out for some redemption. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

[wakina]

With the late spring it is really hard to say which method will be best. That area should be full of spawned out females at that time. I usually pull harness's that time of year but cranks also work well. I am not a crank bait fisherman except for fishing around the reefs during the spawn and then not very often so someone else will have to chime in on the crankbait bite. Either way, slow is the name of the game with 1 mph speeds not uncommon. There could be some jigging action on the shoals either American Eagle/Carpenter Point or Kelly Island Shoals being the most likely spots for jigging with Sun Rise Point also a possibility.

[Longliner]

As Wakina stated I like to use harneses that time of year and I agree with all he said. The weather water clarity and water temperature are usually the determining factors on where and how to fish. These vary year to year and week to week. Use the old tired trick of looking for the pack as they usually follow the active fish. With muddy conditions you may have to go further north to the area between Middle and North Bass. Hope to be out there the last week of April also.

[wakina]

I could be wrong but drum will most likely not be as active then as they will be later when the water warms some! If I was going to fish around KI I would start on the west side up on the northern point past the stone dock and work in the direction of the west side of Gull Island shoal, please remember that the gull shoal area is very unfriendly to boats, it can be very productive but if you are not familar with the area please get a chart or have a gps unit so you can stay away from the bad spots. There is a red can on the south east side of gull and that area can be extremly good that time of year, watch your sounder and when you get close to the shoals the bottom will start to come up very fast. I would not get into any water less than 15ft if you are not familar with where you are at around gull shoals as the depth can change very very quick. Fish along those ledges and drop offs in that area along the south side of gull. If you are not trolling then you may want to consider wt. forward lures for casting instead of harness's.

Most likely there will be a pack of boats further north from that point and close to the Canadian border, but I have never had to go that far. The pack will be located on a line from and between North Bass to Middle Island which is just inside Canadian waters. The heading from Kelly's to the west side of Gull should point you directly at them. They gather there every year and are usually in that area for a month to a month and a half. Once again please be careful around the Gull Shoals area!

Please feel free to ask any questions that you may have either on here which is best for the possibility of varied answers from other members, or by PM and I will try to answer them if I have any knowlege on the subject. If I don't know I will state so.

Good luck and stay safe.

[wakina]

I just want to be clear that I do not advocate or suggest that you should fish on Gull Island Shoals proper, but do advocate fishing the deeper water around the shoals, the fishing can be fantastic in that area this time of year. The shoals are one of the most dangerous shoals in the western basin! Stay off of the shoal and there is no problem.

[Fish Tales]

Wakina,

Running the track you mentioned what water depth contour are you trying to follow or stay in.

Thanks,
Kevin

[wakina]

Wakina,

Running the track you mentioned what water depth contour are you trying to follow or stay in.

Thanks,
Kevin

The track from the point on the north west side/corner of Kellys is due north, if you are reasonably close to Kellys that track will take you safley to the west side of Gull Is Shoals as long as you maintain the due north course. The area along this track is classic open water fishing, there should be plenty of fish in this area right now and on up to mid to late May and even into June. If you run that track you will see a large red bouy as you get closer to Gull it will be to the East North East or North NE, however you prefer to say it, and almost due East as you get to the west edge of Gull, and that bouy will mark the SE corner of Gull Shoals.
Along the south side of gull shoals there are alot of drop offs and ledges, you can be fishing in 25 to 30 ft of water on one side of the boat and 35 to forty on the other, especially if using boards to troll with, this area usually holds alot of fish but they can be real finicky.

I have included a link that you can click on, and there is a map of the area that we are talking about although it is for marking perch spots it is still the map of the ares we are talking about. Follow the west side of kellys and go due north on this map, on the right from that line there are 2 red X's close together and the furthest one on the right of those 2 is the approximate location of the red bouy marking Gull Shoals SE corner. You can also see the drop offs and ledges that I am refering to. They run sort of SE to NW. Either drifting or trolling the wind will have a big effect on how to fish this area along Gull.

Just North of those 2 red X's is extremely dangerous!! There are at least 4 spots that can damage your boat in that area!!
http://www.wbsa.us/denied/perchspots.jpg

[Fish Tales]

Thanks for the info I have tried the reefs the last two week ends with no luck. I'm thinking about pulling reef runners on the route you spoke about this coming Saturday.

Thanks,
Kevin