Old School or Smarter Fish?

[eriepro]

Here is the document explaining "the swing"...

[eriepro]

Here is the document explaining "the swing"...2nd try

[TIN CAN]

Danny Galbencia was a friend and fishing buddy of mine long before he invented the Erie Dearie or obtained his CG captains license. The only bait that was even close to productive that we had to fish was called a Heddon Spin fin. We learned that it was best fished in the count down style. Later after Danny released the Erie Dearie we found that it was an even better count down lure. In other words when you cast the lure out, you start counting as soon as it hits the water. You start reeling at 5 then 10 then 20 which was usually the bottom. Where ever you got a hit you repeated that count to set up a pattern. Danny was owner operator of Causeway sport shop at Mecca, Ohio. I used his old International truck to haul crawlers out of Canada and Fathead minnows from Minnisota. We fished Erie back in a magical time where none of the boats had radios and the first two charter boats on the lake were Sportsman 1 and Sportsman 2 owned and operated by Bart and Claudia Blaha. There was no limit on walleye, Blue pike were still catchable. As a rule Walleye will go up for a bait before they will go down. Fish above them you'll catch them. If they are suspended at say 20 feet and you pull a bait by under them they won't hit but above at say 15 they will go up for it. At least this has been my experience. Some of our best fishing was done from a blacked out boat after dark close in around the islands and on some of the outlying reefs. We would throw crank baits with a very slow retrieve and do very well. The point of all this rambling is to say that not too many people even have and Erie dearie in their box now much less know where, when and how to fish one. And as has already been said with the new water clarity, trolling will put many more fish in the box. But I still like to ease in right at dusk along the north shore of North Bass and catch a few in that shallow water.

[Panfisher1402]

Great Post Great Story Tin Can

[Hoss928]

Batter Up ! The swing is easy to describe. During the drift, while casting weapons or Erie Dearies. Depending on how your boat drifts doesnt really matter, its the direction you cast the lure. Cast perpendicular to the wind is one way to say it. Charter boats drift sideways so I cast parallel with the boat. If I am standing on the bow, I cast 30-50 ft straight off the nose in front of the boat. Lure hits the water, then you start your count to get to your depth. I always close the bail when the lure hits the water. Now as the boat drifts along, keep slack out of your line but dont reel much. Say you count to "ten", then start reeling slow. As you reel and the boat drifts along, your lure starts to come around towards the back of the drift or follow the boat. The lure picks up speed as it is coming around or " Swinging" around the follow the boat. The 12 o'clock to 9 o'clock movement of the lure is classically know as the Swing. During the swing most strikes or bites come at the 45 degree point when it changes speed. Once the swinging part is over and the lure is following the boat, reel up and cast again. The key is the count or sink rate and how fast you reel up. This starts mid May thru most of the year.

Well explained. Thank You very much.
Is this what people will be going to once the Jig Bite is done ?

[gregnwtf]

For a few weeks, most fish will be on bottom bouncers with worm harnesses.
Some will try throwing a harness, but more will come on a straight dragging harness just off the bottom. Smaller rigs with smaller blades are better during early May. Water is still cool so bare jigs and worms rigs will be most of what I will use during the next week or so.

[skipper9]

[QUOTE=gregnwtf;21284]For a few weeks, most fish will be on bottom bouncers with worm harnesses.
Some will try throwing a harness, but more will come on a straight dragging harness just off the bottom. Smaller rigs with smaller blades are better during early May. Water is still cool so bare jigs and worms rigs will be most of what I will use during the next week or so.[/Q
The trolling was very good over the weekend. We had some nice limits. I am starting to see a lots of the big fish laying on the bottom. Greg is absolutely right that the bottom bouncer bites should be just about to be on fire. Look for it in the next 2 or 3 degree chang in the water temperature. Good luck.

[fishkiller16]

What is the water temp now? Its 47° here in the Buffalo area, we have a group coming starting on saturday the 5th of may. We will be staying on South Bass Island. Ill be eliminating the bottom bouncers and using Snapper and Shark (2&4 oz) Torpedo Divers, and 20 &30 Jet Divers, & 5 color Lead Core. I caught over half of my fish last year in the Eastern Basin on Torpedo Divers. I'll post a thread next week on how we make out. Thanks in advance, Capt. Jim Skoczylas

[Sparky60]

Hi guys, just got done with our trip planning meeting. Thanks for all the replys. I am looking forward to the trip more each day, will be fishing out of south bass island May 5-11. It looks like we will be trolling worm harnesses, deep water near reefs during the day and if we get out early or stay out late we will be up over the reefs in shallower water. I have two more questions. I know alot of oeople have been fishing over by the Crib/Locust/Flatrock reef area, but with the firing range there, Is there a schedule, or certain days or hours, that this area can be fished? I know the Starve Island area holds alot of fish in early april when the big fish are in, is that area still decent in May or should I look elsewhere?

[fishkiller16]

sparky i will be there on south bass at the same time also, were staying at the island club.