04-27-2003, 04:36 AM
Them smallies just love love love crayfish. As with most bass, they also like a crank bait and of couse the jig set up as you mentioned (tubes are also a good choice). Just get to the island's area and talk to the locals there, they should be able to direct you to a few choice spots. Like I said before, smallies are way underfished in Lake Erie, and I would bet anything that there are numerous trophies just waiting for the right cue. Even I don't take advantage of the bite here like I should.
Walleye fishing that time of year is usually pretty steady. You will be seeing fish anywhere from 15" to 30" weighing 2 to 10+ pounds. Those big hogs are abundant and a blast to land. The weight forward spinner bait, like an Erie Deerie, tipped with nightcrawler is my favorite way to go. Casting out of the boat with a count down method works well for me. Find the fish and note their depth on sonar, cast out and count one second for every foot of depth. When you have a good drift, the retrieve is medium to slow with some short pauses. Walleye really like this presentation, but I have caught just about every kind of fish in the lake doing this: fresh water drum, catfish, white bass, perch, and even a few steelhead trout. That's what I like about the Lake, you just never know what might hit.
Trolling is also very productive for the walleye, but you will need a bit more equipment. Charters like to use Dipsy Diver's or planer board set ups with spoons or shallow diving baits. The number of fish caught this way may be more, but my first choice would still be casting and difting. I like the fight a lot better with my medium action spinning rods.
Any way you go, there is a good chance you will land a nice size catch and definitely have a great time. Be prepared to be "hooked" on Lake Erie fishing. I'll be glad to share anything else I know to get you going.
[signature]
Walleye fishing that time of year is usually pretty steady. You will be seeing fish anywhere from 15" to 30" weighing 2 to 10+ pounds. Those big hogs are abundant and a blast to land. The weight forward spinner bait, like an Erie Deerie, tipped with nightcrawler is my favorite way to go. Casting out of the boat with a count down method works well for me. Find the fish and note their depth on sonar, cast out and count one second for every foot of depth. When you have a good drift, the retrieve is medium to slow with some short pauses. Walleye really like this presentation, but I have caught just about every kind of fish in the lake doing this: fresh water drum, catfish, white bass, perch, and even a few steelhead trout. That's what I like about the Lake, you just never know what might hit.
Trolling is also very productive for the walleye, but you will need a bit more equipment. Charters like to use Dipsy Diver's or planer board set ups with spoons or shallow diving baits. The number of fish caught this way may be more, but my first choice would still be casting and difting. I like the fight a lot better with my medium action spinning rods.
Any way you go, there is a good chance you will land a nice size catch and definitely have a great time. Be prepared to be "hooked" on Lake Erie fishing. I'll be glad to share anything else I know to get you going.
[signature]