Where should I go fishing?

[LakeErieNewbie]

My buddy just bought a 19' boat with 175HP motor and we've been trying to fish in Lake Erie Central Basin. We have been launching from Edgewater Park in Cleveland, OH and we're trying to find a good fishing spot for that area. Anybody have any good ideas on where to go? We're looking for Walleye and Perch. We've got 2 downriggers (actually 3 but can't figure out where to attach the third one...) and some dipsy divers. Should we troll or drift? Any info would be great! Thanks.

[groovymoe]

If I were you, I would fish the western basin for a couple of reasons.

1. shallower water means less searching to find the fish.
2. Don't try to master a bunch of techniques all at once. It sounds like downrigger fishing, and dipsey's may be new to you.
3. Learn the fish. Learn how weather, temperature, wave conditions etc. effect the fish.
4. Understand from the beginning it will take time to get "good" at what you do, whether it be casting, trolling, or drifting.
5. acknowledge that what works for one guy may not work for you. For example, when the lake gets flat, and everybody is trolling, I actually do better casting. Other people I have taken out cannot buy a fish under those conditions.
6. Keep on fishin' and fishin' and fishin'
Lots of luck.
groovymoe

[pwuebker]

Got to go where the fish are first, they're all at Geneva as of nexct week. LOL

[LakeErieNewbie]

Well, it would be nice to fish Western Basin but I live in Cleveland. On average, I want to fish after I get out of work and on the weekends. I really don't want to drive all the way out to Marblehead and the Islands to fish. (At least not on an average basis.)

What I am really looking for is any info from people who are fishing near Cleveland and how they're doing. Downriggers are new to me but they don't seem that complicated. I've read a lot of reports and I think I'm doing okay with them. I've been using Dipseys for a while but not very frequently because I usually fish pretty shallow waters in Canada and don't need them. Anyway, practice makes perfect and I'm looking to become "Proficient"!!!

[sloopjb]

Try www.cliftond.com. This fellow is a wealth of info for areas just west of you. His site has a great deal of info for somebody starting out...hope it helps. Good Luck!