Lake Erie: Early Spring Trolling Question

[HawkeyeMike]

I usually don't get my boat in the water until April 7 or so. My question is what's the earliest anyone has caught fish trolling crankbaits in the spring on Erie? I remember a few years ago a USFA tournament was held around March 30, and I think it was won on crankbaits. Should I forget the jigs and just start troling slow? I know the answer depends on the severity of the winter, but generally do some of you just start trolling on your maiden fishing spring trip, and skip the jigs?

[ETT]

You gotta do what you are comfortable with and confident in. I've caught walleyes trolling in Dec. & March. We catch em in the late fall with water temps below 40 degrees and I for one think you could catch under the ice on a plug, if there was a way to cover some ground.

Forget the jigs, well I sure wouldn't if that's the way your used to catchin them. But maybe take along a couple trolling rods and play while your looking for those tight bottom groups that are jigable. Good luck

[BRIAN]

Fished in the PWT tournament during the first week of april 2000, most of the pros were trolling crankbaits(reefrunners, husky jerks, etc.) and some crawler harnesses on in-line planers boards anywhere form 25 to 100 feet behind the board. No one was jigging though, alot of big fish mostly in the clear water.