View Full Version : Western Erie Fishing Report
I flew over the lake and saw about a dozen boats that apperaed to be fishing. Hope to hear about sucess
Brian Thomas
02-24-2002, 03:41 PM
I was on one of those boats fishing off of Rattlesnake today, Sunday. No luck for us after using Jigging Rapalas, Swedish Pimples, Cicadas and on. Water was stained. We only saw one fish netted and didnt hear of anyone else at the ramp that did any good either.
Fishman
02-24-2002, 05:31 PM
I went for a ride on sunday. The water by westsister to the west is crystal clear.Went to toledo harbor light from their and it was clear there also.
ollie
02-25-2002, 05:59 AM
I was one of those boats out there both saturday and sunday afternoons. We couldn't even mark a fish on saturday all the way from wild wings to right near west sister. We never had a bite all day and we fished till after 6.Water in that area looks great.On sunday we fished between mouse and green and although we finally marked a lot of fish and baitfish. We did have one bite and I managed to catch a couple of shad that actually hit the shiners on my spoon. Baitfish must be really heavy in that area as I have never expierenced that before.
Tom Franjesh
02-25-2002, 06:20 AM
I fished the West side of Rattle Snake on Sunday and came home empty handed. We marked many fish just off the bottom but didn't even get a hit. I can't understand why this always seems to happen to me. The water was stained and I would say the visibility was about 3' - 4'. Hope others have better luck.
Tom
ezmarc
02-25-2002, 06:22 AM
It's not just you Tom. There's some pretty good fishermen going home empty this year. Frustrating isn't it!
FreeByrd
02-25-2002, 09:13 AM
Stopped at the Catawba Ramp Sunday afternoon. Talked to guys from 3 different boats. Two of the boats had 4 fish each, and the other boat had 1 fish. They were jigging off of Rattlesnake. The guys that had 4 said they got them all early in the day.
Paul S
02-26-2002, 11:42 AM
On walleye.com, there was a guy talking about a 38" fish from shore near Marblehead. With the warm weather, does it make sense that the fish be in this shallow yet?
walleyeken
02-26-2002, 11:53 AM
I was up there and caught fish on vib-es out of turtle creek. just north of c can.
JCarp
02-26-2002, 05:00 PM
To answer your question, a big eye from shore off Marblehead at nite is very possible. The fish about 2 or 3 records back was caught from shore at nite in mid-late Dec off Marblehead. Another one of the more recent records was caught off a headboat fishing the Marblehead area during March (maybe April?). As for the 38" fish w/orange belly and spots...well...This is a copy of the referenced report off Walleye.com:
Date Fished: 2/20/02
Location: Marblehead
Water Conditions: choppy
Posted By: "WV PETE" tanisha_j_99@yahoo.com
2/20/02 10:46:04 PM Report ID: 3906
Report: At sunset we cast our lines, with 3" Rapalas( deep divers ), as we stood on the shore near East Harbor Park. We had Waylon on the box, and our tailgate fixins were all set up. No more than ten minutes elapsed when, all of a sudden, a 38" walleye broke water, twisting and splashing as it struggled for freedom from my line. After what seemed like an hour, we were able to net the tired fish, and admire its orange belly ( first walleye we've seen with orange coloration) and spots! We all can't wait to come back Thursday night and try our luck again.
-------------------------------------------------------
Please note, this is not my report. I've never caught a orange belly, spotted walleye. I may have lost a few that might have gone 38"...:)
bountyhunter
02-26-2002, 05:33 PM
I said before and here it is again YOU CAN"T CATCH WHAT AIN"T THERE . every body better wake up the eyes are in trouble.
Brian Thomas
02-26-2002, 07:03 PM
Oh boy, here we go again, the eye population thing. Nobody complained about the population last year, shut up and fish
I agree with Brian, plenty of fish to catch. Maybe not as many as mid-eighties, but better than just about anywhere else you can go. Adapt your technique and go gettum.
>I agree with Brian, plenty of fish to catch. Maybe not as
>many as mid-eighties, but better than just about anywhere
>else you can go. Adapt your technique and go gettum.
Buckeye
02-27-2002, 06:15 PM
Last year at this time everyone was predicting the end of walleye fishing in Lake Erie as we know it until the fishing season got going. Then we were too busy enjoying the best fishing I have seen in years. I never saw a post complaining about any lack of fish until winter this year. Maybe we need a separate message board that is for those who want to whine about the population of fish in Lake Erie. Get with the program, get out there and fish, and for heaven's sake let's give the "all the walleyes are gone" thing a rest.
the legend
02-27-2002, 07:59 PM
I hope you guys are right!!!! I've never fished erie or detroit river but I',m planning a trip for 14th. I'm new around here and i read about the commercial fishing and I figured Ibetter get in on some of this fishing before its gone or if it's not going anywhere to gewt my practice in so in a few years when it's hot like mid eighties I'll be ready fer em!!!
the BLUE PIKE ain't there , but there is STILL a healthy population of Walleye!!!!
(maby not an overpopulation, and yes tougher catching conditions~clear water, good baitfish populations, competition from other now recovering or thriving species....)
I think most of the whiners are the ones who can't seem to adapt to water thats gin clear and fish that can see what your offering, rather than just instinct biting from a vibration they couldn't see before but could follow and bite at cause it might be dinner. Now all whiners have to fish like all the rest of us who don't live next to Erie! We're lucky to get six fish in a week sometimes rather than limit everyday like you whiners are used to. I can hear ya now I been fishing here in Erie for 20 years and always caught my limit. Well that was then this is now get over it and adapt or get left behind by all the rest. Enough of this armchair I know more than the DNR ever could cr##. It'll come back but not in just one year like you all think it should. None of you whiners have given it enough time. My 2 cents!! CW
Drake
02-28-2002, 12:18 PM
I really dont understand why everbody is complaining about our walleye population. I live right on Lake erie and you have to adapt to the fish. The water is cleaner and the fish have more bait than ever to eat. Match the bait and match the hatch. These past 5 years have been the best fishing that I have had since the mid eighties. Im good firends with one of the lake erie bologist and he says our fish are stable and healthly, he said the population could rise a bit but these fish are the healiest he has ever seen. Whats the challenge of going out everday and catching your limit and then coming back in. Fishing is made for the fisherman to work for the fish and when limits are caught there is the satisfaction. Ever since the water has cleaned up I had to learn a new way to catch these fish and I have lived on lake erie my whole life. Just do your research and talk to locals if your not from here or charter captions they all seem willing to help. I was always told the fish are out there and catchable, but if you dont catch the fish, your doing something wrong. Shut up and fish, SON!!!!
CJHughes
02-28-2002, 02:39 PM
Well said Drake I feel the same way . I have fished Erie all my life things change nothing stays the same , if they are still throwing erie dearie they need to change .
Wild Bill
02-28-2002, 05:18 PM
You sound like an angry man,CJW.You must have had a bad day today.
CapnGreenCheese
02-28-2002, 06:56 PM
How many fish did you catch and what size? My boat is in the garage but can be pulled out if I hear the fish are hitting. Last year I got started to late. This year I don't want to miss the early action. Do you use live bait with those Vib-es. When's the next time you'll be heading out?
walleyelove
02-28-2002, 07:47 PM
>the BLUE PIKE ain't there , but there is STILL a healthy
>population of Walleye!!!!
>(maby not an overpopulation, and yes tougher catching
>conditions~clear water, good baitfish populations,
>competition from other now recovering or thriving
>species....)
Drake..
Why are you referring to everyone who lives on Erie as whiners?
There are many people here have spent a lifetime on the Lake and can remember whay the Lake used to be like. The population of walleye in Lake Erie is down by 2 thirds since 1980 something. I don't remember the peak year. I think this would allow any comment concerning the population dropping to 'hold water'.... and not be called a whiner just because one makes a comment like that and might have lived ones life on Lake Erie. Lighten up and listen. Also why do you need to give your fishing resume? Like anyone care how many fish you cought. That doesn't mean anything.
Ohio
Nope not angry just tired of hearing how bad Erie is. When its not even close to being bad. Go try Mille Lacs in Minnesota if you think its so rough here. You catch alot of fish and can't keep them because they don't fall into the slot. I can understand dicussing an issue once or twice but this is about the 25th post on the subject this winter alone. Nuff said!!!!!!!! CW
Brian Thomas
03-01-2002, 11:50 AM
Ohio,
Read Drake's post again, he didnt make any mention to people living on the lake as whiners, He lives right on the lake. Also every point he mentioned is valid. ADAPT or dont fish and complain.
Drake
03-01-2002, 06:20 PM
Well Ohio, if you read my post there was no mention of whiners in it. Also if you can read I just mention that the past 5 years were good fishing years. sounds like to me someone is just bitter
Drake. Yes I can read. I appolagise for my mistake. My letter was intende for cjw.. who wrote things like...
"I think most of the whiners are the ones who can't.....Now all whiners have to fish like all the rest of us who don't live next to Erie..... like you whiners are used to. ....and always caught my limit. ...bla bla... I know more than the DNR ever could cr##. It'll come back but not in just one year like you all think it should. None of you whiners have given it enough time. My 2 cents!! CW
also the past few years were good. They just aren't what they used to be and I don't want to see this downward trend continue.
also cjw. I was just wondering how you know more that all of the biologists working for the DNR?.. as you stated.
"cought my limit every time."..etc.. and you say..those of us who live here and say how the fishing is nothing like it was before (although still good but not when compared to 14 years ago) are all "whiners". Its these people who could ruin the lake.
Yes conditions have changed but the pop is still down by 2/3 s from the 80's. I don't think any of us want to see this continue.
also Drake you obviously fish on the western basin. the other 2/3 rds of the Lake didn't catch a darn thing this season compared to the WB. Its a big lake.