Bolles Harbor this past weekend

[J. Flowers]

Trolled Lk Erie, South West of Bolles Harbor, Saturday afternoon for about 3 hours, 12' out to 20' Nothing, very few fish marked. Was the only boat out there. With the bad weather report for Lk MI decided to go to Lk Erie. Would like to see reports from the areas near mouths of Maumee River and Detroit river. It seems that they should be staging there.

J. Flowers
flowersjody@yahoo.com

[Dan(MI)]

I was there last Saturday just driving by and didn't see any docks in. Did you try vertical jigging by the lighthouse just off the shipping channel, I've seen past reports of guys doing well this time of year, however I've never tried it.
Go Fishin
Dan

[kurt]

J.
We fished the same area the weekend before. My six year
old son caught one when were drifting for perch. We tried trolling
later and nothing. Couldn't mark any fish either. Let me know
if you are going out in that area again. Maybe we could keep
in touch and cover twice the water.

[J. Flowers]

Regarding the question about vertical jigging near the lighthouse near the shipping channel. I did not. I trolled. The location was out to about 4 miles Southwest of Bolles. Used reef runners, deep divers, little rippers and hot n tots on inlines. By the way Den at Den's Outpost has a good deal on seconds of Reefrunners if he has them. My plan was to jig with minnows if I came upon some marks. I never did.

Where exactly is the light house you mention? Is it near turtle island? That is the area I wanted to fish but I was alone and didn't have much time by the time I got in the water. Decided not to run that far. I checked Cullen Park to launch but being alone there was no way. Nothing to tie up to. Checked Luna Pier city docks, there are permanent docks there but I heard the river was low and the trailer would fall off the ramp. At Bolles I was able to tie up to the sea wall, north side of the river. It will be nice when the docks are in.

Something I neglected to mention in first report. The water temp in that area varied drastically. Most of the time was around 37 deg. Got up to the mid 40's in shallower then in the river was back to around 37. Was probably from the power plant to the north. Where is the discharge of that plant? Can you fish near it or is it too shallow?

I would appreciate exchanging info while out there. My boat: Miss Lucia, 19' white center console. I usually have my radio on scan.

J. Flowers
flowersjody@yahoo.com

[Tom (mich)]

I'll try to help. There are a couple of lighthouses. I assume the one that was referred to previously was the Toledo lighthouse - marking the entrance of the shipping channel into the Maumee. There's also the Detroit Lighthouse, obviously marking the entrance into that river. I know that the Toledo Light is a spring hot spot for jiggers. It should be easily visualized on any quality map, and obviously is well in Ohio waters. You should be able to see it from Turtle Island, which interestingly lies exactly on the Michigan/Ohio border, so I'd advise both licenses.

There is a warm water discharge just north of the Bolles entrance. In fact, you can fairly easily get your boat into it - it's a virtual inland lake in itself. Inside you'll find water temps well into the 60's this time of year - we've had a blast in there in years past catching white bass, smallmouth, and absolute monster channel cats. I believe the "stacks" just south of Luna Pier also produces warm water.

[Dan(MI)]

Tom was right, I meant the Toledo Lighthouse. It is very near Turtle Island, many folks jig between the two of them early in the year for pre-post spawn eyes. But like you said if you got into the marks you would have jigged. Might want to try drifting through there, maybe some of the big fatties were lying bellie to the bottom in which case you may not have marked them anyhow.
Just a tip, I should just shut up and go fish myself.
Dan

[Rick]

For the past two weekends I have fished by the Toledo Harbor Light and have done well. I caught 15 fish in four days fishing about four hours each. Have been using swedish pimples and minnows. Just some insight I fish as a pro in many tournaments and have done well so it takes some good skills to catch them right now. So good luck

[RIVERRUNNER]

I have to agree that jigging will out produce trolling right now, I like a control drift w/ current or wind, call it draggin. I'll shut up now, just a theory proven from the detroit. Good luck