View Full Version : Ashtabula bite
Any 'eyes being caught out of Ashtabula? Will have a few days this week to try to get a few for a fish fry. We must drive about 250 miles each way to get to the lake and info on this great board surely helps us with decisions about where to fish. If any spot between Cleveland and Dunkirk might be a better place to try, we will appreciate any suggestions.
jj from WV
ezmarc
08-25-2002, 07:57 PM
JJ,
The eyes were on fire north of Geneva in between the 00 and 08 north lines this weekend. A lot of Ashtabula boats were out there and it almost looked like the west basin with all the small packs of boats.
Thanks, ezmarc. We plan to leave early Wed morning to give the Geneva/Ashtabula area a try!!
jj
Tom S.
08-26-2002, 09:35 PM
As of Tuesday evening, they were still there. Got 7 in that area Sunday evening in 2 1/2 hrs. Tuesday evening it took 2 of us just over 4 hours to get 12. Big thundersticks 340 back on wire, worm harnesses 320 back on wire. Everything off boards.:-)
let me know how you do jj. i'm planning on takeing dad there this coming weekend and it's a 4 and a half hour drive for us. thanks!
greg
oh!! i am also from west virginia.
Finaddict
08-27-2002, 03:25 AM
What is the size of the fish being caught in Geneva? Were catching fish off cleveland and for the most part there all eaters.
We caught fish there on Fri, Sat, and Sun. Our smallest fish was 2.5lb. We also had 3 steelies that went close to 28 inches. I saw alot of 6 to 9 lb fish this weekend. Good luck if you get out.
Stinky Fingers
08-27-2002, 06:04 AM
We fished the 08N 59/58W lines on sunday, all our fish came off of yellow headed wonderbread reefrunners on wire 225 behind the big boards. We were trolling 1.8-1.9GPS speed. The smallest eye that we got on the cranks was 5.2 lbs. We ended up with 9 on sunday, biggest was 8.8lbs.
There is a HUGE school of fish out there right now. We marked/caught fish from the 09N to the 00N lines and from the 57.5W to the 00W lines...
Hopefully they are still there this weekend.
Good Luck
Jason
Ginamaria
08-27-2002, 08:07 PM
Two weeks ago the bite was 10 miles to the east. '40-43 longitude. Do you more expierienced guys think this bite further west means the fish are already headed back west or is it just a school roaming the area. It seems early to me. My best day last year was the second week of Sept at '10 lat/'43lon. I have some big trips planned this year Brother from out of town and other VIPs. Will I need to make a long run west from Ashtabula or Will I be able to fish the 40-48 lon that I'm used to
Please respond if you have any thoughts on this.
Thanks Bob Dlwgosh aboard the Ginamaria.
We fished the WWA tourney up there last weekend and the story at the ramp was that the fish were starting to head back west. I don't know I don't have the experiance that others do. But I can tell you that I hope they move a few miles every day so that I won't have to drive so far to catch them. If the weater holds this year it should be a great fall bite. That was one huge pack of fish.
Eyetroller
08-28-2002, 06:24 PM
Was out for a boat ride Sunday afternoon 42.09/80.43 Caught 6 walleye in 3 1/2 hours between 1:00pm & 4:30pm. All on crawler harness and large dipsys set at #3 160 back & set at #1 1/2 120 back. Also had 2 broken lines and lost 2 at the boat. We did not expect much, the way things have been this year, this was a welcome surprize. Fish were 20" to 25"all were very fat by the look of these fish food is not a problem.
Just arrived back from Geneva. In two days, we caught 10 'eyes and 4 silver bullets with one measuring 28" at 11 #'s. One charter brought in 27 'eyes on Thursday to be cleaned at the Geneva State Park. Just a side note though: We saw hundred of dead and dying fish along the shoreline at the state park marina. Most were very large drum but a few dead walleyes and small mouth bass were mixed in. Many were floating in the surf still partially alive. A very, very sad sight indeed.
Thanks to all who replied to my original message. This board is just great and I think were all appreciate Scott and his "helpers" who maintain this site for the benefit of hundreds of walleye fishermen and fisherwomen!!
jj from WV
thanks for the info jj! i'm leaving for there in about 10 minutes. i'll be back monday night. i'll post when i get back. by the way, where in wv do you live? i am 20 miles east of morgantown.
greg
JJ,
Could you please let me know what lat/lon numbers you fished? I'll be fishing Geneva tomorrow. Also, what seemed to be the hot bait?
Brad, from Pittsburgh
Greg,
Hope you have a great trip to Erie!! I live just a few miles off Exit 67, I-79 near Sutton.
jj
Brad,
The best bite seemed to be about 12 miles out of the Geneva State Park Marina at a bearing of about 10 degrees (vicinity of N42.04 & W80.54). We got most of our fish (including the steelhead) on blueberry muffin stinger spoons. We used the large dipsies (with rings). Number 3 settings run back about 170 feet seemed to produce best for us. Based on the "radio talk" others were having luck on reefrunners and worm harnesses. Hope you have a safe and productive trip!!
jj
jvolpe28
08-31-2002, 09:10 AM
how far out is the perch pack as of 8/31?
CarpetBagger
08-31-2002, 09:38 AM
JVolpe, 5 mile north of conneaut...huge perch pack there tons and tons of jumbos. Limited out in 1.5 hours 2 guys.
CB
Were shiners available???
08-31-2002, 01:50 PM
Seems every time I go to conneaut only salteds or fatheads can be found. What were you using?
Scott
jvolpe28
08-31-2002, 04:25 PM
carpetbagger, how long do you think until the pack is closer to the lighthouse at Connie ?
CarpetBagger
09-01-2002, 07:03 AM
Well, probaly not until mid/late september you might see the perch moving it to shallower areas where they will be during the winter months. Other than that just wait for those cold north east blows that turn the lake over, this usually gets everything moving like the steelies in the creeks, the walleyes start moving west (least the few that came east will) and the perch start to shallow up.
I have never seen Yellow Perch like this before, last year was an amazing season for them, but this year is actually better, kinda gives us Central basin fishermen an alternative when those toothy critters cant be found. There probaly has been 10 days where the walleye fishing was stinking and we came in and loaded up on the perch.
As for minnows, if you are fishing the weekends, get to the bait stores ASAP, usually in conneaut they are cleaned out by 8am, we like to use The golden shiners they work pretty darn good.
CB
jvolpe28
09-01-2002, 02:23 PM
thanks CB please keep me posted on the yellows...just waiting for them to again come into reach of my 9.9...thanks and good fishing JV
waves were a little bigger than the nws called for but not a bad trip. biggest eye was 8.5 lbs. fished straight north of geneva 13 to 16 miles. most fish caught on downriggers set at 65ft./crawler harness with black/chartruse/orange blade with chart. beads and orange float. few on NK28 purple thunder and small mich stinger in blueberry muffin. i run the spoons on 7 color lead. good luck!!!!
greg
p.s. no steelies.
jvolpe28
09-03-2002, 05:17 PM
Scott , buy your bait at KIGHTLINGERS the bait shop at the house a mile or so from the harbour , not only will you find shiners you will find all the info you need for whatever fish your chasing and kind people running the shop, see the wise old man (curtis) he knows his stuff!!! to heck with snug harbour
tamos46
09-04-2002, 05:15 PM
I fish out of astabula every weekend. Catching a few eyes around the 01 line north and the 41 line east.Seen charters with as many as 40 walleyes and 20 steelhead. They are not saying where but i think there going out over 22 mile north east. I'm going to try there this weekend. On channel 66 ( brickhammer). My boat is a 27 ft. Sport-Craft. Give me a shout.
Tim.
I've been out every weekend since early July. The fish have moved alot but we've found them. This past weekend full limits were caught but they were long hard runs. The fish are on the Pa line. Last weekend with the south wind we ran in close all the way past cooneaut to the line and trolled north. Steelies by the buckets full were there too. No particular lures or color they hit everything. well I'll be out there this weekend hope to see everyone there!
GOOD FISHING!
BILL
My friend went out of Ashtabula last Wed,Thu,Fri with a charter. Below is a part of an e-mail he sent me after getting back home. I don't think he will mind that I share his report with readers on this board.
"Hello Jerry, We ended up fishing 3 days, Wednesday was very rough with rolls in the 4 to 6 area with high wind. ( 15 eyes, 3 perch ) ; Thursday we limited out with ( 36 eyes, 1 steel head ) we caught several sheep head and several white bass both days. Friday we hit the Mother Load. ( 36 eyes, 15 steel head ) we were out 20 miles, limited out and were back at the dock before 1pm. We were hopping with as many as 4 fish on at a time."
jj
skipjack
09-05-2002, 09:00 AM
does anyone have a phone # kightlinger bait shop in conneaut.
thanks
jvolpe28
09-05-2002, 03:20 PM
kightlingers = 440-593-4585