Lake Erie West of everyone.

[Capt.Nick]

I been fishing from Breast Bay all the way down to Peele Island and ill bet im getting 10 small walleyes to every keeper walleye.Is this normal for this time of year.If not wow what a year its going to be next year when these babies are a little bigger.Even the perch are on the small size this year what happened to all the big ones.

[FreeByrd]

Nick,
You are seeing the reality of what the experts are calling one of the the best walleye hatches in history in spring 2003. The little guys are everywhere. We dealt with them most of the summer in Lorain. Running bigger lures seems to help some, but sometimes you just need to try and move someplace else - but they do seem to be everywhere. It is gonna be fun down the road for sure.

Steve

[k Gonefishin]

If they bite like they do now when they are bigger just from there being so many fishing won't even take but an hour or two to limit everytime you can do it now but next year and 06' is going to be off the hook or shall I say on the hook LOL. They are everywhere no matter where you are fishing. In 12 years the spring nite bite my favorite will be sick with 12 lbers, now it's 8's and 9's it will be great.

[Terroreyes]

I mentioned in other reports that I've NEVER seen so many small perch on any waters I've ever fished, even inland lakes. Lots of walleye fingerlings this year also. In a year or two, us youngsters are going to get a taste of what walleye and perch fishing used to be on Erie. Thank mother nature for being kind the last two springs. No data on this year yet, but I'll bet it wasn't too bad either.
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[walleyeguy3700]

I would like to try the night bite this spring when I return from Iraq. Is it good around the Brest Bay area? What time of year?

[j9f]

There are more than I have ever seen and I fish the exact same area you describe. Last fall, we caught more than ever when perch fishing. That was a good sign. I have caught them while perch fishing in the past.

Trolling this year confirmed it. While trolling once this year things got slow. I checked all 10 lines and had a small walleye on every one. I caught more fish under 9" per week than I did in the past 20 years of fishing combined. Just try to shake them off the hook and tell them to come back in two years, better yet 8 years.

[Toolman]

It will be interesting to see what happens to the growth rates of these fish as they mature compared to the historical growth rates. I wonder if the huge '03 hatch will actually consume so much forage in the next few years that growth rates slow for all fish. If that happens at least the good news is they will be hungry! I also wonder if the typical forage thins, what the effects will be on secondary forages such as perch, gobies, etc.

[Hook-N-Book]

Toolman,
Just a thought here. Wouldn't it stand to reason that if the walleye had an excellent hatch last year that the forage base would have had an equally great hatch, therefore producing enough to sustain the large walleye hatch. I do believe that some of these species of forage fishes spawn during the same time as the walleye and some don't. You have to wonder though!

Good luck and be safe...See Ya! :)

[Toolman]

I'm not sure, but I think the average lifespan of a forage species is much shorter than that of a walleye. I just hope we don't end up with a lake full of 24" fish that weigh 3 pounds! I guess I was wondering out loud-so to speak. I hope the Ohio Sea Grant discussion board comes back soon!

Tim

[Amanda Too]

The western basin (I consider the islands west) is a rookerie for the baby walleyes. In my opinion you'll consistantly catch bigger walleye from the sand bar east in the summer. In the spring of course the big eyes will be in the island area. For the bigger eyes trailer your boat and fish the bar or east.

I agree that this year Ive seen more fingerling eyes than ever---by faaar. In a couple of years it should be awesome!

Good Luck.

[Lazy Eye]

Ok I know no data nor do I keep up on any reports of hatches--Sorry I am just lazy---I strickly fish for fun currently and do not profit off the walleye. I have fished Erie for 18 years caught walleye a plenty, until this year I do not think I have ever caught a fingerling, I have caught several this year along with everyone else!!! What I am wondering is if the little walleye and perch could have come out of some hatcheries??? Meaning are they man made???---Just a thought but also a possibility----If so how will this effect there growth rate-reproduction-etc--This is just a thought I have been pondering--Not trying to be negative , just hope I am not being duped by the powers that be.

[B Thomas]

So Mike when are you getting your boat? Did I hear you are getting a Grady White??

[Terroreyes]

Those are made by mother nature. I don't think they stock walleye on Erie or many, if any, connecting waters in the western basin.
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[Lazy Eye]

Hi Brian, still working on getting the boat---Should get it with in the next couple of weeks or bust!!!----Hoping to do some fall fishing like we did last year.My work schedule has been really screwed up and have only been out on the water a few times with Kevin---Told the boys upstairs come fall, color me gone-Not just for fishing but also for the hunting that I like to do. I hope I can catch that 13 14 pounder and be done with it---lol.

Ok if all these little ones are from mother nature, why in the past 18 years that I have been fishing, have I not caught any? Nor have I seen reports in past years of other folks catching them in such mass quantities!!! Don't get me wrong I think it is great that we have em! How do so many fry survive the dreaded goby??? etc etc...

[Papascott]

Lazy the little ones being caught this year are from last years record size hatch. All of the variables needed for a boom hatch were present last year and as a result the number eggs that made it to fry and fry to fingerling was as high as it has ever been.

I have caught little ones in the past but nothing like this year. The closest would have been during the early eightys we would catch a few on every perch trip, nothing like catching them on full size spoons half as big as they are.

Scott

[Reel_Magic]

Hay Scott! I remeber 80,81 ,82 I had days when I handled as many as 50+ on a givin day perch fishin. I also had days on the ice with 100 plus 4 year olds. I know it sounds like a fish story and I'm happy to say i was around to see it happen. I heard rumors that the 04 hatch may have been decimated by the 03 hatch.Who knows? I have started night fishing. Pickin at em, Workin on an air boat for this year,

[Terroreyes]

The Mich DNR officer that spoke at our local walleye club said that they have not accounted for even ONE single walleye from the 02 hatch. I think the '04's should be OK. I'll occasionally catch same year walleye while panfishing in shallow waters in the river. All the ferocious '03's seem to definitely be in the lake. Haven't caught even one in the river.

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[Trophy]

Mike,you have mail.