Fishing with Jim and Gary 5/17/2022

They met through WC and have become good fishing friends over the years. They traveled here to fish Lake Erie, and that's what we planned to do.

When I got up this morning, there wasn't much wind on my back deck yet, but after looking at the iWindSurf app, I knew that wasn't going to last long. The little arrows out on the buoys and islands were registering winds all over the place. To the west it was 20 out of the NW, and over on South Bass Island, it was reading 23 out of the NW, while Kelly's Island read only 3mph out of the NE. Marblehead started at 3mph and jumped to 16 within an hour.

With a forecast like that, I would normally cancel and reschedule if I could, but the TV weatherman said it was going to be 5-15 out of the NW, so I figured it would settle down and be fishable, if we gave it a little time.

I picked my guys up at the White Caps Motel, since it's so close to me, and I told them what I thought. I asked, "Are you hungry? We can go grab some breakfast and let it settle down a little, before we launch". They were agreeable...but, as we drove past the lake, down on Lake Shore Dr, I saw that the lake wasn't white-capping, so I said... "On second thought, let's just go to Catawba and check out the conditions...we'll make a decision from there. Again, they were agreeable.

We stopped for gas and ice...when I was pumping gas, I felt the wind gusting, so I made the decision to go get these guys some breakfast first, so we could waste some time. Jim and Gary were happy about that.

After a quick breakfast, we headed to Catawba to launch. We launched at 6:30, so it was too late to get my sunrise picture, but it was a beautiful morning. The winds were starting to lay down, it was a cool 50 degrees, I think...( I didn't check the exact temp this morning, but it felt like 50, to me). :)

The ride out on the water between the islands, known as the "South Passage", was rough. It wasn't bad, but it was a bit gnarly, due to the washing machine affect the winds were creating with the waves. It didn't know if it wanted to go NW or NE this morning.  I think we got a little of both.  But, the winds...they did lay down, and it was a beautiful morning to be on the lake. Blue skies, sunshine, fishing, friends, good venison sticks, and walleye make for a wonderful memory...don'tcha think?

We made it to the islands and set up in 31' of water with crawler harnesses on the starboard side, and Bandits on the port side.

Harnesses used (2) 1oz inline weights, and (2) 2oz inlines with (2) #6 Colorado blades and (1) #5 Hatchet blade, and (1) Bad Mo blade

1oz at 30 and 41' back behind the Off Shore boards

2oz at 25 and 27 feet

Speed was 1.6-1.7mph

Water temp was 58

We had two pullbacks on the harnesses at 25 back and 41 back...and caught two at 30 and 25 back. We went a long time with no action, so I felt the Bandits needed a chance at a faster speed, or the crawlers needed to go slower. So one, or the other had to come off. I chose the crawlers, because if I could get the crank bait bite going, then I don't have to mess with crawlers. I kind of feel sorry for them, as I hook them to their fate. lol

We ran Bandits on the starboard side at 35, 43, 53, and 61 behind Off Shore boards, and the port side ran at 30, 40, 50, and 60 back. 

Speed was 2.0-2.2mph.  

Eventually, all numbers took a fish at one time or another. Two took two fish. We only caught 12 today, so it wasn't a great bite, but we caught their limit to add to their fish fries, which made them happy, and that makes me happy. 

We used Chromes, painted, and glass baits. Colors were blue/chrome, perch chrome, Taco Salad,  and some I just don't know the name of anymore ...sorry. 

Jim, Gary, I will be out tomorrow again. I think we might launch out of Mazurik's and see what we can find. A southeast wind is forecasted for tomorrow....but, it will rain on us in the morning...then, clear, until around 4pm, where it will start raining again.  I hate fishing in the rain...it's sooooooo....it's so, wet. 

Stay tuned....

Capt Juls