Talked to Dad last Thursday and asked what he wanted to do this weekend? The winds were looking good so I suggested Erie. After some back and forth we decided to go for smallies on Saturday and Walleye on Sunday.
We were a little slow on the mark for smallies on Saturday. Getting to the lake around 9am we set off to the reef. We casted and jigged for an hour with only rockbass and a couple drum to show for it. Well, the itch to troll bit and I was setting up a couple long lines with shallow diving shad raps.
We worked the first break on the reef, 9' to 13' - back and forth. I was the first to get a decent fish.
Couple more small sheepers and dad picked up a better bass.
We didn't get much after that and called it an afternoon.
Saturday night I recruited my buddy George for the next day. Wanted a 3rd person for a couple more rods
Launched at Fishmasters for 6am and made our way out onto Erie. We picked up our worms that morning at Bills Bait here in Hamilton. Tim directed me to some decent water to start.
Directly out of Maitland, 85' of water, we game off plane and started marking huge hooks...both suspended and on bottom. Tim advised the best fish were coming off the riggers set on bottom....
I ran four boards, 5 colour core on all of them...the outside straight five colour and a worm harness, the inside five colour and a three ounce snap weight...on those I ran a three way rig with a reef runner on the bottom and a ripplin redfin on the top on one side, a power dive and a worm harness on the three way on the other side.
On the riggers I ran worm harnesses.
I haven't fished Erie for Walleye in a few years. Getting Dad and George up so early they were expecting results, lol.
I was thrilled when the first rigger started "slow bouncin" while I was still setting up the spread.
Gave it to George....sweet...the intended species 10 minutes into fishing.
Got the spread setup and before long the rigger started slow bouncin again.
I was super happy...only two fish in the boat...but at least I wasn't skunked...The rigger went two more times in the next hour....two bigger walleye. Gotta love the popped eyes...70' down over 85' and the fish were being cranked up
We were four for four without any drum...I was surprised.
The inlines were silent. I couldn't get anything to go except for the odd white bass....I tried different rigs, three ways, straight harnesses, drop weights, nothing ....
We caught another walleye on the rigger and things got a little quiet.
It was almost 10am....sun started shining and it was getting hot...
I was really starting to doubt my inlines when the inside board pulling the five colour, 3 ounce snap weight, three way with reef runner / ripplin redfin fired...a 3lbs'er on the ripplin redfin.
One more on the rigger, then finally, the five colour (no snap weight) straight worm harness caught the final walleye....
It was noon and it was hot. We were thrilled with our morning.
Snapped this one final shot before getting to work on the filleting.
Heading up north next week for another week of bassin'
Noticing temps dropping to 10 degree's up there next week...fall bassin
Login
Register
FAQ
Search
