Fishing Erie

[bassnleo]

As Bassnleo wrote, a 1-2 foot chop is good fishing on Erie, but I've caught the absolute whales in waves as big as I'll fish, which is around 5-7 feet. We use two drift socks on those days, the big ones, and you'd be surprised how much two drift socks will do to stabilize the boat. Of course, that doesn't keep a rogue wave or [50] from flooding the boat, which is why we also have two bilge pumps, one manual and one automatic.

A few years ago I took my then-19-year-old daughter out for a day with dad in five to sevens. She about killed me before we got to the spot (18-mile run), but once we got the drift socks out, she was ready to fish. Almost immediately, she complained that her bait was hung on the bottom, but when she handed me the rod, I handed it back and told her to start reeling!! Eventually she got that 6 3/4 in the boat, and she caught a couple of fives a short while later. We only fished about 2 1/2 hours, but still caught 50 pounds of bass.

We don't go out in the middle of the lake in that kind of weather anymore (my daughter and I), but she'll tell anyone who will listen about the big fish she caught. We're talking a bass whose head looked pin-sized because his body was so big.

My best days have also come on big wave days, it just un-nerves me too much anymore to be out in those 5-7's. I stick to the bay when it gets that bad.....

[frogtog]

I've got a tournament on Ontario out of Henderson Harbor on 9/8 - 9/15

Never been on water that big before. You guys are talking Hugh waves, we

have rough water in NC to but it consists of 3 - 4'. Why am I going up there

with a 20' bass boat? :-[  I have never fished for smallies but I guess I'll learn.

If I get back alive I will let you know how I did.

[BASS fisherman]

I asked the Toyota Rookie of the Year leader, Derek Remitz this question yesterday during an online chat:

Andy in Pennsylvania: I have a tournament coming up this weekend on Lake Erie. What lure and pattern suggestions do you have?

Derek Remitz: (2:53 PM ET ) Drop shotting is the way to go at Erie. You need to be good with your electronics to put yourself on bass. Then drop a drop shot worm or goby down to them.

Derek Remitz: (2:55 PM ET ) Look for subtle depth changes to hold the bass. Any type of depth change can hold fish. At this time of year, I'd try 27-45 feet deep. If you find the depth changes they're on, you'll do well if you get above them and work them vertically. If the water's rough, you'll have to drift or cast to them.

Derek Remitz: (2:56 PM ET ) For my drop shotting on Erie, black and white was a good color combination, but I'm not sure that color matters if you can put the bait in front of the fish.

[frogtog]

How about vertical jigging with a Hopkins spoon? I have done a lot of this on the local lakes. I also love to use my Sweet Beaver with a 1/2oz weight in 15 - 25'

of water. What do think?

[jenga]

Hey if you are able to get a Woods and Water mag. from MI there is a great article on smallies and where to fish in both Lk. St. Clair and Lk. Erie.  I think you can get it at www.woods-n-waternews.com the phone number is 800-387-7824.

Jenga

[HPBB]

Fishing erie in the waves can be good, but alittle scray. Was up there this weekend Out of Erie Pa. Sat the waves were bad 6-8 with some bigger. Ask Fishingpunk, her first time out there and its was bad. Standing in the bow of a Alumacraft 17 foot Deep V when we went down in the wave I was looking eye to eye and sometimes up at the next wave. We were the only boat that went out. Talked to a guy in a 21 foot Ranger Walleye boat and he would go out in it. Though we were nuts. We might have been. Only fished the lake a short time. It was to bad. Hit the bay and put alot of fish in the boat

Sun. the waves were 0-2 and the fishing was hot. My 3 fish limit was 12lb  with a 4-14 lunker. caught about 10 fish in the 3-3 1/2 pound range. drops shots didn't work. Only caught Sheep heads with them. Tubes ( Green Tubes) on 3/8 jigs heads worked. that is what all keeper fish came on.  Had a slow drift and "Erie Drifted" them in 28-30 foot of water. Had a small hump that every time I drifted over I would pick up a fish. Tried to sit on the spot and work a tube. No takers, the Erie drift worked the best