Going Back To Presque Isle Bay

[tomustang]

Well the family had a blast the first time up last month, through we shore fished primarily two spots, one around the monument and the other was the Lawrence Pier (public access walkway) which was very successful compared to the monument area.

The bay is huge with many spots but I'm wondering if theres more area to cover while we're up there, going to spend around 4 days up there and like know more spots to fish without going on private property or getting skunked. Either the ponds, the bayfront shorelines, or the Isle, like to know more areas to fish

Also any tips/tricks would be helpful

[tomustang]

I take it everyone has a boat?

[central.PA.bass]

Good luck man.. i posted a question about a month ago and got about as many replies as you. Fish the shoots leading out into the lake on the left. you will catch fish there, and the weeds infront of the perry monument produced for me as well.. Throw a green tube or deadstick a senko and you'll be golden. Poppers in the morning and grubs also worked.

[Phish]

Not sure if you went up yet, but shore fishing has been tough from what I've read. I fished the bay a little by boat over a week ago, and it was pretty choked up with weeds and vegetation. Not just weed growth, but weeds and slop floating on the water, which was a pain. It's much worse the further back you go into the Bay. I was able to get on the main lake and did pretty well despite the heat.

I would highly recommend renting a boat from http://porteriesports.com/index.html or another place, if there are any others. You can rent from the boat livery in the lagoons, but their hours aren't as favorable for fishing, and they often are late to open. Several times they tried to convince me none of their motors were working. Every time I just say I drove 2 hours to fish there, please let me try one. And every time, they work just fine. Port Erie on the other hand was very accommodating and had decent rates and much better hours (7am-8:30pm).

Anyway, I guess there aren't many tips here. But if you don't go out in a boat - I have had some experience shore fishing the Bay in the past. There are a few other spots in addition to the piers. You can get on the city side pier as well, but the channel/piers supposedly have been slow based on reports. You can fish from both Niagra launch, the ferry launch and several parking lot areas right near the entrance to Presque Isle. I usually start at about the 3rd lot on the rock piles. If the weeds aren't too thick, or you can find the edge of the weed line, you can get plenty of decent bass early, but I've mostly done that in the spring. In fact shore fishing the bay in the spring can be great. Once that water breaks 70 and post spawn dies off, it's tough.

Also, try each of the launch areas just for a bit. At the Ferry launch, there are tons of thick weedy areas. Drop a weedless (T-rigged) Senko type bait in the holes in the weeds. Or try a weedless fluke. Plenty of large mouth to catch in this area. Just need to know how to fish this junk. I'm sure a punch rig would work in the really thick stuff.

Again I never spend much time in any spot. If you're not producing much in about 20-30 minutes, I'd move. There are plenty of areas to try. The monument can be good too in the spring, but I fished it by boat last week and that whole area was very slow. Very choked out with weeds too, but if you can fish the top, a torpedo will bring a few up for sure. All depends how much junk is on the water. Might be better off with a weedless frog early in the a.m.

If you are fishing the piers, I'd run a tube or grub all along the sea walls out there. There are several drop offs in the channel there, if you fish parallel close to the wall, you'll pick up a few. Can probably still find some smallies there as well regardless of the time of year.

Hope this helps... if you haven't already gone yet!

[tomustang]

I've been back now for a few weeks. I skimmed most of the areas and found a spot better than most. The marinas are great producers, the most bass I've caught were public walk ways near the perry marina. All the other spots I've heard about produced little numbers but i never got skunked.

I was up there for four days total, surprisingly I didn't run into anyone targeting bass, mainly perch and crappie, a lot of sit fishing from them. Almost felt like a pro out there, everyone would stop what their doing an they'd watch me bring in bass, almost like they never seen any before

Good times, I have a feeling we'll keep going back

[Phish]

That sounds like a good trip, I experience pretty much the same thing - most are fishing for perch, or anything they can fillet and fry. Less pressure for the bass for the most part. I experience the same thing by boat. Most people going for perch and walleye, but there are always a dozen or so bass boats between the Bay and the first few miles of the main lake from the Bay channel.

When you refer to Perry Marina - do you mean the area of Misery Bay not far from the Monument, where the public tour ferry docks? Also curious if you fish the lagoons at all or Presque Isle Marina (the main private marina where the fueling station is). I always venture back there by boat, but it's been dead that last few trip I've taken in June and July.

[tomustang]

The perrys marina is in the bay but not on the isle, http://perryslandingmarina.com/ there's public acess around the whole marina, all around the club house/pool is where I'm taking about, they do have fueling there.

The lagoon between row townhomes and the marina produced good numbers too