Pequod1

About three or four years ago fishing began to change on Erie. A lot of guys including myself took notice when the major tournament winners were guys that used a livescope and were casting to individual big fish. Over the 20 + years of me trying to catch a walleye jigging, I have had very limited success until this year. The difference was breaking down and buying a livescope. Three things happened with the use of the livescope that I believe helped. First, walleyes are not thick out there. I see a few fish moving in to my scan and not tons. Second, the most reactive fish are suspended and not on the bottom. The most recent trip they were 60’ over 80’. I used to fish by letting the jig drop to the bottom and moving it up and down at most ten feet before I had my livescope. Third, I can watch the walleyes reaction to my lure. They don’t hit everything! After spending way too much money on a variety of lures, it turns out a simple 3/4 oz. jig and worm works the best. Do you need a livescope? Maybe not. Just keep that jig higher in the water column and find an area with your traditional sonar shows bait and fish. But, the livescope sure helped me.

I drove by yesterday and checked it out. It is still closed and the launch ramp dock was underwater..

Are they actually going to try and fix those tracks? It’s always a pia crossing them. also, I doubt the slabs at Hanover will be fixed. I’m sure the town won’t spend the money. I hope I’m wrong.

I’ll try sticks off the lead cores next time. Today, I headed out the Cat looking for perch starting in 50’. I marked nothing but walleyes but I could not get them to take until I got to 62’ where I also started marking more bait. From 62-70, we got our limit on the usual spoons and harnesses. Dropped a jig later on when 8 thought I saw some perch, but no luck, just another walleye.😄

Those are really nice plugs. Who makes them? I wouldn’t mind buying a few. My plug bite has been awful . Tried everything that used to work with 0 success. Dreamweaver spoons tipped with a worm in watermelon and alewife patterns have been hot along with, of course, the usual harnesses. we also took a few perch Monday in the same depths and area as you. I’ll look for them again today.

Good to know. My buddy went out and did the same in the afternoon. I guess these fish never moved over the past few days. I’ll be out Monday- Wednesday..

Unfortunately, they have already knocked down the perch population and the ones that I have caught were loaded with 1” bluegills. I would not be surprised if they also are effecting the bass population too.

I hope you are right but according to a surface temp web sight I’m looking at, it is still cold from sturgeon west. I’m looking at seagull.glos.org. I’m not sure how accurate their future lake temp predictions are. I think I’ll go out of buffalo Friday, just in case

You picked a good year to try and Tuesday might actually be ok as far as the wind goes. i also drive from Rochester. You have a few choices to launch. Closest is the small boat harbor in Buffalo. Head out the south gap and go to the border and fish west along it. The deeper you get, the better. I have been launching at Silver creek about 25 miles west of Buffalo. Two launches there. The state one and a private one called Hannover. Hannover has a fish cleaning station and costs $12. The state costs $7. There also is a smaller one between the two at Hidden harbor. That’s $10. Just head straight out and fish with the fleet in 60+ . You can also launch at sturgeon point. It is halfway between Buffalo and silver creek. It costs $15. all of these launches offer Sr discounts except the Hannover launch.

Exactly. Good advice. Buddy fished Canada side yesterday and today. Didn’t matter where he was, fish were everywhere. Those yearling perch are going to take a hit this year.

I might have see; you out there today if you were by yourself. i can’t believe you did not see fish on the screen. 58-61’ was loaded just west of straight out. Later in the morning, we trolled out to 71-73’. We did have a blank screen from 62-69’ but I knew from previous days the 70-78’ depth was good and the screen was loaded out there too. Maybe you were in that dead zone between schools. As far as big fish go, they seem to be hanging out more solitarily and the only guys I saw targeting them were during last weekends NWT. They “ hunted” them down with their live scopes and dropped a jig with a worm on them. I have been lucky and caught two 27” fish yesterday and today. And believe me, that was luck.

Got another quick two man limit at the Cat today. They would not touch the plugs I put down but hit the spoons hard. I launched at the State ramp thinking the Hanover cleaning station was closed but when I checked on the way back, it was working. The guy there said it was a on again, off again situation. He wanted $12 just to clean fish so we went to Buffalo and was greeted by a 35 minute wait. Please tell me why some guys clean walleyes with a 6” knife and act as if they are giving them a manicure! Jeez!