Upcoming Lake Erie trip 2024
stk44 reply :
I plan on going on a fishing trip to Lake Erie (PA side) to fish for SM bass between late April- Early May. I'm limited to 2 rods and just a little bit of tackle, because we are taking my Dad's friend's boat which doesn't have much room.
Which 2 rods would be best for this time of the year?
- 6'9" St. Croix Avid X ML -Extra fast with Revo STX spinning 8 lb flouro
- 7'4 St. Croix GLASS Mojo bass Medium -Moderate action with REVO SX baitcaster 12 lb copolymer
- 7' Dobyns Champion Mag Heavy fast action -with REVO MGX reel 50 lb braid + flouro leader
- 7' Ugly stick MH with Penn conflict 4000 reel with 30 lb braid.
- 6'10 shimano sell us MH fast action with silver max reel 30 lb braid
I was thinking the St Croix ML avid X for drop shotting and dragging tubes, and even t-rigging smaller soft plastics and taking my mojo bass rod for throwing some medium running cranks. Thoughts?
Thanks,
Steve
poebassin reply :
Whatever setup you like to use for jerkbaits might be a good idea 
stk44 reply :
So....about that...I usually use my ML for Rapala HJ 06 and 08's. I was trying 10's and that seems to be the limit for this rod. What are your thoughts on that? I know the action is good for the jerks, just not sure about the power.
Also, I could make the case to my wife to get another rod...like a 6'6" medium baitcaster...
poebassin reply :
Haha new rods are always nice. Might be cool to see the difference with a baitcasting setup compared to what you usually use but even if you don't get another rod, what you have should be totally sufficient for your trip at least. One rod has to be the 6'9" St. Croix Avid X ML for sure!
Zippyduck Krimm reply :
Tubes, dropshots, swimbaits, jerkbaits, and blades are all that is needed in the bay area.
But most of the fish are going to be still in the lake at that time. They won't be in numbers in the bay till mid May to Mid June.
Hurricane reply :
Can't wait to fish Erie and the Niagra River this year...
stk44 reply :
On 3/30/2016 at 12:46 PM, Zippyduck Krimm said:Tubes, dropshots, swimbaits, jerkbaits, and blades are all that is needed in the bay area.
But most of the fish are going to be still in the lake at that time. They won't be in numbers in the bay till mid May to Mid June.
Even with the warmer for the season water temps?
KHNC reply :
By the bay, you mean Presque Isle Bay? I will be there for a week mid June when the kids get out of school. Rented a house near PIB and towing my boat up from NC.
stk44 reply :
Yeah, presque isle bay. Never fished there before so I'm pretty pumped.
Zippyduck Krimm reply :
On 3/30/2016 at 8:28 PM, stk44 said:Even with the warmer for the season water temps?
Yes the earliest they have come in is the second week of May. Water temps on the lake have not reached 40 yet and it is a slow process with that much water to warmup.
You can srill catch them out on the lake then and sometimes it gets silly how easy it is.
I have a camp near by and this is my biggest reason and walleye is my wife's biggest reason.
On 3/31/2016 at 12:16 AM, KHNC said:By the bay, you mean Presque Isle Bay? I will be there for a week mid June when the kids get out of school. Rented a house near PIB and towing my boat up from NC.
if you have never been there you can contact me And we can go over the hot spots. We could even meet up there as I will be there 3 days a week starting May 7.
Zippyduck Krimm reply :
If you want to check water temps? Go to fisherie.com then go to the weather and wave page. Click on the bottom line.
Dwight Hottle reply :
Take the two St Croixs with you. The current lake temp is 42 degrees. Sent you a PM.
JAB50 reply :
I can tell you that I was up there two years ago(2014)around the third week of May. You came out of Presque isle marina and made a left to the flats. They were on beds already. But 2 weeks earlier they were all over the jerkbaits. My friend lives in Fairview. He fished some of the FLW tournaments their. He has a 21' ft ranger. Knows the place pretty d**n good. I get probably get you some info before you go. Shoot me a pm around that time. And I'll find out what he knows for you.
stk44 reply :
On 4/1/2016 at 7:40 AM, JAB50 said:I can tell you that I was up there two years ago(2014)around the third week of May. You came out of Presque isle marina and made a left to the flats. They were on beds already. But 2 weeks earlier they were all over the jerkbaits. My friend lives in Fairview. He fished some of the FLW tournaments their. He has a 21' ft ranger. Knows the place pretty d**n good. I get probably get you some info before you go. Shoot me a pm around that time. And I'll find out what he knows for you.
Thank you sir! I will definitely pm you once I get the green light to head north.
sage reply :
I'll be on the bay fishing from about June 5th to the 12th. Always a lot of fun and tons of action. Had a few 100 smallie days last year.
stk44 reply :
On 4/1/2016 at 3:25 PM, sage said:I'll be on the bay fishing from about June 5th to the 12th. Always a lot of fun and tons of action. Had a few 100 smallie days last year.
That's amazing! This will be my first ever Lake Erie trip, I'm so excited.
Ohio Archer reply :
Watch the weather even if it is not close to you. Good luck and have a good time.
http://www.ohiobass.org/StateTournaments/Erie/Erie.htm
KHNC reply :
On 3/31/2016 at 5:39 AM, Zippyduck Krimm said:Yes the earliest they have come in is the second week of May. Water temps on the lake have not reached 40 yet and it is a slow process with that much water to warmup.
You can srill catch them out on the lake then and sometimes it gets silly how easy it is.
I have a camp near by and this is my biggest reason and walleye is my wife's biggest reason.
if you have never been there you can contact me And we can go over the hot spots. We could even meet up there as I will be there 3 days a week starting May 7.
That would be great! Yes, its my first trip to Erie. Drove up to Champlain in 2014 around the same time frame. Great trip, but it appears Erie will be much better. And half the distance from NC! Ill be staying a few miles from PIB marina.
JPascavage52 reply :
Anybody fished for smallies yet this year? Thinking of taking a trip up the last weekend of April, went up in mid- May last year, and absolutely hammered em.
stk44 reply :
I've fished for smallies on the river but not on Lake Erie. A family friend is going to call me when they start to come shallow. I can keep you posted it you want.
Zippyduck Krimm reply :
The first reports of a few smallies in the bay. The perch have moved out to the lake and that is usually a couple weeks before the masses come into the bay.
S Hovanec reply :
On 4/1/2016 at 7:40 AM, JAB50 said:My friend lives in Fairview. He fished some of the FLW tournaments their. He has a 21' ft ranger. Knows the place pretty d**n good.
Jamie isn't gonna give up his good spots that easy!
Zippyduck Krimm reply :
On 4/21/2016 at 10:53 PM, S Hovanec said:Jamie isn't gonna give up his good spots that easy!
There are no secret spots in the spring just find the 50 other boats and join in on the fun. and if that is not your style join the other 50 in the other area.
S Hovanec reply :
On 4/22/2016 at 12:15 AM, Zippyduck Krimm said:There are no secret spots in the spring just find the 50 other boats and join in on the fun. and if that is not your style join the other 50 in the other area.
In the spring it doesn't matter. In the summer, I have spots that I will not fish when there are other boats around. When there are boats around, I never see them on my spots. I'm not saying that nobody else fishes them, but when I'm around, I've never seen anyone on them.
I also don't give people a reason to fish the bent rod pattern. I have actually not set the hook on bites when other boats are cruising by so people don't see that I'm catching fish. I don't like people well enough to play bumper boats with them.
J Francho reply :
Bent rod pattern is strong on Erie. 
Dwight Hottle reply :
On 4/22/2016 at 12:37 AM, S Hovanec said:In the spring it doesn't matter. In the summer, I have spots that I will not fish when there are other boats around. When there are boats around, I never see them on my spots. I'm not saying that nobody else fishes them, but when I'm around, I've never seen anyone on them.
I also don't give people a reason to fish the bent rod pattern. I have actually not set the hook on bites when other boats are cruising by so people don't see that I'm catching fish. I don't like people well enough to play bumper boats with them.
Well so much for sneaking up on you. I had better switch to plan B.
S Hovanec reply :
On 4/22/2016 at 1:35 AM, J Francho said:Bent rod pattern is strong on Erie.
The other thing I find funny about your end of Erie vs. ours, you guys can use straight braid out there and still catch fish. Sometimes a 6 pound fluoro leader is too heavy at our end of the lake. My buddy, Capt. Matt runs straight braid on all of his bass rods and slays the smallies out of Buffalo.
J Francho reply :
I use straight 6# Tatsu or Invisx.
Zippyduck Krimm reply :
I agree summer is whole different story but the pressure is no where near the same.
stk44 reply :
On 4/21/2016 at 6:12 AM, Zippyduck Krimm said:The first reports of a few smallies in the bay. The perch have moved out to the lake and that is usually a couple weeks before the masses come into the bay.
That's what I heard too from my Dad's friend. I don't have any experience fishing such a large body of water. It's almost like a small ocean- pretty cool.
JAB50 reply :
I wouldn't have Jamie give his spots up. Just a little 411 on what the gentleman should use for baits is all. Then again when I was up there 2 years ago; I did have his boat for the day and all his sweet spots on the spot from his lowrance saved. A SD card does wonders. We've been friends and fishing partners going on 24 years! S Hovanec, I have a lot of fishing stories when it comes Jamie and his Ugly old man!! Lol
JPascavage52 reply :
Anybody getting them on the main lake or the bay yet? Was thinking about a trip this weekend or the week after.
stfreed reply :
Was up there April 21-24. Caught 152 Smallies that weekend and 35 of those were in the bay when the wind whipped up. Jerkbaits, Jerkbaits, Jerkbaits. :-) 2 over 5 pounds and 10 over 4 pounds. This is the earliest I have been up and due to the mild winter, water temps are up early. Main lake was 46-49 f and the bay was in the mid 50's!!!
stk44 reply :
On 5/3/2016 at 12:15 AM, stfreed said:Was up there April 21-24. Caught 152 Smallies that weekend and 35 of those were in the bay when the wind whipped up. Jerkbaits, Jerkbaits, Jerkbaits. :-) 2 over 5 pounds and 10 over 4 pounds. This is the earliest I have been up and due to the mild winter, water temps are up early. Main lake was 46-49 f and the bay was in the mid 50's!!!
Awesome! I was supposed to head up this week but my friend cancelled. I probably will head up late May early June. Hopefully the smallmouth bite will still be hot.
S Hovanec reply :
I cancelled my trip last weekend due to the forecast. Didn't want to un-winterize camp with the risk of a freeze! Won't be able to go til Memorial day weekend now.
stk44 reply :
On 5/17/2016 at 4:21 AM, S Hovanec said:I cancelled my trip last weekend due to the forecast. Didn't want to un-winterize camp with the risk of a freeze! Won't be able to go til Memorial day weekend now.
I'm going to be heading up one day that week as well.
Zippyduck Krimm reply :
On 5/17/2016 at 4:21 AM, S Hovanec said:I cancelled my trip last weekend due to the forecast. Didn't want to un-winterize camp with the risk of a freeze! Won't be able to go til Memorial day weekend now.
You missed nothing. Could not fish the bay it was so windy. I caught lots of lgmouth in the lagoon, they are on beds.
A-Jay reply :
https://www.dvidshub.net/video/463953/coast-guard-rescues-3-capsized-yacht-lake-erie#.VzpmkY-cHaO
Coast Guard rescues 3 from capsized yacht in Lake Erie 16 May.
Be careful out there.
A-Jay
S Hovanec reply :
On 5/17/2016 at 8:20 AM, Zippyduck Krimm said:You missed nothing. Could not fish the bay it was so windy. I caught lots of lgmouth in the lagoon, they are on beds.
I can't stand the bay. If I can't fish the main lake, I go back to camp and do maintenance or drink beer......or both!
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