Fishing Erie 2024

AFISHN reply :

I am a newbie here.

Been a lifelong addict to SM Bass Fishing--fished a lot of places over the years,but I never fished Lake Erie.

I plan on heading up(7hrs from my house in SE PA) for a week of fishing a week from today.

Probably fishing out of Dunkirk or Buffalo Small Boat Harbor

This is a solo trip for me since my fishing buddy just got a new job(and a new wife).

So he's double whammied..... :

Since most of my 20 yrs of SM fishing is on rivers, my question is:

What fishing techniques/lures do you suggest I use?

What depths/structure do you suggest I start with.?

After a few days I should be able to figure things out a bit.

After all "even a blind squirrel gathers a few acorns"

Thanks for any help

denn34 reply :

Don't know much about Erie, but, I fish Ontario alot. Cruise the shoreline looking for rocky shores. If you find rocks, you usually find the smallies.

I start shallow and work my way out to find a school. If you find a good school, you will get tired of fishing because they will wear you out.

I like to use 5 in. kalin's smoke salt and pepper grubs on a 1/4 oz jighead, just off the bottom. Not uncommon to boat me 100 a day!

ontario is 3 1/2 hours from me in NE PA you ought to try there.

If you need a guide, I'd be happy to go along, as none of my friends will go anymore :'(

Pittsburgh Reeler reply :

I'll be watching this thread- I am headed up there in 2 weeks for the first time. One of the days is my b-day: maybe Lake Erie will give me a nice birthday treat that day! ;D

roadwarrior reply :

You would be miles ahead hiring a guide for at least a day.

Bizzo reply :

Quote
You would be miles ahead hiring a guide for at least a day.

Amen to that.

AFISHN reply :

Thanks for the all replies.

We would normally hire a guide for a day or two to learn new waters,but unfortunately I'm taking this 7hr trip solo. >

Actually,when I added gas,tolls,motel, food ,& launching fees,I almost decided to cancell this trip to Erie

So,it's running me about 2x as much as if I had a fishing buddy along to split expenses---

I may take the suggestion and fish Lake Ontario--if that works out to a significant saving and fsih Erie when i have company.

denn34 reply :

It's probably about 200 or 250 mi. less driving, and you can rent cabins fairly cheap where I go, plus a lot of campgrounds.

ny license is about $35 for the year, I know of some free launches too.And no tolls,except PA Turnpike.

AFISHN reply :

Denn--check your PMs

Tom

Crowcommander reply :

Denn34, Where do you go in Ontario? We've gone to Lake of Woods near Souix Narrows for last 3 years last of August. Fishing wasn't as great as it should be last time and we're thinking of moving.Crowcommander

denn34 reply :

Sodus Bay, Fair Haven. Good place to be if the big lake gets rough too.

Davis reply :

Quote
It's probably about 200 or 250 mi. less driving, and you can rent cabins fairly cheap where I go, plus a lot of campgrounds.
ny license is about $35 for the year, I know of some free launches too.And no tolls,except PA Turnpike.

A NY license is only 19 dollars.

I think its only 12 or 13 for a weeks pass.

I live about a half hour from Dunkirk and about 45 minutes from the Harbor in Buffalo.

To me it looked like a lot of people were having luck in the harbor in Buffalo about 200 yards outside the marina area. There looks to be an inlet that looks like a silo out there and people were throwing lines out around it. Probably about 12 boats around this area.

denn34 reply :

Quote

Quote

A NY license is only 19 dollars.

I think its only 12 or 13 for a weeks pass.

I live about a half hour from Dunkirk and about 45 minutes from the Harbor in Buffalo.

To me it looked like a lot of people were having luck in the harbor in Buffalo about 200 yards outside the marina area. There looks to be an inlet that looks like a silo out there and people were throwing lines out around it. Probably about 12 boats around this area.

Not for a non resident License unless it went down. A 7 day was 25 bucks last time I was there.

Davis reply :

Quote
Not for a non resident License unless it went down. A 7 day was 25 bucks last time I was there.

http://www.dec.ny.gov/permits/6091.html

You are correct. I didn't know there was a residence or non-residence fee. My apologizes.

40 dollars for the year. 25 bucks for seven days. Man thats steep.

Don_B reply :

Quote
I start shallow and work my way out to find a school. If you find a good school, you will get tired of fishing because they will wear you out.'(

I was just up Erie this past Sunday, and although you are talking about Ontario, Erie is exactly the same. I was catching them all day there, and they will wear you out after a few hours of hauling up the hawgs! I'm a die hard fisherman, but by the end of the day, I was more than ready to go home.

get-the-net reply :

Here's what works on Erie for me. Get out away from shore to about 20-21 feet of water, now start running and watching your depth finder, it will be smooth, smooth, smooth, then all of a sudden you will see some bumps on the bottom. Now hit save on your GPS and keep running or stop and fish it for a short while, you may have to go in to about 15 feet but if they are there you can get them on tubes or grubs (blue gill) is my color for grubs on a 1/4 oz lead head. I use 1/4 oz. as well for my tubes and like watermelon color. Now go get them.

I like to run down a few miles then head back and check out the spots.

Good luck to you

roadwarrior reply :

get-the-net,

Welcome aboard!

bassnleo reply :

Lake Erie is a relatively easy place to find fish. It's just sooo big......

Like was already mentioned, get out to depths of 20 feet or greater and fish ANY change in bottom you see.

This time of year the best depths seem to be right handy to 25 feet and when you get on a spot you will load the boat. When you wear those fish out, stay at the same depth, find another structure change and go at it.

You will only need 2 rigs... A tube rigged on a 1/4 oz to 1/2 ounce internal (exposed hook) head and a drop shot. For colors it's hard to beat good old green pumpkin. Stick with 4 inch tubes and similar sized drop shot baits like a straight tail worm or goby style bait.

My tournament partner just fished as a co-angler in the Elite Series event out of Buffalo. He pre-fished in his own boat and went just out from Buffalo Harbor and caught the fire out of them in the ways I described above.

Your biggest enemy on Erie will be the wind. The higher the wind, the bigger the waves, go heavier in your weights. One thing about the wind though, when it blows the fish really bite. A perfect day IMHO is about a 1-2 foot chop. I prefer to use the trolling motor and hold on a piece of structure and fish it. If the wind is too much to hold you can always do the "Erie drift and drag" which can also be really good.

Feel free to PM me if you want more info.....

I'll leave you with these 2 pics of Erie smallies.....

bassnleo reply :

Second one....

Dan: reply :

I can't even imagine being on a lake that big. The biggest lake I've been on is 2100 acres.

roadwarrior reply :

I'm so jealous... 8-)

Davis reply :

Quote
I can't even imagine being on a lake that big. The biggest lake I've been on is 2100 acres.

Its definately intimidating. To me at least, partially because I have never fished it.

IF I ever get a boat, I may never have a life again because the smallies are just huge up here on the Lake. Everytime I go down to the waterfront, whether in sunset bay or Buffalo, I get jealous of all those people fishing smallies out there.

(If anyone has a boat and needs a partner give me a PM) Only 15 minutes away from Sunset and I love fishing for smallmouth.

Banor reply :

Quote
I'm so jealous... 8-)

And that makes life worth living!! ;D

Banor reply :

Get on FLW Outdoors * and go to the "Reel Chat" session with Steve Clapper. He gives some very candid tips on fishing Lake Erie and hands down he is the king of Lake Erie.

BASS fisherman reply :

http://www.flwoutdoors.com/article.cfm?id=146268

There's the link for all those who want to check it out.

jc2bg reply :

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.

bassnleo reply :

Quote
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 reply :

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 reply :

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 reply :

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 reply :

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 reply :

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

13440

Fishing Erie 2024

related Smallmouth Bass Fishing topic

previous topic

next topic

most viewed Smallmouth Bass Fishing topic