Speaking of Lake Erie............. 2024
ww2farmer reply :
anyone interested in the area (or any one else on the forum) interested in a get together, not on the grand scale as the offical trip to Guntersville, but something like that on Erie for SM
smallieking reply :
man that would be fun but i have no room this year to go have u ever fished it before? its awesome i went once last year over a port clintion in ohio im not sure where u plan on goin i would love to go too bad if u have any questions about it just ask
BASS fisherman reply :
I think it would be alot of fun, providing the weather cooperates.
I know of another much much smaller lake about 20 minutes south of Erie that has some great fishing too.
Maybe if Erie is too rough we could try the other lake for the day.
bassnleo reply :
I'm game.......
The City of Erie area would be a good choice. Plenty of cheap accomodations around Presque Isle and if the main lake is rough Presque Isle is one of the best largemouth fisheries in the state.
HappyHooker reply :
count me in too! i was up there the last week of march last year and had a blast with the largemouth. almost 13 pounds with my 3 best. I then took a trip up there in may n caught close to 80 smallies averaging 2-3 pounds with n occasional 5 pounder ;D. If we do get together i vote for a trip in may
flyhatch reply :
I plan on being there.
Presque Isle Bay is a good location.
If the waves are good we can hit the main lake,
if not we can hide in the bay.
E
Ben Lipiec reply :
May is by far the best time to come up here!!!!! Smallies can be found anywhere from shallow to deep. if you cant get out on the lake, then you can still catch a bunch of really nice smallies in the bay. If you come at another time though, as Eric said, we do have the best largemouth fishing in the state(probably most of the country).
pm me if you have any other questions or are intertested in a guided trip.
hope this helps,
Ben
bassnleo reply :
Ben I agree that if we do this, late May or early June will be the best time.
We'll have to look at our club schedules and pick a weekend that is open, that can be tough in May / June with all the stuff going on.
I hear your coming to Crawford? Awesome! See you this Sunday if your coming to the meeting......
ww2farmer reply :
I'd be game for Presque Isle bay, never been there, and Erie PA. is only about 90mins. for me. If we were to stay in the Bay I could bring my boat (17' Bass Tracker). I would be leary about going out on the lake where I am not familiar (I 'd do it in Buffalo).
flyhatch reply :
we fish both the main lake and the bay from a 17 bass tracker single console with the deep v configuration and a 60hp and a 9.9.
Use common sense and keep a close eye on things in BOTH the bay and the main lake. There are some places to hide in the bay that you can stay out of the wind and waves but if the waves are in the bay it can be a struggle to get across .
i fished most of the lakes around my area and after going to erie its worth the extra hour ride. I keep a close eye on wind direction reports and wave hights on the marine forcast.
bassnleo reply :
ww2farmer, your 17 would be ok for the bay, it would be a little rough in the lake if yours is the jon boat style hull. A 17 deep V like flyhatch mentioned gets by.
If we do this at the time frame Ben and I mentioned, smallmouth will still be in the bay in large numbers. If we do get the itch to head out onto the big pond then you could jump in with someone.
btw, I already have a hotel idea, the Inn at Presque Isle is really close, not too shabby, and has great rates for fisherman. Plenty of good eats close by also.
flippincrazy reply :
I'd come with my boat. Just can't make it the first two weeks of May, because of tournaments.
Davis reply :
I would love to do it as well.
Don't have a boat but I live only an hour away from Erie, PA.
HappyHooker reply :
i got a 17ft nitro with a 125 merc. i talked to a couple buddies that have a nitro n a skeeter n they are up for it too! I got tourney on may 3rd at pymatumingbut other than tht the month of may is open for me up till june 7th for a BFL so i can go anytime between those dates
Ben Lipiec reply :
guys, the smallmouths stay in the bay up through about the middle of may. After they are done spawning they head back out to the deep drops, ledges, humps, and weedlines to recouperate from the spawn before the long haul back out into the lake.
ben
thetr20one reply :
You can catch quality smallies from one end of Erie to the other. May is usually great with water temps in the low to mid 50s. You really have to expect poor weather and high waves. 2 to 4 footers are ideal for a good day, flat water is no good. Find the structure rocks,shoals,wrecks and you will find smallies. A decent map book will steer you in the right direction. Use the waves to cover structure and BANG you have smallmouth. It is easier to hold in waves than it may seem also. May has produced "fun limits" 5 fish over 30 pounds. (we have closed seasons no tourneys) my best 5 tourney catch to date is 27.91 . Used to have a Ranger r-17 115 merc never had problems w waves now I have a Triton tr-20 225 OPTI. The bigger boat ads confidence but you still must take time and caution. Erie can get really nasty really quick! Go prepared n stay alert!
bassnleo reply :
Quoteguys, the smallmouths stay in the bay up through about the middle of may. After they are done spawning they head back out to the deep drops, ledges, humps, and weedlines to recouperate from the spawn before the long haul back out into the lake.ben
Man, they are in the bay way longer than mid May! Look at the results of your PIB Fathers Day tourneys in mid June, all smallmouth limits!
Regionals were on the bay last year 3rd weekend of June and again just about all smallmouth limits.
Late May or early June is an ideal time to try and pull this get together off.
Ben Lipiec reply :
yep Eric, your right! good catch!! i meant mid june. they are usually there through the end of june, but that is about when the big largemouths pull out on the weedlines. lol i do fish for smallies every year for the good friday tournament. If you dont weigh in smallmouths your really missing the boat. big largemouths are too hard to find a good concentration of and the average smallmouth out weighs the average largemouth anyway!
Ben
roadwarrior reply :
Man, I wouldn't waste five minutes fishing
for green trout when smallmouth are an option!
8-)
HookedinNY reply :
I was born and raised in Ashtabula Ohio right along Lake Erie but having just recently gotten back into fishing I have not had the pleasure of fishing for smallies there. If you end up putting this expedition together and have room for a non-boater I would love the opportunity! ;D
Please feel free to pm me if this may be a possibility. As none of you know me I would certainly understand if I am not invited. Thanks for the consideration!!
thetr20one reply :
I dont think you guys in the 17ft v bottoms have alot to worry about! I fished out of a ranger-17 for 4 years and never hesitated to go out into the big lake!!! you must be prepared though Really prepared!!! Watch for waves bigger than 5-6 feet you must take caution and dont get to confident. Take it slow and easy. I went from presque is to buffalo in 3-4 footers no problem except having to fuel up!!!
bassnleo reply :
PI to Buffalo is a LONG run in 3-4's 
I have gone to Barcelona and Dunkirk from PI but that was on less than 2 footer days.
Lately I have concentrated on finding more spots close to PI and I'm glad I did. Shorter runs equal more fishing time and MAN, there's alot of spots just waiting to be found!
thetr20one reply :
Please let me explain that did not make that run in my Ranger. It was in my Triton tr20 and the problem was the waves came up forcing us to use more fuel than expected so we had to pit stop for some more fuel. I have however had the r-17 out in 5+s and had no problems. You need to be able to understand your bouts characteristics and limitations!!! Rangers don't sink neither do Tritons!!!
roadwarrior reply :
My back aches just reading these posts. I would have to ride in
something comparable to an aircraft carrier to fish in 4 and 5'
seas. A few years ago I got stuck on Lake Michigan in a bass boat
with what I consider big waves (3-4'). I haven't been back.
bassnleo reply :
RW, yep it can be a bone jarring ride. This is gonna sound stupid......
I've been caught out a time or two when the waves were over 5'. I found it easier to run in those rather than the pesky 3 footers. At least the bigger waves you can go up one side and down the other. Then 3 footers seem to be spaced just perfectly apart that it makes you have to trim down and back off the throttle when hitting one.
May I add that I don't venture out in large waves, just have been caught out in the lake a few times when they came up out of nowhere.
I still love Lake Erie 
roadwarrior reply :
QuoteI still love Lake Erie
Well, I don't know when I will make it up there, but Lake Erie is my #1 Fantasy Destination! If a fellow plans a trip, what is the best alternative if the lake isn't suitable? Is there an inland lake close that would work for Plan B?
8-)
Davis reply :
QuoteQuoteI still love Lake Erie
Well, I don't know when I will make it up there, but Lake Erie is my #1 Fantasy Destination! If a fellow plans a trip, what is the best alternative if the lake isn't suitable? Is there an inland lake close that would work for Plan B?
8-)
Chautauqua Lake:
Muskies, LM, walleye and smallies.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chautauqua_Lake
http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/9230.html
flyhatch reply :
if the main lake is too rough most likley you can hide some where in the presque isle bay.
HookedinNY reply :
Quoteanyone interested in the area (or any one else on the forum) interested in a get together, not on the grand scale as the offical trip to Guntersville, but something like that on Erie for SM
Has there been any more thought to doing something like this?
bassnleo reply :
QuoteQuoteI still love Lake ErieWell, I don't know when I will make it up there, but Lake Erie is my #1 Fantasy Destination! If a fellow plans a trip, what is the best alternative if the lake isn't suitable? Is there an inland lake close that would work for Plan B?
8-)
Presque Isle bay (Erie PA) is good but you would be fishing largemouth if your there in summer. It would be pretty likely that in a 3-4 day trip you would have at least 1 day where the main lake has rollers and you'd be confined to the bay. The suggestion on Chautauqua is a good one, that place also holds big smallmouth and is not too far from Erie PA.
RW, if your serious about making a trip up just say the word. I'll take vacation and we'll have a ball.......
roadwarrior reply :
Well, I'm serious, but I just don't know when I can put it together.
It's a Fantasy Trip for me and something I will have to do!
p.s. I want to fish Stick Marsh/ Farm 13 with George Welcome, too!
8-)
thetr20one reply :
Bassnleo is right the bigger waves are softer. But I wouln't recommend letting off or trimming down or "in". You gotta keep up the bow or your bass boat will become a Torpedo. We are trying to navigate not sink U-boats out there LOL !!!!! I enjoy the 3 footers, they can be fun if your not in a tourney. I can usually run 50+ in them and other than the rogue wave every 10 seconds beatin up the kidneys and transom they aren't so bad. Also it's much easier to run against the waves than with them, when they are at your back navigation becomes very hazardous. One thing though-sometimes the h2o can really disappear from under your boat and drop you right in a trough, it can literally be a 10 foot drop. Those are really painful and not fun or funny. The "BIG LAKE" is not for the new boater in rough weather people die here from supidity every year.
red team rn reply :
When you are fishing Presque Isle Bay,if the wind is comming out of the west hard you may have a rough and dangerous time crossing the Bay. A few years ago, my partner and I were fishing the Lagoons, When we came out past the monument the waves were scary. We decided to try to cross in my 19 ft. Ranger, a Coast Guard cutter followed right behind us till we went thru the chute to the Chestnut St. launch. I don't think that I have ever gotten that wet , even swimming. :-[ :-[ :-[ :'( :'(
thetr20one reply :
Yea the bay gets nasty whenever all those douchebags in their offshore powerboats start using it for a racecourse too. The big lake outside the channel can get really congested in the summer with pleasure boaters tying to get out of the west wind.
bassnleo reply :
QuoteYea the bay gets nasty whenever all those douchebags in their offshore powerboats start using it for a racecourse too. The big lake outside the channel can get really congested in the summer with pleasure boaters tying to get out of the west wind.
LOL, you are definately right on with that one. You'd think the cigarette boats are having a race from the yacht club to the chute. Throw in a house boat or two, a fishing boat or two and you have downright crazy wakes. I've been bounced out of my seat trying to traverse that area in the summer.
thetr20one reply :
Ya know Leo who in in the world needs a 50 foot 3000 horsepower boat in that that small of a bay? Other than the lagoons you cannot get very far away from their wake!
related Smallmouth Bass Fishing topic
previous topic
next topic
© 2024 - fishing.qciss.net. All Rights Reserved.