Storm Warning II

24.4 is a great Lake M. King!!! Is that really 50? Cazzzz? Our biggest was a 22# staging Lake O. King on Labor Day in front of the Niagara, caught many matures that day and it was the biggest. I almost thought we were fishing Lake M. because all the matures we caught were only in the high teens. By NO MEANS is 22# a big Lake O. King. It barely beat out a couple 21#+ Springers taken in almost the same place...

Need help there GLF, can't seem to get rid of some of the pics in my account to upload the new ones. I got the pics, but found out that pics of some of the biggest fish and few action shots didn't come out because he ran out of battery? Do have some shore shots when we returned to the launch and he could grab another battery.

Ventured out for the first time yesterday in Presque Isle Bay. Ice out was about a week ago and it was a cold night so we opted to get a late start and let the morning sun warm the surface a bit. The Storm is still on IR and a new found fisher-friend offered the use of his boat/equipment. 1st line in the water at 9am with a surprisingly warm surface temp of 39. 1st board line set in the holder and I was attaching a stick bait to the second board line to be deployed when I heard the drag screach on the first one. FISH ON!!! Good start! A few moments later a fresh 7# hen into the net. Managed to get all 6 lines in the water while we trolled to my "spot" while only taking a couple shots that never hooked up on the one mile, one way troll to the "spot". First pass made and had 3 hook ups on the rip rap only bringing one toad as close as the back of the boat before the leader got shredded. Each fish was a large chrome freshie that was HOT! Boards were literally jumping out of the water! Ouch! Our ratio is already taking a shot! 4 more passes resulted in multiple hook ups on each 200 yard pass along the wall with too many spit hooks, bent hooks, and shredded O-rings. Long story short, we ended up 13/30 in about 4 hrs. with 1 bonus 34" or so pike that gobbled a Shad Rap digger rod on a turn and while holding for a pic before the release bloodied me up pretty good. Blue and Silver during the bright sun of mid-morning were the "hotties" today including a blue/silver J-9, 75 back on the boards, a Blue/Silver deep Shad Rap imitation in the port digger position 47 back, and a VQ blue Alewife WD took a few shots as well as a gold/orange J-9 and a orange/gold Brad's Thin Fish in the digger position on the starboard 35 back, in the prop wash. Will post pics when they are emailed to me.

Checked out recent report by D'arcy Egan that does the outdoors report for the the Cleveland Plain Dealer and reports from ice charter captains of late are also noticing a lot of 7 to 8" eyes coming to the top too. Another banner year class from '05 or '06???

Watched the ice fishing reports from the western basin this year (when they could) and noticed a lot of reporting of the majority of 'eyes being 22 to 26". That is about season in full swing estimate from ODNR. So does that mean by the time the migrants reach the eastern end of the central basin that they should be 23 to 27"????? Does that mean next year 24 or 25 to 30" '03 hatchlings???? WOW. This year could be a LOT of fun!!! Let's just get the gas prices down so we can all afford to enjoy it.

Simcoe has the HAWGZ! We used to ice fish the Talbot River area of Simcoe for a while because they had the 'eye season open until the 3rd week of March and the big beauties of Simcoe would hover around the Talbot River mouth waiting to run up and spawn. My biggest out of Simcoe was just a tad over 10#, but I have a buddy that his PB came from there, a toad weighing in at 15# 12oz. WOW! A few years back they moved the 'eye season back to like it is for Quinte, the last weekend in February. It was a blast going up and jiggin' the river area for 'eyes in the morn and evening and doing some fine perch jerkin' during daylight hours.

What other fish can take out 3 or 400' of line in like 45 seconds???? ...nuff said.

Storm Warning II: Matt

I swear that fish was smiling for the camera!

Got to have something to do until the fishing picks up again...

I had the privilege of fishing with Pete Alex about the VQ IV on Wednesday with his mate Kevin, the Deerslayir, and new friends Chris and Joe. Morning started quite balmy and calm for November with temps hovering in the upper 50s. Fishing started as calm as the weather until we located our first pod of Steel just NW of the Chestnut St. ramp. A steady pick throughout the morning highlighted by 3 doubles and a near triple kept us all on our toes. Several chromers fell victim to the Buffalo Bill Super Slim presented on 1 color cores and the rigger, but most fish fell to a variety of stick baits including Dave's Kaboom Shiners and Rebels off the boards with orange/black combos being the color du jour. Several bone jarring strikes came from the "digger" rods we ran of each side with a Dave's Deep Kaboom Shiner taking the largest fish of the day, a large, well colored buck with a pronounced kype. As is the "industry standard" with steelies, we were at one point only 6 for 10 and lost several others on the way to the finish, including an unfortunate two break offs. A great way to celebrate Thanksgiving with good friends, good conversation, and good fishing with only one other boat in sight.

Yep, quads suck...especially when you have 2 newbies on board and your steering cable snapped in the marina so your 1st mate is steering the kicker with his feet :no: and fighting a steelie at the same time while you are handling one and a net and directing the 2 newbies with freshies! Glad she is winterized now and its back to the 16'er, we'll deal with the cable before heading to the Bar. Its still nothing like the Chinese fire drill you had a couple springs ago on matures there Skein Man, that was an impressive video! Won't be long and they will be STACKED up in Presque Isle Bay and out of the weather and waves. Dave Mull from Great Lakes Angler magazine went out with VisionQuest Capt. Pete Alex, myself, and Jimmy (my mate) last December in a near blizzard and we had 35 hook ups in 3 hrs! Biggest fish was a 10# 8oz sow (that's a BIG steelie in Erie) If any of you guys have the desire to get in some late season Steel action out of the boat, bring 'er down. There is still a good bit to be had!

Be some good days to find some protected bays and kill some quackers!!!!

Got boards out and lines set about 1/2 mile west of the 'Nut when all H(#%L starting breaking loose. board line trips and starts squealing, then the flat in the prop wash 60 back fires boated both. Before we could reset, board line on the opposite side fires. Before it hit the net, the freshly reset prop wash line fires again then 2 other board lines...Quadruple on!! Long story short, slightly deeper water than we normally like to fish held the most active fish. We boated all of our fish in 8 fow to 16 fow. Nothing hotter than anything else, but got 1 on a SS Buffalo Bill (thanks Pete), got many on orange J-9, got 3 or 4 on Chartreuse J-9 in the prop wash, got 3 on orange/gold Thin Fin, and 5 or 6 on pink/black Jr. Tstix off the boards. Very hot in the beginning, then slowed a bit, then fired back up again around 10:30 till we quit at noon. Good day, only lost 4 hook-ups. Limited about 11 and ended up releasing 3 or 4. Good finish to the last trip of the year for the Storm Warning. If weather and conditions permit, may try a few more times with the Quackback before season ends.

Good answer. The angles remark is outstanding. I would have started with asking him how far down he was fishing the baits? I know I have deep tail dancers in my boat with the right amount of braid or wire can attain depths of over 60'! When I first read his question, my first thought was he was fishing underneath them. I always fish Erie suspended 'eyes at or slightly above them. Secondly, I would have seen if he could find the edges of the bait school. Many times 'eyes and I have seen it with salmon too, will hang on the outside edges of the school and pick off bait that has carelessly wandered off from the school and become easy targets.

Why you getting rid of the Fish Hawk Billy? Going to a Depth Raider?

Salmon: NO doubt, hands down, Mag Silver Streak Ole Yeller on the deep rigger. Silver Streak reg. Blue Dolphin and DW Monkey Puke were decent Walleye: Late summer: Watermelon Holo NK 28...its a moneymaker! In general: Andy's walleye slapper in a DW Super Slim Mixed Veggie in a DW Super Slim Bloody Death II DW Super Slim Late Summer: DW Super Slim Blue Icicle... hot, hot, hot. Steelies: VQ Blue Dolphin DW Super Slim Silver Streak Blue Whale (overcast days) Watermelon Holo NK 28 Bloody Death II DW Super Slim

We must have passed you on Sunday. Saw a big boy just north of us a couple times, I'd bet it was you. We were in the gray Starcraft w/ planer mast on the nose and canvas top. We didn't get too many whities, but they did seem to be on the periphery of the 'eyes. Hook a couple whities meant time to turn back around. It sure is hard to beat Mixed Veggie and Blue Icicle (I prefer them in the DreamWeaver Super Slim) on those crystal clear days! I was kind of surprised my NK watermelon Hologram didn't fire at all on Saturday except for a couple whities. That NK is usually on fire from mid July till the 'eyes leave for both steelies and eyes. Biggest eye of the year (10# 9oz) came on that spoon in a Mag off the deep rigger in late July at the PA/OH line.

Thanks Capt. Ray. I would have to bet we passed you on Sunday a few times. There were several boats in the area including a big boy or two that was probably you. We were in the grey Starcraft w/ canvas top and planer board mast out front on the nose.

WOW! If that is how we end the offshore season, it couldn't have gone any better. Saturday: Supposed to have a boat of 5 anglers and ended up with only myself and another 2. Went due north of the perch pack due north of the harbor and set up to troll. Had 3 rods in the water when the first wire diver fired...BIG eye lost due to newbie snagging net on hook. For the next 3 hrs. we managed 8 steelie hook-ups and boated 5. Had another 9 'eye hookups and boxed 8. Wire divers w/ blue/silver harnesses on 1 back 135. Braid divers back 205 on 3 1/2 mixed veggie Super Slim on starboard diver, Blue icicle on the port braid. Riggers set at 66 and 58 with double orange crush on the 58 and VQ blue dolphin on the deep, both in the Super Slim. Sunday: Got a VERY late start and decided to try to get our perch. Slid over to the PA line and fished next to some buddies who had smacked them in 48' fow on the "shelf". Boxed a dozen or so in 20 minutes and decided to check a little deeper to see if the bite was better. Slid off the break of the "shelf" and slammed the rest of our 4 tickets in about an hour and a half, just as we ran out of bait. Had heard some chatter on the radio of a decent 'eye bite a few miles west and since it was SO nice and only 1 pm, we put 'er on plane and headed west. Set up on the 40W and 3N and trolled the 69 to 71 fow break and ANNIHILATED 'eyes. Same spread as Saturday with an extra blue silver harness on the port braid diver and switched out the double orange crush for the mixed veggie on the shallow rigger. FAST and FURIOUS. If you hooked one 'eye, you hooked 3. For the next 2 hrs., I think we only had all of our rod compliment (8) in the water once or twice. All eyes were extremely nice, between 3 and 8#, most in the 4 to 6 range. It would be nice to think that this week's weather won't screw up this awesome fall bite, but I am certainly not counting on it.

Trolled from Godfrey Run to Walnut. Managed 1 s#$@head and 1 steelie from 6:30 am to noon. Made several passes in front of each mouth. Ran it all, Super Slims, regulars, lil' rippers, Jr. Tstix, J-9s in all the stained water colors and even tried some clear water ones to no avail. Fish are there (jumping and rolling around us) but just weren't hungry. Water needs to cool off!!!

Is there something other than waterfowl and spring turkeys to hunt?

The later the better for the eyes. They are ganging up in the Bay as a staging area waiting to spawn in the spring. We go up annually to ice fish. As usual, SkeinMan is right. That site will keep you aprised of the fish migration into the Bay. IF you are going soon, I would fish Adolphus reach where the fish enter the Bay and maybe Picton Harbor.

I guess it is a little more orange at the periphery

Alas...where's the walleye??????? That's the best!