Huge Mayfly hatches slowed the weekend walleye bite in Ohio's Western Basin, but fish were still catchable.

Millions of Mayflies and an abundance of minnows have slowed the walleye bite but fishermen who changed tactics were still taking limits over the weekend.

Charters out of Wild Wings Marina near Oak Harbor, OH, were mixing drifting and casting Mayfly rigs with trolling the rigs and flutter spoons to take limits of walleyes through Monday.

Fishing was difficult Saturday and Sunday with trollers taking the majority of the fish since the walleyes were stuffed and scattered. The most successful trollers were those who used orange-based spoons and tried a variety of speeds with higher speeds being the best. We kicked the pace up to 2.7 - 3.1 mph and found the walleyes liked that pace.

We were able to take a boat Saturday using speed and orange- and chartreuse-based spoons.

The fishing should get easier as the fly hatch sussides.

Fish Species: walleye
Bait Used: Mayfly rigs
Tackle Used:
Method Used:
Water Depth: 32
Water Temperature: 73
Wind Direction: variable
Wind Speed:

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About The Author: Captain Bob Hesse

Company: Rod Bender Charters

Area Reporting: Lake Erie Western Basin

Bio: I have fished Lake Erie since the 50s and started running charters for walleye, perch and smallmouth bass when I formed Rod Bender Charters in 1999. Come join me, Captain Bob Hesse, aboard Rod Bender for an absolutely awesome angling adventure charter fishing for walleye on Lake Erie, the world's premier walleye lake. We are a AAA charter service that specializes in drift fishing, but we will blade, jig, drift or troll, whatever the lake conditions dictate. Call us for a walleye, perch, smallmouth bass charter experience of a lifetime on the walleye capital of the world -- Lake Erie.

419-722-2472
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