Casting for musky has often been referred to as the fish of 10,000 casts. At times it can seem that way and can be down right frustrating if your fishing in the wrong areas and improper techniques. It's all a matter of being in the right place and doing the right things at the right time...well sort of...Sometimes you don't even have to be fishing for them...but be in the right place at the right time and "WHAM"
Erie Quest Charters were fishing this past weekend with some cloud cover and 3-4 foot waves on Lake Erie, when a young lady casted her Mayfly Rig for walleye. Several seconds later, she yelled out that she had a big walleye. When I turned around I saw a nice Musky race toward the surface and rocket into the air. After a determined 15 minute battle, with 6 pound test line we boated the fish of 10,000 casts.
It was hard to turn our attention back to Lake Erie walleye fishing but we did. In 4 drifts we boated 54 walleye...after some sorting and "Catch & Release" walleye fishing, we returned to the dock with 42 walleye.
On Saturday, we cranked up the Erie Quest and set sail on a 14 mile ride and fished a little further west, than I had the day before...probably half way between the Turnaround Buoy and West Sister. We were pretty much all alone. Except for an occassional private boater passing thru. This would be my best trip of the weekend. Again, we were Lake Erie walleye fishing using gold bladed, 3/4 oz. weapons in 28 feet of water. I was joined by Bill Biron and his family from Mishawaka, IN. Low-n-slow.
The warm days of summer, as well as the cooler days of fall herald some prime time of yellow perch fishing on Lake Erie. Light southerly or southwesterly breezes can bring out fleets of anglers young and old in search of yellow perch. The yellow perch's eagerness to bite and the simplicity of fishing techniques make this a sport revered by rookies and old-timers. Time to call Erie Quest Charters!
All it really takes to catch some perch is a decent-working rod and reel with a crappie rig of 2 or 3 (size 6 or size 8) hooks and a sinker weighing 3/8 of an ounce or more. You can also use a perch spreader; a rig made of thin wire with a sinker in the middle and attachments for a snelled hook (a hook with a short segment of fishing line) at either side.
Emerald shiners are the best bait!
Tight lines....
Capt. Rick
