Lake Erie Smallies

[idn713]

My cousin and I will launching out of the Buffalo small boat harbor this upcoming Sat (weather permitting). I have a good graph and and charts, so finding seneca shoal and other structure will be no issue, what I want to know from you guys is what presentations WILL get me into fish. I have horrible luck with smallies, but I am planning on dropshotting and Carolina rigging tubes, small flukes, dropshot worms etc and I will be using fluro on all my rods. Anything more I should do to make this trip successful?

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[lineman49]

I just saw an in-fisherman tv show & they were fishing between donnlleys wall & the blk rock cannal useing gobbie colored tube jigs draging them right on the bottom. Jigs were 2-3" long. They were also between the round house & dons. wall. They did very well.

[fishuntrapper]

went out on erie this past sunday in front of the wind mills to seneca shoals trolling. was pulling rapala deep tail dancers and reef runners. couldnt keep the bass off. 25-30 fow. 09 purpledescent dancer , 600 little ripper in gray ghost runner good luck and happy fishing

[Pequod1]

Good luck. There should be a few boats out there Sat. showing the way. I fish the area a lot and I usually do well staying away from the other boats. If Seneca is too crowded, try Meyers reef, or, get a Canada license and fish just across the line near the roundhouse. The tubes and gulp gobies work dropshotting but live crayfish will slaughter them if you feel like useing bait.

[idn713]

I am normally an artificial guy but I am gonna bring some crayfish along, just in case

[orangediablo]

we've had decent luck dragging/bouncing crayfish off the bottom. Seem to have better luck with smaller crays over the big ones.

[Gill-T]

Try off the windmills in 20-30' FOW. Find where the bottom gets REAL lumpy on the graph. These lumps are dumped slag piles. Lots of gobies in the structure=lots o'bass. Put a little piece of worm down.....if you don't feel the little tap tap of gobies...pull anchor and try a different spot. Sturgeon point has nice structure and a nice launch also. If you are keeping fish.......I am always apprehensive about eating fish near the windmills so try down lake further Seneca shoal, points further south, Sturgeon Pt., or if you are coming from down south launch on the Cattaurgus Creek launch and fish the structure south of the breakwall out in front of the beach.

[BP Swing]

Where exactly is the cattauragus Creek launch? Are there any other launches on the eastern end other than Erie Basin, SBH, and Sturgeon Pt.?

[Pequod1]

Take exit 58 off the thruway in Irving. Make a left down 5/20 for 3/4 mile. Rt. at Alleghany rd. You will see Jeromes bait shop at the corner. Stop in if you need bait and info. The launch is the first rt. past the rr tracks. Nice launch and fish cleaning station. I do not know of any other launches other than the ones you mentioned in Buffallo except for one on Ontario St. just north of the Peace bridge. Never been there though.

[BP Swing]

OK thanks much. Is that on Indian land and any special permits?

[Pequod1]

It borders Indian land. I usually stop in and get cheaper gas there. Just east of the thruway exit on 5/20.