dunkirk/barcelona ny Lake erie 7/27-29

[walteye]

My wife and I took a 3 day trip to Lake Erie for eyes-same time/same area that I have fished for years. Monday dead calm/hot sun and no marks coming out of Dunkirk. Fished same area that has produced for years-80-100 FOW-east and west of Dunkirk. Very little or no marks-did a LOT of trolling-lots of silver bass and 1- 2# eye with the last pole in.

Went to Barcelona next 2 days (again both days dead calm and hot sun)-Harbormaster says fish shallow-50-70 fow/down 40. 1 Walleye at 7am-lots of silver bass. Ran out to 95-110 fow-slammed the steelheads (12)-but no walleye out deep. 

2 days of running same programs that has produced limits plus for years-and it ain't working!!! 

Pulling boat out on day 2-a local questions how I did-I said 2 eyes in 2 days. Told me I was fishing WAY TOO DEEP OF WATER. He says start at 40 fow. Next morning we head out-troll between 40-50 fow and limit out that day (2 people). Red prism Renoskys (both 3" and 5") took almost all the fish- last 2 eyes caught in 35 fow with surface temp of 76 degrees!

What has always worked in past may not always work!

Walteye

[Sanitarium]

ditto..we fished from 27-30th out of barcelona for our pseudo annual trip. they r shallow and with the calm seas and added boat traffic ..( which was surprising for mon-wed) they eemed to chew more in lower light conditions and to around 10pm. the white bass and drum were relentless. we boated easy 60+ over the 3.2 days of fishing and that is prob low. they hit everything at any speed and the dreaded propeller action of there body pulling thru the water was maddening! night fishing was fun... nice to see the reflection in the eyes as u bring them in.

we pulled only sticks for 75% of trip, pulled worm harnesses first day but phased them out of spread.

Glad u found some fish!

Dan

[Sluggo / NY]

My wife and I took a 3 day trip to Lake Erie for eyes-same time/same area that I have fished for years. Monday dead calm/hot sun and no marks coming out of Dunkirk. Fished same area that has produced for years-80-100 FOW-east and west of Dunkirk. Very little or no marks-did a LOT of trolling-lots of silver bass and 1- 2# eye with the last pole in.

Went to Barcelona next 2 days (again both days dead calm and hot sun)-Harbormaster says fish shallow-50-70 fow/down 40. 1 Walleye at 7am-lots of silver bass. Ran out to 95-110 fow-slammed the steelheads (12)-but no walleye out deep. 

2 days of running same programs that has produced limits plus for years-and it ain't working!!! 

Pulling boat out on day 2-a local questions how I did-I said 2 eyes in 2 days. Told me I was fishing WAY TOO DEEP OF WATER. He says start at 40 fow. Next morning we head out-troll between 40-50 fow and limit out that day (2 people). Red prism Renoskys (both 3" and 5") took almost all the fish- last 2 eyes caught in 35 fow with surface temp of 76 degrees!

What has always worked in past may not always work!

Walteye

Walt.. Yep.. They're shallower than usual! I think most of the fish being caught right now are resident fish. The suspended migrating herd just hasn't arrived in numbers yet. Of course.. those are going to be the hogs. We'll be out there tomorrow for the week and will probably try from the PA line to the Canada line.. both shallow and deep. I'll post our results. Good Fishing, Sluggo (Chris)

[jimski2]

Although the Walleyes seem to disappear lately, the high wind whitecaps have increased the dissolved oxygen near the surface and the fish may be up there. Try side planers with a color or two of lead core. The screen shows occasional large fish ten foot down.

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[walteye]

Jimski-

I noticed that also and ran 20 jets and deep crankbaits off boards and got nuttin!

I ran to the red roof from Barcelona on tuesday-70-110' and all I caught were steelies (my wife was in pain when they dove the planer boards and she couldn't move the  fish!!!) I loved it-but we were looking for eyes.

At least the last day we hammered them-2 were in the 6# class-the rest were 2-3#.

Walteye

[jigstick]

The migratory fish that come up from western lake Erie are going to be way way smaller than the local fish.  They burn up a lot of fat stores on the trip up to NY water.  My experience has always been that the local fish I catch early in the season are the lunkers, and when i start landing long skinny fish it means the migratory ones have arrived. I exclusively target the larger walleye, as I could care less if I limit out.  Last year I got hogs all summer long, averaging 8.5-10lbs.  With large eyes over 11lbs not uncommon.  When i start landing long and skinny walleye, i know the fish from Ohio waters are starting to arrive. 

 

This season has been very strange for me as well.  This time of year I am usually slaughtering them in 75-90fow.  Big fish and little fish.  I just dont get it.  The last few times I have been out there was basically no thermocline at all.  and really really warm water temps.  I am at a loss as to why the fish are staying inside this year. Ive been running all spoons and stickbaits.  Harnesses just get destroyed with white perch and drum.  Im even catching those on magnum sized spoons. 

 

Ill be fishing next week.  I guess Ill try shallow and see what happens.  But that goes against 4 years of logbook data that I have for fishing Barcelona waters.

Edited August 7, 2015 by jigstick

[RD9]

Go east Jigstix. Dunkirk. Out on the line little east. Or fish the bottom inside 80 ft.

[bwilson]

We fished Thursday out in front of Dunkirk.We found some Bait in 76 down 60 and hit the fish. All four rods going with fish first time and three rods on another pass.

[Gill-T]

IMO the reason the fish are inside is the availability of food.  Stomach contents of walleye and perch this year have been predominantly small gobies.  Gobies need structure to hide.  Find the rocky humps and you will find the walleye.  By matching the hatch and using 1/2 crawler you may find more hook-ups.  Traditional "perch" areas are loaded with walleye this year.   

[steelie]

I agree with Gill-T. Gobies have been in a lot of fish. Unfortunately, baitfish populations are way down. Especially walleye forage such as smelt and emeralds

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[mostlymuskies]

To avoid loosing crawlers to Silver Bass use Uncle Joss Great Lakes Pork Rind Worms soaked in Mikes Herring Oil.They can't bite off the end or pull it off the hooks.Mikes Herring Oil also has UV for a little glow.

Edited August 9, 2015 by mostlymuskies

[mostlymuskies]

When running stick baits like Bayrats use Golby color and in combination of worm harnesses use 3-D Thumper Wide Willow in Black with Watermelon tape,the wide willow blade can work at higher speeds of 2 to 2.2 mph giving crankbaits better action.