Lake Erie Walleye...

[Redhorse]

Got an old Sea Nymph 17' center console with a 60 hp Johnson a few weeks ago. Got it most of the way there...she's all set up for trolling, now I have to get it ready for muskie casting a week from now :eek:

Here's the report I put out on my local site...just thought I'd give you guys something a little different to read about ;)


Hit the water around 9 am and headed out of Mazurik about 6 miles toward the Islands. Some wind and chop made it a little rough for trolling the big planer boards once we got out there...but I was bound and determined to try out the new rig. First trip out with the new (to me) boat, mast I just mounted, boards, etc...

Got 9 in the box on my boat, and dad's boat doubled that. I let the green horn (not a fisherman and never trolled for anything before) steer the boat and that was a mistake...caused some down time which cost us some fish I'm sure.

Trolled Michigan stingers on jet divers...most of the fish came on Monkey Puke. Smallest fish was 18" largest went well over 5 Lbs. Weather calmed down in the afternoon/evening, but so did the fish. Also picked up a couple of white bass.

I concentrated my time around the can just west of Kelly's. Lots of bait, and big schools of white bass and perch were in there as well. First trip I think I've ever made up to the big lake and DIDN'T catch a sheephead (freshwater drum for you salty's) :D

[basstardo]

I used to fish out of Port Clinton for walleye. Great tasting fish and fun to catch. Speaking of those sheepshead, I used to catch them up to about 10-15 pounds out of the Ohio River. Heck of a fight on light surf tackle. Taste like crap though.

[Redhorse]

Yeah...there are some HUGE ones in Erie now! DNR finally realized they were eating the zebra mussels (invasive species), so all the charter boat captains started releasing them carefully back to the lake instead of killing them. I've had days up there now when we can't even troll all 6-8 rods cause we just can't get them out for the sheephead bite. I've come off the lake with my arms hanging like limp noodles from landing 8-10 pounders all day. Makes it hard to get a limit of eye's when you've got a sheephead hanging off all your lures :rolleyes:

[basstardo]

If they're eating the zebra mussels, that's a good thing. I remember the charter captains telling me years back that the zebra mussels were so effective at cleaning the water, they were making it gin clear, and the walleye fishing went south because of it, along with some of the other aquatic life. They need more in the Ohio River. I remember catching all kinds of things with zebra's stuck to them. Even pulled in a single shot 12 guage I snagged one time, and it was covered in them.

[Redhorse]

Many of the local lakes/reservoirs have been reported as being "clearer than any one can remember" this Spring. I suspect the zebra mussels are to blame. They are showing up in all of the inland waters here in Ohio because boaters don't flush their bilges and live wells...or they transport bait/fish and release them. The Zebra mussels are so effective at filtering the zooplankton and phytoplankton out of the water...that the fry have nothing to eat when they finish their yolk sacks. Could seriously impact productivity in all of our inland lakes and res. Time will tell.

The fact that Sheephead have begun eating them and recognizing them as a food source this early on (if you can call it early) is a plus. Hopefully other species will do likewise and some sort of balance will be achieved. Biggest thing with an introduced species is the lack of predators...or recognition as a food source.

[basstardo]

I don't know of any other fish that would be able to mash the shell like a drum would. I imagine there's got to be something that could eat them as well. The think that kills me is they'll survive for a few days out of water. Hardy little bastages. Too bad they ain't bigger and you can't eat 'em.

[Redhorse]

I'm thinking some of the catfishes have pretty substantial crushers...and Redear Sunfish are nicknamed "shell crackers" for a reason. Those Redears could certainly do a number on the young zebra's that aren't too large for their mouths already.

Some more Muskies are being caught in lake Erie...just heard about another one this week. They are coming back in from St. Claire through the Detroit River.

VHS was just discovered in Clearfork Reservoir which is the brood lake for Ohio's Muskie fishery. They milk the muskies there for eggs/sperm and raise them at two hatcheries. VHS was most likely brought through bilge water from Erie...there was a substantial fish kill (I think in the Western basin) a while back. Hope this doesn't impact our hatchery program. I'll be at Clearfork this weekend for our "Division Day" and Spring Outing. We (club members who volunteer) fish with Division of Wildlife personnel as their boat guides on Friday...probably get the inside scoop then.