East Harbor Lake Erie

[bigbass201]

It's tough waiting for good ice to form on the lake. I did manage a short trip this fall to East Harbor. When your struggling getting through the fishing blues this winter, maybe this video will bring some fond memories of the sights and sounds of Lake Lake during the fall. Few decent bites along the way.

[Big J Mac]

Thanks for posting.

[bigbass201]

Not the best day, but sure brings memories of being on the water. Thanks

[smp005]

Don't know about the rest of you but I'm launching at Mazurik's tomorrow :-)

[DL07]

I will be right be hind you at the launch if i can find someone to drag along,lol. I dont like fishing alone when the water temps are this low.

[smp005]

So the water temp in the main lake was 44, in the West Harbor channel it was 46. Fished were stacked up in the channel and we found some suspended around the Middle Harbor shoal. Lake was calm and we had the entire place to ourselves - lots of guys after those toothy fish (walleye) but they were out in deeper water... Would have run out to the islands but the fog was pretty heavy and I didn't feel comfortable doing that so we worked the breakwall drop offs and the shoal... Marked fish but could not convince any to bite..

Still a great day... December 28th and fishing on Erie - I'll take that :-)

IMG_1409.jpeg

Looking at the long range forecast, its gonna take a serious weather change for the lake to completely freeze over this winter. I think we'll be fishing Erie in early April in 2020 :-)

[smp005]

I will be right be hind you at the launch if i can find someone to drag along,lol. I dont like fishing alone when the water temps are this low.

Did you make it up? Parking lot was almost full!!

[DL07]

No my partner backed out on me this morning, which worked out for the better I took my youngest (he's 5) to Portage and caught some small crappie and blue gill instead.

[smp005]

Nice!!! My son was with me today - that’s what it’s all about! I’ll be on portage all week if it’s not raining :-)

[bigbass201]

Man I would have loved to been out there. I'm just grateful I survived another peak Christmas season at UPS. Finally can get my mind back on fishing again. I'm surprised that water was still running 44 to 46 degrees! Curious if smp005 makes it out on Portage. I've fished that chain a couple times and really like it. Planning on heading there in April weather permitting. Happy New Years guys

[jc2bg]

So the water temp in the main lake was 44, in the West Harbor channel it was 46....

Looking at the long range forecast, its gonna take a serious weather change for the lake to completely freeze over this winter. I think we'll be fishing Erie in early April in 2020 :-)

Appreciate your report. I’ve been up to East/West Harbor a few times when it’s really late or really early in the season, water temps like you describe, and for whatever reason just can’t get a [bass] bite. We know where the fish were in early November, and we know where they’ll be [same place] in late March or early April, but darned if we can get them to bite when it’s in their “off season.” Couple of years ago we had 60 degrees air temperature in February and went up. Could mark fish in the deeper channels, even fairly close to the shoreline drop offs, but no takers. Oh, well! It’s still nice to get out. And the coffee on the way home still tasted good.

[smp005]

Man I would have loved to been out there. I'm just grateful I survived another peak Christmas season at UPS. Finally can get my mind back on fishing again. I'm surprised that water was still running 44 to 46 degrees! Curious if smp005 makes it out on Portage. I've fished that chain a couple times and really like it. Planning on heading there in April weather permitting. Happy New Years guys

Yeah I can imagine.... I'm not sure if our UPS driver loves my wife or hates my wife but he definitely knows her LOL!

Portage is really an amazing fishery - it gets serious pressure all the time and continues to produce quality fish. I live about 5 miles away and also pass by Fishermans Central going to and from the ramp, so I get two of my favorite destinations in each trip :-)

Thursday is supposed to be a high of 48 and no rain - I'll fish the afternoon out of the new state park ramp for sure :-)

BTW - I loved you video in East Harbor! My son and I had "one of those days". just off the Cedar Point breakwall back in October where we didn't hook a single green or brown fish but hammered the white bass and sheepheads all afternoon, one after another - had a blast!!

Happy New Year!!

Scott

[smp005]

Appreciate your report. I’ve been up to East/West Harbor a few times when it’s really late or really early in the season, water temps like you describe, and for whatever reason just can’t get a [bass] bite. We know where the fish were in early November, and we know where they’ll be [same place] in late March or early April, but darned if we can get them to bite when it’s in their “off season.” Couple of years ago we had 60 degrees air temperature in February and went up. Could mark fish in the deeper channels, even fairly close to the shoreline drop offs, but no takers. Oh, well. It’s still nice to get out. And the coffee on the way home still tasted good.

I know the feeling - it can be frustrating....

But like you said - it just feels good to be on the water :-) We spent some time yesterday just idling around graphing structure - with absolutely no other boats on the water I could totally focus on my electronics without worrying about being run over or swamped by boat wakes. I had never thought about that before - if we get another warmer day I may do it again and not even fish - just a big recon mission!!!

Scott

[bigbass201]

Yeah I can imagine.... I'm not sure if our UPS driver loves my wife or hates my wife but he definitely knows her LOL!

Portage is really an amazing fishery - it gets serious pressure all the time and continues to produce quality fish. I live about 5 miles away and also pass by Fishermans Central going to and from the ramp, so I get two of my favorite destinations in each trip :-)

Thursday is supposed to be a high of 48 and no rain - I'll fish the afternoon out of the new state park ramp for sure :-)

BTW - I loved you video in East Harbor! My son and I had "one of those days". just off the Cedar Point breakwall back in October where we didn't hook a single green or brown fish but hammered the white bass and sheepheads all afternoon, one after another - had a blast!!

Happy New Year!!

Scott

Scott look for Jim and I over on Portage in April. I think we may make a trip over there. It was either there or Milton. I think we'll go with Portage because I heard it's a better of the two for a spring bite. Planning another trip back to the Harbor as well. May make a combo smallmouth largemouth trip. Couple of those humps will stack with fish around Kelly's early in the spring.