Struggling on Lake Erie Islands.

[Denlinger]

I’m fishing a tournament out of west harbor this Saturday and I have all week to practice. It has been a struggle bus for the most part. We are finding groups of fish offshore on the shoals and other some nearshore spots. But they won’t hardly touch anything. Sometimes we can catch 1 and then not another bite. We only may catch 2 or 3 a morning. We know there’s a bunch more there because we drop a camera down and see Several. Tried everything. Several different drop shot baits, tubes, Ned rigs. Maybe some wind would help? It’s been super calm at times. It’s very frustrating knowing we’re around fish but they won’t bite anything. Send help

[eriedude]

The bite is tough. Concentrate on 16 to 20 ft rocks, boulders if you will. Probably not so much what you throw but finding the fish. Drifting wont get it done. See the rocks on your fishfinder and drop to them . A lot of these fish are right up against the boulders, especially in bright skies.

[Denlinger]

We’ve done lots of dropping on boulders from 15 all the way to 30 ft. Caught 2 4 pounders the other day doing that but most of the time they won’t even touch a drop shot.

[coolwhip]

Was fishing at Kelleys Island all last week. Caught a few nice smallies while killin the walleye....used harnesses. All smallies came off gold or silver blades. Came in 18-24' of water along the ledges. They are very active as came up from bottom to nail the baits at the boat. I'd try a crankbait, jerkbait, a lipless or maybe a spinnerbait with flash. I seen guys fishing for smallies using tubes and drop shot and never saw them catch anything. Water temp about 78 at surface...they were very active in the bite so I'd say a reaction type of bait. Not a smallie expert, but maybe that would work?

[bigbass201]

Fishing has been tough the last couple weeks. Couple tournaments out of Sandusky Bay last couple weeks has taken largemouth to win them. Club tournament went out last Saturday and they only weighed in 4 smallmouth. Those 4 smallmouth we caught in Sandusky bay too. One of the guys who fished that tournament said he is going to post those results on Tri-State in the next day or so.

[coolwhip]

Fishing has been tough the last couple weeks. Couple tournaments out of Sandusky Bay last couple weeks has taken largemouth to win them. Club tournament went out last Saturday and they only weighed in 4 smallmouth. Those 4 smallmouth we caught in Sandusky bay too. One of the guys who fished that tournament said he is going to post those results on Tri-State in the next day or so.

Ha, funny you should mention that. I caught a 4lb largemouth in Kelleys Island marina. I thought that was pretty cool. Lots of grass in there too.

[bigbass201]

Ha, funny you should mention that. I caught a 4lb largemouth in Kelleys Island marina. I thought that was pretty cool. Lots of grass in there too.

Good deal!

[jc2bg]

My Erie fishing buddy and I have a saying, “You can catch 1 fish anywhere.” At least you can on Erie. And sometimes it’s a very good one. That’s a refreshing change from mid-summer fishing on inland Ohio lakes, but I feel for those guys who set July/August vacations on Erie and drive hundreds of miles to fish smallmouth. Still, if you can avoid the worst of the boat wakes, it’s pretty up there!

[jcyoung517]

My Erie fishing buddy and I have a saying, “You can catch 1 fish anywhere.” At least you can on Erie. And sometimes it’s a very good one. That’s a refreshing change from mid-summer fishing on inland Ohio lakes, but I feel for those guys who set July/August vacations on Erie and drive hundreds of miles to fish smallmouth. Still, if you can avoid the worst of the boat wakes, it’s pretty up there!

That is what us desperate fishermen do!!

[Denlinger]

We fished fishers of men tournament last Saturday and it took only 13.5 to win with smallmouth and I think they went to Detroit River. We weighed in 9.9 lbs and ended up 16th out of 31 boats. We tried smallmouth all over the whole morning, and ran back to mainland just to catch a limit of largemouth at 1. Worst tournament weights I’ve seen here.

[eriedude]

Tough as I have ever seen it here lately even for the largemouths. In the next month out of Sandusky there is Regional College and High school tournaments a FLW Super tournament and ANOTHER Toyota series tournament. Its not gonna get any better.

[RangerTim619]

I am hearing there are lots of minnows this year.

That's a good thing for the fish not the fisherman.

[scum_frog]

I only live 20 mins from the lake and fish around the islands all the time....this year has been extremely different....ive found solid largies pretty good....the smallies were killed in the spring....won a small tourney a few months ago with best two fishing weighing around 10.5lbs. The fish now have definitely scattered....if your having trouble with fish and KNOW they are there....back as far off as possible and make extremely long casts.....they will hit something...just need to figure it out. If the obvious three "Drop shot, Ned, Tube" arent working you need to expand....think of off the wall things....jig and twister, chatterbait, heavy jig....you name it....try it. Doesnt hurt. Those fish have seen the obvious wayyyyy too many times!

[coolwhip]

I am hearing there are lots of minnows this year.

That's a good thing for the fish not the fisherman.

Yes, they were all around my boat when fishing around Kelley's.

[scum_frog]

Thats why the perch are FINALLY back as well. Its probably why the smallies are tough to find...chasing bait.

[Fishing Flyer]

Where did the minnows go? Bad spawns in past years or do they move around the lake?

[RangerTim619]

We had a couple of bad spawns for minnows. But very good walleye spawns. The walleye eat a lot to double in size the first couple of years.

[Fishing Flyer]

We had a couple of bad spawns for minnows. But very good walleye spawns. The walleye eat a lot to double in size the first couple of years.

Thanks! I did notice what I thought were emerald shiners in East Harbor in mid June, a lot actually.