[Eastside Al]

Jim
I was thinking of how well you explain things.

Maybe a basic 101 for the brand new to eye fishing group.
Sometimes all we discuss is the master level ideas.

Idea is a person buys a boat and wants to go after eyes for the first time say May to July and lives within 2 hours of the islands or Geneva.
I know so many variables but thats what makes this site so good and people want to help others

Or if you've done this in the past put reference pages up?

 

[Jim Stedke]

Jim
I was thinking of how well you explain things.

Maybe a basic 101 for the brand new to eye fishing group.
Sometimes all we discuss is the master level ideas.

Idea is a person buys a boat and wants to go after eyes for the first time say May to July and lives within 2 hours of the islands or Geneva.
I know so many variables but thats what makes this site so good and people want to help others

Or if you've done this in the past put reference pages up?

Beginners need all the help they can get. It's a big lake and a complex fishery. Shortening the learning curve and/or getting some fish is crutial. It's just too complex for me to try and cover in a do this and do that fashion.

First decide what method you want to learn, trolling, casting, or drift and dragging. Then find someone who fishes that way, and see if you could tag along or charter a trip with a captain who understands your situation and is willing to do a learning charter. This actually is a really good idea to do before you buy the boat because not every boat can be perfect for all methods.

If you have a fishing buddy make sure to take him along, because you brain is going to be overrun with info, and he may remember some key points that you miss or forget. Ask questions and try to get to a point that you could mimic whatever it is that you're seeing.

This is the quickest and easiest way to get off on the right foot. I still get calls from guys we taught years ago and life long relationships may and do develop.

Or search all the midwinter seminars for any specific question, over 15 yrs and around 600 questions each year, I'm betting you can find about anything about Lake Erie walleye fishing in there somewhere.

Have a great year and be ready for a ton of yearlings.

 

[jmyers8]

Do you use a fluoro leader and if so when would you vs choose not to.

Also snubber or no snubber for a dipsy and do you run mono or fluoro for your leader.

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[Jim Stedke]

Do you use a fluoro leader and if so when would you vs choose not to.

Also snubber or no snubber for a dipsy and do you run mono or fluoro for your leader.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Yes I do use pure flouro leader material (25# test) behind Dipsys with a snubber. And I never choose not to.

For clarity I never use a snubber behind any type jet, but still the same 6' flouro leader (West end).

 

[Mooner]

Hey, Jim, can you talk about the preferred way to adjust your line counter reels? I know some guys who just loosen the drag when letting line out and never open the bail. Then they tighten the drag when they reach their desired line length.
Also, how tight should the spool tensioner be?

 

[Jim Stedke]

Hey, Jim, can you talk about the preferred way to adjust your line counter reels? I know some guys who just loosen the drag when letting line out and never open the bail. Then they tighten the drag when they reach their desired line length.
Also, how tight should the spool tensioner be?

Drag tension is a matter of personal preference. The only rule is never set the drag so tight that a big fish could break the line,

Loosening the drag to set lines is an other way to do it and quite acceptable. I release the spool and turn on the clicker so I don't get distracted and forget about the bd going out.

I like to keep the drags loose enough to pull line off the spool (kinda like where it would be perfect to handle a 23" fish).

The spool tensioner is also a matter of personal preference. I like It loose enough to allow the boards to peel off line. The problem is when the tensioner is that loose, if you release the spool to adjust a bd without thumbing the spool, you'll get a birds nest, your experience will dictate what's best for you.

Interesting questions but questions that do not have only one right answer. Good luck.

 

[Gottagofishn]

Matt Faust did send over a telemetry animation and some other intel. I will attach a link for that as well as the 2020 Lake summary for your mid-winter reading enjoyment. There are quite a few studies going on and reports regarding different aspects of this fishery. Most can be found through the first link or on ODNR’s site.
Big thanks to Travis, Matt and the rest of the folks at ODNR.
Al

GLATOS (Look at projects)

https://ohiodnr.gov/static/documents/wildlife/fish-management/LakeErieStatus.pdf

 

[Jim Stedke]

Matt's explaination of the remaining blue dot in the middle of the lake was a walleye died close enough to the receiver to counted continuously.

He also said that 1 walleye went over Niagera Falls but explained that it was a dead fish also.

 

[B Ron 11]

With all the baby walleyes being caught in the Cleveland area, are these walleyes spawning in the Cuyahoga river and locally? Thinking about trying to see if their is a jig biting in April along the shoreline of river mouth. Vermilion is a example. They are spawning somewhere.

 

[Jim Stedke]

With all the baby walleyes being caught in the Cleveland area, are these walleyes spawning in the Cuyahoga river and locally? Thinking about trying to see if their is a jig biting in April along the shoreline of river mouth. Vermilion is a example. They are spawning somewhere.

When a walleye egg hatches the larvel walleye has a yoke sack attached and drifts in the currents. It has no control on where it goes, and ends up wherever the currents take it. A few yrs ago we had a big SW blow in the Spring and all of a sudden the Geneva and Bula guys started caughting a bunch of small walleyes.

It is likely that there is some spawning in the local rivers, and you may very well be able to success, but that would not in my opinion prove spawning. The ODNR does shocking for spawning walleyes in the Sandusky and Maumee Rivers, and might know if walleyes are spawning in the Cuyahoga. The fishery guys should be able to shed some light on this interesting topic.

Good luck, and COME ON SPRING !!!

 

[HappySnag]

With all the baby walleyes being caught in the Cleveland area, are these walleyes spawning in the Cuyahoga river and locally? Thinking about trying to see if their is a jig biting in April along the shoreline of river mouth. Vermilion is a example. They are spawning somewhere.

the eyes is one spieces ,but there is to many devided to like USA states,ohio,california,virginia,they learn how to live,eat and ,hide from preditor,lot of them are local and some travel like gypsy.
they do how they were touth from perents.

 

[puge]

unless the ice gets 20" thick and there is little chance of ramps being open.

Jim,
How dare you speak of 20" of ice!!!!🥶
I know it can melt fast, but the single digit temps the next week will build a lot of ice.😭

 

[Jim Stedke]

The yr we had 20" of ice there was a tournament in very early April and guys were still ice fishing in the 3rd week of March. But they were on 10-12"s of deteriorating ice. There were many who thought the tournament would have to be rescheduled, but it went off without a hitch.

Currents caused by wind can cut ice quickly, and this cold snap would have to last thru the mid February to cause March open water fishing any potential problems. The ice guides will be lucky to have 2 weeks of fishing. If they aren't driving on the ice by mid Jan., the ice will likely be gone by midFeb.

I've caught walleyes trolling from a boat every month of the yr twice. And we caught fish Jan 1st this year. So it's still a possibility this yr, but we'll see.

I hope I didn't jinx myself by mentioning the 20".

 

[Misdirection]

When a walleye egg hatches the larvel walleye has a yoke sack attached and drifts in the currents. It has no control on where it goes, and ends up wherever the currents take it. A few yrs ago we had a big SW blow in the Spring and all of a sudden the Geneva and Bula guys started caughting a bunch of small walleyes.

It is likely that there is some spawning in the local rivers, and you may very well be able to success, but that would not in my opinion prove spawning. The ODNR does shocking for spawning walleyes in the Sandusky and Maumee Rivers, and might know if walleyes are spawning in the Cuyahoga. The fishery guys should be able to shed some light on this interesting topic.

Good luck, and COME ON SPRING !!!

ODNR has been doing habitat restoration on the Ashtabula river. In 2014, the year we had good ice up our way, the ODNR there was the first meaningful walleye hatch in the Ashtabula river in 30 years. It repeated in 2015 as well. I think we are seeing hatches in the Grand, Ashtabula, and Conneaut creek on a yearly basis now.

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[Jim Stedke]

ODNR has been doing habitat restoration on the Ashtabula river. In 2014, the year we had good ice up our way, the ODNR there was the first meaningful walleye hatch in the Ashtabula river in 30 years. It repeated in 2015 as well. I think we are seeing hatches in the Grand, Ashtabula, and Conneaut creek on a yearly basis now.

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Thank you kindly for your input. Much appreciated!

 

[miked913]

Jim, since you fish mostly Lorain(ish) my question is how do you handle that month or so from mid to late Aug to mid to late Sept when that bite gets very tough every year, prior to the main schools of migrating fish moving back into that area? It seems every year is almost the same down to the day when fishing goes from automatic limits to, what the heck happened? Then we have 1 or 2 major wind/temperature events and fishing goes back to normal again. Thanks

reelylivinsportfishing.com

 

[sweet escape]

Thanks Jim for your earlier advice on catching the “big girls” in the spring. Much appreciated. Another area I’m working on is understanding how to read and fish currents. In prior years, there has been mention of this being “next level” walleye fishing. What are ways to better understand currents and how they impact fish behavior and fishing techniques? Thanks for your help!

 

[Jim Stedke]

Jim, since you fish mostly Lorain(ish) my question is how do you handle that month or so from mid to late Aug to mid to late Sept when that bite gets very tough every year, prior to the main schools of migrating fish moving back into that area? It seems every year is almost the same down to the day when fishing goes from automatic limits to, what the heck happened? Then we have 1 or 2 major wind/temperature events and fishing goes back to normal again. Thanks

reelylivinsportfishing.com

That time can be tricky. There are still fish east of Kelley's to N of the Huron dump but they are moving all the time. Mostly in water 42-48' deep. This area goes N to the border so it's a huge area. The area between the Lorain dump and the sand bar hold fish too but again they do not stay put. Weighted cranks and Dipsys and spoons are the best presentations, and some days all Dipsys is less troublesome. Having some good phone numbers and sharing Intel is especially important.

No magic bullets or special presentations, put out the best you got and go looking.

Thanks for the question and COME ON SPRING!!

 

[jmyers8]

Jim when do a good fishable amount of fish show up around the huron area what is the earliest you think you can have a good catch out there.

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[Jim Stedke]

Thanks Jim for your earlier advice on catching the “big girls” in the spring. Much appreciated. Another area I’m working on is understanding how to read and fish currents. In prior years, there has been mention of this being “next level” walleye fishing. What are ways to better understand currents and how they impact fish behavior and fishing techniques? Thanks for your help!

Currents are caused by wind primarily. If you run riggers or Dipsys you can see when you are in a current. The simplest way to identify a current is to look for lines of foam and junk. The best places to fish are the edges of a current, and that's where this foam will be. Think of the current as a river and you want to fish the eddies at the edge of the river.

Just about all the community hot spots are areas where the natural flow of the lake creates an eddy. This eddy concentrate bait and holds the preditory fish.

Hope this helps. Thanks for the question and COME ON SPRING!!