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I forgot to set the alarm last night, but thankfully, I woke up at 3:15. I only lost 15 minutes of routine, so it wasn’t too bad. By now, those of you who follow me, know my routine. If you don’t, it’s me going out on the back deck with my coffee, my dog Alfie, and my two weird cats. This is where I get the morning’s weather, in real-time. Then, I look at the wind and weather apps, to see what lays in store for the morning’s trip.


All the wind apps were showing different conditions, but I trust iWindSurf the most, out of all of them, and decided it was going to be a fishable morning. My neighbors, Dave and Danielle, were going with me, this time. This trip was set up months ago, for Dave’s birthday, by Danielle, so I wanted to get it in. Today, is Dave’s birthday, and I didn’t want to disappoint, since they both took off of work, to do this trip.


I told Danielle, last night, “I’ll text you at 4am to let you know if it’s a “go”, or not.” And, because, the apps were all different, it took me 45 minutes to decide which one to believe, and what time we should launch… but, at 4:00 I sent her a text saying, “We’ll leave at 5:30”.


The forecast was for a WSW wind from 10-13 w/gusts to 20. Very fishable, but Catawba was out of the equation, for launching.
A SW wind blows right into the docks, making loading and launching a little more uncomfortable, there. I don’t want scratches on my boat, if I can help it.


We headed to Mazurik’s, after hitting the gas station for gas and ice, and arrived at 6am. By 6:15 we were in the water, waiting a few minutes, for the 400 to warm up. Once she was up to temp, we headed north, to the line.
It was unfortunate, that I only found very clean water, with no fish marks showing up on the electronics, up there.


I didn’t even come off plane, before turning the boat and heading around to the other side of the islands. Down, around Sugar Island, through the pass between the underwater wall (between Middle Bass and Rattlesnake)…and, Rattlesnake Island.


The fog was pretty thick, up in the “Triangle”, so I stopped and put my navigation light in, (back on the transom), and turned them all on.
I was just about to start moving again, when Danielle said, “There’s a boat right there”, pointing out of the port side of the boat.
He didn’t have any lights on, and was going too fast for conditions… and would have hit us, had I not stopped to put the navigational lights on.
The fish will be there when you get there…..slow down, when it’s foggy, you might kill someone! Just say’n…grrrrr


Anyway….there were very scattered marks from the west end of Rattlesnake to the north side of Green. We kept heading west at a slow speed, and eventually, we ended up over by the “outside cans”. The fog was lifting, so we could start to see the land masses, and that made Danielle happy. The sun was trying to burn the fog off, too.


The Humminbird started showing some fish. The water was a nice mixing color. More stained, than the clean water to the north, but not chocolatey, either. I was headed to the edge of the chocolatey color, when the fish marks showed up.
I turned the boat, shut the motor off…deployed the Terrova, and the baby Merc, and set a course to the south….then, SW.


Bandits, out behind Off Shore boards, at 120, 110, 100, 80, and 60 back started the morning off. Along with a dipsey, on the zero setting, off each corner. The port side ran at 28 and the starboard side ran at 31.


Water temp was 58 something degrees
Speed was 2.0-2.3 mph on the FishHawk, and 2.3 to 2.6 SOG


Every now and then we would hit a current seam, and the FishHawk would show a drop to 1.4-1.6mph when the SOG was still at at 2.4 mph. They seemed to be skinny seams, because by the time I was done adjusting the speed, it would change back again, and we would be going too fast.


The fish definitely liked us going into the waves, rather than with them, this morning. It was a 60:40 split, with the spoons on the dipsies doing better than the cranks. The largest fish came on a spoon, too.


Well, this is long enough, and my dog keeps shoving a ball in my elbow, so it’s time to go play with him. Dave and Danielle said they had a great time, and that makes me happy! Happy birthday, Dave! 🙂


Tomorrow’s trip, is cancelled, due to the wind forecast. Ex PWT/FLW walleye pro David Kraft, set this trip up with his wife, as part of their adventure here. They came to town, from far away, like many do, to see the bird migration that happens in this area. The fishing trip was just an added highlight, but instead, we will meet for breakfast, and do some catching up. And, that makes me happy, too!


Next trip out if Friday, weather permitting.


Stay tuned….


Capt Juls

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Wife and I took a boat ride today. Started east of toussaint reef in 20 feet of water. Fished there for about an hour and caught two shorts and a bunch of white perch. Moved to crib and marked some fish there. We set up for a drift on the south edge of the reef and picked up two keepers in 15 minutes. I thought we were set up for a good time but those were the last two fish we caught. I didnÂ’t want to get caught out in any of the weather that was predicted so we came in after another hour of fishing.

Casting spinners with worms. Red and white beads and gold Colorado blades with 3/4 ounce slip sinkers.

Hello, does anyone know if it is still allowed to launch boat and leave truck/trailer in lot over night as i would return 1 or 2 day later after fishing and docking at islands overnight? I havent launched out of catawba in 10 yrs.
thanks jim

Our weekend trip to fish and get the boat cleaned for the season went off without a hitch!!

We got up Friday around noon and got the boat loaded up and hit the water. Started off the green can a little NE of Mouse (mostly E, what is that can called?). We set up and drifted long drifts across that flat all the way to in front of Mouse. My BIL picked up his MONSTER as our first walleye boated of the day! Went 29″ and we didnt have a scale but had to be every bit of 10lbs. Biggest walleye I have seen personally off Erie in 35 years up there, it was HUGE! We ended up with 8 total just doing those long drifts off the can. Had a handful of shorts in there too.

Spent the night on PIB and hit the water a little late Saturday morning (all overslept). Decided to try Lucy’s Point first to see if there were any fish staging in that deep water or holding on the transition. Made 3 drifts with nada so we moved East to a pack of boats that was drifting the line. Good amount of charter guys in there with waaaay better electronics so we assumed they were at least marking fish. Did about 5 drifts through there and picked up a couple keepers but mostly short walleye and white bass/perch. Decided to move back to our Mouse green can area and try the afternoon there again. Picked up 4 nice ones doing the same thing as the day before but that was it. We motored back to PIB and had a nice afternoon catching hog smallmouth (catch and release).

We tried bottom bouncers with harnesses, erie dearies, hair jigs, and simple white curly tails. Harnesses and the basic 4″ white curly tail split as being most effective.

Not the hot and heavy “limit out” bonanza that can happen up there BUT we were suuuper happy with our haul and had a blast!

ps: anyone out sunday to see that crazy fog?? Never seen it that bad up there, couldnt see more than 50 yards in some spots!! Erie was aptly named that day!

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Got up at 2AM, and headed out to the back deck with Alfie, and a cup of coffee. The air was thick with moisture, due to a system that rolled through overnight, but the rain was done for the day. The wind forecast was looking fantastic, which meant the lake would be relatively flat, and we would be able to get from point A to point B, with ease. I was able to spend some quiet quality time with the pup, before heading out at 5:15.

I told “Stanny” (Marc) and Norm, that I would meet them at 5:40, but showed up early as usual…but, they were ready, so we hit the road. Off to the gas station first, for ice and snacks, then to Hi Way Bait to get some crawlers. I wanted to have the option available to me, if we needed it. If not, I would just give the crawlers to them, so they had the option, too. (They are here all week, using Stanny’s boat).


We launched from Catawba at 6:20, and headed north. The ride out was nice, because we could go fast, and not get beat up. The fog hadn’t rolled in yet, either.
I did have a mishap on the ride out, though, that cost me some money. I turned my head to see the sunrise, and forgot my favorite pair of Costa sunglasses were sitting on the visor of my hat…and, the wind got them. They flew off, and into the lake, never to be seen again…deep sigh.


I drove the Vexus up to where I was last time out, and although the fish marks were less, there were still scattered fish showing on the electronics. Reining her in, I set down over 30-31 feet of water, and deployed the FishHawk. The Terrova and baby Merc were dialed in to a speed of 2.0, and set on a NW course.


Bandits, behind Off Shore boards, ran on both sides. Leads were 120. 100, 80, and 60 on both sides, too.


Colors that caught in this first spot were:
(2) Barbie (I THINK it’s a Domka Outdoors Custom)
Blue Chrome (stock color)
Greasy Chicken Wing (Slim Shady Customs)


We ran one dipsey (size 1 w/ring) on the port side, with a Yeck Spoon in the “Confusion” color, and caught a nice eater….but, that was it for the spoon up there.


At 9:30 I decided it was time to move. The fog was getting really think in that area, and it was hard to see more than 50 yards, so we moved down inside, by the cans. It was less foggy there, and the water color was a little muddier, too. There were plenty of fish marks, so we set up over 18 feet of water, and headed east on our trolling pass.


Bandits at 80, 60, 50, and 45 caught fish.
I had one Blue and White Jointed DHJ12 out at 65 back, and it took a bigger fish, so we put another out, and it caught a fish, too. I eventually had three out, and set one at 85 back, which also caught a nice fish.


Speed was 1.9-2.2mph. Water temp was 58


We caught one shy of our three-person limit, this morning, but it was still a fun day on the water with those two, and they both agreed….and, that makes me happy! 🙂




I have the next two days off, due to a cancellation (customer’s bad knee), so my next scheduled trip is Wednesday, with my neighbor’s…a birthday present from Danielle to her husband Dave, so that should be a lot of fun, too. 🙂


Stay tuned….


Capt Juls

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Wife and I and a friend were out for some fun time yesterday. We started close to K can but nothing but white perch. Took a boat ride to try to find some fish. Found some decent marks around locust reef so we set up for a drift and picked up a couple on the southwest corner of the reef. We drifted off the reef so picked up and headed back to the center of the reef and started over. We picked at them for the next three hours and ended up with 12 decent fish. All were on white with purple 5/8 ounce jigs. Early it was a little too windy for best fishing but the wind died a little.

Most of the fish were on the shoulder of the reef or just a little deeper. 11 to 16 feet deep. I probably should have tried a darker color jig just to see if it would matter. Lately it has been the lighter colored jigs.

4-30 t0 5-3. east of locust point reef to C can. most fish marked 20 ft. and deeper. bandits 65 ft. back. 3 mph. blue chrome, was best followed by anything with purple.
L can heading south west towards Toledo pump station. Most fish marked deeper than 20 ft. same result with lures and speed, 65 – 90 ft. back. moving with the waves. 50 fish total, all good size.

Wondering if any one wants to team up tomorrow on fishing info. We’re heading out of Catawba at 7, to fish around the islands. text me your number and I’ll put a group text together. We can trade info on where to fish are biting. on what. if interested text your number to 937 726 5746. I’ll set it up by 8am.

When putting out inline Boards does the deeper, longer lines go on the inside or the outside? I run braid and use sam’s pro release on the front. Thank you for the help.

Good afternoon… I have a three day men’s conference outside Cleveland. I will be driving from Indiana and have the option to tow a boat over that way and drag it around for three days while at the conference or leave the boat home and try out one of the head boat services in Port Clinton after the conference is over and I’m headed home. I have thought about this type of head boat fishing in a while but have no experience. So, I’m curious if anyone has any tips or pearls to share. I called one of the services and they said they are still jigging but worms are beginning to work. Any tips on what to bring or take and your opinion as to whether morning or evening is a better bite currently. I would be going next Wednesday or Thursday and was also thinking about seeing about sharing a ride out to fish with splitting the expenses with someone going out or just bringing the boat along and put up with that minor inconvenience. I appreciate your advice.