Walleye fishing was slow in the western basin during the week of June 22. The best fishing has been 5 to 10 miles E of Kelleys Island shoal up to the Canadian border. Farther west the best fishing has been between West Sister Island, the turnaround buoy of the Toledo shipping channel and the gravel pit. Drifters are using bottom bouncers with worm harnesses or are casting mayfly rigs. Trollers were catching fish on worm harnesses fished with inline weights or bottom bouncers, and also on spoons fished with dipsy divers or jet divers.

Yellow perch fishing has been best around Green Island and between Kelleys Island and Marblehead. Perch spreaders or crappie rigs with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.

Walleye fishing was slow in the western basin during the week of June 15. The best fishing has been 5 to 10 miles E of Kelleys Island shoal up to the Canadian border. Farther west the best fishing has been N of West Sister Island to the Canadian Line. Drifters are using bottom bouncers with worm harnesses or are casting mayfly rigs. Trollers were catching fish on worm harnesses fished with inline weights or bottom bouncers, and also on spoons fished with dipsy divers or jet divers.

Yellow perch fishing has been best around Green Island and between Kelleys Island and Marblehead. Perch spreaders or crappie rigs with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.

Walleye fishing was good in the western basin during the week of June 8. The best fishing continues to be around the island complex including N of North Bass Island, W of Rattlesnake Island, Gull Island Shoal, and N of Kelleys Island Shoal. Farther west the fishing has been good N of West Sister Island to the Canadian Line and around the gravel pit. Drifters are using bottom bouncers with worm harnesses or are casting mayfly rigs. Trollers were catching fish on crankbaits, worm harnesses fished with inline weights or bottom bouncers, and also on spoons fished with dipsy divers or jet divers.

Yellow perch fishing has been best off of Cedar Point and around Kelleys Island. Perch spreaders or crappie rigs with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.

Walleye fishing was good in the western basin during the week of June 1. The best fishing continues to be around the island complex including W of North Bass Island, Northwest Reef, N of Kelleys Island and E of Kelleys Island. Farther west the fishing has been good NE of West Sister Island to the Canadian Line and around the gravel pit. Drifters are using bottom bouncers with worm harnesses or are casting mayfly rigs. Trollers were catching fish on crankbaits, worm harnesses fished with inline weights or bottom bouncers, and also on spoons fished with dipsy divers or jet divers.

Yellow perch fishing has been best off of Cedar Point and around Kelleys Island. Perch spreaders or crappie rigs with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.

Walleye fishing was good in the western basin during the week of May 25. The best fishing continues to be at the island complex including North Bass Island, from Green Island to Rattlesnake Island, and around Kelleys Island. Farther west the fishing has been good N of West Sister Island and around the gravel pit. Drifters are using bottom bouncers with worm harnesses or are casting mayfly rigs. Trollers were catching fish on crankbaits, worm harnesses fished with inline weights or bottom bouncers, and also on spoons fished with dipsy divers or jet divers.

Yellow perch fishing has been best off of Cedar Point and around Kelleys Island. Perch spreaders or crappie rigs with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.

The best smallmouth bass reports have come from Kelleys Island.

Walleye fishing was good in the western basin during the week of May 18. The best fishing continues to be around the island complex including N of North Bass Island, between South Bass Island and Kelleys Island, and N of Kelleys Island Shoal. Farther west the fishing has been good between Green Island and the Camp Perry firing range, N of West Sister Island, and around the gravel pit. Drifters are using bottom bouncers with worm harnesses or are casting mayfly rigs. Trollers were catching fish on crankbaits, worm harnesses fished with inline weights or bottom bouncers, and also on spoons fished with dipsy divers or jet divers.

Yellow perch fishing has been best off of Cedar Point and around Kelleys Island. Perch spreaders or crappie rigs with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.

Walleye fishing was good in the western basin during the week of May 11. The best fishing continues to be around the island complex including N of North Bass Island, between South Bass Island and Kelleys Island, N of Kelleys Island, and N of Kelleys Island Shoal. Farther west the fishing has been good near the Toledo harbor light and “A” can of the Camp Perry range. Drifters are using bottom bouncers with worm harnesses or are casting mayfly rigs. Trollers were catching fish on crankbaits, worm harnesses fished with inline weights or bottom bouncers, and also on spoons fished with dipsy divers or jet divers.

Yellow perch fishing has been best off of Ballast Island and around Kelleys Island. Perch spreaders or crappie rigs with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.

The best smallmouth bass fishing reports have come from the around Kelleys Island.

We bottom bounced in the cove a couple of days in front of Catawba State Park as well as in the area east of Crib Reef. The trolling for us took place north of Kelly's Island one day, up by Gull Island Shoal another day and one day was spent just south west of South Bass Island, just south of Green Island. Lots of marks on the fish finder everywhere and although the action wasn't hot and heavy, it was fairly steady. Some really nice fish were caught trolling also aboard "THE Trophy". We were using #40 jet divers with my new favorite Savant spoons, which worked very well when we got over active fish.

Work on the marina at Ashtabula back home is coming along nicely. It may not be quite ready when I arrive next Sunday but it will be only be a few days after that when things should be finishing up. The docks have all been prepared and once the wall and concrete work is completed it should take no time at all to at least get my dock in. Or so I'm hoping ! LOL. Some of my regular customers who charter with me are not even aware that everything collapsed in the River late last summer and when they come up for their annual trip will be quite surprised. It should be very fun watching everyone's reactions !

This weekend was back to total crap again as a strong cold front pushed through the area with incredible high winds just ahead of it. The forcast for the lake called for gale winds in the afternoon with wind gusts to 50 mph. We got out for a short while in the morning but they were wrong with the prediction of afternoon gales. It sucked right off the bat and only got worst quickly. We aborted the trip very early with only one throw back Walleye to show for our efforts caught on a bottom bouncer and a night crawler and spinner harness. This is the time of the year this rig should be deadly but still not much going on for anybody with the worms even on the halfway decent weather days on the lake. Weird. It sure is a different kind of year, that is for sure. The jig bite is completely done as far as I am concerned. That does not leave us many options and you need a nice lake to troll.

Back at Ashtabula the new steel wall for the bulkhead finally started going up at River Marine. The frame work was set up and they started to set the steel pieces in place. They are only driving them in so far right now just to line everything up and then they will go back and pile drive them right down to the bed rock. Then I guess they go back and cut the tops off all even at one level and cap it. Then the back filling will begin on the store side of the wall finished off with new concrete. Walla! A new sea wall ready to be fitted with new docks. I'm not sure what the configuration of the dockage will be but all the slips will now be back in spots unlike before where several boats were tied up length wise to the old wall. River Marina will be like the 6 million dollar man. It will be rebuilt and it will be better then it was before ! LOL

Walleye fishing was good when weather allowed during the week of 4/27/09. Anglers jigging in Maumee Bay and on the Camp Perry reef complex are still catching spawning males, but the spawning season will soon be over for walleye. Trollers caught fish around the Bass Islands and Kelleys Island. Perch fishing has been best around Kelleys Island and Marblehead.

Based on the nearshore marine forecast the water temperature is 55 off of Toledo and 50 off of Cleveland.

This past week at the western basin and here out at Port Clinton things went about as well as could be expected. We got blown off Tuesday and Wednesday and the rest of the week was windy but fishable. We managed to get in the 20's each day still jigging rather close to shore. Lots and lots of junk fish are starting to turn on in this area as well with the warmer water temperatures now in the mid 50's. Sad to see the crap fish becoming such a nuisance already because that generally spells the beginning of the end of for the jig fishing program.

The weekend was nice for a change and we managed to have our best trip yet on Saturday with 34 Walleyes landed. The boat traffic was incredible Saturday with the nice weather . Sunday was a bit slower again for us but we still got up into the mid twentys for numbers. The Sheephead on Sunday on the other hand were on fire and we had one of the more horrific junk fish days I've had in a long time. We just could not get away from them and from what I heard on the radio everybody had the same problem. We did capture and release some very nice Smallmouth Bass this past week as well. Might be time to throw a flat of crawlers on the boat and even start thinking about the trolling gear. We'll see what this week brings !

Walleye fishing was excellent when weather allowed during the week of 4/20/09. Walleye were caught by anglers jigging on the Camp Perry reef complex and in Maumee Bay. Trollers caught fish between Kelleys Island and North Bass Island. Limited perch fishing success has been reported around Kelleys Island and Marblehead.

Based on the nearshore marine forecast the water temperature is 52 off of Toledo and 47 off of Cleveland.

Thursday was the first day anybody was able to get out after the big north east four day blow. We ended up running out to the Niagara Reef to try and find some cleaner water. It was a bit better out there but not by much and the fishing was still slow. We ended up with only about 15 Walleyes. Friday blew like crazy out of the south west and we were limited to tucking up to the south shore off the Moose Club here in Port Clinton just to be able to fish. 8 or 9 Walleyes was all that we could manage to catch in the super dirty water in close and the screaming fast drift. By Saturday the water had cleared up some and although the south west wind still howled we somehow managed to catch 28 in the same area. A good day and Sunday was actually a bit calmer allowing us to capture yet another 28 Walleyes. Sign of things to come ? I hope !

I've been putting some pictures up in this springs fishing reports here from Port Clinton of the work being done back home at my home marina at Ashtabula, the River Marina where I dock the rest of the season after Memorial Day. These have been pictures of the work being done to repair the sea wall and bulk heads that suffered major damage after they collapsed into the river last August. I've had some that have never been to Ashtabula ask what did the little marina look like before the collapse ? Well here is a picture of River Marine taken from across the Ashtabula River before all of the carnage. If you look closely, you can even see "The Trophy" docked to the very left of the handful of boats docked there. A picture of happier times for sure. In the meanwhile, I guess the work continues but not with out it's fair share of setbacks such as equipment breaking and such. I hope they pick up the pace. Memorial Day is around the corner !

Walleye fishing improved when weather allowed during the week of 4/13/09. Walleye were caught by anglers jigging on the Camp Perry reef complex and in Maumee Bay. Trollers caught fish around Kelleys Island and North Bass Island. Limited perch fishing success has been reported around Kelleys Island.

Based on the nearshore marine forecast the water temperature is 46 off of Toledo and 43 off of Cleveland.

We even started to see a few Smallmouth's this past week. After a few quick photos they were all returned safely back to the water for someone else to catch. Water temperatures as I observed them are really trying to push the 50 degree mark now. The cleaner water, what little there is of it is still around 45 degrees but you get into to the dirtier water and you can find 49 degrees just that quick. The lake is really trying to clear up as well. It is remarkably better then it was just a week or so ago. We found our best fishing right on the breaks where the clearer water meets the stained. The purple colored jigs once again are working in this brackish mixed water.

Sundays weather and fishing was a bust again with strong and cold N.E. winds greeting everybody right out the gate in the morning. Very few boats lasted all day out there and even fewer caught any fish due to the conditions. Fishing out in the open waters was out of the question for any length of time and the sheltered area on the lee side of Catawba Island was muddy and unproductive. Such is spring fishing on Erie, feast or famine. Looks like the next few days again are going to suck as well. Hopefully things will get nice again by the latter part of this week like they are calling for.

Weather has continued to hinder April fishing on Lake Erie’s western basin as of 4/15/09. Poor water clarity and cold weather have limited both jig fishing and open water trolling for walleye. When conditions stabilize fishing should improve. During the month of April jig anglers typically have success in spawning and staging areas such as the Camp Perry reefs, Maumee Bay, the Bass Islands, and various nearshore areas from Toledo to Cedar Point. Early trollers will have success fishing the open water around the Camp Perry reef complex and the Bass Islands. Limited perch fishing success has been reported east of Kelleys Island.

We actually had quite a few other fish on that came unglued. If we could have managed to land more of those, we might have limited the boat out ! Reef fishing was the ticket for us and the shallower spots on the reefs that we tried seemed to be holding the most active fish. Considering how muddy the water still is, there had to be a ton of fish on the rocks to catch anything. Blade baits in a Fire Tiger pattern and 5/8 oz. jigs in both purple and pink contributed about equally I would say. Water temps are still not really going anywhere and are holding around 43 degrees. Still a few degrees away from that magical 50 degree mark. Give me that and a little bit more water clarity and oh baby ...

Back at my home marina back at Ashtabula work had entered it's second week in repairing the collapsed seawall from last summers disaster. This past weeks efforts centered around moving some of the remaining busted up concrete out of the way and doing other preparation work before the actual new wall goes in. From what I'm gathering they hope to start pile driving the new steel wall in this coming week. I'm sure that they didn't have the best of weather this past week to work with either. Still, they are hoping to have everything repaired and be open for business by mid May. Just in time for my home coming right after Memorial Day. I will keep everyone posted as to their progress.

As of 4/7/09 recent wind and cold weather have slowed the early spring walleye fishing in the western basin. Prior to the poor weather jig anglers were catching fish on many of the Camp Perry reefs and trollers were having success around the eastern cans of the Camp Perry range. Jig anglers are still having some limited success on the reefs in the stained water, but trolling has slowed with very poor water clarity in most open water areas. When conditions stabilize fishing should improve. During the month of April jig anglers typically have success in spawning and staging areas such as the Camp Perry reefs, Maumee Bay, the Bass Islands, and various nearshore areas from Toledo to Cedar Point. Early trollers will have success fishing the open water around the Camp Perry reef complex and the Bass Islands.

Not much has changed over the past week (week of 2/23) on Lake Erie. There has been very little reported fishing activity. Within the next month early spring open water fishing will get started. Jig fishermen typically have success in historical spawning and staging areas such as the Camp Perry reefs, Maumee Bay, the Bass Islands, and various nearshore areas from Toledo to Cedar Point. Early trollers will have success fishing the open water around the Camp Perry reef complex and the Bass Islands.

Not much has changed over the past week (week of 2/23) on Lake Erie. There has been very little reported fishing activity. Within the next month early spring open water fishing will get started. Jig fishermen typically have success in historical spawning and staging areas such as the Camp Perry reefs, Maumee Bay, the Bass Islands, and various nearshore areas from Toledo to Cedar Point. Early trollers will have success fishing the open water around the Camp Perry reef complex and the Bass Islands.

We are now starting to gear up for the boat season. We still have some prime dates and are offering early season discounts thru April, just check our web site and email me. Thank you for a very good ice season even though it was shorten by the warm weather.

Good fishin
Capt Bob Hughey

There has been very little reported fishing activity on Lake Erie over the past week (week of 2/16). Within the next month early spring open water fishing will get started. Jig fishermen typically have success in historical spawning and staging areas such as the Camp Perry reefs, Maumee Bay, the Bass Islands, and various nearshore areas from Toledo to Cedar Point. Early trollers will have success fishing the open water around the Camp Perry reef complex and the Bass Islands.

Warm temperatures and high winds have greatly altered ice conditions on Lake Erie. The shoreline accesses are now unsafe. The only reported ice fishing activity has been west of South Bass Island, but local experts should be consulted before heading out on the ice. Remember that shifting winds can cause large cracks to open up between sheets of ice. Currents below the ice can also eat away at the thickness of the ice and cause thin areas that aren’t obvious from the surface.

They have been catching walleye north of Mouse Island and south of Green Island. They are also catching north of Crane Creek. You have to watch the weather, currents, and the few big cracks that have open up in the area.

Just remember not to take chances on the big lake, the ice is currently running 10-14 inches, but can reduce within a short time on the currents and weather.

I still have some dates open for the two man shanty, contact me at 1-877-434-9711 for info. Also, Richards Bait and Tackle has plenty of minnows and a new supply of ice fishing equipment.

Good fishing
Capt. Bob Hughey

Ice fishing for walleye in the western basin has continued to be good at times over the past week (week of 2/2/09). Most of the activity has been in the Catawba and Bass Islands area. Success has varied from day to day, but some limits are being caught. Good ice was reported in the areas being fished, but anglers should still be extremely cautious of isolated areas of poor ice. Walleye fishing success has also been reported west of “A” can of the Camp Perry firing range; however, there are also some areas of dangerous ice between the mainland and “A” can. Check with local ice guides or tackle stores before heading out. Remember that shifting winds can cause large cracks to open up between sheets of ice. Currents below the ice can also eat away at the thickness of the ice and cause thin areas that aren’t obvious from the surface.

There has been alot of air traffic to the islands over the past few days, which means the fishing at the islands is in full swing. Remember to book your air seat and show up early for the flight over to the islands. The forcast is still cold and light snow for the next week.

The packs of shanties have moved north to northwest of Catawba over the last few days. There is a good current in the a.m. and it settles down as the day goes. The water clarity is about 6 feet or more and the fish are moving every day. The catches have been spotty, but some nice fish are coming into the park. Remember, the size limit is 15" and the game wardens are checking anglers very closly.

Lastly, the ice is between 8-10 inches with it being thinner in the passage. Remember the current can cut the ice overnight. Rickards Bait and Tackle has some new ice fishing supplies and plenty of minnows for now. Hopefully the ice will stay for another month.

I plan to still run for the next month, just give me a call on availablities, 1-877-434-9711

Good fishin
Capt Bob Hughey

Since the weekend the shanties are not spread out off the State Park. The groups are moving towards the South Passage off of Mouse Island and a few miles west. There is a current running that gives you up to 30 degrees angle on your line. Yes there are walleyes out there and a few takers. Not everyone is catching, you just have to work at it and wait them out.

It's only going to get better fishing, remember this is early ice for us and the best is yet to come in feburary and early march when they move to shore.

Just remember that the ice has under currents, I have seen some crazy moves out there and it has just started. For daily reports contact Rickards Bait and Tackle, they have all the supplies you need or myself, I am still running two persons a day for the ice season.
Remember those ICE EYES' and for good recipes check out Capt Carole's specialties on our web site.

Good fishin
Capt Bob Hughey

Rickards Bait and Tackle had a line out the door for bait and it's not going to get any better until we start moving the operations west to Crane Creek.

The ice is around 10" thick and there is a crack about 1/2 mile off the dock. The path is fairly good out about one mile and then it starts. Shanty towns are showing up 7-8 miles northwest, 5 miles west, and 2-4 miles southwest. Fish are reported being caught, alot of 13-14 inch walleyes are being taken also. Remember the size limit is 15 inches on the big lake.

Yesterday I saw a fisherman on a bike and a yellow single engine plane land on the ice in the afternoon. Like I said it's crazy out there and it can only get worst on the weekends.

I will kept the site updated, I plan to fish all next week and if there is someone that wants to fish just give me a ring, 1-877-434-9711.

Remember, there is a current out there that can make fishable ice into bad ice very quickly.

Good fishin
Capt Bob Hughey

I ran 3 plus miles west, sat by myself, and drilling my holes and waited until 10 am to land my first walleye of the season. After the smoke cleared I only took two nice males back for a fresh walleye dinner and missing five more(being rusty over the winter), and released three 14 inchers. Yes, there seems to be alot of small walleye being caught, remember 15" is the size limit on the big lake. That stock will be ready by mid-summer.

The ice is about 8" but remember ice can be unsafe ice on this lake. I was a very good ride out. I plan to run for the next 9 days. This is a very good start for the season, be safe!

Cold weather is building ice on the western basin and ice fishing is getting underway. Over the past weekend (1/17/09) walleye were caught 1 to 3 miles off of Catawba State Park and also near Green Island. Good ice was reported in the areas being fished, but anglers should still be extremely cautious of isolated areas of poor ice. Check with local ice guides or tackle stores before heading out. Remember that shifting winds can cause large cracks to open up between sheets of ice. Currents below the ice can also eat away at the thickness of the ice and cause thin areas that aren’t obvious from the surface.

The Sandusky Bay has started to produce bullheads and panfish at White's Landing and at the old bay bridge. There is still soft ice at the current cuts at the Edison Bridge. Wax worms, power grubs, and minnows are the ticket for the catches.

Very little action further west at Turtle Creek and Crane Creek. This area will start to pick up within the week as the icefishermen come from the Toledo area.

Rickards Bait and Tackle is open with a large supply of ice fishing equipment including mustang suits and augers. They have a good supply of minnows on hand.

I will start fishing this thursday and continue the reports as the ice season goes. If you are interested in fishing give me a call 1-877-434-9711, I'm running one shanty that accommodates two fishermen, and they fish with me for the day.

Good fishin
Capt Bob Hughey
I LOVE THOSE "ICE EYES"

Two things have finally come together this winter season. One is the weather, it has given us ice since Thanksgiving Day and very good ice since this cold snap. The second is that Rickard's Bait and Tackle open this saturday for the ice season.

Last week a few ice fishermen were directed off the ice by the Coast Guard and Catwaba Fire and that was their mistake. They went out into the passage were there is soft ice and heavy current.

By mid week you will start to see shanties on the main lake. Right now they are fishing the main bay and the smaller bays and docks.

I will start around mid week on the main lake. I plan to run from Catawba State Park to Crane Creek for the ice season. The water should be very fishable, but remember their are alot of current cuts on the main lake that can put you through.

I will be running a two man shanty along with my rig and if you are interested feel free in contacting me on the openings along with the ice condition at 1-877-434-9711.

I will be updating the ice eyes and conditions next week

Good fishin
Capt Bob Hughey

Cold weather is building ice on the western basin and limited ice fishing is getting underway. There are reports of 6” of ice in the Bass Islands area. High temperatures in the ten day forecast as of 1/15/09 are all below freezing and ice conditions should continue to improve. Ice anglers should be very cautious with newly forming ice. Check with local ice guides or tackle stores before heading out. Remember that shifting winds can cause large cracks to open up between sheets of ice. Currents below the ice can also eat away at the thickness of the ice and cause thin areas that aren’t obvious from the surface.

When ice conditions allow the best walleye fishing is usually west of the Bass Islands between Green and Rattlesnake Islands, and also west of Catawba. Most ice anglers use jigging spoons or jigheads tipped with shiners fished near the bottom.

Few walleye fishing have been made due to recent wind, snow and cold temperatures. The best area over the holiday weekend was from Huron to Ruggles in 30 to 35 feet of water. Most anglers are trolling crankbaits. Anticipate breaking ice in marinas and muddy water on the main lake. Walleye fishing has been sporadic on the piers at night, but some fish are being caught by casting shallow diving stickbaits.

Walleye fishing has remained excellent from Vermilion to Cedar Point in 30 to 42 feet of water. The best areas have been west of the Huron dumping grounds and north of Cranberry Creek. Most anglers are trolling crankbaits. Walleye fishing has been sporadic on the piers at night, but some fish are being caught by casting shallow diving stickbaits. As temperatures drop walleye should continue to move inshore providing fall fishing opportunities through ice up when conditions allow.

Yellow Perch

Perch fishing effort is decreasing, but catches continue to be good in all the traditional spots around the islands and off of the central basin harbors. Perch spreaders with shiners near the bottom produce the most fish.

*Weather the week of 10/27 has been extremely windy. Information contained in the report was collected prior to the gale force winds.*

Walleye fishing effort has been low in the western basin. Try trolling or casting traditional fall areas such as the Bass Islands, Kelleys Island, Gull and Kelleys Island shoals, and nearshore areas from Port Clinton to Marblehead. As temperatures drop and baitfish school up walleye should be moving into shallow water.

Yellow Perch fishing has been good in the western basin. The best spots have been the turnaround buoy of the Toledo shipping channel, N of West Sister Island near the Canadian border, around Green and Rattlesnake Islands, E of Kelleys Island, Kelleys Island Shoal, SE of Kelleys Island, N of the Marblehead lighthouse, near the Cedar Point bell buoy, around the Catawba Island green buoy, and Gull Island shoal. Perch spreaders or crappie rigs with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.

Walleye fishing has remained slow over the past week. The best fishing was N of Kelleys Island, including Gull Island Shoal and Kelleys Island Shoal. Fish have been caught by both trolling and casting. Trollers have been catching fish on spoons with divers, or worm harnesses fished with inline weights, snap weights, bottom bouncers, or divers.

Yellow Perch fishing has been good in the western basin. The best spots have been the turnaround buoy of the Toledo shipping channel, N of West Sister Island near the Canadian border, around Green and Rattlesnake Islands, E of Kelleys Island, Kelleys Island Shoal, S of Kelleys Island, N of the Marblehead lighthouse, near the Cedar Point bell buoy, around the Catawba Island green buoy, and Gull Island shoal. Perch spreaders or crappie rigs with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.

Smallmouth Bass have been caught around Middle Bass Island and South Bass Island, and on the southern shoreline of Kelleys Island. Some of the fish have been up to 19”.

Walleye fishing has remained slow over the past week. The best fishing was N and NE of Kelleys Island, and also around Northwest Reef (NW of West Reef). Most fish have been caught by trolling. Trollers have been catching fish on spoons with divers, or worm harnesses fished with inline weights, snap weights, bottom bouncers, or divers.

Yellow Perch fishing has been good in the western basin. The best spots have been the turnaround buoy of the Toledo shipping channel, between Green and Rattlesnake Islands, around “C” can of the Camp Perry firing range, N of North Bass, NE of Kelleys Island, and Gull Island shoal. Perch spreaders or crappie rigs with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.

Smallmouth Bass have been caught around Middle Bass Island and South Bass Island, and also along the E side of Mouse Island. Some of the fish have been up to 19”.

Walleye fishing has remained slow over the past week. The best fishing was N and NE of Kelleys Island, and also around Northwest Reef (NW of West Reef). Most fish have been caught by trolling. Trollers have been catching fish on spoons with divers, or worm harnesses fished with inline weights, snap weights, bottom bouncers, or divers.

Yellow Perch fishing has been good in the western basin. The best spots have been the turnaround buoy of the Toledo shipping channel, between Green and Rattlesnake Islands, around “C” can of the Camp Perry firing range, W of West Reef, the NE corner of Kelleys Island, and SE of Kelleys Island. Perch spreaders or crappie rigs with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.

Walleye fishing has remained slow over the past week. The best fishing was around Northwest Reef (NW of West Reef). Drifting with bottom bouncers and worm harnesses or casting mayfly rigs has been productive. Trollers have been catching fish on spoons with divers, or worm harnesses fished with inline weights, snap weights, bottom bouncers, or divers.

Yellow Perch fishing has been good in the western basin. The best spots have been the turnaround buoy of the Toledo shipping channel, between Green and Rattlesnake Islands, N of Rattlesnake Island, and 4 miles W of North Bass Island. Perch spreaders or crappie rigs with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.

Walleye fishing has remained slow over the past week. The best fishing was around Northwest Reef (NW of West Reef) and also 5 miles NE of Kelleys Island near the old “C” can on the Canadian border. Drifting with bottom bouncers and worm harnesses or casting mayfly rigs has been productive. Trollers have been catching fish on spoons with divers, or worm harnesses fished with inline weights, snap weights, bottom bouncers, or divers. The best spoon colors have been pinks and purples.

The best Yellow Perch fishing in the islands area has been between Rattlesnake Island and Green Island. Other areas that have produced perch include “B” and “C” cans of the Camp Perry firing range and NE of Kelleys Island. Perch spreaders or crappie rigs with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.

Walleye fishing remained slow over the past week. The best fishing was around the turnaround buoy of the Toledo shipping channel, around “A” can of the Camp Perry firing range, and N of Crane Creek. Drifting with bottom bouncers and worm harnesses or casting mayfly rigs has been productive. Trollers have been catching fish on spoons with divers, or worm harnesses fished with inline weights, snap weights, bottom bouncers, or divers. The best spoon colors have been pinks and purples.

Yellow perch fishing is improving around the islands with the best areas being W of Rattlesnake Island and Green Island, NW of Kelleys Island, S of Kelleys Island, and S of Starve Island. Perch spreaders or crappie rigs with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.

Walleye fishing slowed over the past week. The best fishing was around the turnaround buoy of the Toledo shipping channel, around “A” can of the Camp Perry firing range, and N of Crane Creek. Drifting with bottom bouncers and worm harnesses or casting mayfly rigs has been productive. Trollers have been catching fish on spoons with divers, or worm harnesses fished with inline weights, snap weights, bottom bouncers, or divers. The best spoon colors have been pinks and purples.

Yellow perch fishing is improving around the islands with the best areas being W of Rattlesnake Island, N of Kelleys Island and W of Kelleys Island. Perch spreaders or crappie rigs with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.

Walleye fishing has been excellent around the turnaround buoy of the Toledo shipping channel, around “A” can of the Camp Perry firing range, and N of Crane Creek. Drifting with bottom bouncers and worm harnesses or casting mayfly rigs has been productive. Trollers have been catching fish on spoons with divers, or worm harnesses fished with inline weights, snap weights, bottom bouncers, or divers. The best spoon colors have been pinks and purples.

The best yellow perch fishing has been W of Rattlesnake Island, N of Lakeside, N of Cedar Point and W of Kelleys Island. Perch spreaders or crappie rigs with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.

Walleye fishing has been excellent between the northern end of the Toledo shipping channel and West Sister Island, between “B” can of the Camp Perry firing range and Little Pickerel Reef, and SE of “G” and “H” cans of the Camp Perry firing range. Drifting with bottom bouncers and worm harnesses or casting mayfly rigs has been productive. Trollers have been catching fish on spoons with divers, or worm harnesses fished with inline weights, snap weights, bottom bouncers, or divers. The best spoon colors have been pinks and purples.

The best yellow perch fishing has been W of Rattlesnake Island, N of Lakeside, N of Cedar Point and W of Kelleys Island. Perch spreaders or crappie rigs with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.

West of the islands walleye fishing picked up in shallow water (12 to 22’) off of Crane Creek. Fish were also caught off of “B” can of the Camp Perry firing range and east of Kelleys Island. Drifting with bottom bouncers and worm harnesses or casting mayfly rigs has been productive. Trollers have been catching fish on spoons with divers, or worm harnesses fished with inline weights, snap weights, bottom bouncers, or divers. The best spoon colors have been pinks and purples.

The best yellow perch fishing has been off of Lakeside and Cedar Point. Perch spreaders or crappie rigs with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.

Over the past week walleye fishing was slow for anglers that were casting. Trollers are still catching fish, but the action is a littler slower than past weeks. West of the islands the best fishing has been between West Sister Island and the turnaround buoy of the Toledo shipping channel, between the northern cans of the Camp Perry range and West Sister Island, and NE of Niagara Reef. Around the Island area Kelleys Island has been best with most of the fish being caught from NW or NE of the Island. Drifting with bottom bouncers and worm harnesses or casting mayfly rigs has been productive. Trollers have been catching fish on spoons with divers, or worm harnesses fished with inline weights, snap weights, bottom bouncers, or divers. The best spoon colors have been pinks and purples.

Yellow perch reports have been few and far between recently. Try the green can W of Catawba, the airport reef E of Kelleys Island, Lakeside or Cedar Point for summer yellow perch. Perch spreaders or crappie rigs with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.

Walleye fishing has been good in the western basin over the past week. West of the islands the best fishing has been between West Sister Island and the turnaround buoy of the Toledo shipping channel. Farther east the best area has been 3 to 4 miles E and NE of Kelleys Island. Steelhead have also been incidentally caught NE of Kelleys Island by walleye anglers. Drifting with bottom bouncers and worm harnesses or casting mayfly rigs has been productive. Trollers have been catching fish on spoons with divers, or worm harnesses fished with inline weights, snap weights, bottom bouncers, or divers.

Yellow perch fishing has been best off of Lakeside and off of the airport reef on the E side of Kelleys Island. Perch spreaders or crappie rigs with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.

The drifters have been doing very well around the sister area in deep water and further in towards the reef complex. Reports of catches being made in close to shore around the Port Clinton area. Just look for the head boats fishing in those areas. Also around the West reef area and the boarder cans in deep water have produced limits of walleyes. Further north in Canada very good catches have come across throughout the week. Remember, you are in a foreign country and it requires license and I-68’s. Kelley’s island area has produced some good catches, in fact on Sunday I boated two 28’s , 27, and three 26’s on one charter, the catch went over 150# for 30 fish, not bad and they were caught casting.
Remember the storms on the lake, this week has been bad and the forecast doesn’t look good for the upcoming season. Be careful and watch the southwest section of the lake. Also, remember to take a lot of bait out because of the other fish are on feed now.
We still have some prime dates open for July walleye season, this upcoming month should be a very good one, call us at 1-877-434-9711.
Good fishin,
Capt Bob Hughey

The casting was very good for walleye around Crib and Niagara reefs and just west of the islands in 30 plus foot of water. Also, the rock piles are holding some very nice walleye. Further east the action continues to be good around Gull and Kelley’s reefs. Fishing weight forwards and harnesses are the answer, but small boaters and a few charters have yet to learn the entrance to fishing areas. THESE FISH HAVE BEEN HIGH IN THE WATER AND BOAT ACTION HAVE SHUT DOWN THE ACTION. Please respect other fisherman on the lake, there’s enough fish to go around. The trollers have done very well with short leads and the dipsys are limiting on the catches.

This is the week that we have been waiting for, BASS SEASON OPENS ON SATURDAY. Yes, this is my favorite time of year, bass fishing. Both the Canadian and U.S. waters start and it looks like another good year. Last year we boated bass over 22”and several over 21”. Also, perch have been reported west of the islands and around the firing cans. Limits of nice perch have come in, this is great to hear and it’s early too.

Last weekend we fished Canada and brought in limits of walleye weighing over 150# per boat and very little mayfly action up there. Remember your I-68 and license before you cross.

We have some great dates open in July, give us a call or check our web site www.lakeeriefishing911.com.

Good fishing
Capt Bob Hughey

Walleye fishing has been good in the western basin over the past week. West of the islands the best fishing has been N of “B” and “C” cans of the Camp Perry range and around the turnaround buoy of the Toledo shipping channel. Farther east the best areas have been between Northwest Reef and West Reef, N of Rattlesnake Island, Gull Island Shoal, and east of Kelleys Island. Drifting with bottom bouncers and worm harnesses or casting mayfly rigs has been productive. Trollers have been catching fish on spoons with divers, or worm harnesses fished with inline weights, snap weights, bottom bouncers, or divers.

Yellow perch reports have been sparse. Try fishing some of the traditional spots around Marblehead, Cedar Point, Gull Island Shoal, and Kelleys Island.

Walleye fishing in the western basin has been excellent at times over the past week. West of the islands the best fishing has been around “A” and “B” cans of the Camp Perry range, a few miles NW of West Sister Island, and near the outer cans of the Toledo shipping channel. Farther east the best areas have been NE of Niagara Reef, between Northwest Reef and West Reef, N of Rattlesnake Island, between Kelleys Island and South Bass Island, Kelleys Island Shoal, and east of Kelleys Island. Drifting with bottom bouncers and worm harnesses or casting mayfly rigs has been productive. Trollers have been catching fish on spoons with divers, or worm harnesses fished with inline weights, snap weights, bottom bouncers, or divers.

Yellow perch reports have been sparse. Try fishing some of the traditional spots around Marblehead, Cedar Point, Gull Island Shoal, and Kelleys Island.

We recorded catches of boat limits east of the islands and north of the range buoys last week with catches of over 150# of walleye per boat. The trollers are still producing limits and early ones using jets and divers with spoons. The best for the casters have been high counts with harnesses and if the wind is high, using bouncers with 3-4 oz weighs with harnenesses .

The best areas are, but can chance with the hatch, are the reefs to A can, then north of Niagara east to Catawba Island area. The fish are starting to move east, so just west of the islands to the Canadian line and between the island area. All around Kelley’s Island is good towards Cedar Point. Remember, there is a lot of walleye out there and it’s a matter of finding active ones. I know of captains that came in with short limits because of wrong choices. Try to work with someone including those ego captains to find active fish, I know I work with the locals and the dockers on a daily bases and it helps everyone.

Very little action on the perch, but BASS season opens in a few Saturdays and that’s going the be fun.

We still have a few prime dates open for this month and the start of next, contact us at www.lakeeriefishing911.com

Good fishin
Captain Bob Hughey

Walleye fishing in the western basin has been excellent at times over the past week. West of the islands the best fishing has been around “A” can of the Camp Perry range, a few miles NW of West Sister Island, and near the outer cans of the Toledo shipping channel. Farther east the best areas have been North Bass Island and West Reef, between Green Island and Rattlesnake Island, Gull Island Shoal, Kelleys Island Shoal, and airport reef on the east side of Kelleys Island. Drifting with bottom bouncers and worm harnesses or casting mayfly rigs has been productive. Trollers have been catching fish on spoons with divers, or worm harnesses fished with inline weights, snap weights, bottom bouncers, or divers.

Yellow perch reports have been sparse. Try fishing some of the traditional spots around Marblehead, Cedar Point, Gull Island Shoal, and Kelleys Island.

Now to the good news, we are hammering the walleye and it’s not in just one place or location. It’s really tough right now to figure out what area is going to turn on when you go out because we have walleye all over the place and that‘s very exciting. Last week Carole and I caught fish in the rocks, island area, deep water and shallow water. All of the fish were caught casting and bouncing. They were caught in calm and rough water and all around the island area. It was one of the best weeks that we had in years with nice limits of walleye that were brought back to the dock.

Both the trollers and casters have been doing very well, but the trollers are getting done earlier in the day.
One of the secrets is that not all the fish are down to the bottom. If you’re not catching walleye and your seeing nets being use around you try to vary your depths.

Best areas are the reef complex and north of the firing range buoys in 30’ of water. Just west of the islands are producing walleye, around Green and Rattlesnake islands. The island area is seeing movement of walleye around American Eagle and Gull reefs. The deep water east of South Bass and Kelley’s island are producing nice walleye. Capt. Carole boated a 27,30, and 3l inch walleye in one drift last Wednesday, GREAT JOB. Using ¾ to 1 oz casting rigs and 3-4 oz bouncers are the ticket for the day.

A lot of white perch and sheep head are being caught, so make sure you have a lot of bait. Rickard’s Bait and Tackle has your best and freshest supply of bait in the area. We still have some great dates open for this month and next. It’s only going to get better as the month goes on.

Good Fishin
Capt Bob Hughey
www.lakeeriefishing911.com

Walleye fishing in the western basin has been excellent over the past week. West of the islands the best fishing has been around “A” can of the Camp Perry range, a few miles NW of West Sister Island, and near the outer cans of the Toledo shipping channel. Farther east the best areas have been North Bass Island and West Reef, between Green Island and Rattlesnake Island, Gull Island Shoal, Kelleys Island Shoal, and airport reef on the east side of Kelleys Island. Drifting with bottom bouncers and worm harnesses or casting mayfly rigs has been productive. Trollers have been catching fish on spoons with divers, or worm harnesses fished with inline weights, snap weights, bottom bouncers, or divers.

Yellow perch reports have been sparse. Try fishing some of the traditional spots around Marblehead, Cedar Point, Gull Island Shoal, and Kelleys Island.

The water condition was very stained to muddy below the range buoys, reefs, and along the shore line. Further out around the islands it was very fishable to very clear at the border line. The fish are finally on the move east. Catches before the blow showed walleye being caught on the western reef area to C can.

As of the weekend just north of Niagara can to D can was producing walleyes for the drifters. Also west of Green island north to West Reef was also producing. There is a large school of walleye between the range buoys to Catawba but the water has to clear up before activity starts. Further east the best is around American Eagle and Gull reefs.

Casters are taking walleye on bouncers with 2-4 oz of weight and harnesses and long lines with ¾ to 1 oz using mayfly rigs. The trollers were producing a lot of nice walleye using jets, dipsys and spoons.

Remember, it’s that time of year, white perch and sheep head. I caught a lot of heads this weekend and it’s their time to spawn in the lake. If you’re out on the lake please be careful, the lake conditions can change on a minute, just as it did on Saturday. The second front came in during the afternoon and within 15 minute we had 4-6 footers with a few extra 6 plus waves. As far as I know everyone got in port safe, but keep your eye on the southwest part of the lake.

We still have some prime dates open for the late spring and summer with special rates.

Good fishin,
Capt Bob Hughey

Walleye are post-spawn and fish are migrating towards summer locations. Over the past week the best fishing has been around West Sister Island, west of South Bass Island between Green Island and Rattlesnake Island, and along the Canadian border from North Bass Island to Gull Island Shoal. Drifting with worm harnesses or casting mayfly rigs has been productive. Trollers have been catching fish on worm harnesses fished with inline weights, snap weights, bottom bouncers, or divers. Crankbaits seem to be catching larger fish, but numbers are going to the harnesses. Spoons fished with divers are catching fish as well.

Yellow perch reports have been sparse. Try fishing some of the traditional spots around Marblehead and Kelleys Island.

We are still catching a few nice perch around the islands in 25-28 foot of water and the commercials are still running traps along the shoreline of Port Clinton in 15-18 foot so watch the flags. So the perch are still close in on the south shore.

The problem with the water warming up is that a lot of white perch and sheephead are starting to show up. So make sure you have a few extra worms on board. This adds to the action for the day, specially for the young anglers.

The best locations for walleye this week are inside the range buoys in 26 foot of water and just north of C can and Niagara buoy. Those have been very good for the casters. Just north about 3 miles they have been producing some nice walleye also. Another area is just west of Rattlesnake and Green islands would be a good choice, just try to stay away from the boats to get the best results. Lastly, between the islands is still good but you must have wind to produce in this area or you must troll. Most of the main areas in the western basin are producing nice walleye at this time and the first migrations are starting to show. The water temp is in the mid 50’s.

The casters are using harnesses with ¾ to 1.5 oz of weight, while the trollers are still running jets from 55 to 85 feet with spoons and dipsys out to 60 foot.

The fishing should start to heat up around Catawba island within a week if the water clears up. We still have some prime dates open for this spring, contact us on our web site.

Good fishin
Capt Bob Hughey

Walleye are post-spawn and fish are migrating towards summer locations. Over the past week the best fishing has been in the area west and north of West Sister Island, west of South Bass Island between Green Island and Rattlesnake Island, and along the Canadian border from North Bass Island to Gull Island Shoal. Drifting with worm harnesses or casting mayfly rigs will be productive as fish move off of spawning grounds and into surrounding open water. Trollers have been catching fish on worm harnesses fished with inline weights, snap weights, bottom bouncers, or divers. Crankbaits seem to be catching larger fish, but numbers are going to harnesses. Spoons are catching fish as well.

Yellow perch reports have been sparse due to the weekend weather. Try fishing some of the traditional spots around Marblehead and Kelley’s Island. Some nice fish were caught east of Kelley’s near Airport Reef early last week.

The following areas currently are the best producers for nice post spawn walleye and these areas can change with the current water clarity.

On the west side of the islands: North of the range cans in 30’ of water both the trollers and the drifters have been taking nice walleye. Just west of Green and Rattlesnake Islands have been hot for the last two weeks for the trollers. They have been using jets and spoons running 65-85 feet back on the jets and a little shorter on the dipsys.

In between South Bass Island and Kelley’s Island: Based on the wind conditions the drifters have been doing very well in the areas east of South Bass Island and south of the Canadian line. The best setups are bottom bouncers with 3-4 oz of weight with a combination of short and long lead harnesses along with long lead lines on the drift side using ¾ -1 oz of weight.

Once the eastern charter boats start moving back east it should give the local guides a chance to enjoy the fishing season and the fishing should start picking up in the western basin as the water warms. We have already started to catch white perch and sheephead which is starting to show us that the water is starting to warm up. The first migration of walleyes to move through the island area should start within days based on the weather. This will give us an opportunity to fish for walleye within a few miles off Catawba Island and it should give the smaller boats a chance to catch some nice walleye.

If you have any questions on current fishing conditions feel free in contacting me www.mrbass@lakeeriefishing911.com. We still have some prime dates open for this summer and remember the perch limit in the western basin is 25 per angler. Don’t forget to check our web site for current weather conditions.

Good fishin
Capt. Bob Hughey

It seems like this spring is going to go down at least in my books as a excessively rainy, windy and cold year up here at the western end of the lake. It certainly will be the muddiest water conditions that I have had to fight all spring. It just has never cleared up in some of the favorite areas that we like to fish this time of year. It try's and then we get several days of high winds and it's back to almost pure mud. This has forced us to fish almost all month way off shore around some of the most northern islands just to find clean water where we can catch fish. I never used to think twice about throttling up hard and cranking it out 15+ miles to find the very best spots but now with marina gas at four and a half bucks a gallon and climbing, the fact that the weather is forcing me to do so every day is getting me down as well. Perhaps in a week when I return to Ashtabula we will finally get some sustained good weather. One can only hope.

The fishing on the better weather days has been very productive the last two weeks anywhere north of Green Island and Kelly's Island. This past week we trolled almost every day west of Rattlesnake Island with great results. The marks up in this area on the fish finder are simply amazing. There are lots of high fish and low fish. It seems like the higher fish are the most active feeding Walleyes and therefore trolling is the preferred method now. I believe that I will now close out my stay here at Port Clinton if the weather allows running the rest of my trips as trolling trips. Although more work for me and certainly more costly for me to run, this is what I do best and what I believe will now put the most and nicest fish in the box. I might as well get into the groove of doing so because once I return to Ashtabula, this is all we do in the super deep water.

Speaking of Ashtabula, as I mentioned before this is my last week here at the western basin and the Islands area. After running my last trip here next Sunday I will once again run the boat down the lake about a hundred miles east to my home port for the rest of the season. Although I enjoy my stay and fishing in Port Clinton each year, like Dorothy said, there is no place like home. I look forward to getting back. The guys that know what they are doing back home are already catching some HUGE Walleyes ! Things should really break loose out east in the next few days. I have returned home the last few years to immediate spectacular fishing. Hopefully the cooler than usual spring this year will not set us back any. This will be my last fishing report from Port Clinton and there will be no new report next weekend as I will be busy moving my operation down the lake. Also for those of you that follow my reports thru www.fishlakeerie.com you will now have to click on the Lake Erie fishing reports by title and select OHIO EAST. On my web site nothing will change as the newest reports always surface under my NEWS button. See you down the lake !

Based on the nearshore forecast the water temperature is 55 off of Toledo and 52 off of Cleveland.

It felt really good to put out a big spread and go to work with the planer boards and Dipsy Divers. And I almost forgot how exciting it was to see a rod take a big hit and the anticipation in waiting for one to do so. When we had several triples and even a four banger go off this week, I knew that this was where it's at now and if you want to catch some huge box's of Walleyes, this is what we are going to have to do. The change in scenery was also pleasant for me. After hanging out for the last five weeks on the beaches and reefs it was really cool to be way up north trolling in the deep water surrounded by the famous Lake Erie Islands. The program right now is trolling spoons off the big planer boards and also on the Dipsy's.

Speaking of spoons, I think that I have stumbled on to the next hottest spoon on the lake, at least for me. Last season another captain gave me a great looking silver spoon to try off of Ashtabula where we troll exclusively. This spoon was made by the Savant Spoon Company. Well let me tell you after 22 years of full time chartering, I've tried a lot of spoons. Many did great, but the results that I had with this one Savant Spoon was uncanny. No mater where I lined it up, either off a Jet Diver or a Dipsy it would consistently out fish every thing else. When I finally lost it to a monster Walleye last year I almost cried ! I did not forget this and this past winter I got my hands on a nice supply of the Savant Jake 45 Spoons, the same exact model that worked so well for me last year except this time I got a variety of colors. Let me tell you, that was no fluke last year. It was awesome again this past week. This spoon may be the last spoon that I ever buy. It holds up great being a heavier spoon unlike the popular Stingers which get all bent up and don't hold paint for crap. They also have great hooks and best of all they catch Walleyes like crazy ! The fish this past week were definitely picking these off again much better then anything else that I tried. I am very excited and sold on the Savant's. If you want to check them out online bring up www.savantspoon.com or call 978-688-5800. Again it is the Jake 45 that I am very interested in and look forward to testing more.

We have two weeks left here in the western basin before I move the boat to Ashtabula a hundred miles east for the super deep summer trolling season for Walleyes and Steelhead. The fishing is still great here in Port Clinton right now however especially if you don't mind trolling. The worm bite will also get better for the drifters as the Walleyes continue to come off the spawn and move out to the deeper waters. We are not completely done drifting yet aboard "The Trophy" and we can do either in the next two weeks depending on lake conditions and what is working the best. We still have a few open dates left including all of Memorial day weekend Sat, Sun. and Monday. Anyone interested in a great fishing trip aboard "The Trophy" here in the western basin in the next couple of weeks can call me as always on the boat/mobile number 216-387-2656.

Aboard "The Trophy" we made the necessary adjustments and started to work way out in the lake and the northern most reefs which were not any where as muddied up as the near shore areas. Although the action wasn't fast and furious, it was very steady. We would do from 3 to 5 Walleyes on every drift across. Baits used were the same old jigs that we've been using the last couple of weeks or so. The Sheephead continue to bother us even out here but as long as we are still weeding through them and getting good Walleyes, I guess it's not the end of the world.

I can't believe the amount of Smallmouth Bass that we are handling each day now while fishing for our Walleyes.We have been easily catching around a dozen or so each day with some of the Smallies running well over 4 lbs ! The season for them is now closed and they have all been returned to fight another day. And what a fight and show they have been putting on. With each passing day and degree of water temperature, these Bass are becoming more and more acrobatic. Man, is it neat to see these fish tail walk across the water. If you have never experienced this before, you just don't know what you're missing !

My stay here at the western basin is starting wind down. We have about 3 weeks left now before I run the boat back about a hundred miles east to my home port of Ashtabula,OH. for the remainder of the season. I just can't believe how the time is flying by ! I am sure that the crawler and spinner bite which is way over due now is going to take off this coming week. Also the trollers are doing much better now with each passing day. I hope to do both myself on my upcoming trips this coming week but to tell you the truth, it sure is hard to put the jigging rods away as long as they are working as well as they have! We have the following dates left for a western basin Port Clinton fishing trip before I leave. MAY - 6th, 7th, 12th, 13th, 20th, 21st, 24th and 25th. Call me as always if interested. (216) 387-2656 boat/mobile number 24/7.

Based on the nearshore forecast the water temperature is 55 off of Toledo and 46 off of Cleveland.

Along with the junk fish such as the Sheephead and White Perch, the Smallmouth Bass are really firing up as well. We took Smallmouth on every outing this past week aboard "The Trophy". Some of these Bass were well over four lbs.! Nice bonus action in addition to the fine Walleye fishing that we are experiencing. All of these fish are still being caught on the purple jigs that we've been bouncing the last two weeks. Water temps are now pushing the mid 50's and that is reason the Bass are firing up.

As the jig bite winds down, other drifting opportunities will begin to present themselves. I believe the night crawler and harness's bite is ready to kick in. I already put a flat of night crawlers on the boat in anticipation of things to come. This coming week I hope to do some bottom bouncing with the spinners and crawlers if the wind is right. And as always, I have all my trolling gear on board should we be forced to go to plan "B". Those that have already been trolling have been having excellent results. We try to stick to drifting as much as possible aboard "The Trophy" in the spring months but I will do what it takes to put fish in the box.

Well it looks like we have real crap for weather moving in for the first half of this coming week. Temps Monday are not expected to get out of the 40's. Along with the cooler weather, winds and waves are supposed to kick in with a north, north west fetch. One good thing about the cooler weather. This should drag out the jig bite a bit longer. We will just have to see how this all plays out. I guess it's just a bit of a reality check after the fine weather we have had the last two weeks. We still have a few open dates left for May. Call me at (216) 387-2656 for more info.

Based on the nearshore forecast the water temperature is 51 off of Toledo and 42 off of Cleveland.

Water clarity is just right, thanks to last weeks weather. Areas around Catawba Island are cleaner than the reef area, but it’s all very fishable. The water temp. is still cool and there is very little activity on the beach. Most of the charters and head boats are working the reefs. Right now every rock pile has active jakes on them. The best depth ranges from 12 - 23 feet. If you have a lot of boat activity on a rock pile just move to a little deeper water next to the reef or find another rock pile. There is a lot of stupid boats out there right now including some very well known charter captains that are making it tough to catch fish.

Remember, this is spring fishing and the fish spook out very quickly, it’s not like fishing deeper water after spawn. Some fish are being caught in the cleaner and deeper water, but that activity should pickup within the next 10 days.

My catches averaged over 3-4 pounds per fish for the weekend, and we did catch a Fish Ohio perch on Sunday. The best news is that this was the first season in a long time that I caught walleyes from the last year hatch, which means we might have a better hatch for 2007 than reported.

Best bait for jig fishing were prop jigs w/tails, purple and green colors, and vibe blade baits.

We still have dates open for the spring and some great rates: call 1-877-434-9711

Good fishin,
Capt Bob Hughey

We are still on a drifting and jigging program aboard "The Trophy". The lead head hair jigs are now the weapons of choice if you want to jig up these spring Walleyes. We are using 5/8 oz. jigs in the color purple with great results. Just cast it out, let it settle to the bottom and hop it along the bottom back to the boat. Just a series of lift,drop, lift,drop, lift,drop till all of a sudden DEAD WEIGHT ! Is it a snag ? No, wait it's moving ! FISH ON ! Get the net ! It does not get anymore fun then that. Right now, catching these nice fish on light tackle is my favorite way of fishing for Walleyes

Although the fish are cooperating, you still have to be in the right place at the right time. Being in the right place for me means relying on my line of Raymarine sophisticated electronics. These user friendly tools have made me so confident in all of my navigation and fishing decisions that I can not even imagine going out without them. I have seen a lot of fish finders in all of my years of chartering but these Raymarine digital high definition fishfinders are simply stunning. I personally use the E-Series where I can share data between the units. They have other digital models as well. This spring I have been using the 3D chartplotting abilities also that these units also provide and I am blown away with how cool it is to work the reefs when you have a actual visual view of what and where exactly you are on the reef. I could go on and on. These displays have to be seen to be believed. Incredible !

I am booked pretty good right now the next two weeks but I have the next two Wednesdays still available for a fishing charter aboard "The Trophy" That would be Wednesday, April the 23rd and Wednesday, the 30th. I would love to fill these two days especially now that the fishing is so good. Anybody that might be interested can call me as always directly on my boat/mobile number (216) 387-2656. This coming weeks weather looks to be picture perfect again with plenty of temps in the 70 degree plus range and no high winds predicted. It should be a very productive week !

This past week the Toussaint and Locust Reefs were fairly productive. The beach areas west of Davis Besse had water clarity issues but still produced some Walleyes. The K can area was fairly good but the fish are still not jumping in the boat like they were the past two springs in this area. With some effort though, some nice catches are finally being caught. All areas could stand some cleaner water but until we get a week of calmer winds, this is not likely to happen any time soon.

We are still on a blade bait program aboard "The Trophy". Vertical jigging these vibrating lures seems to work better while the water remains muddy. If we ever get cleaner water I'm sure the lead head hair jigs which were so hot the past few years will start to dominate again. Right now in the stained water I'm focusing on the brighter colors in the blade baits. We had good results with gold Vibee's and Firetiger Heddon Sonars. We did manage to pull a few on the purple jigs but not anywhere near as good as we did on the blades.

I still have the following dates open for the remainder of April. The 16th and 17th, the 23rd and the 26th (a SATURDAY!), and the 29th and 30th. All are excellent choices and the way this spring is going, they will be right in the peak of the spawning run that we are fishing presently. I look for the action to be fast and furious once the water temps hit 50 degrees plus. This should happen in the next week for sure. Anybody that wants to hook up for a fun day aboard "The Trophy" can make arrangements with me directly on my mobile/boat number (216) 387-2656

Capt. Walt

On the main lake reports were not that good as of Saturday. Some boats reported up to 9 fish for the day, but most had less than a hand full. The water temperature around 38 degrees and very muddy. With the warm temperatures starting on Sunday, the action should start picking up along the shoreline. Best areas to start is the pebble shoreline between Crane Creek to Camp Perry and the rocks around Maumee Bay. Further out in the lake, you might want to fish the shallow reefs just outside the firing range. Remember, this is the time Camp Perry closes the range off.

Boats started to show up this weekend as well as the bait shops opening, The local bait shops have a very good supply of tackle and minnows. Both of the Richard’s bait shops are open and have the current reports to help you. Before long we should start working on the post season walleyes on the main lake and that transition should be around mid April.

We will have one of the boats in by 4-8-08 to start the spring walleye season. If you are interested in spring walleye feel free in contacting us, we still have some prime dates open.
Good fishin
Capt Bob Hughey

With the ice slow to come off this spring and the lack of very many warm spring days thus far we are finding ourselves perhaps as much as two weeks behind where we should be right now. On the bright side, temps are supposed to be in the 60's all of this coming week along with some rain. This should jack the water temps up dramatically. Hopefully we won't get any high winds and the water can start to clear up as well.

I sure did my share of running around trying to get something going for the guys but it didn't really seem to matter. We pulled a few fish on the beaches and a few off the reefs wherever we tried. About the only thing that worked for us was 1/4 oz. Heddon Sonar blade baits in a fire tiger pattern. I think the buzzing vibration helped the Walleyes that did bite home in on the lure in the murky water. We also tried working jigs and minnows and although we did have a few fish hooked up on them, we failed to land any of the Walleyes on those.

I still managed to get a couple of days in on the water this past week with one my buddies and his charter boat out of Wild Wings Marina. The water clarity was very poor and there was a lot of debris out there not to mention some icebergs and massive ice piles on some of the shallower reefs.

We marked heavy amounts of Walleyes in the deeper waters everywhere north of all the reefs. We also managed to pull a few each day using jigs and minnows but the action was slow with the dirtier water and water temps only in the mid thirty's. Things will take off quickly though now with the warm temps predicted all this week. We are only a few days away from some incredible fishing!

Some of the bait shops have opened up over the last few days and I have noticed a few charters putting their boats in for this weekend. We still have some thin moving ice out in front of Port Clinton, so take that into consideration when going out the next few days.

The shoreline and the reefs should start picking up within the next week as long as lake doesn’t muddy up.

We still have some dates open in April for those spring walleye, just give us a call, we are offering a weekday special for the month.

Good fishin
Capt Bob Hughey
www/mrbass@lakeeriefishing911.com

Based on the nearshore forecast the water temperature off of Toledo is 38 and 33 off of Cleveland.

We fished three days and the fishing was phenomenal ! We caught limits of Walleyes everywhere we tried with ease. They ranged in size from a couple of pounds to the largest being around nine pounds. Most averaged around four to five pounds. Those are the fish from the incredibly huge hatch that we had back in 2003. These should dominate our catch throughout the upcoming boating season.

Although it doesn't seem possible, we are still scheduled to be in the water by the end of this month. I've sweated this in past years with the ice hanging in there but it never fails to be open by April 1st. A few warm, rainy and windy days and the western basin opens up nicely. And just like other years, we would be out in the boat killing the Walleyes in the western basin while further east on Lake Erie the lake is still froze.

We still have lots of open dates for our spring season April / May charters at the western basin and the islands area of Lake Erie. And just like ice fishing, we will be jigging them up. This is by far my favorite way of catching Lake Erie Walleyes. I invite everyone to try a early spring fishing charter with me aboard "The Trophy" I can be reached on my cell phone at any time for a booking (216) 387-2656. Like I said, the Walleyes are here and are waiting for you !

Capt. Walt

Last year we had only three weeks of ice fishing but it was a very good walleye season with limits and walleye up to 29" being taken thru the holes. Feel free to contact my on some dates, since I held off booking dates until we got good ice.

Lastly, Richards Bait and Tackle should be open this weekend for your ice fishing supplies and fishing reports. Remember we are booking to this boat season.

I am really looking forward to some great walleye fishing this year, starting with next week.

Good fishin
Capt Bob Hughey
www.lakeeriefishing911.com

Last year we started around early February and had around three weeks of great fishing. I am currently ready to run as soon as we have the ice. We will be running from Catawba to Crane Creek, based on the fishing. If interested fishing you can contact me on my web site or at www.mrbass@lakererie911.com., I'll be fishing everyday possible and I have a 1-2 man operation available everyday that I go out.

The fishing outlook is even better than last year, with record populations of three great walleye hatches. I will continue to update you on the ice conditions thru this report and our fishing report on our web site. The water temp in the western basin is in the low 30's.

good fishin
Capt Bob Hughey
www.mrbass@lakeeriefishin911.com

We had a wonderfully successful season in 07 both business wise and in fishing success. I am very thankful for all of the good things that we experienced aboard "The Trophy" this past season and I am looking forward to doing it all over again.

Thanks to everyone that chose our charter this past year over the hundreds of those available to choose from on Lake Erie. I hope I have the opportunity to serve your needs again this coming fishing season out there on "The Walleye Capitol of The World", beautiful Lake Erie !

We'll have some new stuff up shortly on our website, www.trophycharters.com so keep your eyes out and remember that right now is the time to book all your trips for this coming spring and summer. It will be here before you know it !

Capt. Walt