Erie Pa. June 20-25

[Eric-Maine]

Continued on from fishing Sturgeon Pt. NY and started practice for North East Bass Regionals looking at the 20-25 foot depths that we found off of Pine Hurst. We launched in the bay Sunday morning, what a beautiful park. Went right out into the lake winds light with big swells from the day before. Covered a lot of territory stopping anywhere "interesting " on the map in those depths. Lots of drum no bass we did catch a good walleye that we kept. We drop shotted the Berkley flat worm and dragged a football head with a keitech swimbait. I use the jig and the drop sinker to feel the bottom. Sticky good soft not,  a quick mix of both soft and hard best.
Next day there was small craft warning calling for up to 6' ers so we slept in and went to USA Fishing, a tackle store. I saw that there was a launch , Shades Beach that was close to where I wanted so we went to check it out. Awesome facility surf wasn't nearly as bad as what we fished in Buffalo so we went back to get the boat. Launched at 12:30. Got real ugly at 1:15 lol Always check the weather AGAIN. Did manage my first Pa. Smallie before the static and huge rain came. Brutal ride back to the trailer.
Next morning, last day of practice off the water by 2, we launched just before sunrise and drove east. New Hampshire and I fished a long tappering point. Big rollers and 20mph winds so we set up drifts zig zagging in and out paying attention to the bottom feel and marking where we caught. 4 quality bites on the drop shot 21 foot "ish". Stopped going east when we couldn't see Presque Isle anymore 8 miles or so. We loaded up, I had an area.
Day 1 my co angler from Delaware and I started connecting the dots I had created the day before. Delaware caught the first, a  3 1/2 -4 lb at about 6am. The Drum were on fire for me. Every now and then I would get a bass. By 10 I had 3 for about 10 and it seemed we got all we were going to get so we went looking back toward the weigh in at Percy's monument. There were boats everywhere covering anything remotely interesting on the chart. Everywhere we stopped, giant Drum. Finally we ran out if water an went into the far back of the bay. I did not prepare for largemouth. I dug deep and pulled out the spook rod, the one I posted about in a Florida Headwaters report. 65Lb braid 7'6 med/heavy with Florida bass super spook. Caught a line burner, 15", with 15 minutes to go culled that one with 9 minutes to go with a 2 1/2 lb. Eric has a limit! Largemouth came in 3' of water amongst scattered weeds. Smallies on a drop shot 21-24'. Weighed in 12lb 12oz and stood 5lbs back of the leader.
Day 2 my Rhode Island Co and I started on my spot. And he again broke the ice with a 3lb 12. We fished hard for several hours, lots of Drum, no bass. Instead of moving toward the weigh in we went the other direction graphing the 21' break line looking for hard bottom. On our second spot we hit what turned out to be the mother lode. Before I had a fish in the boat Rhode Island had 3 fish for 13 + lbs including a 5lb 13 oz that ended up being one of the tournament lunkers. It is not always an advantage to have the front. The wind was howling. 20 + from the south big rollers from the west. Anyway 3 hours in I started catching. Slow but every fish a giant. 4 bites for over 17 lbs including a 5lb 4 oz. We both had biggest bags of the day in our respective divisions. For me 2 came on a DS two on a Keitech FB all in that prime 20-25 water that we liked in Buffalo. Went in early not knowing how the ride would be. It was ugly near the bay and a rude awakening for us when we got through the no wake. The livewell drained our fish were dead.....bonehead move! 12 oz penalty for me. 8 oz for Rhode Island. Just plain forgot to put engage the plug
before we took off for our 45 minute run.
Day 3 my Vermont Co and I head out in 5th spot about 4 lbs out. Vermont was on his honeymoon believe it or not, she competed as well. Anyway guess where we started. Made the long run. The swells from the west had subsided but a very strong 20-30 south wind. The 15 mile ride was pretty easy hugging the southern side. Boat positioning was toughest yet and Again Vermont had 13 + lbs before I had my first,  an Erie 3 lb "rat". Fished hard and now and then would catch. They were all big. Giants by Maine standards. Had 5 bites landed them all. Last fish was a 6lb 3oz. All on the Berkley Flat worm. The hype is real. Vermont used a green pumkin I the brown back. We again headed in early for an easy dry ride double checking the valve this time and 3 stops to check on the fish. We are first in line to weigh. We both had heaviest bags of the tournament 4 for 19 + .  That last fish the 6lb 3 oz tournament lunker. Epic 2 days  though as it turns out that last minute green fish on the spook was the winning margin.
Water was low 70s seemed to be all post spawn. Wind was blowing an ugly 20mph from the south 20 -25' depths on hard bottom (zebra mussels) with sand transitions
Looks like I will be able to do some reports in Louisiana and Arkansas in my future Pretty excited.
Oh, and the honeymooners from Vt. They are BASS National bound, Monroe Lousiana Ouachita River, too.
Sitting in my recliner totally spent today. Fun sureal few days. 12 hours to home yesterday in traffic. It appears that people in the northeast anyway are back to a normal summer.

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[Smallie_Stalker]

WTG Eric!

Day 2 would have thrown a lesser angler off their game. It's nice when things line up and you can get past a bad day like that.



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[fishballer06]

Congrats.   

I had a buddy fishing on the co-angler side and came in 31st.

[zippyduck]

Congrats!
I fish it all the time and was there all three days in the evenings and had little to no luck. Good on you to figure them out.

[Mike Cork]

Congratulations That water photo scares me LOL looked like Toledo Bend in its nasty mood... ship swallower.

I wish I could help you on the Ouachita but I haven't been on it. We do have a member that lives over there and fishes it weekly though.

You are entered into the Dobyns Champion Series rod giveaway, post more reports for more entries
click here for giveaway rules

[fishballer06]

That water photo scares me... ship swallower.

"Just another day on Erie"
-The Locals

[RangerAndBass]

Congrats Eric, I hadn't seen this til now.
Way to go, you're the Champ, north or south!

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