Pequod1

That's an in treating technique.  What type of release do you use that doesn't crimp the lead core or do you just use a two color lead core rod?  Also, how much will it drop below the ball?

We were at Dunkirk yesterday and got 7. all but one came on 7-8 color over 78' on a crystallina/watermellon colored renosky. 

Exactly. Having the right tackle helps too. I have seen a lot of gear that is too heavy and not sensitive enough to feel that weight. Double lake erie spreader bars and no braid or nano fill.  That used to work when we had plenty of bait and massive schools of perch. You have to adapt to changing conditions or else go home empty handed.

We got out there for our first trip today. Did not hit the water until 9:00. Stopped at the Cat then Evangola and then on to Sturgeon.  Found around 40 there but we definitely got there late. Super light bite.

10 hours ago, trapper said:

 Took my boat to collision shop today for repair estimate  will cost the guy and his son little over 800 bucks  to fix windshield and buff paint people you need to think before doing things like this

Too bad about the boat. It's the down time that kills you. Chartered for 25+ yrs. I know what that is like. Had some guys last spring that tied up just about on top of me. I could easily have put my fish in their cooler. I had to move off with the minn kota.

1/temp X bait = fish.  Einstein beware  

Thanks. I guess I will hit one of the finger lakes. A lot easier and a whole lot closer.

It was a nice day yesterday and I am sure a few people tried for perch. Any reports before I make the long trip tomorrow?

Still no Niagaras at Big Catch tackle as of yesterday and none in the river except for a few at night.

Do you guys on Erie get a temp drop on an east wind?  Lake O drops like a rock with an east wind and just wondering if Erie does the same. Last year on this date, the water intake at Buffalo was 69 deg. Yesterday it was 74. Probably the warmest on record.

Today started out bad. Drove the 80 miles to Ferry street only to find the emerald missing. One alien guy had a few and said there were only a few small schools that came and went. We were there before dawn. The guy at Big Catch told me the same thing. I would not count on them showing up in any catchable numbers any time soon.

Bought golden and hit the Cat. we were the only ones perching. Looked over an hour from 60 to 78 and finally found a few 7.1 miles NE heading out of the Cat in 78' Very close to where all the guys were trolling. Only got 28, but better day than I thought it would be.

I use windfinder along with others to decide. Yesterday, wind finder said 6-7 from the south in the fingerlike I was fishing. Reality was about 10-15 and 2-3' waves. You never know until you are there.

Thanks for looking. I went to a fingerlake instead. I was concerned about an east wind on Erie yesterday. If the weather looks good this week, I will hit the Cat.

Thanks M.Muskies. I probably would not get them out of the SBH. I would have too far a drive from there to Sturgeon but I appreciate it. I probably will try for perch next week the first day the wind allows.

That's disappointing about the emeralds. Big Catch told me their were pin heads at Ferry last week, but I didn't check myself.  How about Ontario Street?  Have found that the fall perch are more aggressive and will attack just about anything you can get down there fast. I jig a lot in the fall and consistently get them on the drop. I will also let the perch decide what they want and use Northland rattle spoons and chartreuse plastics along with emeralds. Spring perch just slowly suck a bait in and dead sticking works the best.

Just a heads up that while fishing Ontario waters today near the round house a lot of boats and us were stopped and checked for our Ontario license. We were all good to go on my boat and I don't think the other boats that were checked had any problems. The guys were real professional and courteous. Even had to go over some details of my boat and raytheon to one of the officers that was interested in my set up.  I would also advise that you call 1-888 CAN PASS to get your entry number and have either a passport #, enhanced driver's license or Nexus card on board.  Much better to be all nice and legal than getting towed into some Canada port trying to get out!

Another boat - me - had four out of Dunkirk!  Tried from 60-80. Did catch another dozen that were all of 6". Back to the finger lakes for me until the end of the month.

I don't know about the Cat, but the perch are in scattered small schools straight out of Dunkirk.  Try 67-72'. It is going to be a long time before the lake cools off enough for them to form nice large schools for us to get them consistently. 

I did talk to some guys at the cleaning station at the SBH. They had 4 small eyes and one nice 30" fish fishing out of Sturgeon.  I fished for perch again out of Dunkirk. Saw the same boat at the exact spot as last week and fished near  them. First drop again, a 30" eye on the perch rig with a golden shiner.  Two trips in a row, exact same thing.  After that , just a few scattered schools of perch.  Nothing super big this week. Only kept 25. Can't get out for a while. Jury duty next week. If the weather is nice next Tuesday, I will push for an early conviction on Monday so I can get out. Poor soul!

I agree with that.  Lately, I have looked at www.windfinder.com.  Kind of make a best guess with that and the NWS marine forecast.  Not always the best though. I made the 100 mile trip to Sturgeon once this year and had to turn around and go home. 

Here's the perch report. First drop, jigged my 3/4 oz buckshot spoon twice and hooked a 9-10 lb eye!  After that we did locate a few schools of perch in 67' about a mile west of Dunkirk.  Wound up with 45. Not a bad start. I caught a couple up high but they were for the most part tight to the bottom and sucking the bottom silt for any small worm they could find.  The bite went completely dead at 11:30 even though we still marked them on the sonar. 

Ok good site. I am about to head out to Dunkirk for a little different fishing trip. Heard from a friend that a couple guys ran into some perch last week out in 72' Going to scan and fish and scan some more and let everyone know if something is actually there. 

Really good info. Those fish were suspended up there high. That's why this is a good site. People sharing.

Thanks

What are your suggestions for the placement of a snap weight on a ten color?  The other day, I placed it where my 50' of mono met the first color and later between the second and third color. Didn't work. We are fishing 65-70 down lately.

We marked quite a few eyes for the first three hours and bait. After that, they became scarce.  

We got six today out to 74' NW of Sturgeon in the fleet.  Nothing on the dipseys today. 4 on the riggers set at 65 and two on the lead core at ten colors.  Lead core was dead until we switched over to a rainbow colored renosky. The rigger bites were purple reef runners, and harnesses.  

Did you head NW to 75'?  That's where they were. Hope the east wind didn't change the water temp and push them out of there