September Fishing

[Bill Gunn]

Went out daytime walleye fishing on September 1st for the first time since June because or reports of good catches in the area I went to.
It was a waste of 8 hours. I got 2 walleyes, and the smallest goby I ever seen (trash fish, invasive species from Europe). 90% of the guys out there got nothing. The guys I talked to said they were hitting like crazy for two weeks, but now they seem to be gone. I was by myself (2 rods), there was one boat with 4 guys and running 8 rods for 6 hours, they got a total of 4 walleyes, and a perch.

Went back to my nighttime fishing (shhhhh... it's a secret spot :p ) and boxed 6 nice walleyes in one hour and 19 minutes. Like a Grizz, I'll be fattening up on fish before winter. And perch fishing hasn't even started yet ;) ;) !!

[postoak]

How big are your perch? In the South, they're so small no one fishes for them except children.

[Bushman]

The yellow perch up here in Green Bay usually run under 12" with 8-10" fish being nice ones. Those are really good eating. I've got a buddy who fishes Lake Michigan and he said that they have caught yellow perch out there that have gone as big as 14-15". Minnows seem to be the hot bait on the Bay, but soft shell crabs get the bigger perch out in the Lake. They don't get really big ones out of lots of the inland lakes probably because they are the forage base for the pike species. I was taking to my neighbor yesterday up at the lake and he said that the lake association planted 3,000. 5-6" perch and no one on the lake seems to be able to catch them. I think that the northerns are pretty fat and happy with that planting.

[Bill Gunn]

Here's a large cooler with 50, I throw back ANYTHING under a measured 9"...

http://pic90.picturetrail.com/VOL2250/777751/2652330/373325630.jpg

They run up to 14.75 " for me, I never got a 15", but they get them up to 17" on Erie, and Ontario has them up to 19" in Sodus Bay where we go ice fishing (my biggest there was 14.25").

http://pic90.picturetrail.com/VOL2250/777751/3382243/237447826.jpg

When the perching gets going (April/May & Sept. to Nov.) the fishing is honestly phenomenal. That cooler shown above was filled this spring with the limit of fifty fish over 9" by 8:30 in the morning! I probably actually caught 85 fish that day in 2.5 hours. The day before that I limited with 9" to 14"ers (lots of 11, and 12's) by 11:00am, and caught well over 100 fish to get the 50 keepers. There is no size limit here, some guys throw back anything under 10", some keep 7.5"ers or smaller.
I use to cull below 10" when I use to fish Lake Simcoe up in Canada. Now it's gotten to be such a PITA crossing the border (American customs is the PITA, not Canadian customs) that a lot of us quit going there, and now fish Erie. It's a lot closer, but the fishing in Simcoe was better.

After a few days like that I switch over to Walleye fishing. My wife and I actually like eating walleye better, but most people like perch over walleye.
Their both extremely good eating ;) :) :p

[Altjaeger]

What we have down here and call perch are really various species of the bream/sunfish family.

[Bill Gunn]

Sep 05, 2009 Evening BEST
Sep 06, 2009 Evening BEST
Sep 07, 2009 Evening FAIR
Sep 08, 2009 Evening POOR
Sep 09, 2009 Evening FAIR
Sep 10, 2009 Evening FAIR
Sep 11, 2009 Morning POOR
Sep 12, 2009 Morning POOR
Sep 13, 2009 Morning BEST
Sep 14, 2009 Morning BEST
Sep 15, 2009 Morning POOR
Sep 16, 2009 Morning POOR
Sep 17, 2009 Morning POOR
Sep 18, 2009 Evening POOR
Sep 19, 2009 Evening POOR
Sep 20, 2009 Evening POOR
Sep 21, 2009 Evening POOR
Sep 22, 2009 Evening POOR
Sep 23, 2009 Evening GOOD
Sep 24, 2009 Evening GOOD
Sep 25, 2009 Evening POOR
Sep 26, 2009 Morning POOR
Sep 27, 2009 Morning POOR
Sep 28, 2009 Morning FAIR
Sep 29, 2009 Morning FAIR
Sep 30, 2009 Morning GOOD

[Bill Gunn]

Myself and 2 other Friends with boats got out last night.
I got 6 and all 3 boats combined ( 6 fishermen) got 23 nice walleyes. Largest 7.5 pounds.

[Bill Gunn]

Went out for perch yesterday morning. I got a late start, and didn't wet a line until after 9am, I'm usually out there at sunup (about 6:00 now) but this is the area that got flooded last month. There are giant trees, boats & boat parts, parts of houses, and everything else that gets washed away in a flood sunk in the creek, and at the mouth of the creek as it enters Lake Erie.
I didn't run through all that until it got light out. It was quite the sight to see...

Well anyways, the fishing wasn't terrible, but I only got 18 (limit 50) between 8.75" and the biggest was just under 11". I threw back at least 20 that were smaller, and also threw back 2 sheephead.
The depth finder was showing a lot of fish, but everyone on the marine radio was saying they were having a hard time getting them to bite.

There was a wind directly out of the east :( ..... I never do well with an east wind, but it's better than staying home, Wishin' I was Fishin' :)

[Wismon]

Bill, I know you're a waaay serious fisherman but I forgot, do you use lures or live bait? If you use live bait I assume it's minnows? And do you troll for fish? I can't remember any details at the moment.

[Bill Gunn]

For Perch, we use live minnows when available. Yesterday I couldn't get any (which is a long story in itself, due to stupid NYS laws), so I had to use salted minnows. Live minnows usually work much better. My personal favorite setup is 2 live minnows on the lower hook, and 2 salted minnows on the upper hook. Gives me 2 less live minnows to fight with trying to hook when I'm in a hurry to get the hooks back down to the biting fish when the school is underneath me.
I just rig up two dropper hooks off a piece of 6# Seaguar Fluorocarbon, that is tied to my main 4# test "Fireline" line & a 1 to 1.5 ounce pencil sinker to get down 50 to 75 feet (72' yesterday). I don't use any commercial perch rigs.
Quite often larger Perch (12+") are caught on lures when trolling for Walleyes.

For Walleyes we almost always troll, but sometimes drift.
We use stick baits, and worm harnesses while trolling, and lighter worm harnesses for drifting.
Daytime trolling we set up 2 rods per man (state, and Canadian law) with up to 4 rods in my boat, but larger boats run up to 12 rods, all in rod holders. We use regular mono, or Fireline, leaded, steel or copper line, dipsy divers, jet divers, and down riggers to get down from 50 feet to a maximum of about 120'.
Night time trolling we run one rod per man, and you actually hold the rod when trolling so you know when you get a hit. Using regular mono, or Fireline and deep diving lures to get down to 20 feet max. For me it's a lot more fun. You never know when a 50+" Muskie is going to hit your lure, my neighbor had one on just last week.. A Walleye over 5 pounds will wake you up right away too!
We get a lot of Smallmouth Bass up to 7 pounds at night, to the point that they are a pain in the butt to deal with. Taking the hook out of one at night ain't fun, I already had a #4 treble buried in my hand at night, and my neighbor's brother had to go to the hospital to get one out last year. I was able to cut mine, and run it through the other side, but the last time I was involved with so much blood, they took my liver out....
I usually fish alone late at night (12 to 3 am). I really enjoy the solitude, and with no other boats out there I can fish the entire area any way I wish. The fish at night are usually smaller than daytime fish because I fish shallower water. This year at night I usually limit out between 1.5 to 3 hours with 6 Walleyes from 3 to 7.5 pounds. For lures at night I troll with either Norman Deep Lil N's, or Willy's Worms (a lure from Australia that isn't made anymore, but I use to buy them by the box, and still have a few).

[Wismon]

Wow, your style of fishing is much different from mine, and yours is much more productive. I fish for bass (both largemouth and smallmouth) from a canoe. In Virginia you can get a state-issued citation ("citation" meaning "trophy certificate") for catching a 4 lb. small mouth and y'all consider ones significanly larger than that to be pests! You're in the big leagues.

I was suprised to see how light a line you use, at 4 lbs. Is that so you can get down deep? I would think that there would be a lot of fish that would be interested in those minnows that would break that line, but I guess since you're in deep water you could wear them out with the drag setting.

And finally, do you primarily use baitcasters or spinning reels, or a combination of both?

[Bill Gunn]

I use to live in Winchester, and Hampton Va., so I know exactly what your saying, and your exactly right, the depth of the water lets you tire out the fish. It can take a 1/2 hour to do it, but a well adjusted drag is your best friend!
I got this 13# Lake Trout on Lake Simcoe in Canada with 2# test while ice fishing. That's why the fish looks so dark, it was -10*F out, and the fish froze solid out on the ice. It don't take a big rod and reel if you got depth, and patience. It took just over 20 min. to get it in...

http://pic90.picturetrail.com/VOL2250/777751/2652330/373809668.jpg

I think the biggest thing I got on 4# test was a monster Ling I got in Minnesota, I didn't weigh it, but you can see my boot in the bottom of the pic...

http://pic90.picturetrail.com/VOL2250/777751/2652330/20025236.jpg

I also got a 9.5 pound Catfish last year while Perch fishing.

I use Diawa Line counters for Walleye trolling, and Bass Pro Shops Johnny Morris Signature Series Spinning Reels for Perch

http://image.basspro.com/images/images2/76500/76968.jpg

http://image.basspro.com/images/images2/Lago/1426002_i-535586.jpg

Here's a typical Smallmouth we get on Erie, it's just over 5#...

http://pic90.picturetrail.com/VOL2250/777751/2652330/363540307.jpg


And Yes, the 4# test lets you get down 70' Fast !!

[Wismon]

If you mail me that 5# smallmouth I could get a citation to hang on my wall.

A 13# Lake Trout on 2# test while it was -10*F ???:eek:

I'm more into cating 2# fish on 20# line while it's 65*F.:D Don't get me wrong, I'd be just as fine with a 13# fish on 20# line at 65*F. But the fish don't necessarily cooperate.

[postoak]

What we have down here and call perch are really various species of the bream/sunfish family.

That's what I was thinking after looking at that photo. Those look nothing like our "perch".

[postoak]

This is what Texans call "perch":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluegill

[Altjaeger]

This is what Texans call "perch":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluegill

Yes, it is the most common member of the family here because it is the most popular for transplants readily bought from hatcheries. There are probably over a dozen species of bream (called brim) and I am not sure how many are found in this state. They are easy to identify as a family. The largemouth, smallmouth and Guadalupe bass are large members of the sunfish family.

[Bill Gunn]

Been getting out for some short trips the last week or so.
I picked up a walleye, and a coho in a couple hours of night fishing, and Thursday I got out for a good day of perch fishing, got 38 over 9". Could have limited with 50 pretty easy, but I ran out of bait.... That don't happen very often :(

Now the weather is suppose to be lousy (wind and rain) for about a week.

[ADK Jakes]

I have some hot spots for fall walleye Bill but was unable to hit them this year due to having my hip replaced. I am recovering well but am missing my fall outdoor activities, especially steelhead. In a couple of weeks, I may try it depending on my rehab. I also am not hunting this year and miss that too. I am having the other one replaced in January and will be concentrating on getting healthy for my spring fishing trip. I have been cleaning a ton of perch for my father in law though, he has been doing well. I prefer them to walleye but will eat either.

[Bill Gunn]

Hey Chris,
Hang in there, I missed 2 seasons in a row a few years ago when they replaced my liver (That wasn't a fun ride)!!
My Mom had two hips replaced a few years ago and she says it was the best thing she ever did. Worked out VERY well for her.
Trust me... It gets better :)

I just started getting into the perch when a bunch of bad weather hit. I was getting them in 60 to 72 feet off of the Catt.
I still want to get out off of Sturgeon Pt. but between weather, bow hunting, remodeling the house (almost done for now) & family stuff, it's been tough getting out.

I did well on the walleyes at night (daytime sucked) and brought home 34 in 6 trips to the Canadian side. I like eating the walleye a little more, because of the flaky texture, but to me they both rate a 10 on a scale of 1 to 10 :p

I see now we have an excuse to stay out on the lake longer...


Coast Guard looking for Lake Erie pirates
Posted: Oct 28, 2009 10:46 AM EDT
Updated: Oct 28, 2009 10:54 AM EDT


EUCLID, OH (WTOL) - The Ohio Coast Guard is looking for two pirates on Lake Erie.

A man was in his boat on the lake near Cleveland Monday when he says two people pulled up in boat along side him. They robbed him of all his cash, cell phone, keys -- and took his fish.

The Coast Guard is still searching for the pirates.



Excuse #1... "Hon... I would have been home 2 hours ago, but I had a runnin' battle with the Pirates... By the way, I have to buy a new gun, maybe an AR-15 in stainless so it won't rust being out on the water all the time"

What the heck..... I'd happily give them my cell phone, but they would have a gun fight over the fish :mad:

I see your home page is gone (I lost one too). Do you have that info that was on your site about the State Land? I think it was about Allegheny county, but I'm not sure. I saved that info once, but lost it in a computer crash. I use to hunt down there a lot on the state land around the fire tower, and at Palmer's Pond. I had to quit after the transplant because I can't be dragging a deer without my liver fallin' out :o
I now hunt on a dairy farm in Orangeville where I can use the ATV to haul the deer out.
I might try Allegheny County again (got help for the drag), I bought a Marlin .44 mag I want to try out this year (like I needed a 14th deer hunting rifle :p )...

http://pic90.picturetrail.com/VOL2250/777751/13525437/375650616.jpg

[ADK Jakes]

I just checked my profile and it was there. I don't have any info on Allegany County hunting as I have a place about 15 minutes South of my house. I like to clean walleye better as it is easier. I keep telling myself that I will be able to go on opening day but that is a pipe dream. I feel good but know what my limitations are. I have info on the Adirondacks though.

Liver, that's serious Bill. Makes my surgery look like stitches. You deserve a 15th deer gun just for that lol