Hello all,
I have just moved up to the Cleveland area oh about 14 months ago and immediealty started fishing Lake erie around the Cleveland area.
In moving up here the only things I knew or atleast had been told about Erie were (1) be careful and (2) Smallmouth fishing can be excellent.
Well the first one I have learned the hard way I am from Texas so I am use to very big bodies of water and making long runs to spots and back....however in Texas you can usually get back to the spot you started from in roughly the same period of time it took you to get there not the case here sometimes.
Iv'e already had my Ranger completley under water once,broke a trolling motor,destroyed prop,and lost a rod.......but I've prepared my boat a little better and taken dramamine to adjust.
My fishing experience so far although not bad has not really what I expected which brings me to my qeustion.
I usually fish by myself since I basically do not no anybody from the area at all and after what I experienced already on the lake long runs by myself don't seem like the smartest option so most of my days on the lake so far have been either inside the harbors and bays or not to far away from them around the Cleveland area you know on some of the reefs and wrecks.
Most days in the bays adn harbors around here are excellent for 1-3# largemouth.
I have also launched out of the port clinton area a couple times and have had good success with smallies.
However I have searched and searched for consistent smallmouth action around the Cleveland area and have pretty much been blanked every time.
Most days I fish are after work around 4pm so I have to plan around 4-5 hours at most of fishing which eleminates long runs or even car rides .
Every once in a while I will pick one up fishing the reefs around here but I have not marked a single consistent spot yet.
I have noticed that the depth around here is on average a little deeper than where I went to around the islands and there surley aren't as many rock piles or fast transitions at all for some stretches for that mattter.
So I guess my qeustion is am I just waisting my time scanning for smallies around here?
I am no stranger to fishing deep water and marking....... and I know if I can find them I can catch them it just seems like there not here certainly not like they were around port clinton am I wrong?
Even when I get on a nice reef or wreck there just not present unless ofcourse a monster school of baitfish are present then they seem to use the structure for a few hours or however long it takes the school to migrate.
I am not a spot monger I've been in the sport to long for that so don't get me wrong here I am just asking for genral help no specifics.........its just a huge body of water and I would hate to waist to much time or gas scanning for something that I won't find.
Anyone know of any good clubs around the cleveland area that focus on erie?
Thats another thing where I,m from in Texas theres a tourney like everyday and since erie is so big I figured I could find a tourney and club at like every launch but they all seem to be either way west or east and there still aren't many at all it seems.
Better yet anyone from around the Clevalnd area that would be interested in fishing let me know, it gets a little tough fishing by yourself........ tried buying the wife a rod she just doesn't like it much.
Thanks for any info
Joe
