Any reports from the Portage River or East Harbor yet. Looking to make trip up the 1st of May or this coming weekend.
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Any reports from the Portage River or East Harbor yet. Looking to make trip up the 1st of May or this coming weekend.
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I haven't personally been there but in looking at another website it seems like it's still a little early and your timing for early May should be pretty good.
It's so strange that all other lakes in the state start producing so early and these waters always start in May
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Always like that ....... we've even caught them up to mid June........ heading up the 1st weekend of may for sure ....... 2nd or 3rd weekend depending on how 1st trip goes.......water temps are getting right so should be close up there
Also meant to mention ....... my theory as to why it happens later on Erie i..... things like wind direction can affect temps and water levels in the bays and harbors....... so makes bays a little less stable than say a inland lake....... north wind can fill the bays / harbors with cooler main lake water and cause them to go up quite a bit......... I think it's due to the changing water levels and up and down temps that delay the process ........ just my opinion though
As I learn more about the way Crappie spawn and react to weather change your comment makes perfect sense. I've been fishing up there for 30 years and the bite always starts late. The one thing I can't figure out is why do the crappies bite in the dead of winter in the inland lakes and not up there. Do they find deep pockets of warmer water out in the lake and then migrate into the rivers once it gets warm?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Crappy Attitude
That I have no idea...... I don't spend time in the winter on Erie ...... have gone up in oct and early nov and caught them on the same patterns as spring...... I'd guess those fish are resident fish in the bays / harbors / rivers ....... but that's strictly a guess....... I wonder how/if the weed / vegetation dying off affects them...... honestly don't know though
Please keep us updated on this trip. I am planning a trip memorial day weekend. I have never been and have always read how Sandusky Bay and East Harbor are great crappie spots. I may be a little late to the party, but I hope they are still hanging around.
One other important question you guys may help me with..... I have a Pro17 Bass Tracker with a 40HP engine. Weather permitting, do you think this is enough boat to float around East Harbor & Sandusky Bay? I have never fished Erie, and this will be quite the learning experience I am sure. Any help would be appreciated.
A side note. We will either be camping at East Harbor or staying at the Holiday Inn Express in Port Clinton. Where should I launch? Where is a good place to clean fish? Thanks!!
Actually took the week off and the weather is terrible. I was up this past weekend and the bite hasn't started. We were able to get 30, but we had to really fish for them. Going up tonight for much of the same.Quote:
Originally Posted by Coy
Your boat will be fine for the bay and East Harbor. I used to use my brothers Tracker Sweet 16 which only has a 25hp on it. Now i have an 18 foot bass boat. We go out in the bay and sit under US2 and catch catfish. Never had the stones to try to adventure out on the lake. Usually the Crappie bite is ending around M-Day but I have caught them as late as June. There will be lots of traffic and noise to send them running.
As far as launching I would try Tibbels Marina right across from Highway Bait Store headed out towards Marblehead. They have a good ramp and it puts you in the middle of East Harbour. Usually by M-Day the vegetation is in full bloom. The spots that produced the week before you can't fish because of the lily pads.
At any rate hope this was good info for you.
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If you want to hit the bay you can launch at Hanks Place. It's a small cozy marina that's been there for years. The water is shallow there but its easy access to west part of thr bay. Take your time and watch your wake for mud. You can launch on the other Bay View side at Clemons but it's $10. If you want to get out towards Marblehead there's a place called Dempsey Access that is free.
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Thanks for the info! BTW, what is water temp up there right now?
I would say high 40's I didn't get a chance to launch my bass boat to verify. The water is really up high with all of the recent rain. Hopefully going up this weekend.Quote:
Originally Posted by Coy
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Hit East Harbor and West Harbor the last two days. The bite was slow, but we managed to catch some slabs. Of the 28 fish we caught in two days, more than half were above 12". Of those, we had 8 that were above 14". Fish were shallow even with cold weather. As soon as the weather stabilizes, it will get good quick. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...59d40b822c.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...9a9961440c.jpg
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Also, the Portage River was too muddy to fish, and we didn't put turn on the depth finder with the temperature because I didn't want it to mentally impact my fishing effort. I am guessing it was right around 50 or so, but the North wind was pushing cold water back into the harbors.
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You're killing me. I'm stuck in Minnesota in meetings and I'm seeing these slabs. I'll be up there this weekend and give it a try. You're right about those north winds. They seem to start biting right before it gets dark.Quote:
Originally Posted by cmfish14
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