Trolling for Musky and Pike

Lately Walleye fishing has been very disappointing for us and in the last three times we've been up, we only caught three walleye on the first time and none since then. So for the remainder of the year were going to be focusing on Salmonids. Probably Deepwater Lakers, Steelhead, and Salmon at the Mountain in a couple weeks (Got a nice Chinook and some solid Steelhead at the Mountain close to the Canadian border three weeks ago) and then troll the trib mouths come mid September for Steelhead. In case Salmonid fishing is also bad the next few weeks, I'm wondering if anybody does any trolling in Erie for either Muskies or Pike? Either in the bay, the channel, or the main lake. I know the bay and channel have to be full of them but I'm afraid to troll in either when it's too crowded because of all the boat traffic and also since we don't have planers and I'm afraid to use downriggers in the bay, I'd have to flatline which often entails the lures popping out of the water since our rod holders are tall 15° flush mounts. However I did see a few weeks ago that Buckets Charters got a little Musky while out trolling for eyes so apparently there's a few in the main lake as well. In the main lake, the breakers along the beaches definitely look like the most likely spot to find them but in the dozens of times I've snorkeled on the breakers I've only ever seen Large and Smallmouth Bass, Rock Bass, and Drum. I'm sure some of the wrecks hold a few as well but good luck trying to find and troll right over them without smashing the balls off of the wreck or missing the whole wreck totally, it's hard enough to find them when I'm diving haha. So does anyone know anywhere I can troll Erie (preferably the main lake outside of the channel but I can flatline in the bay if there's a good spot) where there's at least a few Musky or Pike in the area and I'll be able to catch one or even a few in a day of trolling? Feel free to PM me if you don't want to spot burn, I won't tell anyone :).

Are you even allowed to fish in the channel?  I always thought that was for entering/exiting the bay/lake.  It can get pretty busy with boat traffic and could see your lines getting jammed up in someones prop.  I might call the coast guard on that one.  (814) 838-2097

pikepredator2
Are you even allowed to fish in the channel?  I always thought that was for entering/exiting the bay/lake.  It can get pretty busy with boat traffic and could see your lines getting jammed up in someones prop.  I might call the coast guard on that one.  (814) 838-2097

I've seen one or two others doing it. We don't do it often, most of the time just in the early morning when we're heading out in to the lake from our Marina so the boat traffic isn't heavy if there's even any other boat in the channel. We've done it half a dozen times though and I've only ever caught one fish, a 28" 12 pound Drum.

Walleye fishing is easy right now. Very very easy. If you cant catch a walleye in the PA waters of erie right now then maybe book a charter and see what you are doing wrong.  That will help you way more than searching for Chinooks off the mountain or musky in the 2nd trench.

freshwaterdrumR
Walleye fishing is easy right now. Very very easy. If you cant catch a walleye in the PA waters of erie right now then maybe book a charter and see what you are doing wrong.  That will help you way more than searching for Chinooks off the mountain or musky in the 2nd trench.

No money for a charter, this year anyway. We've sunk too much money in to getting set up for trolling this year to spend a lot more on a charter haha. Well somehow we still managed a Salmon on the mountain a few weeks ago, I was so ecstatic when we landed that gem, made a great meal that night! So musky are in the second trench, eh? :)

outasync
1 musky a day would mean you got something figured out that most people don't on erie. You'd be lucky with 1 a week

True haha.

anzomcik
Don't know what to tell ya. I have given you tips through PMs.

Do you have the gear to troll for musky?

Why not go shallow and troll for just any fish. I remember going in to like 15' or so just to get the rod to go off. It wasn't a walleye but we had a lot of fun catching a mixed bag.

Yes, your advice is very helpful, I'm just bad at catching Esox lol. Our trolling rods are medium-heavy action and the reels have 25 pound mono so I think they could handle most Musky, if I was targeting them I'd be using steel leaders as well. We do that occasionally. When the walleye don't hit we'll head in to 30-40 feet and troll spoons, harnesses, or shallow divers and catch White Bass/Perch and Drum. Although this past weekend we were out in 55 feet still trying to catch an eye when a big drum smacked a spoon. Thing was 30" 14 pounds!

I was meaning do you have musky baits to troll with? Also this time of year a good speed to start trolling for musky is 4.5-6 mph

anzomcik
I was meaning do you have musky baits to troll with? Also this time of year a good speed to start trolling for musky is 4.5-6 mph

Well, I've got huge spoons, big bucktails, medium and large crank baits, stickbait, swimbaits, and really any lure you could want in the 1.5-8" range.

outasync
Using only a medium heavy setup i wouldnt recommend using bigger than a size 5 mepps in bucktails and maybe large rapalas. Larger baits can put a real hurting on your equipment if its not the proper action for lure size.  Otherwise youll be tearing thru reel gears and putting alot of damage in your rods. Trust me i tried it in my younger dumb days and tore through about 8 reels in a season trying to throw suicks, grandmas, mepps musky killers, and super shad raps on bass geared reels.  As for the walleye if your amongst the other boats that seem to be catching and you cant then try to mimic what you see them  doing. Speed and depth are 2 major factors in catching walleye. If your going too slow or fast sometimes you cant buy a bite.  Id recommend also finding someone familiar with down riggers to look over your setup and make sure your running things correct.

Yeah I've done that to reels before, back when I was younger I tried trolling like 8 mph with a spoon and 8 ounces of weight on a bass rod to see if some monster would come hit it lol. Although I have flatlined a super shad rap on these trolling rods multiple times without any problems. It takes forever to reel it in but it hasn't broken the reels yet.

Well took your guys advice a didn't try to target musky on erie. So we went to Chautauqua instead and I got two decent ones trolling :). That should satisfy my musky cravings until fall on the allegheny haha. Have to figure out some way to flat line in the bay though without catching weeds every 10 seconds and I think that'd produce some Esox.