Now for the story of the day. It's a 3 parter so enjoy. We left my house at 7AM. I had all the gear stowed, or so I thought, and we headed out. I'm on RT 388 so we go the back way. Down my road to 168 to 19 to 80 to 79. I know Grove City is a bit shorter, but thas how I go. We hit right by the 62 exit on 79 and I notice the cooler is open. I don't want the ice to melt, so I pulled over before the exit and get out to close it. I had the sickest look on my face and felt like I was gonna vomit. My passenger asked "Whats a matter". I say, " The whole bag of harnesses are gone, they musta blew out". Now it's not the money, as everyone knows. It's the time and labor in tying them all. Some favorite colors, favorite blades. Heck some blades you can't even get anymore. Kinda like loosing a box of flies. So I high tail it off and back on 79, hit 80 doing 80 and land on 19. All the while we are scanning the other lane hoping to see this bag. We start down 19 towards home. I figure, I'm gonna a havta drive all the way back to the house, then jump in the passenger seat and tie friggin harnesses the whole ride up. On top of all that, still look for this lost bag. We're going down 19 and get right past the old Springfeild Inn. Take that bend and up the hill. What do we spy with our little eyes.... my bag of gear. Dam near spike the brakes, hit a side road, spin around and back out. He jumps out, snatches it up and laughed the whole way up to the lake. *whew* number one first disaster averted. Now for number two.... it was raining a little on the way up so I pulled the plug out. Now before you say, everyone has launched a boat without the plug once or twice, let me tell ya, it's way better than that. We drive to Walnut and see there was not a parking spot to be had, so off to Elk we went. Pull down the hill, get out and do the do. Straps, lights, ect ect. But before that, I screw that plug in. I'm backing down and Frankie yells, "You put that plug in?" I'm like "ye sir!". So off the trailer she slides and I park. Walk down, jump in start the motor and he yells "Water!" I look down and the back is filling up nicely with some of the finest Elk Creek swamp water you can find. Flip the blige on and she's a pumping, and pumping and pumping. Shut the motor down, jump out then I reach around the motor and take the plug out of the live well intake and put it where it goes. Disaster averted once again. He raked me over the coals for a good bit about that today. Nows the best part. We started turning gear in 38 to 41. Lots mark's, lots of fish. We weeded through I don't know how many to get 6. I don't keep them smaller than 16" and probably shouldn't keep them smaller than 17". After almost allday out there, I had a tip in my pocket that said "go into 28 to 30 if you're having trouble punching out". We hit that area, caught about 10 in a half an hour. Picked the biggest ones from those, 18s" and 19s" with the biggest being 20". We ran out of worms, so I used a Gulp nightcrawler and Frank finished with a black Powerworm. Go figure that! I know that's a long one and I hope yinz enjoy. Moral of the story, anything and everything can happen on a Big Lake trip. People act like it's easy. Run up, get your 12 and come home. For us smaller boat guys, it's not just a job it's an adventure. Throw in those 2s, that were supposed to be 1s or less, outta the NorthEast and we had our work cut out for us. Just onetime I wanna sit in a passenger chair and not have to worry about anything but reef em in😆.

Always a good practice to remove the plug due to invasives.  If not, at least splash a little bleach in there at the end of the day.....will kill off the crud, make it smell better and will break down by the time you head back to the lake.....

pensfan1
I can't imagine a better walleye fishery than what Lake Erie is right now. Instead of Elk, we went outta Walnut. Same same. Meat on dips, 45+FOW. Only change was they were stuck down on that bottom. Not too much suspended today. I brought the 14yr old for her first trip ever. Needless to say, she'll be back 😆. She's been telling everyone she outfished me but what she wont tell ya is, I gave up all the grade-A gear after she lost/destroyed what she started with. I don't care, they're all going to tha same place Cuzzie. I was kinda happy not fishing for that last couple hours. I manned the tiller and worked the net.

That’s what I say when I get out fished too! Good for her and proud poppa! Good work. Beats the heck out of work and sitting in a hotel in central Ohio!

Thinking about Saturday. Should it be Walnut inclose 28 to 30, or should we go outta Shades? Less than 2 miles and you're in 60FOW up that end. I'd like to try and find some bigger fish, but it's hard with all the 2 n 3 yr olds eating everything in site. Lemmie know, jus ask'IN jus say'IN.

That weather isn't supposed to start till evenging.

Anybody been drifting/casting for walleyes instead of trolling? 

graveydavey

psu_fish
Anybody been drifting/casting for walleyes instead of trolling? 

Perch Pirate.

True, but I want to go out on my own boat, not a headboat. Wasnt sure if guys that are drifting are getting more junk fish then trolling 

Ya what Mo said. I would say half the boats we saw Saturday were drifting. We also say a few of those guys casting and jigging. Probably some sort of bladebait or lip less crank. Honestly, with ANY ability, you can catch them with any method used. It's solid hooks on the screen starting in the low 50s. I myself like that dispey fishing right now.

Pens, they were there and willing. 4 man eye box on Saturday. Sunday was murder, 4 man box of eyes and heads. Numerous doubles and triples, had 6 fish on at the same time at one point.

Dang, that is a pile of fish! Good work.

Good deal Pens. We have been messing around with random soft plastics on harnesses instead of worms and doing quite well.

One of those eyes ate you Samsung. Hope this helpa.

****MOVED*****