Erie perchin' 8/15/2015

Filled up the gas tank today, filled up a big tub with water and tried to start the motor.  Nothing.  Starts right up on a 6 gal.  Tear it all apart, the fricking hose or ball or something is screwed, replace with some part I had and some from the store, works like a champ.  Also pulled out the old crappy fish finder and replaced with a Lowrance Elite 4 chirp GPS/finder unit.  Boat ready to go, about to hit the sheets.  4am comes early!

It was a beautiful day on Erie.  Launched around 8am, cloudy on shore but clear blue skies 1/4 mile out.  Only got nicer from there.  Lake wasn't flat, but it wasn't crazy choppy either .  Steady low level washing machine all day.  And... that's the best thing I can say.  We didn't catch a single perch out in the lake.  Tried everything from 40 out to 55.  "Pack" of boats was sitting in that 55 and nobody was catching fish.  Talked to some guys back at the dock and they managed 3 perch in 57/58 fow.  They said you could barely feel them bite.  We marked lots of fish but nothing was biting.  Reports from the bait people and the head boats were dismal.  
 
On the other hand, the walleye guys were walking across fish.  The captain chatter on the CB was about talking people out of perch trips into walleye trips.  But I wouldn't know much about that action.  We headed into PI bay to poke around and entertained ourselves by killing 3 or 4 dozen gobies and one idiot perch that was trying to grow up off the lake.  Ah, we didn't kill the perch, just the gobies.  Threw the perch back.  Oh, and I hooked a nice smallie... in a couple weeks he'd have broken the 1" mark!  SIGH.  
 
Worst thing about the day was that my stupid engine, despite much work and effort idles like a beaten dog.  Or maybe like a dead dog.  Need to have someone check out the low-whatever-jets or some such.  Really thinking I should just trade that in on a nice new 20, and only fish Erie when the lake is glass.  I could have caught PLENTY of perch on Arthur today, even if they would have been minnows.  
 
Eh whatever.  The new Lowrance was the bee's knees though.  Me like!
 
PS - oh, there were two baby perch and a baby LMB in our bait today.  Should have just fished the bait trailer.

Zelie, I don't know where you fished out of yesterday (Sat. 8/15) but we got into them straight out of Walnut in 48 fow.  We watched alot of people in this pack jerking on and off all morning (notice how I worded that?).  As I said in my report, nothing great about the size of these perch, but 3 of us left with 85.  Actually there wasn't a jumbo in the bunch with alot of average sized 8 to 9 inchers but hey, at least we had fish to clean.  And I feel for you with that motor.  Mine kinda sh** the bed yesterday too.  Had linkage problems heading out and could hardly give her any gas without stalling her coming in.  6 miles out and couldn't get her above 5.5 mph on the trip home.

Hey Pike
 
Actually heard on the radio that they were hitting off Walnut.  Wasn't sure where that was from the East ramp without some google maps, and I'm not much for long boat rides.  I toyed with going out to 75 fow and trying to drift into a walleye or two, but we really didn't prepare for that sort of thing.  Bummer on the engine.  I'd say yours was worse, since I could throttle up all I wanted (and more) after I got past idle.  I've had that problem before on a previous boat, something about the throttle not moving freely forward.  Never did get it 100% right.  
 
BTDT - my carb guy said maybe add a can of carb cleaner or whatever.  I'll have to do that and then come buzz around Shenango with my shirt off.  :)

Poor Richards bait and tackle is right down the road from Dutch Rd which will take you down to Walnut but I'm hearing Richards is getting real stingy with the minnies.  My buddy lives in Harborcreek and stops at East Erie angler and gets goldens.  If you're coming from the other direction, Manchester Rd takes you down to Walnut.  Actually, Dutch and Manchester form one big U.  Zelie, I don't know where you're coming from but you have to follow the fishing and learn the other marinas, Northeast, Shades, East Ave, Walnut.  We could really use another launch in northwest Erie.  And talk about deja vu all over again, went out on my buddy's 22 footer this morning.  Beautiful day to be on the lake and son of a gun, his linkage goes as we were setting the first rod.  He toyed with it for a while trying to get it and the idle right but we couldn't get it to stay running, so we just cranked up the idle and limped back into East Ave.  I'm seeing some pics on the Facebook perch/walleye site where some really got into the eyes today (Sunday 8/16). Figures! OH, IMPORTANT.  THE EXIT OFF 90 AND 98 (Fairview) IS STILL CLOSED FOR REPAIRS SO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION WHICHEVER WAY YOU'RE COMING FROM.

pikepredator2Zelie, I don't know where you're coming from

 
Hint: Zelie is short for Zelienople.  :)  I come straight up 79 and I'm not attached to any particular marina.  Not sure how I'd pick a marina based on fishing before I get there though.  The guys at the ramps seem very nice and willing to share what they heard and how they did, including where, how deep and what bait.  Heck even what rig and method if you chat long enough.  But not so much here.  I'm willing to launch closer to the fish as long as I'm still in PA.  
 
Sorry to hear about your loss.