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WEST ERIE COUNTY, DWCO Randy Leighton, WCO Brook Tolbert Conditions: Perch and rock bass have been hitting well off the North and South piers along the Erie channel. There have been reports of some perch being caught east of the channel near the second and third marker buoys. Good catches are also coming in from North of the point at Presque Isle in 44' of water. Panfishing has been good along the South side of the bay along the bayfront. Walleye action is picking up with a number of limits now being brought in. Stay with the crawler harnesses for the most consistent catches. Daybreak seems to be the peak for walleye action right now. With the resent lake turnover, the current off shore water temperature as of this writing is 57 degrees. Launch Ramp Etiquette: 1) Be sure all required safety equipment and registration are on board. Load your food, fishing gear and other equipment at home and or in the parking lot but most definitely before you get to the ramp. 2) Ensure tongue is securely fastened to ball hitch, remove tie downs. 3) Check condition of battery, motor and angle of drive unit. Know that your boat will start before arriving at the ramps. Nothing is more frustrating then a boat with mechanical failure blocking a ramp. If you are unable to start your boat at the launch area, do not attempt to do repairs while blocking the ramp. Instead, remove the boat from the water as a courtesy to others. 4) Ensure boat plug(s) are firmly in place. 5) Move to the ramp and launch. Check drive unit prior to backing down ramp to be sure it will not bottom out and that the power trim is working properly if applicable. (Having a lookout or someone in the boat is helpful) 6) If possible, use two people to launch your boat - the driver and the boat tender. 7) Unhook bow safety restraint, power or pull off trailer. Be courteous and wait your turn. Unless you are alone, it really shouldn't be necessary to tie your boat to the launch docks. 8) Run blower, start boat, move to the docks for passenger pickup (courtesy dock). The courtesy docks at the Walnut Creek Access launch are at the South end of the basin. (If alone, secure boat quickly and move vehicle off ramp.) Be courteous, the less time you spend on the ramp or at the dock the more other boaters will appreciate you. 9) If you have an assistant, instruct the person tending the boat to move it far enough away from the ramp and adjacent dock that it doesn't impede other boaters launching or loading. Do not allow small children to act as "boat tenders".
11) After the boat is on the trailer, secure the bow safety restraint, and move the vehicle and trailer to the tie down area so you don't impede traffic trying to launch or retrieve. 12) Carefully tie down your vehicle, check that your hitch is secure and lights are plugged in, remove all items that could blow out of boat during travel and move out of the tie-down area to make room for others.
Keeping minnows lively can be a challenge. Once again temperature and shade are important. Many baitwells in new boats have insulation to help keep the water cool. Floating pails that drift beside you seem to be the answer in most cases but still keep an eye on the minnows. Many times surface temperatures of the lake become far too warm to keep minnows alive for any length of time. Many bait buckets have weights in them to get them down below the surface water. Aerators, that pump high volumes of water and throw a decent misting spray across the surface of the bait pail will keep your minnows livelier, longer. Oxygen tablets and water conditioners, available at most, bait shops can be helpful as well. Local Weather: |
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