Juls WFA Blog
Fishing with Brad and Karen...7/27/2025
by Capt Juls on 07/27/25Brad and Karen are here from St Louis for several days. They booked a trip with me for this morning and will fish out of their own boat the rest of their stay.
The forecast was calling for scattered showers and thunderstorms, but my RadarScope app was showing the system staying to the south of us, so fishing was a "Go".
I asked them to meet me at Mazurik's at 5:45, since launch time wouldn't be until 6:00am. The sunrise this morning was expected at 6:23am. I did my usual, on the way to the park...and stopped at the gas station for gas and ice. It sure is nice that the Vexus's gas tank doesn't get diminished as much as when I ran the old 400 Verado. I'm pretty impressed with this new V-10 version. The gas bill is half of what I used the last two years, and I can use regular instead of premium in it, too. (I do use a Mercury additive in the gas tank, which I get from Dubbert's here in town.).
Of course, I arrived at the launch early (5:30), and started readying the boat. They pulled in a few minutes later, and after parking, came over and introduced themselves. Brad said, "I tried to beat you here, because I know you're always early, but that didn't happen", he said, laughing. I just giggled.
We launched at 6:00am, and took a right turn out in front....driving past the lighthouse, and the Cedar Point channel.
The Garmin started marking fish when we were over 34 feet of water, so I set the DVX22 down and checked to see what kind of marks they might be. The size was right for walleye, and the location in the water column seemed good, so I decided to start there...and crossed my fingers!
The big motor was shut off, the Ulterra and baby Merc were deployed, and the FishHawk was sent down to check the speed and temp of the current below us. While the Ulterra guided us in an easterly direction, (towards Huron), the baby Merc pushed us at a speed of 2.5mph.
Neither Brad nor Karen has ever used dipsies before, but after showing them how to set them, and trip them, they caught on quick.
The zero setting was anywhere from 35 to 54, and anywhere in between...they all caught.
The three settings were typically set to 60-70 back...but, towards the end, one of them was running at 97 back.
BadMo, Yeck, and Scorpion spoons were used again today.
Cranks behind the Off Shore boards only caught 3 or 4 of the 18, but they were the larger fish in the cooler, too. The Bill Lewis PWC lite at 57 back, in "Purple Tiger", did best for the cranks.
The weather out there was perfect. Just enough wind to keep it at 2' or less, and keep the bugs off. The cloud coverage was mostly cloudy, with some peeks of sunshine from time to time. The kind of coverage that lets the sun create a picturesque "God Sky", with rays of sunshine shining through the clouds. My favorite looking sky.
Anyway...they both said they had fun, and that makes me happy! :)
I'm off until Friday, when I will start the first of a three-day perch trip with Tim McGlothlin. A name you might recognize from over the years, in my blogs. He's a long-time customer, and friend, and loves to perch fish as much as I do! :)
Stay tuned....
Capt Juls
Fishing with Mike, Nick, and Ross...7/24/2025
by Capt Juls on 07/24/25This trip was a learning trip for Mike, who has his own boat over in Toledo. He wanted to learn how we troll. He brought his son and friend along, and for the life of me, I can't remember which name goes with which gentleman. I think Ross is the son, and Nick is the friend. We'll just go with that, and I apologize to them if I have it wrong. lol
It was a little windy this morning, but not bad...the forecast was calling for it to increase as the morning went on, so we got out early. We launched out of Mazurik's a little before 6:00am. The sunrise this morning was at 6:22, so as soon as the sky lightened up enough for me to read the water, we left.
It was a SW wind, so my plan was to start south of the area I ended up in yesterday, where the fish were a little bigger, and we could troll with the waves, back into that area.
Instead of starting with the dipsies, which is what I usually do, I figured I would show them how to set the Off Shore boards first, because they were less likely to start getting hit right away. I wanted to be able to get the spread out, before we were interupted with dipsey fish. That way I could explain things better.
Once we were all set up, the dipsies went down...zero settings at 40 and 50, and the three settings at 71 (both sides). Speed was 2.5-2.7mph.
The further we got from the mainland, the wavier it got. A couple of the planer boards were having trouble staying attached to the front arm, and had to be brought in and reattached. I checked the spring in the release, and it was all the way forward, so I'm not sure why they kept letting go. We dicided to keep things simple and just run the dipsies, and bring the boards in, because I knew the further we went the rougher it was going to get, and it would just keep happening. They weren't being productive enough for me to put up with that nonsense anyway. lol
The bite wasn't what it was yesterday, and was pretty slow for us, even though the marks were the same as yesterday. We changed things up from time to time, and managed 8 keeper walleye, almost triple that in sheephead, and one white perch.
Once we were only a few miles from the line, I gave them an option. We pick up and make a run back in, and reset to make another pass....or, just make it a 1/2 trip (3 hours), and go in. They opted for the latter option, because the wind forecast was for it to increase as the morning went on...so we headed in.
They all managed to work the dipsies and boards without any tangles, so there was some successful learning on their part, and they did a great job. :)
Tomorrow, I have another three-man crew.
Anyhooo....
Stay tuned...
Capt Juls
Fishing with Ken, Eric, and Ava...7/23/2025
by Capt Juls on 07/23/25Ken, Eric, and Eric's daughter Ava met me at my house this morning at 5:00am. We stopped at the gas station for the usual stuff and headed to Mazurik's to launch. It was a very nice morning, and much like yesterday.
The sky was clear, with shining stars and a crescent moon, the air temp was in the high 60's, and the wind was non-existent on shore. After I readied the Vexus, the sky was light enough to head out. We headed ENE of Kelly's this time.
I was disappointed to see a flat lake from shore, but the NE rollers were still coming in from overnight, so it made for a slow-go on the way out.
My original plan was to head up to the line and see what I could find, but it would take forever to get there. I kept an eye on the Garmin, and when it showed some decent marks out there in the middle of nowhere, over 44' of water, we stopped.
The Ulterra and baby Merc sprang into action after the FishHawk was sent down. A course to the NE was set at a speed of 2.5mph.
The dipsies were the first to go out, with the usual zero and three settings. Zero at 54 and 60, and the three settings at 71 and 97 back. BadMo, Yeck, and Scorpion spoons ran behind the dipsies. Blues, greens, oranges, and purple were used.
Bandits started out on the starboard side, behind the Off Shore boards, but only caught one at 120 back, so eventually, those were swapped out with Bill Lewis PWC Lites with 2oz snap weights. Those started catching more. 50/65, 50/47, and 50/24 caught. (For those that don't know what that means....50 is where the weight is attached, and the second number is how much more line after the weight is added, to let out, before attaching the board.).
On the port side, Flicker Minnow 11s ran at 140, 80, and 57 back. But, the "FireTail Chrome Candy" color at 140 back took two fish back to back. That told me that the other two baits should be changed out for two more of that color, and closer to that distance back. So, they swam at 135 and 125 back, along with the 140. All caught fish. The dipsies were once again the busiest, but the bigger fish came on the cranks. We didn't catch anything big, but they were all good eaters, and my crew was very happy.
Ken sent me the following text after they had left me, when we got back...
"Thank you so much for teaching us. Also, for allowing us to handle your equipment. Many guides don't. You were terrific and we will be back."
That makes me happy! :)
Tomorrow, I have a new crew wanting to learn how to get better at trolling. Mike is from Toledo, and will be bringing his son and a friend along, too.
We will be launching out of Mazurik's again, and headed back to where I was today. There's enough fish there to keep them busy, so they can learn what they want to learn.
Stay tuned....
Capt Juls
Fishing with Jeff, Mark, and Rich...7/22/2025
by Capt Juls on 07/22/25
Fishing with Jeff, Rich, and Mark...7/22/2025
The weather on my back deck this morning was very nice. The air temp was 66 degrees, the sky was shining with stars, and the wind was light out of the northeast. My plan was to take my Wisco crew over to launch out of Vermilion this morning, due to the wind direction.
After making sure the dogs got fed, and had a little fun time with Momma...I left the house at 4:30. I parked my rig at the White Caps Motel, and scrolled through some social media while I waited for them. I was early, of course, so I wasn't going to text them to let them know how early I was. I had told them I would pick them up at 5:00 a.m., but I was there 25 minutes early. They walked out and found me at 4:45 anyway, so we hit the road.
The first stop was the gas station, as both the truck and the Vexus needed some gas, and the coolers needed some Ice. From there, we hit the highway and headed east.
We launched at 5:45 and were out of the river by 6:00am. I turned right and headed NNW, out of the river. The Garmin was marking fish for miles, but I was skeptical of what they were and figured they were probably White Perch and Sheephead for the most part....so, we kept going until we hit 44' of water, and the marks looked more walleye-like to me.
The FishHawk was deployed, along with the Ulterra and the baby Merc. Speed was set to 2.5mph (FishHawk speed), and the Vexus was pointed SSE.
The crew was shown how to run the dipsies, and how to set them. The Off Shore boards running cranks would have to wait, as the dipsies were going off one after the other. Unfortunately, they were mostly what I didn't want....White Perch and Sheephead. After enough pesky junk fish, I turned into the NNW rollers and headed towards the Sandbar. It was a good decision, because as we got deeper over 47-49' of water, the bites turned into keeper walleye.
We had their three-man limit by 10:00am, and then I worked on mine until we had 24 in the cooler. The Bandits behind the Off Shore boards only caught 2 or 3 fish (80 and 120 back unassisted), and the Flicker 11s on the other side caught a couple too (one at 140 back and one at 57 back), but that was it for cranks.
Everything else was on the BadMo, Yeck, and Scorpion spoons behind size 1 dipsies with rings.
Dipsies on the zero setting at 60-65 and the three setting at 97-105 were best.
Oranges, greens, purples, blues, whites...it didn't matter the color.
The currents are wacky over there right now, and they flow like ribbons under water, so keeping a close eye on the FishHawk's speed helped us tremendously, I think.
My guys did a great job setting dipsies, retrieving fish, netting fish, and having an all-around good time. The weather was perfect, the bugs were minimal, and the fish cooperated. You can't ask for anything more than that! :)
Tomorrow, I'll be launching out of Mazurik's with a local crew, due to the wind forecast (should be relatively calm tomorrow), and will head out east of Kelly's to find some more fish.
Stay tuned....
Capt Juls
Fishing with the Blaney Family...7/14/2025
by Capt Juls on 07/14/25Left the house at 4:15, so I could stop at Speedway before picking up my crew (customers) at the Holiday Inn Express. I needed to gas up both the truck and the Vexus, and grab some ice for the coolers. I didn't need to be at their hotel until 5AM, but I had told them that I'm usually early, so they walked out of the hotel at 4:50, and we hit the road.
The plan was to go out of Huron, since that's the last place I had fished, and I thought there would still be some in the area.
After getting off the exit from RT2, and pulling up to the first stoplight in Huron, I realized I didn't put the FishHawk in the boat! I felt a shockwave hit my body. It was like a mini panic attack, because the one tool I probably rely on the most....wasn't there.
I had told myself not to forget it when I had to try and get Alfie, my picky Golden Retriever, to eat his breakfast before I left.
I can't just leave it out, because my food obsessed, and obese, Pitty would eat it all. But, then I did forget, because I had a hat sitting on top of its case, and I didn't see it as I walked out the door.
Anyway....boo hoo, me, right? lol
We launched at 5:30 and headed north out of the river. The air temp was 75 degrees, the sky was threatening to rain on us...which it did when we were running out on the lake, but we didn't get very wet. It was just a drizzle, and it didn't last long. It would never rain the rest of the morning, and the sky would clear, and the sunshine would shine on us.
The surface water temp was 82.4 degrees, 5 miles north of Huron.
There were lots of marks on the Garmin's screen from 28' to 38 feet of water, but I thought they were probably just a lot of Sheephead and White Perch, so I kept going to the northerly parts of the Huron Dump, hoping that any fish we would find out deeper would mostly be walleye.
There were good marks over 42' of water, so we set down and I had the Ulterra set on a course to the SE to start (keeping the waves on the starboard back corner). The baby Merc was pushing us at a speed of 2.5mph. The dipsey rods were set first.
(Size 1 w/ring) Zero settings at 35 and 50, and the three settings on 65 and 70 back. They would be changed from time to time between those numbers on the zero setting, too. The three settings stayed the same all morning, because they were catching.
BadMo spoons, Scorpion spoons, and Yeck spoons were working. Oranges, blues, and greens did well.
Bandits and EBS Walleye Minnow 111s ran behind Off Shore boards, but they did diddly-squat this morning. Three fish were caught on Bandits at 80 and 67 back (unassisted). "Fire and Ice" (67 back / caught 2) and Pink Salamander (80 back / caught 1). Both are Slim Shady Customs....everything else failed, even though I changed some out several times.
Ken Sr., Ken Jr., and Ken's grandson, Roger, learned how to run the dipsies very well today. It took some time to get the first legal fish in the cooler, because of either size limitation or one would get off, before we got it in the boat. But, finally, someone put the first one in the cooler, and got the "Skunk out of the box". It only got better from there.
It was never a Chinese fire drill kind of bite, but we did stay busy. Between the White Perch, Sheephead, and Walleye...my crew got a lot of practice retrieving and setting dipsies back out...and, they did great!
We ended up with only 15 of our 24 allowed, but if we had kept the legals I threw back, and the ones we lost at the back of the boat, we would have reached our limit. I don't keep 15 inch fish because they shrink while on ice in the cooler. I don't want to take that chance and have one come in short.
My guys had a workout, and I did, too, because the lake wasn't as calm early this morning, as forecasted. The winds did lay down a bit after the rain clouds went through, but it was still 2' or less during the calmer part of the morning.
Ken Sr., who used to fish salmon tournaments on Lake Michigan, said, "I need to find my sea legs again". His son, Ken, agreed, as they tried to balance their bodies while reeling in fish, and then sitting down again. Roger, being younger, had an easier time of acquiring his legs, so he had an easier time of it.
At 10:45, they were ready to go back in, due to a long ride back to Indiana. They felt they had a good box of fish to take home with them, so they were ready.
I drove them back to their hotel, where they picked up their car, and they followed me to Port Clinton Fish, Co., downtown, so they didn't have to clean the fish, and could grab some lunch, before hitting the road, again.
They said they had a good time, and Ken Sr., would like to come back again, and that makes me happy! :)
I don't have anything scheduled the rest of the week, but I am scheduled on Monday the 21st. I may get out later this week, but tomorrow, I have to have the brakes on my "Dog Hauler" checked in the morning. Wednesday is looking really nice, so I might get out then.
Stay tuned....
Capt Juls
Fishing with Levi and Michael...7/5/2025
by Capt Juls on 07/05/25I arrived at Huron at 4:30. I would be meeting my crew at 5AM. When I got there, and needed to use the bathroom, the bathrooms were shut. A sign said, "Closed for the Season". Wait...WHAT? lol Ugh...
I drove up to the gas station, but they were closed until 5:00....grrrrr.
I drove back to the ramp, and readied the boat. When Levi and Michael arrived, I asked them if they could take me up to the gas station before heading out. It was still very dark out, so we had plenty of time. They obliged me, and we were back to the boat in 5 minutes. I didn't like leaving it there unattended, but there was no one there, unlike the previous mornings that I've been there...I think everyone was slow moving this morning after last night's festivities. I wouldn't know...I slept through all of it.
We launched, and were at the mouth of the river by 5:20. It was just light enough to read the waves as we rode out. There were still some residual rollers coming in from the NE, from overnight, so the ride out was slower than normal.
The air temp was 82 degrees. The wind was out of the south at 5mph. The forecast called for a partly cloudy sky, but there wasn't a cloud to be seen. The sun was going to be shining on us all morning.
I pointed the Vexus towards Vermilion and set down over 36' of water. The FishHawk went down to record the water temp and "speed at depth", (which in my case is usually at 18-20 foot down). The temp read 78 degrees at 18'. The speed was set using the Ulterra and the baby Merc, in unison, to a speed of 2.5mph.
Once again, Bandits were running on the port side behind Off Shore boards.
I got a couple new colors from Slim Shady Customs, that I liked, so I put those on.
One is called, "Big John Here", and that one caught a bunch of fish. I had it at both 77 back and 120 back. The other one is called, "Fire and Ice"...(you can view both new colors on his website.) That one worked at both 77 and 120 back, too.
The starboard side ran two new colors of Flicker Minnow 11s...more Slim Shady..
one is called, "Pink Salamander", and the other is called, "Copper Confusion". They both caught fish...but, I eventually took them off, because the Bandits were doing better. I put a couple more Bandits out, but that side just didn't want to fire as much, this morning. Could have been a current issue, I don't know.
Dipsies ran on the usual zero and three settings (one set, on each side of the stern)
zero settings went anywhere from 35 to 54 and anywhere in-between. I was moving them a lot, due to the pesky little White Perch chomping on everything. They were very annoying to say the least.
Someone's going to message me asking these questions, so I'm going to answer them now. I run the size 1 dipsey with the ring. I run a shorter 6' Med Ugly Stik rod on the "inside", or furthest back in the rod holders. I run an 8'6" Downrigger rod on the "Outside", or second from the back rod holder.
The inside rod is on the zero setting, and the outside rod is set on the three setting. This allows them to stay separated, and avoids most tangles. Sometimes a hanging fish can cause a problem, but that doesn't happen too often. :)
The bite was constant, if you factor in those stupid White Perch, but the walleye bite was slower. The size is getting smaller too, so I think it's time find new water to fish. Our 18 walleye today were mostly 16-17 inches, with a handful of bigger ones in there. There were plenty of throwbacks, too.
Levi, and his 13 year old son Michael, did a great job! They said they had fun, and Levi stated he would like to come back to try for perch later in the season...and, that makes me happy! :)
Unfortunately, due to the economy (I'm guessing), I have nothing scheduled until the 14th. Normally, by now, I have half or more of July and August booked. But, people are hanging on to their money right now, with all the uncertainty, and I can't blame them.
So, with that said....if anyone is looking to get out on the lake...I'm available! ;)
Stay tuned....
Capt Juls
Fishing with the Minges Family....7/3/2025
by Capt Juls on 07/03/25I was originally going to launch at Huron, this morning, but yesterday afternoon, I noticed that today's wind direction would be out of the west-northwest at 5-10mph with gusts up to 17, so I thought it would be a good idea to launch out of Mazurik's instead.
I had heard of some fish east of Cedar Point...and, knowing the area I had been fishing the last 8 trips out was probably still holding fish...I thought I would make one long troll from east of CP, to where I had been fishing.
I met my crew at Mazurik's. We launched at 5:30, and headed east.
The air temp felt like 70 degrees (I didn't look). The sky was clear with stars shining to the west, while the Sun was making its way towards the horizon to the east. The sky was just beginning to lighten up enough, so that I could read the waves on our ride out. The surface water temp was 76 degrees.
The Garmin marked fish, pretty much the entire way from Lakeside/Marblehead, to the white condos (east of CP), where I came off plane. The Ulterra and baby Merc were deployed over 28 feet of water, and set to a speed of 2.5mph using the FishHawk for guidence.
The water temp at 18' was, 77 degrees.
There were fish marks all over the water column, so we set the dipsies first.
The zero setting was at 28 and 35, but quickly dropped to the numbers I had been fishing with during the last trips out....43 and 54 back.
The three settings went out with my usual numbers of 65 and 71.
BadMO, Yeck, and Scorpion spoons all caught fish. Color mattered a little bit more today, though, so when one would keep getting hit, I would put another one out.
The copper Yeck#11 spoon, with the orange edges and orange belly was hot.
Scorpions: Blue/Silver, and a purple/maroon(ish) color, with one edge painted chartreuse.
BadMo: Silver belly with a green and black back
We kept it simple and only ran two Off Shore boards out each side, even though we could have had 4 out each side, along with the 4 dipsies...for a total of 12 lines out. Jason learned how to set the boards, and helped set lines, after I initially set them and showed him how I do it.
Bandit colors that caught fish were the Blue/Chrome (120 back) and Sunspot (77 back) All were unassisted...meaning, no weight was used.
The starboard side got changed out several times. I started with the baby Spros (85s), that had worked so well the last time out, but they weren't doing well enough, so I swapped them for the Flicker Minnow 11s. "Racy Shad" caught one, but then nothing....so, I swapped them out again for Bill Lewis PWC Lite's, with snap weights.
2oz snap weight was put on at 50' of line out, and then another 50' was let out, before putting the board on...that color was, "Green Tiger".
"Purple Tiger", ran 50/30 with a 2oz snap weight.
They both caught several fish.
Morgan, who is only 16, did a fantastic job learning how to run the dipsies, but still struggled to see when a fish was hanging on one or not. "I don't know how you see that", I was told. "The line angles change", I said.
It also helps when I'm the one controlling the boat, so I know if we are in a turn, or hitting a current, when a change does happen. I told them, "If you suspect it...check it...you don't need my permission". It takes less than a minute to check and reset a dipsey. And, if by chance there is a fish on it, we can get it in the boat...a win-win.
We didn't have a fast and furious morning, like I have previously, but it was steady enough to keep them busy and entertained. We only put 15 nice keepers in the cooler...however, we also threw back many legals...which would have filled our 4-person limit.
They were very happy with their catch, this morning, and said how much fun they had. Amy caught the biggest fish (27 1/2)...and, according to Jason and Morgan, she always does! Ha! Jason said he learned a lot, and wants to come back with some friends to fish with me again, and that makes me happy! :)
I'm off tomorrow....but, will be back out Saturday, with a crew from the Dayton area. They are driving up Saturday morning and meeting me at Huron.
Stay tuned....
Capt Juls
Fishing with the Vallery Family...6/30/2025
by Capt Juls on 06/30/25Here it is, the end of June already... my favorite month...deep sigh.
I was meeting my crew at the Huron ramp at 5am, so I got there at 4:30, to do the usual things before they arrived.
I walked over to the boat that was behind me, to say good morning, and he knew who I was, but I didn't have a clue who he was. He was just a nice older gent, who was also getting things ready before his fishing partner arrived. I wandered back to my boat, and waited for the Vallery family to arrive.
They stayed at a place in Huron, and took a drive over to the launch last night, to make sure they knew where to go. They arrived at 5am, right on time, so we got the boat launched, and the trailer parked in a good spot.
It was still dark out, of course, so we took our time going out of the river. By the time we got on the lake, it would be light enough to see any objects floating in the water.
Speaking of floating objects...I'll tell you this event from today, right here...because, there's really no good spot in this day's report to put this, other than behind a good lead-in. :)
Here goes...
Tom (the dad), was reeling in a fish...and, as he's doing that, a floating log slides quietly down the starboard side of the boat, (scraping the boat kind of "close"), and when it appeared at the back of the boat, it freaked Tom out a little. It was a pretty big log.
But, when I saw it, and saw what was tangled in it....my heart dropped. Nooooo!!!
As the log moved away from us, the FishHawk probe was being moved away, too.
Luckily, though, the log was bark-less and smooth, so the 100# Power Pro had nothing to get stuck on, and I was able to gently pull it up over the log, and free it...whew! The thought of losing it, and having to replace it, made my heart skip a beat..Ugh!
Okay, back to the report....
We headed to the same area as yesterday... the fish were still there. All sizes, from itty-bitties to 26"... but, there are more White Perch in the mix now, too. They were annoying, actually. We were catching fish before all the lines were set, and started the morning off with some weird tangles caused by stupid little White Perch...doing weird little White Perch antics. (Those two tangles were it for the morning, and everything went smoothly the rest of the morning...well, other than that log incident, of course.)
Speed was 2.5 on the FishHawk...
Bandits ran on the port side, behind the Off Shore boards...
Blue Chrome at 120 back (outside board), and Green Lantern (a Slim Shady Custom) ran at 67 back.
Dipsies ran the usual BadMo, Yeck, and Scorpion spoons on the zero and three settings. The zero ran anywhere from 43 to 60 back...depending on how deep of water we were over, and what depth the fish were showing up at, on the Garmin.
The three settings ran at the usual 65 back on the port side, and 71back on the starboard side. (Hey, those numbers keep working, so I don't change them).
Evan and Eric are Tom's sons, and had never been on Lake Erie before, so this was new to them. Both of them did a great job, and Evan even helped me set lines, this morning. We were all reelers today, and kept throwing back smaller keepers, so we could stay out longer, but they finally called it at 9:00, and we headed in with our 4-person limit.
We said our goodbyes at the ramp, and I headed home. The river had a nasty slime (the brown bubbly kind) in the furthest launch from the bathrooms, and that's the one I loaded out in. It was nasty, so I had to hit the car wash on the way home. It would take too many towels to clean it in the parking lot, and then I would have to clean the towels, too. No thanks! Car wash it was....
They said they had a great time, and would like to book another trip next season, and that makes me happy!
I'm off tomorrow and Wednesday right now...but, I'm available for a trip on Wednesday July 2nd, if anyone is interested. The wind forecast for Wednesday is showing 6-9mph out of the NW, which isn't bad at all, and no precipitation until late afternoon.
My next trip will be Thursday July 3rd. I never book anything for the 4th, because I don't like being on the lake during the 4th of July, so I'll be back out on the 5th for another trip after that.
Stay tuned....
Capt Juls
Fishing with Gary Pennington and Jeremy...6/29/2025
by Capt Juls on 06/29/25I was meeting my crew at Huron, this morning, so I left the house at 4AM, hit the gas station for ice, and hit the highway. The roads were empty, and it was dark out, so I took my time and did 60mph in a 70....figured I might as well save a little gas, since I was so early, and I wouldn't slow anyone else down.
I arrived at the Huron ramp at 4:30, and started getting things ready, when I saw a vehicle pull in without a boat. I thought to myself, "There's no way that my guy, it's too early. He must be here to use the bathrooms". Well, it was my guy. "Good morning", he said as he exited his car. "Morning", I replied back. "You're early". He laughed and said, "I knew you would be...I think you passed me on the way here". I asked, "Where was that?" He said, "Lorain". I said, "It wasn't me, because I came from that way (pointing to the west)". "Well, it was a silver Vexus, so I thought it was you".
We just had to wait on Jermey, who replied to my text saying that he was on the way, and would be there shortly. We launched at 5AM and took a slow ride down the river, so the sky could lighten a little before we hit the mouth of the river. It was too dark out yet, for me to put my yellow lens glasses on, for the ride out, so I was hoping the bugs were still sleeping, so I wouldn't get one in the eyeball. That's never fun. I keep forgetting to buy some clear lens glasses for just such an occasion.
The wind was 7mph out of the ENE, the sky was clear, Venus was brightly shining, and the air temp was 70 degrees.
It wasn't going to be a fast ride, as the NE rollers were still coming down the lake, making it a slower ride out. We headed NNE to 40' of water, before turning the Vexus around and heading back towards the lighthouse. There had been marks on the Garmin the entire way out, so it was good to see that the fish were still in the area.
The FishHawk went down, showing a water temp of 74.6 degrees at 20 feet. The Ulterra and baby Merc were dialed in for a speed of 2.4-2.5mph and set on a course to the SSW.
Baby Spros (85s) were running behind the Off Shore boards on the starboard side, while the usual Bandits ran on the port side.
Bandits:
Blue Chrome at 120 back
Green Lantern (Slim Shady Custom) ran at 67 back
Baby Spros:
Blue Chrome at 140 back
Purple Glass Perch at 97 back
Dipsies on the zero settings were at 50-54 back and 40-45 back.
Three settings were the usual 65 and 71 back
Yeck, BadMo, and Scorpion spoons were used on the dipsies....color didn't matter They loaded up within minutes of going down each time. Sometimes, we were too busy with other fish coming in, that they just had to hang there, until we could get to them.
Everything above caught several fish.
My crew listened and got the "boat dance" down, so there were no tangles this morning, and they did a great job. We were all reelers and put our 3-person limit in the cooler by 8am, and headed back in. They both stayed at Huron to use the fish cleaning station, and I headed home...and, that makes my dogs happy! :)
Tomorrow, I have a new crew, and the winds will be a nice 7-10mph out of the south...yay! :)
I have a ton of available dates for July yet. Normally, by now, I have half the month booked, but not this season....people are nervous about the economy, I think, and are not spending recreational money, like they normally do....and, I see it in the amount of tourists here in Port Clinton this year, too. The number of vehicles that normally clog our roads are way down from previous years. :(
Anyway....if you want to get out fishing...contact me. I'd love to take you fishing. :)
Anyway....if you want to get out fishing...contact me. I'd love to take you fishing. :)
Stay tuned...
Capt Juls
Fishing with Marty and Zane...6/26/2025
by Capt Juls on 06/26/25I left the house at 4AM, because I was meeting my crew at the Huron ramp at 5AM, and I wanted some extra time there, so I could shine up the motors and clean the windshield, before they showed up. I hit the speedway in town, to get ice, and headed to Huron.
No one was there at 4:30, so I readied the boat, and started cleaning the motors. I jumped in and did the windshield, and when I turned around and saw the cooler, I realized I never grabbed the ice on my way out of the gas station. I threw my face up to the heavens and said, "F&#@* Me"! I looked at the clock and saw that I had 15 minutes before they would show up, and I HAD to have ice, so I strapped her back down and hit the gas station in Huron. Not the way I wanted to start the morning, but it is what it is, and tomorrow's ice is already paid for, so I guess that's the silver lining on that one.
I got back and unhooked the straps, and got things ready again. Marty and his grandson, Zane, had just pulled in, and hopped out of the truck. "Good morning", said Marty. "Good morning...ready to go fishing?", I asked. "We are", he said.
It was dark, but I knew that by the time we hit the mouth of the river, that the sky would have things light enough to see over the water. It was a repeat of yesterday's conditions...80 degrees, calm SW wind, and a 6" chop on the lake's surface, and a hope that the fish were still where I left them. They were. :)
I'm getting tired of sounding like a broken record, but the same programs I've used for weeks now, is still putting fish in the boat pretty fast.
Bandits behind Off Shore boards:
Port side:
Blue Chrome at 120 back
Green Lantern (Slim Shady Custom) at 70 back
Starboard side:
Remember that one I couldn't remember the name of? I finally asked Mike (Slim Shady Customs) and he said that one is called, "Whiskey and Water". It's the chrome blue/green one with the orange belly. That one ran at 97 back and took several nicer fish.
Purple Mist ran at 57 back
Dipsies produced the most with small spoons, because the fish are puking up tiny little minnows about an inch long. They also produced more shorts and 15-16" fish, but were constantly busy. We were throwing those all back. The fish that came on the crankbaits were typically larger.
The zero settings did best at 43 and 50-55 back
The three settings were set at 65 and 71 back
If you haven't noticed...I like odd numbers best. :)
Speed was set to the usual 2.4-2.5mph over 38 feet of water, to start. We trolled up to 43 feet of water, then turned back around when the fish marks disappeared on the Garmin. However, even though I wasn't marking anything...we were still catching fish.
We had our 3-person limit early again, and headed in before the heat arrived. It was a beautiful, fun, morning on Lake Erie, and both Marty and Zane had a good time.... and that makes me happy!
I have one more trip tomorrow, but then I'm off Saturday.
I have Sunday open if anyone is looking for a trip. The weather looks like it will be pretty great on Sunday. Contact me, if you're interested. Thanks!
Stay tuned....
Capt Juls
Fishing with Pete and Chuck...6/25/2025
by Capt Juls on 06/25/25My Indiana crew was staying at Little Ted's Cottages, out in Marblehead, so I swung in there at 4:15, and once again...they were already up and waiting for me, even though I told them 4:30. :)
I had already hit the gas station for ice, and I had gassed up the Vexus the day before, so we headed straight to Huron from there. Okay, I just lied...we stopped at the Speedway again, because I had to pee, and wasn't sure I could make it to Huron. lol
Anyway....
We were there pretty early, and it was still dark, so I took my time getting things in the boat ready to go. After launching, we were at the mouth of the river at 5:15, and headed north about 4-5 miles. I slowed the 400 down over 40 feet of water, and found good marks again, so I shut her down, and deployed the Ulterra and baby Merc. The speed was once again set to 2.4-2.5mph according the FishHawk reading the currents below.
Chuck had limited experience running planer boards and Pete had none, so this was a learning trip for them. They both have their own boats, and often fish together, so they wanted to expand their options.
My fishing lingo was confusing to them, so it took repetitive instruction, and explaining why I do what I do, when I do it, and told them, "Don't worry, your subconscious is getting it. Most people only hear Mwah Mwah Wa, like the teacher's voice in the Peanut's/Charlie Brown cartoons for the first 1/2 hour, but it will start to make sense, eventually, and you'll be doing it on your own".
Eventually, they did get it, and ended up doing just fine with setting the Off Shore boards, and dipsies.
The program is the same as the last 4 trips out there. I'll repeat it, so you don't have to go look for it, if you're new to reading these reports. :)
Bandits ran behind the Off Shore boards on both sides...on the port side Blue/Chrome and Purple Mist ran at 120 and 80 back.
On the starboard side, that blue/green one from Slim Shady Customs, that I can't remember the name of, ran at 97 back, and another Purple Mist ran at 80 back.
All of the above caught fish.
I did swap out one Purple Mist for a "Green Lantern" from Slim Shady Customs, and it caught fish, too.
Dipsies (I use the size 1s) were the busiest again, and we were throwing back legal fish, because I didn't want to finish up before I felt that they had a good grasp on techniques.
The zero settings were at 54 and 45, and the three settings were at 65 and 71. BadMo spoons, Yeck spoons, and Scorpion spoons all worked....color didn't really matter, but I did change them out from time to time, just to verify that...and, my assumptions were correct. ;)
I don't think my brain logged the water temp this morning, but it is right around 70 degrees, right now.
The lake was like it was yesterday....just enough wind to put a 6" ripple on top, and out of the SW. The air temp on land when we launched was 82 degrees, but a little cooler out on the water. The sky was mostly clear, but there was a band of clouds that never covered the sun as it moved across the sky, so it stayed sunny the entire time we were out there.
We finished up at 8:00, over 45 feet of water, north of where we started. The bite was very good, but not chaotic, so they were able to keep up, and we all took turns reeling in our fish.
Pete and Chuck had a good time, were happy with the grade of fish, and said they learned a lot, so my mission was accomplished, and that makes me happy!
Tomorrow, I have repeat customer, Marty Parker and his grandson, who will be meeting me at Huron at 5AM.
Stay tuned....
Capt Juls
Fishing with Steve and Mary...6/24/2025
by Capt Juls on 06/24/25Steve and Mary drove up from Springfield yesterday, and stayed at the Fairfield Inn. Luckily, the FI has a nice big parking lot that is easy to maneuver a boat in tow, so I was able to pick them up from there. When I pulled in at 4:15, they had just gotten back from the gas station, where they bought ice for their cooler. I wasn't supposed to be there until 4:30, but I always like to be early, so I can get a few minutes scrolling social media.
Steve popped his head in the window and said, "I told Mary that you would be early", and laughed. They parked their vehicle and jumped in mine, and off we went. We hit the gas station again, so I could get ice for the coolers we would be using, and for some gas for the truck. We were headed back over to Huron to launch.
We made it out of the river around 5:20, when the sky was just starting to get light.
The wind was out of the SW again, at 5mph. The air temp was already 82 degrees, and the humidity seemed a little less than the previous two days. The water temp is close to 70 degrees.
We drove out 4 miles to the area I fished with my previous crew, and hoped they were still swimming out there. The screen on the Garmin was loaded with marks, so the Ulterra was deployed, along with the baby Merc, and set to a speed of 2.4mph, (on the FishHawk).
Bandits ran on both sides, behind Off Shore boards. Blue Chrome at 120 back, Purple Mist at 80 back, ran on the port side. That blue/green nameless one ran at 97 back, and another Purple Mist ran at 67 back, on the starboard side. All of them caught fish.
The dipsey settings are the same as I've been running...
zero at 45 and 54, and three setting at 65 and 71 / 75.
A black and gold Ripplin Redfin on the three setting at 65, it caught several bigger fish, like it did, yesterday, too.
BadMo Arrow spoons, Yeck spoons, and Scorpion spoons were used, but again...color didn't seem to matter. All caught fish.
Steve and Mary were a lot of fun to fish with, and said they had a great time, and will be back, and that makes me happy! :)
Tomorrow, I have a two man crew from Indiana, that want to learn the boards and dipsies, so we will probably be pretty choosey about size, so we can take longer out there, than we did yesterday and today. Both days we were done by 7:30 with real nice eaters, and happy customers.
Stay tuned...
Capt Juls
Fishing Day Two with Curt and Cheryl...6/23/2025
by Capt Juls on 06/23/25My Wisco crew was up and ready to go at 4:30, when I pulled into the White Caps Motel, to pick them up. We hit the gas station for some ice, and headed to Huron to launch. I found out, that the work at the Huron parking lot was finished, so instead of hitting Vermilion, we would save some time and gas by launching at Huron instead.
When we arrived, it was still dark out, so I took my time readying the boat and gear, before launching. But, by the time we were at the mouth of the river, it was light enough to see if there were any floating logs, or other obstacles that needed to be avoided on the ride out.
The air temp was already 80 degrees, and very humid. The sky was cloudless, the moon was a crescent, and Venus was shining bright. The wind was very light out of the SW at maybe 5mph, and the waves were 6" or less. :)
I decided that we would drive up to where we ended our trolling pass yesterday, because the fish were a little bigger over 43-44 feet of water, than they were back in the shallower stuff...hoping they were still around. They were. It took a while to get all the lines out, because they started chomping right away.
Bandits ran on both sides, behind Off Shore boards. Blue Chrome at 120 back, Purple Mist at 80 back, ran on the port side. That blue/green nameless one ran at 97 back and Sunspot ran at 67 back, on the starboard side. All of them caught fish. The bigger fish came on the cranks, while the smaller fish still jumped on the spoons.
The dipsey settings are the same as I've been running...
zero at 45 and 54 and three setting at 65 and 71 / 75.
After I took a spoon off and put a black and gold Ripplin Redfin on the three setting at 65, it caught several bigger fish, like the board cranks were catching, in quick fashion. It wasn't down a minute and fish were on it!
It was non-stop action and we were all reelers this morning.
Curt and Cheryl had so much fun they have already booked a 2-day trip for next May, on Cheryls birthday, and that makes me happy! :)
The fish were very cooperative today, and made their experience an exceptional one, and I explained that it's not always like this, and that they had two great weather days....on the lake, anyway. Once we got back on land it was very hot and humid...ugh.
Tomorrow, I have a reschedule from last season, due to Mother Nature's fury, so we'll finally get that trip in. I'm headed back to Huron in the morning, hoping to have the same experience with these guys.
Stay tuned....
Capt Juls
Fishing Day One of Two with Curt and Cheryl...6/22/2025
by Capt Juls on 06/22/25At 2AM this morning, the wind was pretty blustery out on my back deck. I checked iWindSurf, and it showed a forecast of 10-20mph SW for the early morning, with it diminishing a little as the morning went on.
I picked my Wisco crew up from the White Caps Motel at 5AM, and hit the gas station, and then Mazurik's. I didn't want to drive back over to Huron after seeing the fiasco the work crews were causing with the repaving/repainting of the lot, and being a weekend day, I figured it would be worse.
My plan was to launch from Mazurik's...hug the shoreline over to the Huron...start in shallow, and head NE, over the dumping grounds. So, at 5:45, we were headed east. The water was pretty smooth, close to shore, and not bad as we crossed the open area in front of Sandusky Bay, and we made it to Huron in about 15-20 minutes.
We started in 30 feet of water, out in front of the "White Condos", and set a speed of 2.4 (FishHawk reading) to the NE. That would take us right over the top of the dumping grounds, and to the area I was fishing two days ago.
There were a ton of marks in the shallower waters, and the action started immediately with smaller fish, some keepers, and Sheephead. The sheep weren't bad though. I think we only caught 3 or 4 all morning.
The water temp at 20' down was just under 69 degrees.
Spoons ran behind dipsies on the zero and three settings. The zero settings were 35 and 40 to begin with. Eventually, as we got deeper, they were running at 45 and 55 back.
The three settings were 65 and 71 the entire time.
BadMo Arrow spoons, Yeck spoons, and Scorpions spoons did the job. Color didn't matter. They were always busy with fish on.
Two Bandits ran behind the Off Shore boards on the port side at 97 and 67 back.
That blue/green one from Slim Shady Customs, that I can't remember the name of ran at 97 back, and Purple Mist ran at 67 back. They both caught fish early on, in the shallower water. Then, as we went further out, they were lowered to 130 and 120 back, and again, both caught fish.
The starboard side ran Flicker Minnow 11s at 97 back and 57 back. Firetail Chrome Candy, and Slick Purple Bengal... both caught fish.
The lake wasn't as rough as I thought it would be, with the forecast that was projected, so it was a beautiful morning on the water. It was definitely a lot cooler out there, than it was on land. I'm thinking that we might just run the 4 dipsies tomorrow, and take more time out there, because it's freak'n HOT on shore, and tomorrow is supposed to be even warmer!
According to a source, the Huron parking lot is done now, so I think we will be launching over there in the morning. I was going to go to Vermilion, but I'd rather go out of Huron, and use the wind direction to our advantage.
Stay tuned....
Capt Juls
Fishing with the Chapmans...6/20/2025
by Capt Juls on 06/21/25For anyone that has been following my reports for the past 14 years, you know the name Chapman. Steve was my very first customer, way back when, and Jeremy started coming along later that same year.
Since then, they bought themselves a Ranger, to do what I have trained them to do, but when Jeremy wants to take his boy along, he hires me, so he doesn't have to be in charge, and can concentrate on helping his boy learn to love fishing. :)
We had a later start, due to their drive up from Columbus (2 hour drive), and I met them in Huron. I was disappointed to see that the crews working on the repaving and repainting of parking lot lines, had not finished yet, had the place really restricted...making it hard to maneuver with a boat in tow. Hopefully, it's done soon. I won't be going back until it is.
The river was pure chocolate milk, and the current was super strong...with lots of debris floating around.
Anyway....
It was a beautiful morning to be on the water. The sky was clear, the waves were 1 foot or less, and the water temp was 68 degrees.
We got out to the Huron dump around 9AM, and set lines. Once again, the speed was set using the FishHawk for guidance, at 2.5mph, and the Vexus pointed to the north.
Dipsies were running on my usual program of a zero setting at 43 and 54, and the three settings at 65 and 71. BadMo, Yeck, and Scorpion spoons ran behind the dipsies....color didn't seem to matter. They were checked often for itty-bitties, for which they were plentiful.
Bandits ran behind Off Shore boards on the port side at 130 and 120 back (unassisted). Blue Chrome and Purple Mist did the job.
Flicker Minnow 11s ran on the starboard side at 97 and 57 back. Colors were Firetail Chrome Candy, and Slick Purple Bengal.
We only ran two on each side to keep it simple, since we were entertaining a 6 year old, and didn't need more chaos than we were already dealing with. The bite was non-stop, and we were busy, busy, busy, so Luke was never bored! He did a great job reeling, as his Dad held the rod for him. We all caught our limits, and ended with a 4-person limit in 4 hours, and headed back in.
They wanted their fish cleaned at Port Clinton Fish, Co, so they met me there. It took forever to get back, thanks to road construction on RT2, and added an extra 1/2 hour to the normally 20 minute drive....ugh. I'm sure my dogs were wondering where I was, because they needed to be fed, and when I got home it was very dramatic....needless to say, they were very happy to see me. lol
Jeremy had sent me a text on their way home to say how much fun they all had, and that Luke couldn't stop talking about how he caught the biggest fish, and said that he wanted to be his Dad's fishing partner, and that made Jeremy very happy...which makes me very happy! :)
I'm scheduled for the entire week, starting Sunday, so hopefully Mother Nature doesn't cook us too bad with the heat and humidity that is forecast. Stay cool, everyone!
Stay tuned....
Capt Juls
Fishing with Bill, Pete, and Marv...6/17/2025
by Capt Juls on 06/17/25Picked my crew up from the White Caps Motel at 5AM. Bill, Pete, and Marv drove in from Iowa last night, and were a little tired, but awake and ready to go.
We launched at Mazurik's at 5:30, while the sun was just peeking up over the horizon, to the east. The plan was to head to the SE side of Kelly's and troll the east side of the island.
The speed was set using the FishHawk, and when it hit 2.5 mph, I began the set up. My crew is older, so I didn't bother showing them how to set boards and dipsies, and instead, just did all the work myself, while we rotated, taking turns reeling in fish.
I was exhausted by the end of the trip, due to so many hungry little fish in the system, hitting our offerings, and having no help resetting lines. It was basically non-stop action all morning.
Bandits ran behind the Off Shore boards at 120 (outside board), 80, 67, and 47 back (inside board). Colors that did best were the Purple Mist (47), blue/chrome (67), Sunspot (80), and that blue/green one (120) that I can't remember the name of.
The starboard side started out with the Livingston Walleye Minnow 111s, and caught a few. Then, I changed them out, and ran Flicker Minnow 11s at the same distances back as the Bandits, and they were catching more frequently.
Dipsies were best on the zero settings at 43 and 54 back. The three settings were the usual 65 and 71 back. Yeck, Scorpion, and BadMo Arrow spoons were a continuous exercise. I would just keep rotating my checks, because I think as soon as they went down, they picked up an itty-bitty. We caught some legals on them too, but those were very noticeable when they hit, of course. But, if you don't keep checking for itty-bitties, you're just going to drag them around forever, and never catch anything bigger.
Our 5 hour troll started in 34 feet of water as we headed NNE, and then when we got even with Airport Reef, we headed east, out to 44 feet of water. Then, when we were a little NE of Cedar Point, I pointed the Vexus back south, until we hit 41 feet of water, and turned her back to the west towards the dumping grounds.
The plan for tomorrow, was to head to Huron, for a change of scenery, and maybe some bigger walleye, but after I got home, I received a text asking if we could perch fish tomorrow, instead of going after walleye, because they felt they had enough walleye going home with them already. I said, "Sure, but I can't make any promises on how we'll do, because I haven't chased any perch yet, this season". They're okay with that. Yay! I love perch'n and am excited to go look for some.
So, if anyone has been fishing for perch out of Mazurik's and can help me out...that would be greatly appreciated! :)
Stay tuned....
Capt Juls
Fishing Day 3 with Marion and Ruth Baker...6/12/2025
by Capt Juls on 06/12/25The original plan was to go to Huron again, so my crew was instructed for a 4:45 pick up, but I had changed my mind this morning, and wanted to launch at Mazurik's instead. I didn't want to deal with the traffic if the re-paving wasn't done yet, and they still had the accesses blocked.
So, I pulled into the White Caps Motel at 4:35, and there were Marion and Ruth, sitting on the front steps of the office...waiting, on ME!
I told them, that I had changed the launch location, and that we would be early, so we had time. We drove through town, and hit the Speedway for some ice, before heading to Mazurik's.
It was still dark out, when we pulled into the get-ready lane, so I just took my time getting things ready, and after a couple of us used the bathrooms, we were headed out at 5:20. This reminds me, I need to get a pair of clear lens glasses, for the early morning rides out. The yellow ones I have are too dark, for that early in the morning. I can't go without, because if you have ever had a bug hit your eyeball, you would never go without glasses, driving a boat, ever again. ;)
The wind was less than 5mph out of the SW, the sky was clear, and the air temp was 69 degrees.
We headed to the east side of Kelly's, and set up over 36 feet of water, headed to the NNE....moving out to deeper water as we went. Speed was 2.5mph on the FishHawk, and the water temp was 65 degrees, at 20 feet down.
The dipsies were non-stop with little itty-bitties, and a handful of keepers. The larger fish are on the Bandits at 47, 57, 67, 77, and 97 back, behind Off Shore boards.
Dipsies:
Zero setting at 43 and 54 back caught with Yeck and BadMo Arrow Spoons, and the three settings were at 65 and 71 back....running a Michigan Scorpion spoon and another Yeck spoon. Color didn't matter.
We caught a Steelhead! They had never seen one before, so I told them they were really good, smoked, so they kept it. I was surprised to see it caught right there, (northwest of Cedar Point).
We only caught one Sheephead, but it was a tanker, with a big belly. No White Bass or White Perch, either.
My crew wasn't choosy today... if it was legal, it went into the cooler, because they had a 12 hour ride back to Iowa, ahead of them. They talked about coming back for a week next time, and that makes me happy! :)
It was getting rough, anyway. The wind had switched from the SW to the NE around 7AM, and kept picking up as the morning went on. I don't think it was ever over 15mph, though. The waves grew to 1-3's by 9AM, when we finished with our limits, and headed in.
I'm off for a few days. My Saturday trip just rescheduled to the 28th, due to a forecast of a gusty NE winds, and rain.
Stay tuned...
Capt Juls
Fishing Day 2 with Marion and Ruth Baker...6/11/2025
by Capt Juls on 06/11/25I picked Marion and Ruth up 15 minutes earlier than yesterday. After picking up some ice for the coolers, we were headed to Huron a little before 5am. The parking lot at Huron was empty, except for one rig that was backing down the ramp, as we drove in.
PUBLIC NOTICE INFO....They are resurfacing the roads, and lot, with that tar spray stuff.
They started on it yesterday, and have the get ready lanes blocked off...so, you'll have to go left, and the wrong way, in order to get in the "second lot", by the cleaning station. That's the only way you'll be able to access the ramps.
I hope they have it done by the weekend, because when it gets busy, and if they are still blocking access, there are going to be problems. There is only one lane to get in and out, so what are you going to do when someone is coming in, and you want to get out?
I had that happen yesterday, but I was able to pull off on the grass, where the curb hadn't started yet. I let them pass, and they were grateful....But, if I had been any further, on my way out, I couldn't have done that. That's a big curb, and I wouldn't want to take my trailer over it. So, there are going to be problems.
When I left Huron, this morning at 9 AM, they hadn't arrived to start working on it yet.
_________________________________________
As we approached the mouth of the river at 5:30, the sky was clear, the air temperature was around 60 degrees, and the wind was out of the SW at around 11 mph.
We weren't going to go far, and would start in the area that we finished up at, yesterday. In fact, I burned a whopping 1.5 gallons of gas today. lol The 400 purred, quietly, as we made our way out, (1 mile), to 34 feet of water. We fished 36 feet, yesterday, but the fish were showing up on the Garmin at 34, so I figured we would start there.
The Ulterra and baby Merc were deployed, and adjusted so that the kicker would do most of the work, while the Ulterra would use just enough power to keep us on course, and use minimal battery. The speed was set to 2.4mph to start. It would fluctuate between 2.0 and 2.7, as I played with speed. 2.5 seemed to be most liked by the walleye, this morning.
The program was the same as yesterday, with Bandit and Walleye Minnow 111s running behind Off Shore boards.
Bandits did best at 80, 67, and 47 back, and the Walleye Minnows worked best at 80 and 47 back.
Dipsies caught a ton of shorts, and a few keepers, and had to be checked every spare moment, when we weren't bringing fish in, or setting lines out again. There was usually an itty-bitty hanging on, and I didn't want them to have to hang on too long. All were unhooked carefully, so as not to rip their tiny lips...and given a kiss for good luck, before swimming back down.
The zero setting ran a Yeck spoon at 50, and a BadMo Arrow Spoon at 35-43 back.
The three settings ran a Yeck spoon at 65, and a Stinger spoon at 60 back.
All caught fish. It was pretty much non-stop action, even if they weren't all keepers. :)
Marion and Ruth are farmers. The farm they are on, is where Ruth spent her entire life. They do hay, corn, soybeans, pigs (lots of piggies), and something else, that I don't want to say without being sure. It could have been chickens, but I don't know. I know it's not cattle/cows, because I know they said they used to have them, but don't anymore.
They did even better today, since they had already had some training, yesterday. And, they already knew me, so that nervousness strangers have when meeting new people was gone. It was like getting in the boat with family, instead of strangers....you know....comfortable.
We had a successful morning, but Ruth was still kind of upset for losing the biggest fish that we had seen, in the two mornings of fishing. It got caught in the whirlpool suction in that corner by the motor and stern, and was flopping around, while I was trying to get it in the net....then, it spit the hook, and was heading back down, before I could get it.
I told her, "At least you saw it", to which she replied, "I did, but I'm still not happy about losing it." I said, "I'm sure the fish is happy"....she laughed...understanding. It was maybe a 5 pound fish...so, to me, that's just a "good eater", but to her it was a wall-hanger. ;)
We will give it another go in the morning, and maybe she'll get an even bigger one. Fingers crossed! :)
Stay tuned...
Capt Juls
Fishing with Marion and Ruth Baker...6/10/2025
by Capt Juls on 06/10/25Marion and Ruth had a trip scheduled last season, but due to major flooding in western Iowa, they had to cancel. I moved their deposit to this season for them, and we were able to make it out this morning. They have a three-day trip planned, and it looks like we'll get all three days in! Yay!
As usual, I got up early, to have my coffee out on the back deck with the dogs, and check the weather. My initial plan was to go out of Mazurik's, but the forecast was calling for kind of gusty winds out of the WSW, so I thought it would be better to go out of Huron, which was closer to the fish I wanted to target. I hadn't met the Bakers before, so I didn't know how old they were, and didn't want to make a long rough run from Mazurik's, if I didn't have to.
I picked them up from the White Caps Motel at 4:45, and we hit the gas station for some ice, and jumped on the highway. We got to the ramp a little before 5:30 and were passing the lighthouse on the way out, at 5:45.
The sky was clear, the air temp was 59 degrees, and the wind was light at around 5-7mph. The lake was relatively flat, and made for an easy ride out.
The Garmin marked fish, here and there, for the entire ride out. No big schools, but a lot of smaller spotty ones....enough to keep my interest. So, when we were on the west side of the Huron Dump, I shut the big 400 down and deployed the Ulterra and baby Merc, and let the kicker warm up while I set the FishHawk out. Water temp was 63 degrees at 20 feet down.
I turned the Vexus to the NE, and set a speed of 2.3-2.5mph.
We ran three Bandits behind the Off Shore boards on the port side, and two "Livingston" Walleye Minnow 111s on the starboard side.
Bandit colors were:
That green/blue fade one that I don't know the name of from Slim Shady Customs at 80 back.
Buck Fever, from Domka Outdoors, at 67 back, and Green Lantern...another Slim Shady Custom at 45 back.
All of the above caught fish.
Walleye Minnows:
LimeLight at 93 back, and Sherbert at 57 back. Both of those caught fish, too.
Dipsies were the usual...
Zero setting at 54 on the starboard side, and 35-43 on the port side.
Three settings were 71 on the starboard side and 65 on the port side.
Dipsies caught the most fish, but the crankbaits caught the bigger fish.
Marion and Ruth both did a great job, learning my "fishing language", and even though it took a little while to get the hang of it, they managed to do just that. They said they had a good time, and are looking forward to getting out again the next two days, and that makes me happy! :)
Stay tuned....
Capt Juls
Fishing with Dave and Danielle...6/8/2025
by Capt Juls on 06/10/25
Fishing with the Neighbors…6/8/2025
Took my neighbors, Danielle and Dave, out this morning. We had a late start and launched at Huron at 10 AM. It was still cloudy and a little drizzly on the way out….(it was cleared up and the sun was shining an hour later).
The lake had some rollers, due to the wind direction, but it wasn’t bad.
Capt Sam (Pork Chop Express) was on his way in, as we were going out, and he told me where to start, (out in 44’ of water), so that’s where we went. Thanks a bunch Sam! 
We made one pass and caught around 30 fish in 2 hours.
Same program I’ve been running the last several trips, so I’m not going to repeat it again, since it can be easily found.
We kept our 18…all good eaters, and released a bunch of shorts that came on the spoons, running off the dipsies.
They had a great time, and scheduled a perch trip for the 21st, and that makes me happy!
I’m ready to do some perch’n! Woot! Woot! 
I’m off tomorrow, and need to clean the boat, because I have a two day trip with a nice couple from Iowa, that had to cancel last season, due to the massive flooding that hit western Iowa last summer.
Stay tuned…
Capt Juls
