Juls WFA Blog
Cold Front Conditions....Brrrr!
by Capt Juls on 04/24/14The same crew I had Monday and Tuesday were with me again today. We didn't go yesterday, because of a strong NW wind. This morning was very chilly and was only in the mid 40's when we hit Catawba launch at 6:15.
We were headed over towards Green Island by 6:30. We started our troll a couple miles west from the South Bass Island Ferry dock and headed towards the SW corner of Green.
Deep Husky Jerks were the lure of choice once again and Pink Lemonade and Purple Glass took most of our fish today. Clown and Pink Panties each took one too. We pulled them anywhere from 35 to 85 back and the ones at 55 and 73 back took the most fish today.
The bite was much better very early this morning, and seemed to slow way down after 10am. We ended up 10 for 13 today, and the boys went home very happy with their days catch.
Brian was bummed since he lost a big fish right at the end of their trip, because we had gone so long without a bite, and this would have made his day. Oh well, it happens to the best of them from time to time. I'm sure everyone knows how he felt. It just came unbuttoned behind the boat, and we never even saw it. We only knew it was a big one from the way the board was coming in and the bend in the rod after the board was off.
The East wind picked up in the afternoon just about the time we headed in, so I don't know how bad the conditions got later in the day. They were 1 foot or less when we left the dock and probably 1-3's when we got back in.
Tomorrow's trip has been rescheduled for a nicer day.
Saturday and Sunday's trips are waiting to see what the forecast does. Right now they are still scheduled to go.
Same Crew as Yesterday...Same Amount of Fun!
by Capt Juls on 04/22/14Originally, I thought it was going to be too windy to go out today, but when I woke up this morning and didn't hear the wind chimes singing out of my bedroom window, I knew I should check the wind forecast again. When I saw that it was going to be fishable I immediately called my crew from yesterday to tell them the good news. We could fish. They were happy to hear that and met me at my house in record time. Only this time, they were missing Aaron. He had to go to a sales meeting in southern Ohio for the day....poor guy. :(
We hit the ramp at 7:30 this morning and headed to Kelly's Island again. We picked up two fish in one pass, and decided it was probably better someplace else.
After a quick phone call to my friend, Captain Keith Unkefer of "Pooh Bear Charters", he let me know that he was on a good bite, and told me to get over there. (Again, because it wasn't a spot I found on my own, I do not feel comfortable giving that information out without his permission).
When I arrived he was already done and gone from the area. The waves were 2 foot or less when I arrived, but the wind was building. As I got the boat going in the direction with the waves that was most beneficial for the speed I wanted, Brian and Jason set the lines. They didn't have all the lines out before we got the first fish on. Then, immediately we got a second fish on the other side of the boat. It's a good thing there were two nets on board, because we needed both of them! They were the smallest two fish of the day, but still very respectable fish in any other part of the country. Here we call them "good eaters".
After all the lines were back in the water we went about 5 minutes when another Off Shore board went back, letting us know that a big fish was on this time. Jason reeled in a beautiful 31 inch walleye. And, then another 5 mintues and another board goes back. This time it's Brian's turn, and his fish was a nice 29 incher.
The wind was picking up and the lake was now building to 2-4 foot waves. We picked up the lines and ran up for another pass, thinking we could pick up the last 6 fish in one pass, but it wasn't mean to be. The sun had come out and the bite slowed down. We picked up a fish here and there until we had a total of 10 fish in the box, but we couldn't get the last two fish for the day before our time ran out on the trip.
At one point the wind had died down and the lake went back to being 2 foot or less, so we ran up to make on last pass, but we had no luck.
We could see white caps forming on the lake to the west of us, which was heading towards us, so we decided to head back in before it got nasty again. We loaded the boat out and talked about how much fun it was today on the ride back to my house.
We are planning on going back out on Thursday, if the forecast remains the same or better for that day.
I'll keep you posted...:)
Capt Juls
Pictures are posted on page 6 of my photo album here on my site. Please check them out!
Working it out...:)
by Capt Juls on 04/22/14One of my regular customers had to cancel his trip yesterday, due to personal uncontrollable circumstances on his end, so I was going to tag along and fun fish with my friend Scott Bogen who was in town prefishing for the NWT out of the Detroit River this coming weekend. Another friend, John, would also be fishing with us.
We hit the water at 7:30, and trolled a couple areas in the morning, and had 13 walleye by 10:30 when I received a phone call from a MN area code.
Two brothers and their friend (all originally from Wisconsin with one still living there), were in Ohio for the week for some fishing fun and their boat broke down after the first night here. They were looking for a charter to get them out on the water. Being a Wisco gal myself, I felt obligated to help them out.
But, what could I do? My boat was attached to my truck and sitting in the driveway at home, and I was sitting out in the middle of Lake Erie.
I didn't tell them, "No" though, and asked them if they would be willing to stop and pick up my truck and boat and drive it over to the launch that was closest to where we were fishing at the time, and they said, "Yes". After some instruction, about a 1/2 hour later they said they had picked up the boat and were on their way to the launch. Scotty drove me in and dropped me off, and about 2 minutes later they pulled in. It was perfect timing, and I thought everything was going to go smoothly and we would be on the water fishing in just a few minutes.. I was wrong.
As I readied the boat at the launch, I plugged the trolling motor in and remembered that I had taken the remote for the trolling motor out of the glove box and put it on my desk for safe keeping since the next trip wasn't for a few more days. Ugh!! I explained that we couldn't go anywhere without that remote, and I would have to drive back home and get it. They were very understanding and the brothers, Brian and Aaron, said they would hang out at the launch and eat their Subway sandwiches they bought on the way to the ramp, and Jason would go for a ride with me.
We picked up the remote and headed back to the ramp. We launched at 11:45am and headed out to the last spot I was with with Scotty. Since he's fishing a tournament, I am not giving out his spot information, but I can say, for anyone that knows this lake, it's pretty common for this time of year, and no secret.
After picking up a few fish there, we headed towards the west side of Green Island where I had taken the previous day's crew, and set out trolling DHJ12's 35-60 back. The previous day they jumped all over the Pink Lemonad and Blue Glass colors, but yesterday they wanted the Glass Clown. That color took most of the fish over there.
I had switched out a Blue Glass for a Halloween, and told the guys, "Okay, I always like to make it a little interesting and have you each pick a bait/board that you think is going to catch a fish next". Jason picked the middle board on the Port Side, and Brian picked the middle board on the starboard side. We waited for Aaron to pick one, and he finally pointed to the board that had the new Halloween color on it and it wasn't two seconds later that that board went shooting back with a the biggest fish of the day on it! We all laughed and hooped and hollered while he reeled it in. It was 30 inches long, but I don't have a scaled in the boat to get any weights, so we guess it to be close to 10 pounds. She had a big head and some big shoulders on her, but her belly is still pretty skinny after the spawn.
They are just starting to put the feed bag on and it will be a good week before we see those bellies getting full and tight again.
We ended up with 9 fish between 25 and 30 inches for the day. The bite seemed better in the morning than it was in the afternoon yesterday.
We met Scotty and John at the mexican restaurant for dinner and headed home to drop the crew off with their fish, and put the boat to bed. I was whooped and didn't get this blog done until this morning.
The same crew wants to go this morning, so I have to make this short!
We'll be launching out of Mazurik's at 8am. I'll report back later!
Capt. Juls
Another Awesome Day on Lake Erie!
by Capt Juls on 04/20/14Hit the launch at 7:15 this morning and was setting lines by 7:30. Today I was fishing with Alan Thompson from Indiana and his friend, Jim, who lives a few hours south of Port Clinton in Ohio.
We boated our first two walleye around E can. The water looked good, and I'm sure the bite would have picked up if we would have stayed, but I got a tip to another location and moved over there. It wasn't "my" spot, so I am not at liberty to give that information out. What I can say is that the presentation was deeper than my first spot. The E can area where we caught our first two walleye was 35-37 back on the Pink Lemonade deep diving husky jerk again, and the second spot was 85-110 back with Pinks and blues.
We had one fish to go to fill out their two limits when I decided the action had slowed down too much. We took a little boat ride up to the west side of Green Island to look at the water there. There were a lot of boats in the area, trolling, so we picked a path of least resistance and set our baits in the water. We didn't have all six lines in the water before we got the first fish there. It was a nice 8 pound eye. That filled their limit, and since we had 45 minutes to go, we set out after my limit.
It wasn't long before we had another fish on. This time it was a 7 pound fish. Another 10 mintues goes by and we have another fish on. This time it's the biggest fish of the day with a nice 30 incher! That one made me twenty bucks, because Alan said earlier in the day, "If you get me a 30 incher I'll give you twenty bucks". lol
Time had run out for their charter, so I told them, "The next fish or 15 minutes, whichever comes first, then we have to leave...time is up".
Luckily, it was the fish that came first and again, it was another cookie cutter 7 pound walleye to finish off the day with.
Pink Lemonade, Pink Glass, and Blue Glass took all the fish today. We ran them 37 to 110 back, so that tells you they are all over the water column right now, and they are hungry!
Good luck to everyone fishing tomorrow. I'll be back out with a couple of my regular customers for another go at it. Being a Monday though, I'm hoping I get the spot all to myself. hehehe
Capt Juls
What an Absolutely Fantastically Fun Day!!
by Capt Juls on 04/18/14I woke up at 3:30am and cursed my luck. I knew I wouldn't get back to sleep in time to take advantage of the last half hour before my alarm clock went off, so I got up and put the coffee on.
After checking the weather, wind, and marine forecast for the day, I settled into my routine of checking my favorite websites for an hour while I sipped my morning brew.
Took a shower, dressed, and loaded up the Ranger's cooler with goodies for lunch.
I met my crew at the bait shop across from their hotel, because I needed ice and they needed fishing licenses. We hit the launch at 7am and headed towards Niagra Reef first.
When we got there the water was really too clean for my liking and I wasn't marking any fish on the H'Bird, so we reeled in the lines and headed back south towards F can, where the water looked a little more stained.
We stopped short between F can and E can and set lines. After a quick instruction on how to put the Off Shore boards out my crew became pretty efficient, so I let them have all the fun, while I just gave instructions and netted the fish. They did an awesome job. :)
Deep Husky Jerks in Pink Lemonade, Halloween, and Black/Gold up high in the water column did the job. 35-55 back took all the fish. Others were getting them deeper in other areas, as I was told they were running 90-110 back. But, since we were catching, I didn't change a thing!
It was a perfect day on the water. Barely a breeze on the water again today, and the sun was out most of the time, which was a nice surprise since the forecast was calling for mostly cloudy all day. The clouds did show up around 12:30, along with a light 5 mph breeze from the ENE (when our bite turned off). We headed in at 1pm with 14 walleye that ended up weighing 89+ pounds at the cleaners. The boys were very happy, and kept telling me how much fun they had when we got in. That is what keeps me going, and makes it all worth it. :)
I'm waiting on a call about tomorrow's charter. We might be rescheduling due to temperatures and wind direction for a little better day for them. If not, we'll be out there again tomorrow doing the same thing with minor adjustments if needed.
I'll let you know...:)
Capt Juls
With a Heavy Heart....
by Capt Juls on 04/17/14
As I ready the Ranger for her charters tomorrow through Monday, I am heartbroken for the family and friends of fellow Lake Erie anglers who tragically did not make it home yesterday.
Bryan Huff and the love of his life, and tournament partner, Amy Santus, along with Amy's Niece and Bryan's friend had an unknown accident that left their boat capsized on Toussaint Reef. The boat was found this morning by the USCG, and so far the two women have been recovered. Both had life jackets on.
Bryan and his friend are still missing at this point in time, and I am hoping they are found soon, so their families can bring some closure to this unfortunate accident.
Bryan was an experienced Lake Erie angler, and a cautious boater, so whatever happened should be a reminder to all of us that bad things can happen very fast out there, and we should never take this lake for granted.
My deepest sympathies and condolences go out to their family and friends, and I pray they find some peace to help them through this.
Life must go on....
I promise to give my clients the best of me tomorrow, and show them a good time on the water. The forecast looks good and the bite is on, and the plan of attack is already made. :)
Great Day on the Water Today! Finally!! :)
by Capt Juls on 04/12/14It was a great day on the water today. The weather couldn't have been better. Light South winds putting a 1' chop on the lake made the bite a lot better than it had been my last two trips out.
Bob Luellen, Susie, and Sharon met me at my house this morning. We jumped in the truck and headed to a local restaurant for breakfast before heading to Catawba ramp to launch.
We launched at approximately 9am and headed to F Can. There were a ton of boats out there, due to a local tournament and it being the first really nice Saturday of the spring season. I taught the ladies how to use the line counter reels, and why we use them. Then, they learned how to attach the off shore boards and set them out. They were fast learners, because although they have never trolled before, they have been fishing all their lives. I thought to myself..."Boy, I'm going to have an easy day today". And, I was right. After they got the hang of it, all I had to do was steer the boat clear of all the other boats going every which way out there. lol
Bob was their net man as they took turns reeling in the day's catch. It wasn't fast and furious, but it was busy enough that they never got bored of watching the boards.
We ended up with only 8 fish and lost two fish, one of which was a real pig that I would have loved to see one of them holding up.
Both caught their biggest walleye to date, and that made everyone very happy.
The fish were very high in the water column and our best leads were 25 and 35 back with Deep Husky Jerks (12) pulled at 1.0 mph. Our best colors were Pink Lemonade, Halloween, Purplescent, and Fire Tiger.
The water was stained, but not muddy, and not too clean. The sun was out most of the day and then about 1pm the sky got cloudy and the wind picked up out of the Southeast. It got a little bumpy for a while, but the biggest fish of the day eased their minds about the lake conditions and we trolled on until about 2:45. Then, it was time to head in.
Overall, I can't say enough how happy it made me to finally put some fish in the boat. After the first two trips out this year, and zeroing, I was beginning to wonder if I could still catch them. ;)
All but one fish was spawned out. So, I think we might start to see some better catch rates in the near future, as the fish start to put the feedbag on again after this spawn. I sure hope Mother Nature is kind this year and lets us have conditions needed for a great hatch, but I won't get my hopes too high, because some crappy weather is headed this way tomorrow through Tuesday.
Tomorrow's charter is going to reschedule due to the wind advisory, so I'll be taking an unexpected day off to play with the dogs. I'm sure they will be very happy about that.:)
Pictures from today's catch can be found on page 6 of the photo album on my site...hope you enjoy them!
Capt Juls
Unfortunate Circumstances....Just a bad day.
by Capt Juls on 04/11/14The morning started out with high hopes and excitement, as I greeted Steve Champman and his son Jeremy at Catawba State Park. Steve and Jeremy have fished with me several times last year, and we always did really well. Jeremy said, "I've caught more fish with you in the past couple of trips than I have in all the charters I've fished on Lake Erie in my lifetime". That made me smile, and I was really looking forward to the day with them. It's always fun.
The original plan was to meet them for breakfast before heading to the ramp, but they were behind schedule, and I had heard the watercraft officers were at the park doing boat inspections. As I sat in the parking lot of the restaurant waiting for them, I thought it would be a better idea to go down to the park and get in line for the inspection and get that out of the way. They could stop and eat, or just get something on the way over, and I would just wait for them at the park. They opted to stop at Micky D's on the way.
I got down to the park and there was only one boat ahead of me getting their inspection done, so it only took about 10 minutes to get my sticker, showing I passed the inspection. Woot! Woot!
I called my guys and they were just turning into the park. "Great", I thought. "We'll be on the water by 9".
They pulled in and we got ready to launch....no problems there. It went smooth as ever. I idled out of the no wake zone and got her up on plane and headed towards G Can. There were a lot of boats over there, so when I got off plane I started looking for fish on the H'Bird.
At that moment Steve's phone rang, it was bad news. His older brother had had a severe crippling stroke early this morning and was life flighted to the hospital. I asked what they wanted to do, and they didn't know. On one hand they wanted to go home, but on the other hand, they wanted to stay and fish, because there was nothing they could do, and they were already here.
So, to shorten up this story, we made a move to D Can when I didn't mark any fish by G Can and didn't see any nets being used, so we moved up there. We made a pass from D Can to Niagra and marked only marginal fish here and there. Nothing to write home about. We didn't even get a pull back there. In the meantime, they were getting call after call about his brother, and Steve was concerned and torn. He definitely was in turmoil and it showed.
I got a call from a friend to go out to B Can, so I asked them if they wanted to stay and fish or go home. "We can stay and fish", they said. So, we made the run out to B Can. I marked good marks out there, but before we set any lines, the phone rang again and this time Steve's oldest brother asked that they come home. So, we ran back in to Catawba.
BUT, just before we got to the launch the phone rang again, and this time it was someone else saying, "just stay there, there's nothing you can do right now anyway. We'll let you know if anything changes". So, I suggested we go over to Starve where I was last weekend (and died), but it was close the ramp, and I knew there were fish there. Maybe they would go today. They liked the idea and we headed over there...set lines out, and made a long pass around the "hole".
My buddy Capt Kevin showed up in the afternoon and again was able to pick at them and said he was getting them at 50-75 back on the DHJ's. He had a hot custom color that I didn't have in the box, so I worked with what I had.
I don't get it...hundreds of baits and only one freak'n color works???? The rest of our program was the same...leads, speed, etc. Grrrrrrrrrr!
We had one pull back and lost it before we even got the rod out of the rod holder.
After another phone call, they decided to cut the day short and go home to be with family. I felt really bad for them. I could only imagine what they were feeling today.
I was hoping to get them on some fish to help ease the pain, but it wasn't meant to be.
It was flat calm out there today, but it was a beautiful day. I even had the flip flops on, but was still wearing my Guidewear...lol
We all agreed the next time we go out it would be a much better time. :)
So, there ya have it. It was a tough day fishing and emotionally. I'm whooped!
The boat is cleaned and ready to go tomorrow. The forecast looks really good, with a bit of wind, so that should help the bite tremendously.
Oh, and I did go to the baitshop and buy that "Hot Bait"....just in case. lol
Capt Juls
Mother Nature is Being Kind....
by Capt Juls on 04/08/14Weather forecast is looking good for my trips Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Thank you Mother Nature for allowing us some good weather days when it counts!
Mid to high 60's, waves less than 3 feet....perfect. Friday morning will be much like this past Sunday with little to no wind in the morning, but I don't think we'll have to deal with any skim ice this time.
Hopefully, Thursday night will be too mild for ice to form again.
And, all the muddy water that we had to deal with Sunday will be cleared up in most areas. The fishing should be very good.
And, all the muddy water that we had to deal with Sunday will be cleared up in most areas. The fishing should be very good.
The program that is working for most people are the Deep Husky Jerks trolled 80-100 back at 1.0 mph.
Good luck to everyone going out this weekend.
My boat's radio won't be installed until next weekend, when my friend Scott comes to stay here while prefishing for an NWT tournament on the Detroit River. He used to rig all my electronics before he moved out of state last year. And, the radio showed up too late to get it down to Ranger to have them install it. So, if you have my number, you can call or text me on the water, but otherwise, I will report after I get off the water each day.
Capt Juls
Great day fishing, but a disappointing day "catching"...Sorry, no pictures today. :(
by Capt Juls on 04/06/14
Sorry no pictures today.
The good news is, it was a great day to be on the water. The bad news is, we didn't get any fish. Marked a ton of them, but couldn't find one that wanted to bite.
There was no wind this morning, so there was skim ice everywhere. As it melted we started fishing off of Catawba Point. Marked some big fish, but nothing.
Headed over to Starve Island, where I had seen cleaner water from a drive around the point from my car the night before. There was too much ice, so I called up my buddy Gary Zart, and he said he had just sat down at Niagra and put two in the boat. He said the ice wasn't bad on the reef, water color was better, and there were only two boats there.
So, we headed over there, cutting through skim ice the entire way... and by the time we got over there there were already 7 or 8 boats trolling the area. We set in and put the lines out (only two of us in the boat, so we could only run four baits).
We made one pass and didn't mark much, so I headed back to Starve thinking that the higher sun might have melted the ice. It did, and the area was fishable, so we set the baits out again.
We trolled for hours over there marking fish from about 15 foot down to 42 foot down. We were targeting the higher fish. Nada!!
Ugh...thank goodness I had good company in the boat, because it made the disappointment bearable. lol
Looks like we have light winds for the rest of the week, so this mud will dissipate by the weekend.
The next charter is Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, and all I can say is, I'd better start catching some fish!!
It was extremely frustrating today, but at least the cobwebs are being dusted out of my head.
The new Ranger ran like a dream with the ETEC on the back and I'm very very pleased with it. My HBirds need some tweaking, and some wiring looked at, but were not the reason we didn't catch any fish. lol
It was just one of those days.....deep sigh.
We'll get them next time.
Ramp Update...
by Capt Juls on 04/04/14As of today, docks are in at the ramps at Wild Wings, Turtle Creek, and Catawba State Park. Mazurik's is finally ice free, and I suspect the docks will go in soon there too.
Right now, as I type this, it's raining cats and dogs outside, and the wind is out of the south, but not blowing too hard though. The lake looked pretty nice when I drove through town earlier, and I couldn't see any ice for as far as I could see.
It's shaping up to be a great weekend to hit the water. I'm really looking forward to shaking the cobwebs off my brain and getting back to the business of entertaining and teaching folks how to troll for walleye. :)
Woot! Woot! Let the fun begin!!!!
Capt Juls
First Trip of the Season is Set For Sunday! Woot! Woot!
by Capt Juls on 04/03/14The marine forecast for tomorrow through Sunday...
.FRIDAY...EAST WINDS 10 TO 15 KNOTS BECOMING SOUTHWEST AND INCREASING TO 30 KNOTS IN THE AFTERNOON. RAIN THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON. THUNDERSTORMS. A CHANCE OF RAIN LATE. WAVES 1 TO 3 FEET. .FRIDAY NIGHT...SOUTHWEST WINDS TO 30 KNOTS BECOMING WEST GALES TO 35 KNOTS OVERNIGHT. WAVES 4 TO 6 FEET BUILDING TO 7 TO 10 FEET. .SATURDAY...WEST GALES TO 30 KNOTS DIMINISHING TO 10 TO 20 KNOTS IN THE AFTERNOON. WAVES 7 TO 10 FEET SUBSIDING TO 3 TO 5 FEET. .SATURDAY NIGHT...WEST WINDS 5 TO 15 KNOTS DIMINISHING TO LESS THAN 10 KNOTS. WAVES 2 TO 4 FEET SUBSIDING TO 1 FOOT OR LESS. .SUNDAY...SOUTH WINDS 10 KNOTS OR LESS BECOMING EAST. WAVES 1 FOOT OR LESS.
It's supposed to be sunny and mid to high 50's. But, of course, the temperature will be much colder on the water, since the water temp is only in the high 30's to low 40's right now.
I'm not sure we'll catch anything after all this wind, but I need to get the boat out for its maiden voyage, and Sunday looks like a good day to do that.
She's loaded up and gassed up...ready to go.
I drove through town this afternoon and didn't see any visible ice out in front of Port Clinton, and I think Catawba launch is open now, so we'll be launching there around 10am.
Good luck to anyone else going out this weekend!
I won't have the radio on, since it isn't installed in the boat yet.
Looking forward to getting back in the groove and putting some fish slime in the livewell. :)
Capt Juls
The Day Has Finally Arrived...Woot! Woot!
by Capt Juls on 03/31/14After a long hard winter, the day has finally...I'm going to go pick up the new Ranger from my dealer. In my book, it's the official day of spring for me. :)
My first charter is scheduled for this coming weekend, but wind forecasts, and late ice might keep us off the lake. I'll know by Wednesday and will let him know. I'm not going to push it though, because we have all season to fish. As anxious as I am to go fishing, here's no need to take unnecessary chances this early.
Last night's satellite picture shows the ice has made great strides disappearing.
http://coastwatch.glerl.noaa.gov/webdata/cwops/html/modis/modis.php?region=e&page=1&template=sub&image=a1.14089.1835.LakeErie.143.250m.jpg
The forecast for today is for light east winds, sunny, and a 62 degree temp. And, tomorrow's winds are going to be strong out of the South with more warm temps.
http://www.iwindsurf.com/windandwhere.iws?siteID=849&Isection=Forecast+Graphs®ionID=95
Cooler temperatures are expected towards the weekend, but are not so cold that we couldn't go fishing. It's the wind direction that concerns me most since there is floating ice out there. Once day it's pushed to this side of the lake and then the next it's on the other side. I wouldn't want to leave the ramp in the morning only to find that later in the day the floating ice moved in and blocked us from the ramp. That would be bad.
http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/port-clinton-oh/43452/daily-weather-forecast/1169
It's supposed to be sunny today, so I'm hoping we get to see another satellite picture this afternoon.
I'll post pictures of the new rig on Facebook later today. Have a great day everyone!
Capt Juls
10 More Days till the First Day of Spring!
by Capt Juls on 03/10/14It's the 10th of March, and I'm anxiously awaiting the 17th when my new Ranger boat will be finished. Hopefully, it will be in my driveway by the end of the month. I can hardly wait to have it here, so I can load it up and get her ready for fishing. I'm practicing patience, but it's getting more and more difficult. lol
This is always an exciting time of year.
Now, we just have to wait for the ice to go away. It's going to be warm today with strong SW winds, so maybe that will start to deteriorate the ice a bit (sorry ice fishermen!)
The ice fishermen have been doing very well this season. Many big fish are being caught, and I think they are making up for the lack of ice the past few years.
By Wednesday night we are expected to have an fresh 3-6 inches of a wintery mix on the ground....ugh. On the bright side though, the temps will rise again towards the end of the week, so that shouldn't stick around too long.
It's beginning to feel like winter is breaking and spring is on its way. We can only hope so. :)
Capt Juls
Random Thoughts...:)
by Capt Juls on 03/04/14Don't forget to set your clocks ahead on march 9th...spring is only 16 days away now! Woot! Woot!
Reservations are steadily coming in and I am looking forward to a fun season of fishing with each and every one of you. I appreciate the fact that many are return customers. That tells me I must be doing something right, and that just feels pretty darn GOOD! :)
I am expecting/hoping that my new boat will be sitting in the driveway by the end of the month and that Momma Nature will decide to stop having hissy fits, gets her act together, and brings us warmer weather soon. This winter has been too long!! It's time to change seasons already....deep sigh.
I am keeping an eye on the ice conditions and will let my first charter of the season (April 5th) know at least a week in advance whether or not it will be doable.
Come April 1st, If the ramps are open, and there is open water out there, it will be a "go". If there is still too much ice on the lake, then it would be a "no go" situation. I'll keep you posted.
There are a couple new lures I am excited to try out this year. One is the new "Skinny Stick" from Reef Runner, that is supposed to give the early season favorite, the Deep Husky Jerk, a run for its money. And, a new spinner from Mepp's that might have some good results. I'll be looking forward to experimenting with both lures to see how they perform for us.
Anyway, stay warm and stay safe! See you soon! :)
Capt Juls
22 More Days till Spring!! Woot! Woot!
by Capt Juls on 02/26/14
As more and more reservations come in for the 2014 season, I just want to take a moment to stop and thank all my sponsors for their continued support of my "LIFE". Without them, my dreams of fishing for a living would not be possible. So I extend a huge thank you to Ranger Boats, Evinrude, Minn Kota, Humminbird, Off Shore Tackle Company, Vic's Sports Center, EZEE Step Inc., LakeMaster, Reef Runner Tackle Company, and The Jewelry Mechanic. It's the most awesome feeling to be supported by the best companies, equipment, and people in the fishing world! I hope to make you all as proud of me, as I am to be on your teams...THANK YOU!
29 More Days Until Spring!
by Capt Juls on 02/20/14I just heard my first thunder since 2013. It's raining today, and raining hard. We are expecting 1.2 inches of the liquid stuff on top of the 8 inches of solid stuff that was already on the ground.
There is no where for this water to go, so I suspect there will be a bit of flooding in the area. Rivers will swell and become muddy iceberg flowing waterways...ugh.
Then, after a day of heavy rain, we are expecting strong gusty winds this evening...upwards of 50mph.
It's just a nasty day all around, so lets all keep an eye on our neighbors and make sure everyone stays safe today!
Freezing temps come back next week (Boooo!!!), so I'll check back in here when the temps warm and things start to improve here again.
Until then, I'll be keeping busy by replacing line on the reels, and making sure the tackle is all organized and ready to go for another successful season of fishing on Lake Erie. :)
Capt Juls
Just some winter reading while you dream about the open water just around the corner...
by Capt Juls on 02/05/14
Note:This was written by me many many years ago, when I first started using inline planer boards. I did a little bit of editing to update to the latest products offered by Precision Trolling and Off Shore Tackle in this article.
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Using in-line side planer boards for the first time can be intimidating to someone who has never tried them before. I know it was for me, the first time I used them. I was lucky though I didn't have to learn them on my own. I had two great teachers, who taught me how to use these boards correctly, right out of the box. One of those men, was Bruce DeShano, the owner of Off Shore Tackle Company, L.L.C., and creator of the Off Shore Tackle Side Planer Board, and the other was PWT Champion and RCL Professional Walleye angler Rick LaCourse.
Not everyone has the opportunity to be shown how to use the boards by such talented tutors, so I'm going to share some tips with you that I learned, and hopefully it will help you put more fish in the boat!
Planer Board SuccessThere are several different brands of planer boards to choose from, and whichever brand you choose, the following tips will help you. I like to use the Off Shore Side Planers, because they run true in the water, even in big waves, and can be easily seen even at a long distance out. The Off Shore brand makes learning to read boards easier too, because of some of the options available, like the Tattle Flag kit.
Having the right equipment can make trolling with in-line boards much easier. The right rods and reels for your style of trolling will make a big difference in your success rate.
Rods are designed for many different applications. A good walleye trolling rod would be a rod that is at least 7-10 foot long with a medium / soft action tip.
Purchasing several of the same rods will make learning to read the boards easier. By watching the rod tips you can determine if a fish is on, even if you can't determine that by watching the board. If you have different makes and models of rods set out, it becomes more difficult to read the rod tips, since their actions will impart different results.
A line counter reel, or a reel with an attachable line counter device is a "must have" while trolling. In order to put your baits in the strike zone, it's important to have an accurate line counter to get your baits to the desired depth. There are several different manufacturers who make a quality line counter reel or attachable device. Talk to your local baitshop, or retailer, for the reel that would best suit your needs.
The best "trollers" on the water will never leave the dock without a copy of the "Precision Trolling Book" in their boat. This book is what is often referred to as the "Trolling Bible". This unique book provides depth diving data for over 179 popular trolling lures. Each lure features an easy to read "dive curve" chart that shows anglers how to achieve target depths with crankbaits, diving planers, leadcore line, snap weights and other trolling aids. In addition, trolling tips for using planer boards, downriggers and other popular trolling methods are also outlined in this information packed guide.
EDITED:The latest edition of this book is now available as an iPhone App. (listed in the app store as "P-T-D") Or, you can try to find someone selling one of the old style books on WC, Ebay, or other websites, etc.
The number one reason side planers are used is to cover a lot of water fast. Another reason is that they will move your baits out away from the boat to catch fish that are easily spooked. Clear water lakes are especially good lakes to use planer boards on. The boards can be used in deep water and in shallow water. It all depends on what baits your running and where the fish are.
When you're open water trolling, what you want to look for on the electronics is a cloud of baitfish, with some "hooks" (actively feeding fish) underneath it. Make a mental note as to what depth the hooks are suspended at. Take the boat back around to make a pass over the fish, but have your baits in the water by the time you pass over them again.
One tip to making trolling easier is to have the waves following you while you troll. This allows the boards to run smoother, and makes it easier to control the boat while you fight a fish.
If the active fish are feeding 27 feet down, then I know that I want my baits to run anywhere from 15-25 feet down. Since suspended walleye forage on the bait they see above them, it's important not to put the baits below the depth you're marking the fish at.
Since I know what depth I want to run my lures, all I need to do is pick out a lure, and look it up in the Precision Trolling Book. The depth curve chart will tell me how much line I need to let out before attaching the planer board.
This is where the line counters are invaluable. The accuracy of your lure depth is dependant on how accurate your line counter is. The diameter of the line you're using and the speed of the boat are determining factors too. If you didn't know how much line you had out, it would be impossible to know what depth your lures are running at.
The Precision Trolling Book was written by testing all the lures using a 10 pound test mono line. The book has a conversion chart that will tell you what a different diameter line will do to the depth ratio. This allows you to make adjustments in the amount of line out to achieve the target depth.
Boat speed is determined by lure action, and by what the fish tell you they want. If the speed is too fast, some lures will "spin" or "roll", making them useless, and more than likely cause them to tangle with other lines. Watch the action of the lure at the side of the boat before you let it out. When you're happy with the action, that's the speed you want to stay at.
You can experiment with speed by making "S" turns while you're trolling. When you make turns, the boards will run faster on one side of the boat, while the boards on the other side will run slower. When a fish hits, make a note as to what side of the boat it hit on while in the turn. This will tell you what the fish want. They might want the lures faster, or they might want them slower. This is just a fast way to find out how fast you should be moving.
Off Shore Tackle Side Planers are designed to run on either the port side or the starboard side of the boat. The port side board is marked "left", and the starboard side board is marked "right". To attach the board to the line, simply squeeze the releases on the board and slip the line in between the two pads. There are several different releases that can be used on the Off Shore boards, so it's important to get the best one for your fishing application.
For anglers who like to use the super braided lines, the OR-18 release is the best one to use. Although it's expensive, it was specifically designed for this type of line.
EDITED: The Off Shore boards come with a orange (OR-19) release on the front arm and a red (OR-16) on the back. Both have the same tension, but the OR-16 has the pin in the center of the pad.
The Off Shore Side Planers come with a stationary flag. This flag allows the angler to see the boards better while fishing in bigger waves. The "Tattle Flag" is an upgrade from the stationary flag to a flag that has the ability to tell you when you're dragging a small fish around, or if your baits are junked up with weeds or other floating matter. Edit: You can now buy the "economy kit" for the Tattle upgrade, since the boards already come with a flag, there is no need to purchase the kit that comes with the flag...unless of course your original flag is old and worn out. The economy kit is much more affordable than the complete upgrade package.
The Tattle Flags are designed to move up and down, by setting a tension spring that matches the baits you're using, and is triggered when a fish hits the lure. When a fish bites, the flag will drop down towards the board, telling you that there is something there.
Tattle Flags can help an angler learn to read the boards faster too. They also help keep your "clean" baits in the strike zone longer. If a lure is junked up, or you're pulling a small fish around, the flag will go slightly back letting you know that something is out of the ordinary and you should check your bait.
Tattle Flag Tip: It's important to remember that in order for the flag to work properly, some slack must be left between the two releases.
Once the board is attached to the line, drop it over the side and let it float back. Once the board is back as far as you want it, engage the reel, to stop the freespool. The board will then plane out to the side of the boat. Set the rod in the rod holder furthest forward and proceed to set your other lines. Keep the boards running a good distance apart, a minimum of 15-20 feet, and it will help you keep your lines from tangling.
Once a person gets used to running boards, they usually come up with their own routines for setting and retrieving lines. A very common way to cover a lot of water, is to run the baits on the outside boards higher in the water column while running deeper baits on the inside boards.
Even if you're not marking fish high, it's a good idea to set some lures high. Reason being, if there are fish high in the water column and the locator isn't recognizing them, you will still have a chance to catch them. The fish caught that aren't shown on the screen are often referred to as "ghost" fish in this neck of the woods, and an angler can and usually will catch a few of these.
"A very common mistake anglers often make with in-line boards is the methods they use to reel in a hooked fish", says Off Shore Tackle's Bruce DeShano. "When a fish such as a walleye is hooked on an in-line board, the weight of the struggling fish causes the board to be dragged backwards in the water. Don't set the hook when you see the board jerking backwards. Jerking on the rod at this point is only going to pull the board out of the water and not pull against the fish. What often happens is the angler jerks the board, giving the fish slack line that allows the fish to escape." Instead of jerking on the rod when a fish is hooked, simply reel in the fish and board together using a slow and steady retrieve. "Set your drag so you can just gain line on the fish as you're reeling," advises DeShano. "If you set the drag too tight and the fish runs, the board may be pulled under water. The line may break or the fish may simply pull the hooks free."
"Here's another way to avoid problems when fishing with in-line boards", says DeShano. "When the board is getting close to the boat it will pull out of the water and become suspended on the line between the rod tip and the fish. If the rod tip is suddenly lowered, the board will splash down into the water and can dive in much the same way as a diving planer digs. Once the board clears the water, keep the rod tip up and don't let it touch the water again".
If you have a partner in the boat it makes it easier to reel fish in. While one person reels the fish in, the other will take the board off the line. The person who is taking the board off the line needs to make sure not to snap the line, as he/she lets go of it. This can cause a fish to become unhooked. Once the board is off, keep the line pinched between your fingers and follow the line up to the rod guide as your partner reels in the fish, then let go.
If you're alone, reel the board in till it clears the water and is about 3 feet from the rod tip. Swing the board towards you and unhook the board with one hand while keeping the rod tip high and the line as taught as can be. Once the board is off, reel up the line as you bring the rod tip down, keeping the line taught.
With practice and patience anyone can learn to use in-line planer boards. I only touched on a few basics, but that should get any first timer going in the right direction. There is a lot to learn, but it's well worth it....practice, practice, practice, and learn what works best for you.
Captain Juls
Only 45 More Days Until Spring!
by Capt Juls on 02/02/14January is past us and we're into February...finally! One month closer to spring!
The anticipation of getting the new boat is building, but it's completion date isn't set until March 17th...sigh.
Charters are being reserved already, and April is the target start for my services.
I am really looking forward to seeing and fishing with old friends I've made over the past couple of years, and to the new friends I haven't fished with yet.
I'm hoping Mother Nature is kind to us this year and we get all of our trips in. Hopefully, the old saying is correct, "In like a lion out like a lamb" will ring true.
This would allow Lake Erie's walleye to have a banner spawn like we had in 2003.
I've heard two different statistics for what the 2013 hatch did, and one says it was just above average, and the other states that it was better than the 2003. I tend to believe it was just above average, but I certainly wouldn't be disappointed if it were the later. :)
Only 45 more days to spring everyone! Don't let all this cold and snow bring you down...think spring!
Have a great Super Bowl Sunday and be safe....Go Broncos! lol
Capt Juls
Winter Doldrums Have You Down?
by Capt Juls on 01/27/14If the ever endless string of polar vortexes have you down, start thinking spring!
With the days getting longer it won't be long before spring is upon us. It's time to start thinking about reserving your walleye fishing adventure on Lake Erie's Western Basin.
Fishing in the spring on the Western Basin is prime time for a chance at a trophy sized walleye. I mostly troll for the big girls, but if you want to jig for them on the reefs, I offer that too.
Juls Walleye Fishing Adventures will begin running trips the beginning of April, so don't miss out...reserve your dates now!
There are still plenty of openings since I have decided to run trips 7 days a week this year. I have also added the option of fishing for smallmouth bass in the hot dog days of summer. I normally kept the bass fishing for my days off where my friend and I would go "fun fishing", but I've decided to share that fun with customers who would like to experience the fun fight of a powerhouse smallie on the end of their line too. :)
I am looking forward to fishing with friends I have made over the past two seasons again, and to fishing with new friends I haven't met yet.
One of the things that makes my trips a little more special, and different from the regular 6 pack charters, is the fact that I only take up to three people. This gives you more of a one on one experience, and a chance to learn how to properly set the lines and reel in all the fish.
It has been my experience that when the customer gets to participate in all aspects of the fishing experience, they go home with a better feeling of accomplishment and some very fun memories.
However, with that said, if you want a trip where I do all the work and all you do is reel in the fish, I can do that too! It's up to you. Just let me know in advance what you want out of your trip.
I also offer home baked goodies and pretty awesome lunches. No saran wrapped soggy sandwiches for my crews!
So don't let the winter cold get you down...start thinking spring!
Hope to see you soon!
Captain Juls
