Lake Erie Monster

[Jay Thomas]

Beauty Hodgey, but why the heavy tackle? Are you running planer boards?

Thank Captain! No planner boards....... yet

My Intel had suggested  fishing in 50-55’ ftw and to troll using deep diving lures or dipsy’s. So we ran 2 lines with deep divers, running hopefully down 20’ and two lines on downriggers set at 38’ and 42’. We outfitted each DR line with small spoons as was suggested by my Intel. We caught fish on both combinations and on multiple colors. They didn’t seem to care that morning what was shown, they bit 

I wondered about the heavy gear as well Hodgey. Just for comparison's sake, I deep troll (down to 90 FOW) with various spoons behind a magnum dipsy using a St Croix Premier PC70HF rod and a Shimano Tekota 600 line counter reel spooled with 50 lb Suffix 832. Your gear (pictured) looks heavier than what I'm using.

Jay

[Hodgey1]

Jay & Captain Hail, I’ve been found out.......... I’ll come clean....... I don’t make a ton-O cash, unfortunately  . Back in school, when I should have been studying, I was instead working in a factory second shift and buying motorcross, road bikes and chasing tail. Problem is now, many years later,  I like to do expensive things and don’t make big $$, so I do the best as I can afford to do with the available cash.  Winter time is snowmobiles and summer time is motorcycles and now boats and fishing trips.

When I bought my first boat two years ago, I got the “your going to do what” look from my precious bride. She dyes her own hair and goes to the buy one get one hair solan for Hair doo’s and waits for the 30% off coupon at Kohl’s to ever replace her thread worn clothes. I on the other hand   go on fishing trips and buy boats, motorcycles and snowmobiles 

Sooo, then I have this boat I just bought and want to troll Lake Erie. Wife by the way starts questioning her reason for marring me  but I know why  So I bought used Downriggers that I had to repair and bought the cheapest trolling rod reel combo’s with the highest ratings I can find, which were Okuma Great Lakes Trolling combos.

The St Croix pole when paired with the Shimano reel together is $170 + $180 = $350, the Okuma combo’s “with my Fish USA coupon” were $55 each. They definitely are burly.... but lets face it, when trolling Lake Erie at 2.0 mph with 4 lines that can tangle, once a fish is hooked, they’re basically taken for a drag and not overly played like we do in Kipawa with light tackle. If I stick with the current plan, ie: continue to enjoy boating and fishing, i will upgrade as money allows. Right now, I have to continue to use the cheap-O equiptment.

More coming clean, I fish a St Croix rod while jigging in Kipawa  don’t tell anyone, especially my wife!

[T-Bone]

Nice fish there...wow...and hilarious back story Hodgey. And you're getting away with one in my estimation...she must cherish you very much. I have no idea why you would use this gear or that gear for trolling or fishing on Lake Erie. Last time I went we used regular spinning tackle like we'd use on Kipawa. That was many moons ago and we weren't trolling anything...just drifting/jigging. But, there again, the tactic of trolling causing angst and controversy.
(Just kidding there folks...no intention to start a dust-up about trolling again)

Just under 18...

[Ozzy30]

Great fish Hodgey and awesome story.  It is not always about the equipment you use or even the fish you catch, it's the time spent with family and friends enjoying something you love to do.  Again congrats on the fish.

[Hodgey1]

Nice fish there...wow...and hilarious back story Hodgey.

Great fish Hodgey and awesome story.

Thanks T and OZ. I'm never certain if my sense of humor comes across in type the way I intend

I am very fortunate to have a wife that puts up with my shenanigans.... It maybe due to the fire roast walleye bites I made for her and friends Saturday night 

[Ozzy30]

I think we are all fortunate to have understanding significant others to put up with the time we spend on the water.  I even had my wife looking at my neighbours 1850 Lund this week and the amount of room it has.  She didn't say yes but i did not hear a no either.  Oh and Hodgey I personally enjoy your sense of humor. Somedays we all need more of it.

[Hodgey1]

@Ozzy30 isn't not saying NO really saying yes in wife speak 

[Ozzy30]

In my case it seems to say "She will see how I behave over the winter time, and she might buy me a new boat"

[Hodgey1]

After a week of consuming adult beverages, fishing for days and burning the candle at both ends, I thought we might as well get some more fishing in on Monday. We just got home Saturday night from Kipawa and my brother was flying out on Tuesday and was excited to get out. Monday was our best shot at Lake Erie and the weather conditions looked right, so off we went after I got out of work.

Here is one of the beauties we hooked into, I know its no record breaker, but it's the largest I've seen with my own eye's at 31" and 7.5 lbs. I thought at first I'd snag something until I felt the shake. I handed off to my Son-In-Law and wished I'd got my brother on the pole, but he was driving the boat at the moment.

[Ozzy30]

What a beauty.  Don't forget the recipe I gave you.  Cook it and get fatter and happier.

[Jay Thomas]

Nice Eye Hodgey1 !!!

Jay

[puckster_guy]

Nice walleye Hodgey, But I really like those JBL speakers. I used to have a set, Best speakers I ever had.

[Hodgey1]

Nice walleye Hodgey, But I really like those JBL speakers. I used to have a set, Best speakers I ever had.

Puck, the JBL’s rock, my favorite also. I still have a giant teenager living inside my head at times and why my garage is wired for sound. It makes cleaning fish, way more enjoyable.

[Captain Hali]

That's a beauty, and by what's on the table it looks like you had a good day. What caught my eye was the two racks hanging by your speakers. I also am a bone collector.

[Hodgey1]

That's a beauty, and by what's on the table it looks like you had a good day. What caught my eye was the two racks hanging by your speakers. I also am a bone collector.

Thanks @Captain Hali , we had a great afternoon fishing. We only had 3-4 hours of time because of work, but we still caught plenty. I was a bit burnt out from our week at Kipawa, but I wanted my brother to experience the amazing fishing occurring on Lake Erie right now. I can’t begin to tell you how many fish we were marking.

We live in a very rural area of NW PA on 30 acres. The deer population couldn’t be any better. We have  been butchering white tails in my garage for 30+ years. I love venison, which has carried down to my children. My son in law harvested two deer last fall with his bow. The meats already gone, we make the best venison burger on the planet