Lake Erie with PJ Vick!

Lake Erie!! This is a 30 year bucket list item!
Have any of you been there?

I just booked a trip staying maybe with “Plantation Motel” Huron, OH. 2nd week of April 2023 Looking for Waldo!

I have a few 10 pounders in the boat But, I’ve never broken the 30″ mark. Lots of 24″s / 26″ers and then the big girls 27’s through the 29-15/16s” But I have yet to break that 30″er!!

I cannot really offer any insight, but please report back with how it goes.

I’ve been there a couple of times in April. We stayed at Put-in-Bay on South Bass Island and took our boat and vehicle out to the island on a ferry.
Fishing was fantastic both times I’ve been there. I don’t recall the largest walleye we caught but definitely the largest average size walleyes that I’ve ever experienced. Lake Erie fishing has to be experienced to believe.
You’ll have a blast. I’m jealous!

I’ve been out there 6 times and it is an absolute blast. We stay in Port Clinton. This year we are going from April 15th-22nd. Just hope a pray for no big weather before you go. The Nor-easters can really muddy up the water and it can take days to get back to good fishing. With that said, last year we kept a 3 man limit everyday except one day. Our longest day lasted 4.5 hours. I have yet to break the 30″ club myself, but have there are a few 30+” fish caught every year by our group when I’ve been out there. Biggest was 32 3/4 and weighed 11.4lbs spawned out! Its an epic fishery and an absolute blast when you get on them! Good luck!!

Usually stay somewhere between Magee Marsh and Catawaba. If water is cleanish, its stupid fun. Dirty water stinks and makes for a tough bite. Had plenty of trips we moved north into Canadian waters. As stated above, look out for strong low pressure systems. Stiff N/E or N/W winds will make or break the trip

Weather and mud change everything… can be the best ever or really suck sitting on shore not being able to get out. This all said, if conditions are even decent, you will likely never look at walleye fishing the same again.

Have been to Detroit River 5 times
in early April. Only 1 time we hit the lake because the spawn was winding down. It can be epic for big eyes if you hit it right. 1st time on the river we hit it perfect. Got a 30.5 inch 11.75 lb eye. I have a replica of it. 1 day in a 60 yard stretch put 15 eyes between 7.5 and 11 pounds in the boat in an hour. Awesome!!
When you are used to catching 2 to 3.5 pounders your shocked.

Been multiple times. We stayed at the plantation in the fall. Decent little place. Bar across the road is sketchy, no one is ever there. There is a great little steakhouse shortly up the road and most of the amenities you could need are close by. They have a community fire ring right on the lake at the plantation that is usually busy with good company. There is path that goes right down to the lake. Pretty cool

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Dave don’t tease me like this! My juices have been flowing for 30 years!!
Cuse me I need to change my undies now.

Gentlemen, Thanks for all of your responses, I’m more than pumped!

Denny, want to keep the juices going, head over to walleye.com under reports. The western basin is the most active and there are years of fun to read threads on it with some great local info.

Yepper! Been there quite often!

Denny you have a group going? A Charter? Taking your own boat?

Orgionaly, last Oct it was going to be 3 boats 9 men. 2 of the other boats have been there on multiple trips, I have never been. The 2 other boats dropped out 4th week in January (pizzed me off). I have had an alternut for a 3rd man in my boat from the start now he has dropped including my 3rd man!

That leaves me with Bob (my fishing partner) and I. I said screw it and hired PJ Vick for 3 days and I’ll get to set in the back of the boat and just fish, not worrying about anything else other than give the captain a hand as I know he will appreciate from a knowledged boat owner.

So it is just Bob and me along with PJ Vick for 3 days on Lake Erie.

Sounds like a great trip. Have fun.

Have a great trip Denny. Keep us posted and with pictures.

sounds like a blast Denny. i have always had Erie on my bucketlist but realistically it will probably never come to fruition. i did visit magee marsh in the summer with my daughter visiting family in upstate NY and that might be as close as i get? always dreamed of icing it but it never worked out. post pics for us to live vicariously through you! good luck!

I go solo every time… sort of sucks, but easy to adapt to the changing weather and all for planning:). I think you’ll be in for a great time…. And in the boat with PJ, how cool would that be. Enjoy, and please do post and keep us up on it all!

I haven’t had the best of luck with weather going out there. Went out there twice for 4 days and was only in the boat 2 out of the 8 days and didn’t do all that well. We actually did better fishing in one of the rivers. River ratting. That was almost more fun than being in the boat. I wouldn’t mind going out there and just fishing the river again.

Denny, I have been with you on a couple of trips to LOTW and I share your passion for the mighty walters!!
I will never make it out there and I truly wish you the best weather, best fishing, and the best time you have ever had in your life!!
You certainly deserve it my friend!!!!

Gentlemen, I thank you for your well wishes!

Sheldon you WILL be the second man in my boat someday there when my current fishing partner can’t go.

April 15th UPDATE!

Wholey Cow, What a knowledgeable pleasant young man Captain P.J. Vick is!!
I could have not picked the better person to take me out on lake Erie whether it was the first time or the last! This started out as a bucket list trip first, but now I believe with the knowledge that I had before the trip and the gained knowledge and experience that Capt. P.J. Vic instilled in me gave me the confidence to go it alone the next time I’ll “Head East”.

Of course I’ll hire him again to lead me for a couple of days then I’ll flounder out on my own for a couple of days after, lol!

I have never ever seen a limit of Waldos like Capt. P.J. Vic put us on! I was ashamed to clean the size of walleyes that we did! Mammoth walleyes the size I felt very uncomfortable harvesting. a single 17″ was the smallest that we threw back, believe it or not!19″ or a 20″ was the smallest one cleaned and I believe there was only a couple of them.

P.J. put us on to 22″ to 24″ with 26″ers in the mix that were harvested for the 1st and 3rd day pulling cranks. Due to the wind elevating We drifted the 2nd day, as PJ suggested due to our skeletal health issues.

Many thanks Captain! With your knowledge and demeanor with your clients the world is within your horizons! I sincerely believe that there “Might have been” a 1% that I could could have chosen for a guide edging out PJ. But the chances are so null that I do not think he could have been beat with how he handles his clients!!

My comments are very sincere and heartfelt. I will hire him again and I ENCOURAGE you to do the same! Even for one day on your annual trip to Lake Erie.

Aw heck, I don’t think I could have done any better at all! WHAT A TRIP!!

Just let the pictures answer the question, “Hows the Fishing”?

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Iowaboy1 wrote:

Denny, I have been with you on a couple of trips to LOTW and I share your passion for the mighty walters!!
I will never make it out there and I truly wish you the best weather, best fishing, and the best time you have ever had in your life!!
You certainly deserve it my friend!!!!

Why do you say never? You kind sir, may never know when!

Oops, Forgot to add a link!
Capitan P.J. Vick

Congratulations! I’ve never seen a floor covered with walleyes. Very cool.

Looks like a heck of trip!

Congrats!!!!

Lake Erie can kick your rear end but just as often it is nothing less than amazing. Where did you fish out of?

Well I went again this time clear to the border of OH /PA

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