lake erie Fishing Report 2023

Aug. 27-28

Here's a 2 dayer for you all. I forgot to write yesterday's report due to my enthusiasm not being crazy high about it. So we fished in these bluefin grounds all day yesterday and for a few hours in the morning today for not much. Yesterday we were seeing sign of fish around. We didn't see any schools driving around but we'd get a meter mark and stop the boat and after a while we'd see a handful or two sometimes more come under the boat and sometimes we would get a few and other times we wouldn't but at that rate the final tally wasn't anything to write home about so that's probably why I didn't. Today wasn't better. I can't say we ever saw a fish even on the machines. We looked through the traditional area early for nothing then went that way for a while then we turned that way for a while and then we turned that way for a while and then we called it a trip. It means nothing for future trips the way this bluefin is. Tomorrow can be wide open. A hell of a trip anyways if you've been reading you'd know it. The boats clean and everyone on board is stuffed and rested. We'll be getting in at 6:00 in the am tomorrow and then we're departing on the 9 day! I'm really looking forward to it. Getting out of this cool August offshore weather and into the warm wahooey weather. As Joe Beck would say, "yeah baby". Thanks to everyone on board and shame on those who were thinking about making it but didn't. You missed the best bluefin bite you've probably ever seen. Drew

Capt Mike Pritchard from the Tribute gave us an on the water update for this morning, they are off to a great start. So far they have 12 Yellowtail from 12 to 18 pounds and 2 Bluefin Tuna around the 40 pound each and this before 7am. We ended yesterday in this area with some good fishing, hopefully today will be more of the same we have high hopes. We will check back in later.

Polaris Supreme Trip Update 11-13-13

 

Today was a travel/fishing day which means it was slow. We knew we needed another travel day to get where we need to be so we fished yesterday and traveled today as opposed to fishing today and traveling yesterday. We tried really hard though to find something to catch but it was not to be. It wasn't until around snack time before we found any action at all but it wasn't much. We caught 1 big dorado and 1 not so big dorado, lost a couple of wahoo and caught some mostly let them go to grow sized tuna. We'll be in the promise grounds well before daylight and hopefully that's when the fish start biting tomorrow. The weather came down significantly from yesterday and it's currently grease as I write this.

 

P.S. The Mystery writer will be back tomorrow, he needed a little rest.

This is the launching of the Polaris Supreme after our Haul out. We hauled out at Shelter Island Boat Yard and all though it was my longest ever it was definitely the least pain less. Thank You Guys in the yard, And Girls in the office.

108 yellowfin 27 skipjack. These tuna stops have been going from boredom to chaos in a matter of seconds. Knowing how to tie your own hook and leader, having your own pair of pliers, and listening to the crew and making slight adjustments during the stop will keep you in the game. We recommend taking some time before you come out or on the way to the fishing grounds to practice tying on your hook/leader. Our crew members can inspect and show you the right way to do it so when we’re in a hot bite you’re ready for action.

With great anticipation of a light load aboard the Apollo, all 14 of us anglers showed up at the dock early, swapping stories about past trips. We started boarding about 9:30pm and were greeted by Capt JJ Gerritsen and the rest of his crew, we signed in and had a seat for our safety briefing. Capt JJ then asked if we wanted to head offshore for Albacore which had dramatically slowed down the last couple days or head south along the coast for a shot at Dorado and Yellowfin and Yellowtail patty hopping. Without much hesitation we decided to head south and patty hop. We got the feathers in at gray light and started the troll, within 15 minutes the yell of "Hook-up" sang out, unfortunately the mystery fish got away and we were under way again. Five minutes later we heard that yell again, the mystery fish won round two and will live another day. Third time's a charm didn't hold true for us, our third hook-up is still out there in the deep blue. At that point the first troll rotation was fired (which included me) and the second shift took over. Within 10 minutes they had our first fish on the deck, a skipjack, from that point on while looking for patties we boated about 19 skipjack. We found our first patty around 10am and moved in with hopes of a wide open bite, but to our dismay there was nobody home. That held true for the next 8 patties we found, then finally around noon with a mouth full of burger, we heard the call to get ready. Never fails every time your food is done, it's time to drop a line. As soon as our sardines hit the water the patty expolded, we ended up with 1 Dorado and 2 Yellowtail. We only found two two more patties holding fish and ended up with 1 more Dorado and 4 yellowtail. It was now time to head back to port and we again set out the troll lines and managed to pick up 7 Yellowfin Tuna on the way back in. I really enjoyed sharing the rail with a great bunch of folks and look forward to doing it again soon. If you would like any of the pictures posted please email me at [email protected] .

123 yellowfin tuna 3 bluefin tuna. Words can’t describe how lucky we are to call the 32 block home. Mother Nature continues to impress.

~~Sep. 12
 Hello all.  Things went smooth today at the landing.  We got in first, pre 5:30 AM and we had our peops on by 7:30 with our last climbing aboard before 9:00 and we were gone.  Gone to the bait receivers.  I was sure of what we were going to get.  Straight 2 day old sardine.  I told everyone we'd be fishing our way down to the wahoo grounds.  It's hot water down there so I didn't want to bring that bait down there too soon in case it would all die.  But things were different at the receivers.  They had that little mackerel we got a couple trips ago.  So we loaded up with that because I'm pretty confident it will live good in that 80+ degree water down below.  So as of now, we're headed straight down  to the wahoo/tuna/yellowtail/dorado grounds.  At least we hope it is.  We'll start down there and if we have to work back up to make a catch we will but hopefully we can just make a trip of it down below.  So that means we travel today, tomorrow, and arrive the following day hopefully by mid morning.  We'll see what kind of speed we make.

 Today was nice.  We hauled but in the morning, but after getting bait and putting her on course, the rush was over.  We have been fishing the first day out on every trip since early August, so this is quite the treat not fishing today.  We love to fish over here but just relaxing, not having to rush to get the seminar done and rushing to get the loaner tackle out was really nice.  I took a nap.  It was pretty cool.  I'm showered, rested and just sitting here writing to you folks.