Lake Erie is my favorite fishing location, period! Every year about this time I start daydreaming about those football-shaped smallmouth crushing my jerk bait in crystal clear water. There's something about seeing a fish close in on your bait, stop and consider his next move, and then crush it right in front of you that makes it an incredible experience.

Since I was in my teens, (and that's only a few short years ago), I've taken to calling Lake Erie my "Home" lake. With that being said, I've also experienced Lake Erie at her howling, screaming, rollicking worst! Let me tell you from experience that there's nothing that will make you pucker up faster than 8-10 foot rollers on the shallow western basin. Add in a little lightning storm and you'll soon find yourself getting really small on the floor of your rig while praying that the Coast Guard actually comes out in weather like this to make emergency rescues! Many times I've spent precious days watching the Weather Channel in my hotel room waiting ... waiting ... waiting for those northwest winds to die down so I could hit the water. That was before I discovered a little secret about Lake Erie that has saved many of my fishing trips.

What's the secret? Lake Erie is loaded with bays and marinas protected from the wind, weather, and main lake rollers. And they're loaded with bass! So instead of watching weather radar, I've taken to fishing these protected harbors and having a field day catching fish that most other anglers ignore. Be prepared to catch largemouths predominately, but you'll also find smallies in the spring and fall. Target rip rap banks, sea walls and most importantly, grass beds. I really depend on my Arkie Mirror-Glow spinnerbait when fishing the bays, and I play the current. That's right, there's always current present even on large lakes when the wind blows. It may not be evident on the water's surface, but it's there, and it helps position the fish on structure. And here's another little secret. If the sun gets up, look for boats that have been moored for long periods of time. Some are moored and rarely moved throughout the year and the fish know this. That's why they'll set up in the shadows and ambush your spinnerbait as it flutters by.

So don't let a little foul weather ruin your next trip to Lake Erie. Venture out into the bays and harbors for a great day of fishing. Just be sure not to ding your bait off of one of those big $250,000 Searays. The owners tend to get a little nasty when you do that.

Good Fishing,
Joe Thomas