# Legendary Lake Erie



## JM1 (Jul 5, 2014)

Left out of the Chagrin yesterday about 4:30, lake was like glass. Put one walleye and one perch in the cooler in 20 minutes. The winds changed and by 5:00 we were battling 
2-4 footers. By 5:30, they were 3-5's and we got chased off the lake.


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## capt j-rod (Feb 14, 2008)

Lake Erie is almost always a one way street. Glass going out, ass kicked coming home... Sometimes its ass kicked out, glass coming home. On a very rare occasion you get a smooth day with sun lol.


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## Popspastime (Apr 1, 2014)

From glass to 3 to 5's in 1 hour?


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## JM1 (Jul 5, 2014)

Popspastime said:


> From glass to 3 to 5's in 1 hour?


I know it seems crazy, I'm somewhat experienced, I've not seen it it kick up like that ever.


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## Popspastime (Apr 1, 2014)

Glad I missed that. I was on the lake at 7 and off by 9:30 and there was a 1 to 3 ft chop out 12 miles with SE wind.


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## halfrack (Oct 13, 2004)

Popspastime said:


> Glad I missed that. I was on the lake at 7 and off by 9:30 and there was a 1 to 3 ft chop out 12 miles with SE wind.


 Yes same for me here but tried for perch after limit of walleye. Off the lake at 2 pm.


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## JM1 (Jul 5, 2014)

National Data Buoy Data from the Fairport buoy last night. SE winds at 4.1 mph at 4:42 PM, NE winds at 22 mph at 5:30 PM!!!


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## kdn (Apr 27, 2015)

Erie is the most dangerous of the Great Lake for that reason! I believe his story as I have witnessed changes that fast.


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## HappySnag (Dec 20, 2007)

kdn said:


> Erie is the most dangerous of the Great Lake for that reason! I believe his story as I have witnessed changes that fast.


i experience one time 1' waves SW,in 10 minutes 10' waves from NW at edgewater,i was lucky i was on the rocks,i coud not cast 10',the wind blew the HJ#14 back,i redy had 4 eyes i went home.


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## crestliner TS (Jun 8, 2012)

JM1 said:


> National Data Buoy Data from the Fairport buoy last night. SE winds at 4.1 mph at 4:42 PM, NE winds at 22 mph at 5:30 PM!!!


scary!


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## GO FISH (Aug 13, 2004)

I was out in Lorain, only never saw the glass part, bumpy ride out,wet ride back in.Trolled part of the way out because it seemed like it was laying down for a bit,saw marks and bait balls but no takers.


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## Popspastime (Apr 1, 2014)

The passages of all these fronts brings the high winds up fast and hard, then shortly after down to calm again.. really nuts.


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## Super G (Oct 3, 2012)

Ha that was us Saturday! Only we started out with 1-3’s then about an hour later 3-5’s as the winds shifted to the NE! Made for a long rough ride in with a few sea sick family members! I traded up from an 18’ Four Winn’s runabout, which was only good for the smooth water days on Erie, to a 22’ Sea Hunt that holds up well in rough waters!


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## lawrence tracey (Jul 15, 2015)

guys be safe out there... today was no surprise..

heres my goto site...whats yours?

http://www.iwindsurf.com/windandwhere.iws?regionID=95&siteID=7701


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## Spongebrain (Feb 12, 2007)

iWindsurf is always spot on to the hour, days in advance


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## Bluewalleye (Jun 1, 2009)

JM1 said:


> National Data Buoy Data from the Fairport buoy last night. SE winds at 4.1 mph at 4:42 PM, NE winds at 22 mph at 5:30 PM!!!


We were 9 miles out of fairport yesterday. We fished from noon to about 3:30. It was 2' mostly. With a 3 mixed in a little. Wind seemed to be more out of the east. We were coming in and noticed at the 7 mile to go mark that the lake was only 1' at the most. It was a great ride back in after that. Just thought that it was weird that only 2 miles from where we were fishing, that the waves were so much calmer. I am really glad we did come in. The way it sounds the wind really started to pick up a little after we left the 9 miles out area.


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## Bluewalleye (Jun 1, 2009)

Spongebrain said:


> iWindsurf is always spot on to the hour, days in advance


iwindsurf is very good. But even they get it wrong big time sometimes. 
Over the 25 years that I have fished Lake Erie I have noticed that anytime a N, NW or NE wind is predicted. Every weather forecast gets it wrong. It is always blowing more then they predict will be. Especially in the summer months. I am not sure if it is that the water is warmer and it has an effect on what is normally cooler weather that comes in with those kinds of wind. Most of the time if they are predicting a wind from any direction out of the north, I just stay home. Have made the trip up there only to turn right around and head back home. 
What I really do like about iwindsurf is that it does give you and hour by hour direction and speed. There have been many days where the NOAA forecast would say NW winds, but iwindsurf hour by hour forecast would have it at SW till around 1 or 2pm then switching to the NW. That is huge cause then I know I can go out till noon or so and catch some fish that I normally wouldn't even have gone up for.


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## Gottagofishn (Nov 18, 2009)

Honestly, if you watch the forecast religiously, you can really get a feel for what is going to happen based on your experience. If conditions have been changing a lot prior to your trip it's time to be cautious. Stable weather and your good to go. When things are unstable, as mentioned, it sure can get squirrely quick. 

I find iWindsurf is a good tool but not as spot on as many have said. It does become more accurate as that particular timeline approaches. Still, just an educated guess. After all, they are attempting to predict which way an invisible force is moving.


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## Yeada (May 21, 2013)

lawrence tracey said:


> guys be safe out there... today was no surprise..
> 
> heres my goto site...whats yours?
> 
> http://www.iwindsurf.com/windandwhere.iws?regionID=95&siteID=7701


have never relied on "Idon'tNOAA" always check windy.com before I leave gives current windspeed&direction


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## rickerd (Jul 16, 2008)

I've been using windy.com the last year too and find it to be very accurate forecast even 24 hours out.
Rickerd


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## Gottagofishn (Nov 18, 2009)

Honestly, I imagine Windy is probably about the same as iWindsurf as they both utlize data from the same sources. IMHO


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## roundbadge (Jul 7, 2018)

consistent weather patterns also have plenty to do with waves..........this isn't news to all the Erie vets


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## Seaturd (Apr 14, 2004)

About 6 yrs ago the wife and I made the run to the weather buoy out of Lorain on a glass calm late morning. I had a Triton DV176 with a 90 hp Merc at the time. We immediately got into fish but about an hour into it a slight NE breeze came up. It didn't take long to develop into tight 1 footers. I told her it was time to pull lines and to put on her lifejacket. She did so while questioning why we were leaving already. We made it about 8 miles at full throttle before I had to back off or destroy my hull. The last 5 miles was in 3-5' following seas and the wind was whipping up the whitecaps like crazy. It was not a fun ride but it gave the wife a new respect for the lake.


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## Kenlow1 (Jul 14, 2012)

A-men to that brother, have had the same thing happen to us, have to keep a constant eye on conditions as sometimes depending how far out you are in the lake don't have the reaction time to get back in as weather can change in a blink of the eye.


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## roundbadge (Jul 7, 2018)

When we had that couple weeks of stable southern weather in July and the lake sat down for that period, what a bonus, but even one of the mornings we started in glass conditions, no breeze whatsoever, then in a matter of minutes, 2 footers out of the north?

Been out several times when in a 4-5 hour period on the lake, the winds changed all 4 compass directions


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## capt j-rod (Feb 14, 2008)

The eastern end of the lake is much more forgiving than the west. It is way easier to deal with 5' waves in 40' of water than 5' waves in 20' of water in the western basin. The only asset in the west is the islands give you a place to hide. Lake St Clair is the wildest body of water I have ever fished... Very shallow and whips up in the blink of an eye!


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## ress (Jan 1, 2008)

And the fish don't bite when the wind moves around like that.


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## moondog5814 (Apr 8, 2007)

I was on the Linda Mae a few years ago. The lake was flat as a pancake but there was just a little mist of rain. We made several moves to the east and I turned around and looked back towards Cleveland and it was black. The Captain told us to reel our stuff in and that it looked like we might get a little rain. Within 5 minutes, the rain was coming in sideways and there was at least 10 foot rollers. At least 5 people were puking their guts out and I ended up on the back of the boat holding on for dear life, soaked to the bone. I had to take a leak so bad that I ended up pissing my pants!. Didn't matter cause it all got washed out!! Worst day ever on the lake.


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## Misdirection (Jul 16, 2012)

About 25 years ago, my dad and I were fishing about 6 miles north of Ashtabula harbor when the coast guard pulled up to us recommending we get off the lake. First and only time that's ever happened. We pulled lines and ran for the harbor. By the time we were loading the boat on to the trailer at Lakeshore, the waves were coming over the breakwall. 

Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk


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## crestliner TS (Jun 8, 2012)

Spongebrain said:


> iWindsurf is always spot on to the hour, days in advance


windfinder.com is best


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## Spongebrain (Feb 12, 2007)

crestliner TS said:


> windfinder.com is best


Thanks I’ll check it out. Its been said already, look at as much info/forecasts as you can and make a decision. Don’t be too proud to wait. I pick my days religiously and emphasize stable patterns and Ive been on Erie several days smooth as glass. Haven’t been in anything over 3s and dont plan on it but would deal with it.


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## Bluewalleye (Jun 1, 2009)

crestliner TS said:


> windfinder.com is best


Thanks for posting this website. I have never heard or seen it before. I really like it.


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## chardoncrestliner (Dec 19, 2012)

Went out of Fairport Harbor on Thursday. The forecast said 2 feet or less. Got to the dock and the cooling towers off Perry were showing a heavy north wind. The winds were supposed to turn to the south, southwest. Tried to get past the breakwall but there were 4 to 5 footers. There had to be at least 4 or 5 boats casting and trolling within the breakwall. You would have thought that the guy at the Port Authority would have given me back the $10 launching fee. You just never know about Lake Erie. I see a boat capsized out of Mentor. Not sure of the disposition on that one.


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## Popspastime (Apr 1, 2014)

That guy at Fairport won't give you doodly squat.. I'm thinking he's a skimmer anywho..


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## odell daniel (Nov 5, 2015)

I destroyed my trolling motor a couple years ago coming in from the islands, was having a great day smallmouth fishing I seen a storm pass by Cedar point, I make a break for the mainland on flat water but got caught a mile or so out, wow scared the crap out of me...17 ft deep v. been caught twice in 15 years, got a little lazy with the forecast.


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## JM1 (Jul 5, 2014)

One reason I joined this forum (and others) was the sharing of great information. Due to the responses given here, I have added the Windy app and Windfinder to my phone.


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## bustedrod (May 13, 2015)

give this a look glbuyos.glos.us you can check out data from these and a couple have live cams ...and graphical.weather.gov more good info... or shoresandislands.com and wunderground.com and fisgonia.com the crib cam off Cleveland.. all good sources of info. enjoy


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## Fishinaddict (Sep 23, 2014)

I've seen it go glass to 5 footers in 15 minutes=severe thunderstorm. Then after we got back in and put the boat on trailer, back to glass. All in about 30-45 minutes. IDC if you all believe me but if you boat on Lake Erie long enough you WILL find out!


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## Gottagofishn (Nov 18, 2009)

It's true, Erie seems like such a paradise.... until that storm rolls in.

In the posts from guys new to the lake that asks what equipment they should have on board, include an extra pair of boxers for those unfamiliar with the term "wind and waves may be higher near thunderstorms".


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## drl149 (Nov 23, 2014)

I was at a country concert last year end of july... drinking my fishing buddy messages me a picture of the forecast which showed a 4 hour window to fish... Drinking I thought 12 fish 4 hours doable. Its now 11pm and I am feeling pretty good so told him to be at my house at 4am... I got home from the concert at 130 am and feeling pretty buzzed... My girlfriend said you really are not going I said ya I am... so I go to bed my alarm goes off at 330... I look out the window and there is what I didn't want to see at this time, my buddy brandon already parked in the drive... I reluctantly get up and rinse off hoping it would help cure the incredible headache I had... nope so I make coffee and stumble out of the house telling brandon I didn't get anything ready... he said no problem and helped get the truck and boat hooked up.. living 60 minutes from conny we head north to the lake. The forecast for this day was 10 mph out of NE early building to 30mph out of NE... well that didn't take into the count of the residual on the lake and the gusts out there.. we pull into conny on a friday morning at 540 am and not a boat in the parking lot... should of been my first clue... my buddy says we got front row parking... I just shake my head.. we unload the boat and head towards the break wall .. as I am looking at the breakwall I ask brandon is that water coming over the breakwall he says, "sure is better put the top up on the fishmaster"... we put the top up and head northeast in 3 to 5s as we are slowly heading out my stomach starts to not feel to well... we are in 50 fow and I tell brandon I have to pee, not true actually had to throw up out of the back of the boat... not wanting brandon to know I had thrown up I tell him to keep driving till he hits 68 fow... as he starts to turn the boat around I look at the graph and we are 1 mile into Pennsylvania... I told him screw it just troll it back to ohio there isn't another boat out here... we start setting rods got 2 dipsy out and one pops with a fish... I thought hey maybe we will be out of here fast... nope my stomach starts turning again as I set the number 3 dipsy back again the number 1 hits and I throw up all over the reel... its now all of 6 footers with some 7 footers in there now.. I hand brandon the rod and he said there is puke all over I said I know but I can't reel it in... he reels it in after washing the reel in the lake... walleye #2 in the box... now I have to pee... so I pee in the urinal and go to dump it out the back of the boat and the wind blows it back in the boat all over brandon... he says you pi$$#d on me . Told him I was done and sat in the chair... he fished for another hour with the dipsy's constantly tripping from the surge I finally called it when I felt there we legitimately 8 footers out of the north east pushing us to ashtabula... feeling sick I was 6 miles from port but took me 1.5 hours to get back... one of the most stupidest decisions I ever made on that lake... I didn't feel right for 30+ hours after that ordeal...


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## bustedrod (May 13, 2015)

wow you one tough ombre I have been out in heavy water barfin my guts out like you . I does take days to recover from an ordeal like that.....


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## Farmhand (Jul 11, 2011)

I must be either really lucky or have the forecasts figured out fairly well, I’ve been fishing up there since the mid 90s the only time I’ve really gotten in a mess was one time before there was internet or reliable wind forecasts. Sure I’ve went out and had it get kind of nasty , but never anything I was to worried about. Hope my luck continues.


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## Popspastime (Apr 1, 2014)

You eliminate all that by Not going out when it's bad waiting for it to get worse.. makes no sense.


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