# PI questions



## SummersOff (Feb 11, 2007)

I would like to head up to PI tomorrow after work. Probably just stay the night and fish Saturday. My question is what is the best bait shop to go to, what is the name of that cheap hotel, and where would we suggest I fish out of for a mixed bag (I'm getting tired of catching gills and would love to hook into a northern or steelie)? Thanks for the help!


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## CRAPPIE LOVER (Feb 11, 2007)

If I were you I would PM..bassmastermjb...He is pretty knowledgable..When it comes to PI...I would check the snow level too...So far they had 120 inches snow this year..Not all that will be on the ground right now but may have a lot...Enjoy......Jim....


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## Big Daddy (Apr 6, 2004)

I'll be up there Saturday with a few fellow OGFers... If you could, get bait before you head up there. I'm getting bait tomorrow for the trip up. Every time I buy waxworms up there, they're ratty and expensive.


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## PapawSmith (Feb 13, 2007)

I haven't been there lately but know they have been hitting Misery Bay pretty hard. My buddy was there last week, just lookin, and said he talked to a guy that had several nice gills, a few perch, and had caught 2 Steelhead. He said he had been to the other side of the bay, where the other pack of guys are, the day prior and was skunked.
If you go you have to stay at El Patio, you just have to.  
There is a bait shop on the same road as El Patio, 832, on the east side of the road before you get into the park. Can't think of the name of it, I just give him a bunch of money and never pay attention to his sign.


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## Reel Thing (Apr 5, 2004)

We usually stay at the El Patio hotel top of the hill from PI 
http://www.elpatioerie.com/
64 on the weekend 54 sun- thur 10&#37; discount if you show your fishing license

Web site has links to the bait stores

There's a bait store on top of the hill as well 
BAC some like it some don't it's convenient

other tackle store that usually gets the thumbs up is Poor Richards

Pumpkinseeds are the most caught
perch can be good 
You hear of a few cappies
Steelheads always seem to hear of a few caught
Largemouth Bass always seem to get a few

I'm heading that way this weekend for a few days I mostly go after the perch

Hope this helps
George


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## PapawSmith (Feb 13, 2007)

Big Daddy said:


> I'll be up there Saturday with a few fellow OGFers... If you could, get bait before you head up there. I'm getting bait tomorrow for the trip up. Every time I buy waxworms up there, they're ratty and expensive.


Carl, great to hear your heading out there, that means your feeling well! (Or at least well'er) Wish I could make it there this weekend, I always seem to manage to miss these OGF fun days.  I have a guy looking at a boat I'm selling Sat at noon and a bunch of kid things after that. Wish I could bring all the kids up fishing but I would need 4-2 person shanty's and another couple hundered dollars in gear.  I can only afford a couple at a time, and it's tough to pick a 'couple' when the whole gang is staring me down. Guess I'll have to catch with my Bro Chaunc  another day.
Hope you guys have a great, and productive, time.


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## SummersOff (Feb 11, 2007)

Thanks for the help, of course I will take any additional comments. I will try and get bait first if possibly, but I'll probably just end up sucking it up and buying it there. I remember last time, my dad took me a few years ago, the prices were really high at the bait shop. Probably the BAC. We stayed at the El Patio last time, I new you guys would have the name handy. We will probably stay there again if this all works out. Thanks again for the help.


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## Big Daddy (Apr 6, 2004)

Maybe next weekend, we'll stay a couple days...

Nick is coming along to help me out on the ice, along with Walt, Joey, and cfish, unless he has to work. I'll have lots of help.

Should be fun. We're going to try the third parking lot, I think... We'll see what happens when we get up there.

George, do you still have my cell number? See you up there.


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## PapawSmith (Feb 13, 2007)

Summersoff, If you wanted to pick bait up ahead of time Mumfords in Litchfield has been doing pretty good at keeping a good bit of live bait on hand. I've been suprised that pretty much everything live bait wise they've had it including a few types of minnows. They have red maggots (I recommend you try them) and she said, last week, she was ordering mousies. 
Don't know where you get yours in Wooster but Mumfords is not far.
Good luck on your outing.


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## icehuntR (Dec 18, 2005)

Yup , I trust BAC for minnows only when it comes to bait. Their grubs can be iffy & they can be out of them as I found out the hard way. Bring your own grubs get your minnies there . There are a few hotels right before PI. EL is one of them.It's a sweet spot , rooms , bait , restaurants , and the Bay snuggled up all together. Can almost smell the pumpkinseeds now . :G


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## [email protected] (Jun 13, 2004)

Havent been up there yet this year but reports on the other board say there is 6-8 inches of snow in spots and 3-4 in others, probably start hitting it next week. Glad to see that youre getting out Carl.


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## GusOrviston (Mar 10, 2007)

I vote for Poor Richard's for bait. Nice lively emerald shiner minnows and nice tackle. Coming from OH, it's not far out of the way. Nice people there.


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## Big Daddy (Apr 6, 2004)

Rods are ready. Got the bait. Got the jigs. Got the snacks. Truck is gassed up. Vexilar batteries charged. Lantern is ready. Cameras ready with extra batteries. Got the two way radio (CH 6).

Snow shovel packed too!

There will be VERY little sleep tonight. Can't wait!


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## Full_Choke (Apr 13, 2004)

Good luck guys!
Been stuck in Indiana all week and rather be making the trip with you guys.
Save some for next weekend.
Steve


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## jiggineyes22 (Mar 4, 2008)

went up a couple weeks ago and did well in misery bay.Lots of real nice gills,a few slab crappies,and 6 huge perch.I got my bait the day before we left.


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## Big Daddy (Apr 6, 2004)

Well, we're back...

the fish won the day today for sure. Only THREE yes I said it THREE keepers today! we fished lot #2 about 300 yds out. LONG drag. Marked a lot of fish. I caught 25 or so perch... I keeper. Also, only 1- 9 inch gill. Nick got 1 keeper perch and about 8-9 dinks. Walt and Joey got skunked! can't believe it.

We would have moved around more but the pull rope on Walt's power auger broke... Oh well. 

Still had fun, even with teh long tough walk in the snow, and I'll be looking for advice in teh right direction of where the fish are up there.


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## bassmastermjb (Apr 8, 2004)

WOW, and I was looking forward all day to see some pictures.............Mark


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## Big Daddy (Apr 6, 2004)

I was looking forward to taking pix too... We weren't in the right spot, that's all. 

We'll get em though, I'm sure of that!


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## bassmastermjb (Apr 8, 2004)

Presque is the one place where the Aqua-view might be more important than the vex.Those gills don't like to leave the vegitation.Find the edges of the cabbage patches and you'll be on the fish.I need to take a roadtrip, those giant jumbos should be starting to school up in the channels..........Mark


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## Big Daddy (Apr 6, 2004)

I think we walked out past the first weedbed and not quite far enough to the others. I agree that we should have moved more to find the weeds, but we were limited. Oh well, we'll get em next week!

Depending on weather, I may be heading up during the week next week...


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## SummersOff (Feb 11, 2007)

Same results as big daddy this weekend. We went off of lot 2 for about an hour and then packed up and went to Missery Bay. Around a dozen gills and nothing big. A few bass swam by on the camera and a number of dink perch but no takers. It was nice to get out, but it was tough pulling with all that snow. Hotel story to come later in the day!


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

The El Patio hotel is special!

A few years ago when Steelhauler and I stayed there we had a 4" snow drift that occurred overnight INSIDE the door.


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## SummersOff (Feb 11, 2007)

El Patio...Where do I begin. 

This was my second time there but man was it an experience. First of all we booked a nonsmoking room and the only one they had left didn't have any heat so we were given the option of smoking room or no heat. We went with the heat. Then when we got to our room we had a handicap ramp that was close to 50' long not a problem, except it was covered in snow that was anywhere from 2-3' deep. So we laughed and shoveled are way to the door. The lock was then frozen so the key wouldn't work. Finally we got in the room, it was super nasty. Hairs in the bed and on the pillow. We had a mini fridge so I opened it to put the bait in....it smelled like someone had the same idea and forgot to plug it in and left the bait. 

I'm not writing this to complain as my brother and I don't really care we just slept in our clothes. I am just thinking for $60 bucks a night there is probably somewhere close by for a similar price that isn't such a dump. If it was still $40 a night I cold deal with it, but I think they are pushing there luck at $60. 

All in all we had a good time and the hotel was just something to laugh about.


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