# I went to "the bowl"......



## idontknow316 (Mar 21, 2008)

And that sum b% tch was empty! Lol oh yeah took them all 

I think I need Mr. Stedke to help me with this reef runner stuff. I feel like tuning was a factor.

I've pulled fish on reefs, but not consistently enough to feel confident. I trolled from Cranberry to just west of the castle and back......nothin, not even a sheep. Damn. :banghead:


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## ErieRider (Mar 23, 2010)

I would recommend picking up a tune-a-fish over using pliers. use small adjustments. If you can "feel" it move, you have moved it too much. This document should help.

http://www.reefrunnerlures.com/images/tunafishinstlow.jpg


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## Lucky Touch Charters (Jun 19, 2011)

yesterday we found them in the afternoon east of "the bowl". The crank bite was not that good though. Worm harneses with pink and purple were hot!!! Way too many trash fish in there so I wouldn't recommend running harnesses unless you have a flat of worms, strong arms, and lots of patience. We only caught 1 eye and one sheep on reef runners. We never seen another fishing boat at all.


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## idontknow316 (Mar 21, 2008)

Thanks guys, I guess my problem is, I am having a hard time being able to tell if its out of tune. I'm letting 10 feet out and watching but they seem to track straight, but from what I've read, chances are they are not tuned. I didn't see any other boats getting their nets wet either.


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## Jason Pelz (Mar 6, 2012)

Drop your RR back 30 ft and give it a steady 1/2 speed reel back in. If the lure is tuned well it will pull straight down the whole way. If it is slightly out of tune you will see the line pull left or right. If it is way out of tune the bait will surface way behind the boat and keep rolling over.

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## Jim Stedke (Dec 5, 2005)

Jason nailed the acid test.


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## idontknow316 (Mar 21, 2008)

Thanks Jason

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## Jason Pelz (Mar 6, 2012)

You're welcome. 

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## 34181 (May 6, 2012)

If it helps, I fished with my 9 yr old grandson, his first time walleye fishing,
we picked up 3 on perch husky jerks out of Cranberry Creek. Fished from
2:30-6pm today. Could not get anything going on the Reef Runners, switched to the Husky jerks and got him his first Walleye, man is he happy. Sounded tough for everyone in the area today.
Dan


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## Alaskan20 (Feb 18, 2013)

Fished this evening, 18 fow got 6. 5 of them on purple perch husky jerk. 20-30 back. Other on green flash rr 30 back.


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## 34181 (May 6, 2012)

We may have left too early.


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## herefishy (May 2, 2011)

I drove 90 minutes to get there and got skunked...


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## OhYeah (Apr 29, 2005)

idontknow316 said:


> And that sum b% tch was empty! Lol oh yeah took them all


Yes, I've been hittin em hard the past few weeks but I did not catch the last one :doh: On Saturday, it took me awhile to find 'em, in 26-30fow. I used my electronics to eliminate alot of water before finding a very active pod. 

In my last post, I mentioned I did not know where these fish came from. My average catch size was wayyyy higher than normal. In the past 90% of my catches were 16-18". Not one fish on Sat was under 18". I'm not bragging, I'm thinking the big school of small fish - may have migrated. Just like I believe the bigger fish caught Sat were a "new" migrated pod/school. 

The phenomenal catching off Huron in July and early August this year has NOT been a normal pattern. There is usually a fair number of resident fish to be caught, but the big school of fish hanging in the area this year has been abnormal. 

I'll be fishing the bowl again today, and I'll be honest.....it would not surprise me at all if that big school has indeed ~ left the building. 

With today's wind, I'll be in the bowl again. If anyone else is out today, feel free to give me a shout on the radio. Tag-teaming works 

GR on 79


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## Jason Pelz (Mar 6, 2012)

GR, watch the fish finder as soon as you leave the Huron river and see what you think. I think a lot of the fish were moving west Friday because I had really nice marks all the way from Cranberry creek back to the Huron river when we were heading back in. Old woman's creek or Ruggles may be the new hot spot for the week.


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## penalty box (Nov 2, 2011)

where is the bowl?


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## Jason Pelz (Mar 6, 2012)

Huron to Vermilion. Its a large area but the shape from the Huron river river to the Vermilion river represents a bowl shape from an overhead view.


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## Lucky Touch Charters (Jun 19, 2011)

OhYeah said:


> Yes, I've been hittin em hard the past few weeks but I did not catch the last one :doh: On Saturday, it took me awhile to find 'em, in 26-30fow. I used my electronics to eliminate alot of water before finding a very active pod.
> 
> In my last post, I mentioned I did not know where these fish came from. My average catch size was wayyyy higher than normal. In the past 90% of my catches were 16-18". Not one fish on Sat was under 18". I'm not bragging, I'm thinking the big school of small fish - may have migrated. Just like I believe the bigger fish caught Sat were a "new" migrated pod/school.
> 
> ...


 Maybe they moved east because On Sunday we caught 1 FO, 2 @ 27", several @ 23-25", and only [email protected] 1/2". We were just east of the bowl in 26'-32' fow


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## OhYeah (Apr 29, 2005)

...still there today 
However, they were a lot more scattered today from 21 - 32fow. 
1/2 came on 800RR's, 70-90 back Barbie was best 
1/2 on harnesses, 3 oz tadpole back 35 was best with 2 oz #5 colorado back 60 PinkPanties with chartreuse back best

Found the marks pretty quick, but took awhile to adjust the best speed up to 2 -2.2 mph and drop a size in blades.

Well over 30 boats in the area, and only 1 person wanted to work together to find em. We both did well  Good workin' with ya Duncan.

Jason, last week I trolled all the way to the green can in front of the river and we picked fish the whole way ! Played C&R from Cranberry to the can. As long as they were bitin, we kept trolling. 

There's 1 - 22'r out there and probably still laughing as he wriggled out of my grasp, bounced off the casting deck and did a perfect 10 swan dive back in the water.


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## Jason Pelz (Mar 6, 2012)

We will be out Friday morning and possibly again Saturday morning as well and I am always willing to work with others. We will have a couple boats in our group and lots of lines in the water. Channel 79 will be on but its sometimes hard to hear over the stereo but will respond when I do hear people.

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## 34181 (May 6, 2012)

Needing a little help, have not ran harnesses much and yesterday tried.
would run for a while and check lines only to find the whole crawler was
gone. Running big boards with in line weights. Repeated the whole process
without and fish, just lost a bunch of crawlers. Harness are from Cranberry
creek marina double willow blades with single hook in front and treble in back. 
Am I hooking them wrong? or just junk fish picking crawler off? Is
that just the process with junk fish? Any help is appreciated.
thanks,
Dan


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## Alaskan20 (Feb 18, 2013)

Waiting to hear ur replies...... I also tried them but just about every time I checked lines found small white perch/bass hooked. Didn't even know they were on......


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## Lucky Touch Charters (Jun 19, 2011)

Hey Dan,

If your fishing that skinny water around huron or vermilion there is a lot of trash fish in there. So much that if you can get em on cranks I would not recommend using harnesses in that water. None the less I would suggest that when you let out your harnesses let them out slowly and keep tension on the line as it goes back. This will keep the bait fishing as you let it out but it also keeps the weight from sinking to fast and reduces the chance of a trash fish grabbing the worm without you detecting it. Same thing as you let it out on the board again go slow and fish the bait the entire time. On sunday we fished in close with harnesses and it was best to let out slowly and try to detect the bait thieves. Once we got the bait in the walleye zone we could easily get one the hard part was getting the bait to the eyes. The amount trash fish in close is just horrendous.


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## 34181 (May 6, 2012)

Thanks, that helps. I did notice i let it out too quickly and it hit bottom quick. I will try the slow process.


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## Kidsatplay (Aug 18, 2012)

I will be out Saturday also. I am planning to go out of cranberry, I am not a veteran or even a novice but i will try to help as much as possible.


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## lil goose (Oct 16, 2009)

Don't be afraid to try the 16-19 fow!! Last saturday they seemed to be hanging on that drop off 17-19 was the only place we had any action and not 1 white perch!! Good luck,Goose


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## ChinnAgain (May 28, 2012)

Early morning sun up and late right at dark we have been picking some up even shallower in 8-12 fow.


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## Alaskan20 (Feb 18, 2013)

Headed up Friday evening again. Anyone that wants to work together give me a shout. 419 765 0238. Tom


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## EYEFISHER2 (May 11, 2008)

Hey tom we plan on headin out of huron around 6 am saturday gimme a shout if your going to be there


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## Jason Pelz (Mar 6, 2012)

2-3's out of the North right now. Nice walleye chop.

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## Jason Pelz (Mar 6, 2012)

Tough day for nine fish. Trolled Huron river to the castle for 1 fish. Circled between cranberry and the castle about 6 or 8 times for 6 more fish and then trolled back to the river for 2 more. Biggest was about 8 lbs rest were all 17-23". Green flash RR 115-130 back was by far the best. Took two on harnesses but lost 3 dozen worms in the process.

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## Kenlow1 (Jul 14, 2012)

Jason-how deep of water were you getting most of your fish? Many other boats out there with you? Thanks for the report.


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## Jason Pelz (Mar 6, 2012)

23-28 feet and there were a lot of boats. Half were trolling and the other half were drifting off the castle and cranberry creek.

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## alumcreeker (Nov 14, 2008)

I've took 2 3man limits in the last two trips last trip being on tuesday we were told to run reef runners tried them they sucked before 5pm dipseys and spoons are the ticket almost every fish on them a lot of trash tons of trash but you will pick eyes in the mix 20 to 31fow 2.5 mph 33 to 40 back just keep changing colors on spoons purple gold red white all gold backs and really no fish before noon maybe 2 3 but from 1pm til dark fish come on trolled from castle to vermilion river 

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## talltim (Jul 25, 2008)

Jason nice to meet you today at the ramp. We had a tuff day did not run as long of leads as Jason, we were 35 to 75 back. Got 2 fish both west of cranberry 24 to 26 fow. Most have lost 6 more half way in, just seemed like a strange bit today. Good luck out there.


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## Jason Pelz (Mar 6, 2012)

It was nice meeting you also Tim. Maybe next time we cross paths it will be a better bite. 

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## Alaskan20 (Feb 18, 2013)

Pulled 6 this evening. Dhj purple perch worked for us. 90-120 back 30 fow


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## ChinnAgain (May 28, 2012)

I just came by this area on my way home from work and the bowl is full, of boats. There must be over 100 boats you can see from the Cranberry opening. Good news if you happen to break down you can walk to shore from deck to deck. I was hoping to go out trolling tonight but don't think it is possible to get through the pack.


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## "chillin" (Apr 20, 2012)

Came up last night with a buddy and trolled for about 3 hours. Ended up with ten fish, 16 to 33 fow in front of the castle. 65 leads in the deeper water and 40 leads in the skinny. Mostly 16-17 inch fish with a couple fat 20's in the mix. 

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## "chillin" (Apr 20, 2012)

Here's a pic

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## "chillin" (Apr 20, 2012)

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## "chillin" (Apr 20, 2012)

"the bowl" is still being pretty good to me.

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## herefishy (May 2, 2011)

Were going up to cranberry Friday evening... any advice on what was working for u ?

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## Jason Pelz (Mar 6, 2012)

We smacked them good from 9-11:30 this morning then the bite got real slow at the Huron dumping grounds. We landed 10 keepers, one throw back shorty at 13 7/8", lost 2 at the net and 2 more within 10 feet of the boat. Meat was king but we did take one on RR, of course the biggest one at that. All fish were in the 32' target depth range give or take a couple feet. Copper backs. Plenty of fish there for everyone. Another great day fishing with Gary / Oh Yeah. 

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## Jason Pelz (Mar 6, 2012)

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