# Any advice on Presque Isle ?



## icehuntR (Dec 18, 2005)

Does anyone have advice on fishing Presque ? Will be heading up there weather permitting Saturday morning.I've fished there the last 4-5 years usually the 3rd 4th parking lots . Kinda in a rut since I don't have the confidence to try different spots. I know the ice won't be thick all over there so some suggestions now may not be so good .However any & all advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!! P.S. Presque is a panfish mecca you can really get into them ,for those of you who have never been there.It's worth the PA license.I've caught trout/bass/pike/gills/perch/crappie/pumpkin/& redears[I think].Some days you don't know what you'll hook!! :B


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## Grouse Man (Sep 15, 2006)

do you ever hook into any walleyes? I have never been there before but I am planing on giving it a try this year. How much is a PA licence?


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## krustydawg (Apr 26, 2004)

I have never seen a walleye caught but everything that Icehuntr mentioned is in there. Attached is a link to buy PA licenses online. Big perch can be caught out in the channel on the city side off Chestnut but this area is the last to freeze up. Hopefully the ice holds through March (jumbo perch time) ! 

http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Exec/Fish_Boat/faqlice.htm#3


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## icehuntR (Dec 18, 2005)

A friend caught some walleye there years ago.5 - 6 yrs ago ? The lower eye population in the lake haS HURT the ice eye fishing there. Try www.fishusa.com its FishErie.com link has fish reports & discussions for all of Penn. you can get bait shop phone #s . Someone listed some of them in either the PI or Erie post. Mosquito - Pymt or western Erie are better eye spots . Espcially if Mosquito has enough ice this weekend , first ice eyes!!


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## Grouse Man (Sep 15, 2006)

thanks krustydawg Ill be sure to make it up there this year and hopefully see you guys up there. how thick do you think the ice is , and how thick does it have to be to be safe.


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## true2plue (Jul 12, 2004)

icehuntR said:


> A friend caught some walleye there years ago.5 - 6 yrs ago ? The lower eye population in the lake haS HURT the ice eye fishing there.


Not trying to start anything here, but hasn't Lake Erie walleye fishing been on the rise the past couple years?


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## bassmastermjb (Apr 8, 2004)

From what I understand, the fingerling walleye are stocked in the bay, but for some reason they never return after they mature.And for those who will be visiting Presque for the first time, take some ben-gay,your arms will be very sore by the end of the day.......Mark


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## parsaver36 (Jun 11, 2004)

go on up to the paper mill


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## jimbobber (Feb 24, 2005)

what road do you take once you get there .to the fishing spots or what land marks.
P.I is a big place . ive never been there .


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## krustydawg (Apr 26, 2004)

jimbobber said:


> what road do you take once you get there .to the fishing spots or what land marks.
> P.I is a big place . ive never been there .


Exit the Route 90 on Route 832 North (Peninsula Drive) this will take you past a few baitshops and right into the park.

http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.ad...at=&address=&city=Erie&state=PA&zipcode=#west


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## Bdrape (May 26, 2004)

Just look for the shanty town. There are plenty of fish to go around and if you see numbers of fishermen in an area it likely means that the fish are there. Like an earlier post mentioned, some of the bigger perch can at times be near the channel. The channel is also where the suspect ice will be the next couple of weeks. The first time I went up there, my auger was useless and I just fished from others previously drilled holes. My son and I caught eighty four fish in the last hour. Mostly bluegill with a few crappie mixed in.

Have fun, and if possible make a weekend out of it.

Bdrape


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## jimbobber (Feb 24, 2005)

thanks guys for imfo . what i needed to know was what part of the island do u park at and what road do u take . 


thanks jim


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## zpyles_00 (Dec 15, 2004)

Think I might even be interested in heading up there this weekend, Sat/Sun

So the Ice is good I take it

How about fishing reports ?


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## krustydawg (Apr 26, 2004)

jimbobber said:


> thanks guys for imfo . what i needed to know was what part of the island do u park at and what road do u take .
> 
> 
> thanks jim


Jim,
Peninsula Drive will take you right into the park. There are 4 parking lots I believe. Most people head out on to the ice from Parking Lots 2-4.


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## zpyles_00 (Dec 15, 2004)

hmmm high of 14 low 5 saturday high 11 low 3 sunday......... long way to drive to freeze me bum off. Never do that good when it's that cold either. I might reconsider till next weekend


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## bassmastermjb (Apr 8, 2004)

You will need to make a LEFT on 832 , drive 10 miles and it will lead you right through the entrance of the park.Stop at Hansen's Bait at the bottom of the hill at the entrance of the park for your bait.He'll load you up on the shiners for a couple bucks.My only complaint is he's not there at 5:00am sometimes when he should be open.Those perch are on fire before the sun comes up, so I like to be in the park when they open the gates at 5am.I just love those Jumbos out there.My biggest take was 3 years ago when the limit was only 20 perch per man. The 20 I brought home weighed a total of 45lbs, all on minnow heads on jigging spoons.They would not touch the whole minnow.Fish the channel till you get your limit of perch, then move to the shallows for the gills.The best perchin is from the middle of Feb to the end of March.You also have to take a camera with you.I've been out there many times and on certain days there will be hundreds if not a thousand shanties on the ice.It'll blow your mind at the number of fishermen in that bay, and they're all catching fish........Mark


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## jimbobber (Feb 24, 2005)

hey thanks again on the imfo . one more question . BASSMASTER is there any 
cheap hotels on or around 832 . if iam going up there id like to stay over nite,
sorry for all the questions i should have made a list 

thanks jim


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## pymybob (May 28, 2004)

If your fishing the Bay and need a room, the El Patio is the only place to stay! Good room, good price (fisherman discount w/ licence) and they have a bar/lounge too! Just ask Dale about the barmaids from a couple years ago...hubba hubba! 

Its a straight shot to the Isle too. Here is their info:

El Patio Motel
2950 West 8th & Peninsula Drive
Erie, PA
817-838-9772

Good luck and let us know how you do.


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## DaleM (Apr 5, 2004)

I don't remember anything!  I was only there for the fishing  :B and maybe a little :T . Anyone that goes will love the fishing, it's hard to discribe.


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## krustydawg (Apr 26, 2004)

bassmastermjb said:


> .My biggest take was 3 years ago when the limit was only 20 perch per man. The 20 I brought home weighed a total of 45lbs,


That was some day, avg. perch weighing in at 2.25 lbs !


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## bassmastermjb (Apr 8, 2004)

Jimbobber, send me a PM with your address.I have all the literature from Presque here.I'll mail you out a map of the bay along with other info that will be helpful.I usually stop in the Rangers office and grab a handful everytime I'm there.The one pamphlet has all the bait shops, hotels, restaurants, hospitals and everything else you might need with the phone numbers.It's out of season there in the wintertime, so most rooms are cheap............Mark


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## bassmastermjb (Apr 8, 2004)

Here you go guys.This is the website for Presque Isle Bay.All the information you need is right here http://www.presqueisle.org/ http://www.goerie.com/fishing

...........Mark


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## jimbobber (Feb 24, 2005)

thanks agine bass// . got enough info .all I need now is the rite bait . I will check out the bait store up there . they should set me up . Iam planing to go feb. 15 . if the ice frpm the looks of the forcast iam going .

thanks jim


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## bassmastermjb (Apr 8, 2004)

There's no such thing as the right bait, cuz everything works there for the gills.If you want the perch you gotta head out to the channel in 20ft of water.Use a jigging spoon 1/8oz - 1/4oz and take the treble hook off.Tie a 3"piece of heavy 20lb mono to the splitring then tie your hook preference back on to the mono.The spoon will attract the perch from a distance.Once they get close, your offering will me too much to resist.I've even used a #6 short shank loaded with maggots and had great results with this set up.Jigging Rapalas are another good one to use............Mark


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## jimbobber (Feb 24, 2005)

hey mark . would a drop shot method . using some kind of flash on it . that is all i use for perch in lake erie is just the drop shot . and you said to use the head only .

thanks jim


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## bassmastermjb (Apr 8, 2004)

Guys, try this one it's even better.Click on fishing reports for daily Presque Isle reports http://www.fishusa.com/FishErie/Map9.asp ........Mark


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## bassmastermjb (Apr 8, 2004)

Jimbobber, dropshot method will work.You gotta stir up the dirt with your sinker, or jigging spoon.It's no different than the way you would fish for them anywhere else, just gotta take the hike out to the channel........Mark


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## true2plue (Jul 12, 2004)

Shoot!!!!!I wouldn't mind falling through the ice if I knew I could catch 20 perch that weighed 45lbs. That's sweeet!!!!!!!P.S. Any pictures from that day????


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## bassmastermjb (Apr 8, 2004)

Sorry, no pics.I'm not a picture person.The last picture I took of a fish was back in the early 80's.Funny story with the big perch from Persque.I have them all laying on the table getting ready to fillet.My dad stops over, comes into the kitchen, sees the fish and says "Nice Walleye Mark".............Mark


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