Bass Presque Isle bay 5/29 fishing report

[fatboyjack1]

Hit Presque Isle bay and the main lake with my Dad on Sunday. My Dad come up every year from Indiana State to fish for a couple days.  Fished from around 6am to 6pm. I hope to give a detailed report here, without being too long winded.

Launch : Chestnut St boat ramp

Bay temp : 74

Main lake temp in 5-15 FOW : 65 up to 68

Main lake fishing 6am up to 10:30 : I have been wanting to fish the rock piles (breakwalls) on the NW side of the bay for years, decided to check it out for some smallie action. Started out at the first rock pile, which is about 10 foot deep. Water clarity was around 15 feet. Seen bass everywhere, but could not get a bite going. Threw jerks, in-lines and cranks (I refuse to fish tubes on beds). I caught 3 or 4, Dad picked up one. All smaller males. Was a beautiful morning on the main lake, perfect ESE wind, light yet variable. Waves were nonexistent. I actually saw one guy skiing on the main lake. We fished about 7 of the rock piles and decided to move towards Hammermill. Fished about 2 miles of shore from Hammermill towards Shades, didn't get much to show for the effort. I stayed inside the 15 FOW mark.....problaby should have moved out to the 20 where the bottom was not easily seen. Lots of followers, very few bites other than a couple red-eyes.

 

Bay fishing 11am to 6pm. Fished about every area of the bay with the exception of Misery and Horseshoe. Started on the park side, about 10 FOW off the ledge. I picked up 3 smallies, and my dad picked up 1 or 2 I think. The gills were relentless ! Must have just came off their beds. I caught the smalles on in-lines, dad caught one on a crank if I remember correctly. Way too many sight fishermen targeting beds (illegal at best)....could not bear to watch any more so I decided to make a move. Went to the yacht club and fished around the houses, picked up a bunch of gills and a smallie or two. Moved to the condos and picked up about 5 million gills, even on cranks.....gills were everywhere. Dad also picked up a nice 12-14 inch shad, and I picked up a 15 or so inch Sheep-head (best fight of the day). I also pick up the only LM of the day, which went about 2 pounds. Bay was way more rough than what the main lake was.

 

CONCLUSION : Bass boats have no concept of No-Wake zones (With-in 500' of shore on park side, within 100' otherwise). Jet-skies should require a coast guard course before you can drive one (bunch of idiots). If you take a kayak out in the middle of the bay on mememorial day, you will get to swim back to shore with your kayak. Sail boats.....I just don't understand it !

Sight fishermen trolling around looking for bedded fish are pathetic. The law specifically states you can't do it. Unfortunately 90% of the bass guys I saw were doing it. I am not talking about the guys casting and inadvertently catching them, I am talking about the guys who go right to the nest and drop vertically in hopes of annoying the fish into biting to protect it's nest.

Also, met Bo and Luke at the ramp (conservation officers). The one had his belly hanging out from under his vest (classic). Nice guys other than tying up the ramp at Chestnut. They were doing general safety checks which I am all for.....just let me get my boat out of the water first !! I had a bit of an attitude and didn't want the small talk.....I told the one guy "lets cut to the chase", what do you need from me so I can proceed. I provided my info and safety gear according to the law and we parted ways.

Lessons learned : I am more of a main lake and off-shore trolling guy.  

Questions : Just ask.

My new Mercury 115 4-stroke is an awesome motor when compared to my 1974 Mercury 115 2-stroke.

[problem child]

Lol typical memorial day on PIB...

[fatboyjack1]

You got that right......this was only the second year I fished the bay on Memorial day, NEVER AGAIN. I don't like fishing the bay even when it isn't Memorial day, but the smallie reports had my blood pumping to go. I really was hoping to get on them out in the main lake so we could avoid the bay, but just didn't happen.

However, I will never forget the little fat lady in the sailboat who flipped me off. I was overtaking them on my Starboard side (their port) and honked my horn twice (per the law) at them so they knew I was overtaking them. They had sails down and were under power of an engine. They were starting to turn in front of me.....just trying to be courteous to them and avoid collision. I understand they were the lead vessel and didn't have to maneuver out of my way, but their obligation is to keep course while being overtaken (they were the stand on vessel). My two horn blast was to give them opportunity to acknowledge my passing on the left (whereas one blast for passing on the right). I took her middle finger as an acknowledgment, and they proceeded to turn in front of me anyways (lol). If you don't know the laws, educate yourself. If they wanted me to wait due to them turning into a port.....they needed to give me 5 short blast to let me know it was NOT OK TO PASS.  

 

Glad it is over and looking forward to staying out on the main lake. Good riddance to PIB !!