Captain
Destin DeMarion

Member since October 2024 Erie, United States
Background
Destin DeMarion is a former Bassmaster Elite Series Pro and U.S.C.G. Licensed Captain, operating Big Fat Bass Guide Service on Lake Erie for a decade. He loves to share his passion for fishing with others and has a passion for targeting big smallmouths on Lake Erie. He lives on the shores of Lake Erie, in Harborcreek, PA.
Techniques
Artificial. Light Tackle. Power Fishing. Finesse Fishing.

Hey, I'm Captain Destin DeMarion

Erie, United States
Background
Destin DeMarion is a former Bassmaster Elite Series Pro and U.S.C.G. Licensed Captain, operating Big Fat Bass Guide Service on Lake Erie for a decade. He loves to share his passion for fishing with others and has a passion for targeting big smallmouths on Lake Erie. He lives on the shores of Lake Erie, in Harborcreek, PA.
Techniques
Artificial. Light Tackle. Power Fishing. Finesse Fishing.
Our Team
Destin D.
Captain

My Charter Listing

Excellent
5.0 / 5
(13 reviews)
Erie
 Instant Confirmation
Trips from US $225

Fishing Reports

Hot Walleye Bite on Erie
Hot Walleye Bite on Erie
Jun 25, 2025 Erie
Iโ€™ve been fully embracing the shorts-and-sandals weather lately โ€” and here in Erie, PA, we know to cherish every warm, sunny day we get. With this warm-up, Lake Erieโ€™s main lake temperatures have climbed into the low 70s, and fish are responding. The bass are wrapping up their spawn and transitioning into more classic early summer patterns. Weโ€™re seeing smallmouth start to slide off into deeper water, which only gets better as we move into July. Bass Update Presque Isle Bay is thinning out as more fish migrate to the main lake. Right now, productive depths range from 10 to 35 feet, with fish gradually heading deeper as water temps continue to climb. Look for them near rock, contour breaks, and transitions. Best baits right now include: Drop shots with minnow, goby, or perch imitations Ned rigs, tubes, and swimbaits Spy baits, crankbaits, and hair jigs (especially in clearer water) Walleye Bite on Fire The walleye fishing is red hot in PA waters right now โ€” and yes, itโ€™s possible to get in on the action without trolling or burning much gas. Iโ€™ve been casting and jigging for quick limits, using a mix of Humminbird and Lowrance electronics (360 Imaging + Active Target 2). Itโ€™s an efficient and fun way to catch them. On a recent trip, I took out a young guy named Micah, who had never caught walleye this way. After watching me dial in a quick limit, he turned around and landed his own. It was awesome to see him adapt, learn to read the electronics, and trigger bites from finicky fish. If you want a more interactive experience than traditional trolling or bottom bouncing, this is it. And for those with their own boats, I also offer instructional trips โ€” Iโ€™ll show you exactly how to replicate this approach with the right tools and strategy. Where to Find Fish Smallmouth Bass: Depths: 10โ€“35โ€ฒ, gradually trending deeper Areas: Main lake points, offshore structure, deeper breaks Presentation: Match the forage โ€“ gobies, shiners, perch Walleye: Depths: 40โ€“65โ€ฒ holding the biggest numbers Zones: Just outside the peninsula, east toward Shades Beach, and west of Walnut Techniques: Most guys trolling or bottom bouncing worm harnesses (still very effective) Iโ€™ve had best luck casting with jigheads + minnow/crawler imitations Weโ€™re loading freezers โ€” and you can too! Trip Options & July Availability Want the best of both worlds? We can mix trips โ€” a few hours of bass fishing, followed by walleye casting. Itโ€™s an awesome way to explore what Lake Erie has to offer. Bass trips are filling in July, but I still have a few open spots. If you want in on this walleye bite or learn how to do it yourself, nowโ€™s the time to reach out. Tight lines, Captain Destin DeMarion Big Fat Bass Guide Service
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Early Summer Erie Report
Early Summer Erie Report
Jun 18, 2025 Erie
Itโ€™s been a wet and weird spring on Lake Erie, but with next weekโ€™s projected heat wave, we should be firmly into our early summer patterns in the next couple of weeks. First, I want to offer a heartfelt thank you to everyone whoโ€™s been reading these reports and booking trips this spring. This season has exceeded all expectations, and Iโ€™m incredibly grateful. Leaving the corporate world and putting a pause on tour-level fishing was a big riskโ€”but through prayer and the steady support of so many of you, my family is thriving and at peace with that decision. I've been able to spend more time at home, be more involved in our church, and still do what I love every day. Thatโ€™s a blessing I donโ€™t take for granted. The Fishing Despite the up-and-down weather, Lake Erie has kept producing solid action. Over the past month, weโ€™ve welcomed folks from Texas (who drove here!), Colorado, Kentucky, and Indianaโ€”all coming to experience the world-class smallmouth fishing weโ€™re lucky to have here in Erie, PA. Some trips were anniversary celebrations, others were graduation gifts. One client asked me, โ€œDoes this ever get old?โ€ My answer: maybe I look forward to seasonal transitions in patterns, but thisโ€”the smiles, the memories, the lightbulb moments when someone picks up a new techniqueโ€”that never gets old. It's a joy. Seasonal Transition Weโ€™re still in the prolonged spring bite, but many smallmouth are transitioning from spawn to post-spawn and moving into early summer patterns. More fish are leaving Presque Isle Bay and migrating outward into the lake. Whatโ€™s Working Finesse tactics are the name of the game in early summer. Your electronics become critical this time of year for finding and staying on active fish in deeper water. If you need a refresher, check out our Electronics Tripโ€”a 2-hour, on-the-water session to help you interpret your electronics and dial them in. Last week I helped a client fine-tune four Lowrance units with ActiveTarget and even helped troubleshoot some boat performance issues. Bass Bite Depths: 10โ€“35โ€™ Patterns: Post-spawn transition/Early Summer Baits: Drop shot, tubes, Ned rigs, swimbaits, jig-head minnows, spybaits, hair jigs Location: Fish are leaving the Bay and moving onto main lake flats and deeper shelves and humps. Timing is everything. Walleye Bite The walleye action is starting to pop off as weโ€™ll be ramping up casting and jigging using forward-facing sonar. Some recent tournament-winning bags hit 38 lbs for 5 fish (my friend Ashton) โ€” casting, not trolling! Depths: 30โ€“60โ€™ (hot zones around 40โ€“55โ€™) Techniques: Trolling plugs and harnesses, casting and jigging also producing well Location: Big schools are showing up from Ohio through New York waters Want to Fish with a Pro This Summer? If youโ€™re looking to escape the heat and enjoy some serious rod-bending action, Iโ€™d love to have you out on Lake Erie. Whether you're a smallmouth fanatic or want to sample world-class walleye fishing, weโ€™ve got options that will leave you smiling. Book now! -Captain Destin DeMarion
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Early June Fishing Report
Early June Fishing Report
Jun 5, 2025 Erie
Weโ€™ve made it to June! Through the wind, rain, and cold of spring 2025 here in Erie, PA, summer is finally knocking. As I write this, itโ€™s expected to hit 87ยฐF โ€” just a few days after barely reaching 50. Iโ€™m ecstatic to finally trade in the boots for flip flops and get back to chasing fish under blue skies. A Strange Spring Across Lake Erie Staying in touch with guide buddies and โ€œhammersโ€ (great anglers) across the East and West Basins of Lake Erie, the consensus is clear: itโ€™s been a strange spring. Weโ€™ve seen plenty of quality smallmouth caught across all three basins, but the inconsistent weather seems to have stretched out our usual bite windows. Water temps would warm up, then cool right back off, keeping many fish in a kind of limbo. That said, the โ€œbehind scheduleโ€ spring might actually set us up well for early summer. Smallmouth Report โ€“ Presque Isle Bay and Lake Erie Over the last couple of weeks, our clients have been catching smallmouth in all three phases โ€” prespawn, spawn, and postspawn. Most of the bite has leaned finesse: dropshots, tubes, senkos, jig minnows have all put fish in the boat. That said, power fishing still is viable too, with A-rigs, jerkbaits, and chatterbaits producing some. Hot Tip: The next full moon is June 11. If conditions line up, we could see another wave of spawners. However, most of our recent fish have been postspawn with some prespawners mixed in. That means: Slow is Pro โ€” slow down your presentation and thoroughly work areas to stay dialed in. Fish can be more finicky this time of year. Work areas thoroughly and finesse presentations slowly, but efficiently. Walleye Report The walleye bite continues to improve as more fish migrate east. Weโ€™re catching them as a bycatch while bass fishing in 10โ€“30 ft. Meanwhile, anglers are doing well all the way out to 40โ€“45 ft using plugs and crawler harnesses (trolling or drifting). Out in front of the peninsula has been hot and weโ€™ve been catching some east of the city. Weโ€™re using forward-facing sonar to cast at individual fish โ€” an exciting, active way to fish. Want to learn how? Letโ€™s get you on the schedule. Perch Update Perch are still showing up occasionally while bass fishing in the Bay โ€” especially postspawn fish fattening up. Most of the bigger schools have moved back to the lake, so key in on bait concentrations. Tight lines, Captain Destin DeMarion Big Fat Bass Guide Service
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Erie May Wrap Up and June Report
Erie May Wrap Up and June Report
May 20, 2025 Erie
As May winds down and June rolls in, Lake Erie smallmouth bass are finally getting that signature spunk back. After a brief cooldown, weโ€™re seeing water temps in the mid-to-upper 50s on the main lake and low 60s in Presque Isle Bayโ€”perfect for active bass. Right now, weโ€™ve got fish in all three phases of the spawn. In the Bay, postspawners are showing up in offshore areas, but prespawn and spawning fish are still around. Out on the main lake, the spawn is going in some areas, with many fish still waiting to goโ€”especially in the cooler zones away from the Bay. When fish are spread across all phases, it opens the playbook. Look for them shallow, mid-depth, or deepโ€”on beds, guarding fry, fattening up before or after the spawn. Forage is plentiful right now, too: emerald shiners, baby perch, gobies, shad, craws, and more. Pay attention to what theyโ€™re eating. Feel their belliesโ€”if theyโ€™re soft, theyโ€™re feeding on baitfish; if theyโ€™re crunchy, itโ€™s craws. Match the hatch with size and color. Hard baits like jerkbaits, spy baits, A-rigs, cranks, and hair jigs are excellent. For soft plastics, try drop shots, tubes, Neds, swimbaits, grubs, or Senkos. Watch the weather and moon phasesโ€”a warming trend during a full or new moon often triggers a new push of spawners. That said, full moons can make for tougher daytime bites, as non-spawning fish feed more at night with the extra light. Other Species Updates: Walleye โ€“ Evening bite is still best around creek mouths. Expect walleye bite to to heat up as the migration from the west continues. Lake Trout โ€“ Anglers are still doing well trolling near โ€œThe Mountainโ€ around the NY line in 100โ€™+ depths. Perch โ€“ We are getting sporadic catches of postspawn perch in the Bay while bass fishing. Most big schools have moved back to the lake, so focus there. Memorial Day Special & June Availability We just had Memorial Day and May 27th open up due to a clientโ€™s knee surgery. Iโ€™m offering a 2-day, 8-hour guided trip special for just $1200 โ€” a $100 savings! June is filling up fast in the past couple of weeks, with limited dates remaining: June **hidden content** If you want to get in on the summer deep bite (Julyโ€“early September) or secure a prime fall trophy smallmouth spot (Octoberโ€“November) or lake trout jigging/scoping big fall walleye, nowโ€™s the time to get on the books, as many of my prime fall dates are already filling. Tight lines, Captain Destin DeMarion Big Fat Bass Guide Service
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Mid-May Erie Fishing Report
Mid-May Erie Fishing Report
May 12, 2025 Erie
Warm weather has finally arrived in Erie, Pennsylvania, with air temps hitting the 70s this week. Combine that with the recent full moon, and you know what that meansโ€”love is in the air for the bass. Current Conditions Presque Isle Bay is sitting right around 60ยฐF, which is prime spawning temperature. Meanwhile, the main lake is still a bit behind, with temps in the low to mid 50s, and slightly warmer water around the mouth of the Bay. Weโ€™re in that transitional windowโ€”prespawn, spawn, and postspawn fish are all present, especially in the Bay. The main lake is largely in prespawn, but warming quickly and not far off from a major spawn wave. Other Species Notes Walleye: Anglers are catching them at night near creek mouths, while others are finding success trolling during the dayโ€”from the shallows out to deeper drop-offs. The bite is picking up with the warming water and is only going to get better. Lake Trout: There are still good reports of lakers being caught while trolling near โ€œThe Mountainโ€, east of Erie, close to the New York line. If youโ€™re targeting trout, this zone remains a solid option. Perch: Weโ€™ve landed some big, sporadic postspawn perch in Presque Isle Bay, but most of the larger schools have pushed back into the main lake after their spawning cycle. What to Look For In the Bay: Spawning fish are locked onto shallow flats and marina areas. Fry guarders and postspawn fish are hanging around and just outside the shallows, feeding up. Prespawn fish are still staging tooโ€”look for 5-20โ€™ drops and hard spots adjacent to spawning grounds. Find the right area, and you can really get into a pile of fish. In the Main Lake: Mostly prespawn fish, but signs of change are coming fast. Focus on chunk rock flats and subtle depressionsโ€”perfect staging zones. Warmer water is pushing activity around the Bay mouth. Try Thompson Bay flats and the Hammermill stacks. Prespawn fish may range from the shallows out to about 30 feet. Tight lines, Captain Destin DeMarion Big Fat Bass Guide Service
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Hefty Smallies Being Caught on Erie
Hefty Smallies Being Caught on Erie
Apr 29, 2025 Erie
Lake Erie Fishing Update โ€“ Spring Transition in Full Swing The last few weeks on Lake Erie have been classic spring transition. Hereโ€™s whatโ€™s happening: Perch have mostly finished spawning around Presque Isle Bay and are pushing back into the main lake. Walleye are migrating through the islands in the Western Basin, with postspawn fish heading east. Lake Trout are showing up strong near โ€œthe mountainโ€ offshore, mostly caught trolling. Bass are sliding into Presque Isle Bay and other prespawn staging areas. Even a few steelhead have been caught near creek mouthsโ€”bonus catches while bass fishing! Water temps are hovering in the mid to high 50s, with Presque Isle Bay warming slightly faster than the main lake. Some areas in the lake are still touching the high 40s. This variety in temps has fish in different phases: some spawning, some staging, and others still deep. In the Bay, big females are getting ready to spawn in the shallows, while fat prespawners are cruising deeper looking for a few last big meals. On the main lake, itโ€™s a mixโ€”some fish are still in their deep winter zones, while others are transitioning to spring areas. Trophy Season Is On! This is prime time to land a true Lake Erie giant. My clients have already boated 24 smallmouth over 20 inches in the past few weeks, with many personal bests shattered. Whether youโ€™re chasing that trophy bass or just want a fun day with good numbers, we can make it happen. We use a variety of baits this time of year, including: Swimbaits Blade baits Jerkbaits Spoons Crankbaits A-rigs Hair jigs Tubes, Ned rigs, and more Smallmouth School โ€“ Learn How to Break Down a Fishery Weโ€™re now booking for May and June (some weekdays still open), and already looking ahead to summer trips, including a special Smallmouth School. This is a multi-day session where we take you to a fresh area, teach you how to break it down, find fish quickly, and dial in how to catch the biggest bass possibleโ€”all in real time. Whether youโ€™re a weekend angler or someone trying to step up to tournament-level efficiency, this is a fantastic opportunity to fish with a pro whoโ€™s done it at the highest level. Spots are limited! Message us to book your bass, perch, or walleye trip and come experience this world-class fishery firsthand. Tight lines, โ€“ Captain Destin DeMarion
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Customer reviews

Rating summary
Excellent
5.0 / 5
out of 5 stars from 13 reviews
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Photos & videos by reviewers (35)
Fantastic!
Fantastic!
Fantastic!
+32
Angler rating
13
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Anglers claimed
Good experience
100%
Friendly captain
100%
Recommend this charter
100%
Appropriate for children
100%
Satisfied with the boat
100%
Caught fish
100%
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FishingBooker Member
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Destin @ Erie, PA

Full Day Trip on April 21, 2025
Destin put me on the fish, thatโ€™s for sure. He also is exactly what I was looking for- we used a variety of techniques throughout...
FishingBooker Member recommends Big Fat Bass Guide Service โ€“ Erie
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FishingBooker Member
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Smallie bonanza

Full Day Trip on November 16, 2024
Big Fat Bass Guide Service is accurate! Thatโ€™s all we caught! I had the pleasure of going out with Destin this past...
FishingBooker Member recommends Big Fat Bass Guide Service โ€“ Erie
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FishingBooker Member
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Full day trips

Full Day Trip on October 31, 2024
Iโ€™ve fished with Destin multiple times and never had a bad time even when mother nature tossed some weather curveballs our...
FishingBooker Member recommends Big Fat Bass Guide Service โ€“ Erie
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FishingBooker Member
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Lake Erie with Destin DeMarion

Full Day Trip on November 9, 2024
Fishing with Destin has been a great time over multiple years of trips. His knowledge of Erie and the big water is impressive....
FishingBooker Member recommends Big Fat Bass Guide Service โ€“ Erie
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Tim C.
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Fantastic!

VERIFIED   Half Day Trip (PM) on May 7, 2025
My wife and I came to Erie for a day trip for the first time. We were recommended Bar Ronin for a good dinner and we were not...
Tim C. recommends Big Fat Bass Guide Service โ€“ Erie
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