It’s been a wet and weird spring on Lake Erie, but with next week’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 who’s been reading these reports and booking trips this spring. This season has exceeded all expectations, and I’m incredibly grateful. Leaving the corporate world and putting a pause on tour-level fishing was a big risk—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. That’s a blessing I don’t take for granted. The Fishing Despite the up-and-down weather, Lake Erie has kept producing solid action. Over the past month, we’ve welcomed folks from Texas (who drove here!), Colorado, Kentucky, and Indiana—all coming to experience the world-class smallmouth fishing we’re lucky to have here in Erie, PA. Some trips were anniversary celebrations, others were graduation gifts. One client asked me, “Does this ever get old?” My answer: maybe I look forward to seasonal transitions in patterns, but this—the smiles, the memories, the lightbulb moments when someone picks up a new technique—that never gets old. It's a joy. Seasonal Transition We’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. What’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 Trip—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: 10–35’ 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 we’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) — casting, not trolling! Depths: 30–60’ (hot zones around 40–55’) 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 you’re looking to escape the heat and enjoy some serious rod-bending action, I’d love to have you out on Lake Erie. Whether you're a smallmouth fanatic or want to sample world-class walleye fishing, we’ve got options that will leave you smiling. Book now! -Captain Destin DeMarion