The dog days are approaching on Lake Erie… or maybe they’ve already come and gone—hard to say with this weather. It’s been a hot one, and not just temperature-wise. The walleye bite has stayed red-hot all summer, and the smallmouth bass are kicking into gear again, thanks to some cooler mornings and more stable conditions. We've even seen a few bonus perch show up around the walleye grounds. Clients have been boating a mixed bag of species lately—walleye, smallmouth and largemouth bass, perch, lake trout, white bass, rock bass, and the occasional sheepshead. It’s been an action-packed summer. Bass Bite: Early and Late Are Key Right now, smallmouth are most active during the early morning and evening hours, with some midday windows when conditions line up. We’re still fishing in that 20–40' zone, targeting rock structures like humps and flats with the right mix of substrate. Ned rigs, tubes, drop shots, and jighead minnows continue to put fish in the boat. We also had a great time fishing the biggest tournament of the year out of Erie, PA—Kings of Bass. It was a cool mixed format with Day 1 focused on smallmouth and Day 2 on largemouth. We were fortunate to boat over 25 solid smallmouth on the first day—some pushing the 5 lb mark—and back it up with quality largemouth up to 4 lbs. Hats off to Frank Malek and the FishUSA crew for organizing the biggest turnout in years. It’s a fun, competitive event on a world-class fishery. Walleye: Full Coolers and Quality Fish Walleye fishing has stayed excellent, with most anglers limiting out in a variety of areas. We've had good success from the dumping grounds to Shades Beach in 50–80', casting and jigging with ⅜ oz jigheads and a mix of hard baits. The Mountain and the New York line have also been productive. Guys that are trolling continue to do well with worm harnesses and hard baits, but our casting and jigging clients are loving the interactive approach—actively hunting down fish and working them into biting. Coolers have been full, and we’ve seen some chunky 25–28" fish on recent trips. What to Expect in August As we head into August, expect to find fish hugging that 50–55' depth zone as the thermocline sets in. Walleye will often suspend over deeper water but hold tight to that range. The bass pattern should stay consistent, with key feeding windows continuing in the mornings and evenings. Thinking About a Fall Trip? We’re already hearing from lots of folks planning their fall fishing getaways. If you're looking to chase trophy smallmouth, lake trout, Fall Brawl walleye, or those famous “jumbolina” yellow perch, now’s the time to lock in your dates. Our calendar is filling up fast for prime fall windows. We'll fish as deep into the fall as conditions allow. Tight lines, Captain Destin DeMarion

Lake Erie is showing off this summer — and if you’re a walleye fisherman, the living’s never been easier. We’re in the middle of what could be one of the best walleye seasons in Lake Erie history. Daily limits, electric action, and big fish are the norm. We’ve been boating eaters and giants up to 28 inches, all while casting only. Smallmouth bass are in their summer transition and slowly beginning to feed up, too — with a 22” class bronzeback hitting the deck this week and beautiful structure fish coming on drop shots, tubes, ned rigs, and more. A quick shoutout to Doc’s Tackle for their support and for letting me run their deep hull Vexus DVX22 on a recent big group trip — more to come on that front for fall Lakers and Fall Brawl trips! We still have limited July spots open, and plenty of room for August and September. Whether you want to beat the heat, learn new techniques, or just unplug and catch fish — I’d love to get you out on the water. Reserve your date! Tight lines, Captain Destin DeMarion

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