We just got back from fishing the Canadian Tire Open up in the Niagara Falls region of Canada. It was a fun event and we stuck around the next day to fish another little tournament in the Buffalo area. We ended up cashing a check in both and taking lunker in the 2nd event with a 5.78 lb Lake Erie smallmouth. We got right back into it today, guiding back in Erie, PA, with our longest (and first 11 years ago) going client, and friend, Michael and his son Henry. The first cast of our day yielded a true trophy smallmouth and memory that none of us will soon forget, a 7.14 lb behemoth bass! We were all so excited and in awe for quite some time afterwards. It slowed down some afterwards, but we got on a great power fishing bite a bit later that lasted the rest of our trip and made for a really fun way to catch them. We still have a few dates left in November and 1-2 in October to cash in on some of the best fishing of the year for bass, walleye, perch, and lake trout. Truly, the best is yet to come! -Captain Destin DeMarion

Here's a great story that finally came full circle this past week. Gene from California found me and booked this trip probably 6-7 months ago. We checked in frequently as Gene was excited to chase some big Erie smallies. Gene is a veteran of fishing world-class fisheries out there, like Clear Lake. I, too, was very excited to show him what we have to offer here on Lake Erie. Ironically, my friend Danny was also flying in from the West earlier last week and coincidentally had a conversation with Gene while wearing his Phoenix Boats hat on the plane. Funny enough, Gene said he was fishing Lake Erie with a guide, and Danny said, "Are you fishing with Destin DeMarion?" To which Gene said, "Yes!" Such a small world. I was having some issues with a key accessory on my boat and unsure if I was going to have it fixed in time (it is fixed now). Thankfully, my good friend and Duke of Hamburg, Jeff, did not have a trip that day and let me borrow his boat to get Gene and his buddy Kerry out. Huge shoutout to Jeff! We had an amazing time out there with beautiful (albeit rare) calm conditions and, thankfully, some cooperative Lake Erie smallmouth. We still have a few dates available this September and in the prime fall season for bass, walleye, lake trout, and perch. We'd love to share our wonderful fishery with you! -Captain Destin DeMarion

Lake Erie is such a fascinating place. The fishing alone is world-class, but the ecosystem as a whole is an ever-changing, dynamic environment. Every season brings its own shifts in weather, water, and wildlife, and sometimes we get to witness one of its more dramatic events firsthand — something we call “the turnover.” What Is the Lake Erie Turnover? In short, turnover happens about once a summer here on Erie (not the full fall turnover). As the lake warms, it naturally separates into layers — with warmer water on top and colder, denser water beneath. When we get a sustained hard wind, especially from the north (as we just did), it disrupts that layering. Cold water from the depths is pushed up and mixed into the upper layer, sending temperatures in certain areas plunging almost overnight. While most species handle this sudden change just fine, some, like freshwater drum (a.k.a. “sheepshead”), can’t cope as well. After these events, it’s common to see dead sheepshead floating on the surface. The good news is this doesn’t significantly impact their population — they’re extremely abundant — and the majority of other fish species are unaffected. How Turnover Impacts Fishing Although a die-off isn’t pleasant to see, turnover often improves our fishing. The sudden infusion of cooler water pushes gamefish toward prime structure and temperature zones, creating feeding opportunities that simply don’t exist during the stagnant “dog days” of summer. This recent turnover was a perfect example. Summertime bass fishing can be challenging, but almost overnight, concentrations of bass moved back into key areas. As a bonus, we also found big walleye and even some perch taking advantage of the same cooler zones. There are still fish holding in their usual deep summertime haunts, but turnover has opened up more areas to target — and more ways to catch them. Current Fishing Report Walleye: The bite has stayed strong both shallow and deep. We’ve been catching them in 10–30 feet and also in 50–100 feet. Blade baits, jigging raps, and traditional jigheads have done the bulk of the work, though some walleye have even fallen for bass presentations. Productive areas include the mountain region near North East and west around the Peninsula. Smallmouth Bass: Focus on the coolest water you can find, whether shallow or deep near the thermocline. The full fall turnover is still about a month away, but these early shifts are already pulling fish into more aggressive feeding patterns. Drop shots, ned rigs, and jighead minnow presentations continue to lead the way. Tightlines, Captain Destin DeMarion