I apologize its been a week or so since I have posted a blog.  This time of year is one of my favorite times of the year to be on and around the water, and that means less time on the computer.

To do some catching up, Paul and I ended up finishing 39th out of 156 in the MWC Spring Valley.   Not the best finish as we always aim higher than that, but we are holding our heads up high and happy with our finish.  The MWC is a circuit with a constant points standing; earning enough points throughout the season will put you in the hunt for the Team of the Year Race and qualifying for the Championship.  Spring Valley was probably out weakest tournament of the Circuit in terms of knowing the water and being familiar with the techniques.   Now with Detroit River and Lake Erie on the horizon (our bread and butter), we hope to shine there…

I want to say congrats to Dan Johnson and Larry Rhodes of Team Starcraft for pulling off and impressive win there.  Great guys and awesome fisherman.   Also, wtg to my teammates Jason Kopf and Dave Kolb for their 2nd place finish.  Dave has been to many tourneys on the Illinois and really helped us shorten the learning curve while there.

As soon as I got back from Spring Valley, it was time to get the new Starcraft STX 2050 rigged and ready to rock for the first Lake Erie Walleye Trail of the Year.   I have to thanks Vic’s Sports Center a ton for helping out in accelerating the rigging process.   The boat was rigged with all my state of the art Lowrance HDS -8 Gen 2 plus Structure Scan, Minn Kota Terrova I-pilot, rod Holders, Batteries in one day.   Then I was fortunate to have my brother greg join me on a cold day to run up and down the Cleveland Harbor to break in the Mecury 225hp Pro XS and the 9.9 Pro Kicker.  Wow, what amazing motors.

Last Friday my  brother Kevin and I prefished the Lewt and caught our first fish in the new ride!  Let me tell you, that boat fishes awesome.  The room in the back, electronics, track system, and boat control make for an absolute fishing machine.  Saturday was a blow day, and the tourney was pushed to Sunday.  Fishing was phenomenal.   Kevin and I wer wailing on and shuffling through fish all day.  Purple Perch Husky Jerks on 40-90′ leads were the ticket.  It was a blast, and headed back to the weigh in, we were feeling pretty good about our 40lbs in the live well, as one usually should.  However, as I kind of new it would be, most of the field was on monster fish as well.  22 teams ended up with over 40lbs and the winning team had an astonishing 52lbs!  What a fishery we have here.  Normally I would be upset with a middle of the field finish in a tourney, but not when fishing was that good, it was just too much fun.

As soon as the tourney was complete, I had to rush home and switch gears to start preping for 2 days of steelhead fishing with a couple guys I guide in Alaska who came in town to check out what NE Ohio steelheading is all about.  With most of the rivers pretty low and clear, we headed out east to float the Grand.  Fishing was slow, but we still managed to connect with a few chromers and some really nice surprise smallmouth bass.  Pink and chartruese egg patterns did the ticket.