Gearing Up for Erie’s Monster Smallies
by Dave Wolak
Talk about exciting.
I’d been pumped about fishing the Bassmaster BPS Northern Bass
Open on Lake Erie for some time. Now, after a couple days of prefishing,
I’m more excited than ever.
This is one big,
crazy ocean. The boat traffic out of Sandusky is always heavy. It’s a populated area, so you’re constantly dodging
charters and other boats of all sizes. I’ve never been more thankful
for my Ranger Z521; it handles big water extremely well, and with the
Yamaha VMAX SHO 250 behind, gets me out of the hole and on top of the
waves quickly.
The best part: when
you’re able to find a good spot to yourself,
it’s game on! Erie is loaded with bruiser smallmouths, and they
can be caught deep or shallow. I’ve got plans for both.
For deep, clear water like this, nothing beats a drop shot rig. This
is finesse fishing all the way, but because of the rough water, it really
puts the focus on your gear.
Light line and sensitivity
are the two biggest factors, so I’m
using spinning gear—but my setup is different than most anglers
use. I’ve chosen a 7’2” medium action Pinnacle Perfecta
DHC5 rod, which is primarily a shaky-head rod, but I’ve found it’s
perfect for heavy-duty drop shot applications like this. I really like
the extra-fast tip, and it has a good deal more backbone than most other
drop shot rods. It takes a lot to get a good hookset down deep, and the
last thing I need is to have a 5 or 6 pound fish come unglued with the
tournament on the line.
I’ve paired
this rod with a Pinnacle Performa XT PEF40 reel. Most anglers tend
to use too small a reel for this kind of fishing. The 40 size balances
well and has a larger spool diameter so you get excellent line flow,
plus a super-sensitive drag. I also like the ridged soft handle pad;
it ensures a firm grip even on a Lake Erie roller coaster ride.
Yes, little things
matter in tough water, especially when using small-diameter line. I’m
spooled with low-stretch, 7 lb. test Sunline Sniper FC fluorocarbon
for maximum feel and to avoid spooking fish.
My shallow water
approach can be an awesome way to score a big kicker or two. It’s an overlooked pattern on Erie, and I’m hoping
it’ll pay off at the right time. Basically, I’m burning a
big-bladed ¾ or 1 oz. spinnerbait just under the surface over
shallow rocks.
This technique isn’t for the faint of heart; big smallies just
crush that blade. You need a rod that’s powerful enough to heave
large lures a long way, but limber enough to absorb arm-breaking strikes
and handle multiple jumps and dives at distance. The 7’6” medium-heavy
Pinnacle Perfecta DHC5 casting rod is ideal, as it falls somewhere between
a spinnerbait rod and a flipping stick and has the best qualities of
both. With a Pinnacle Optimus XLT high-speed reel strapped on, it’s
one tough, versatile setup.
I’ll keep the actual baits I’m using to myself for now.
But with a couple of days under my belt, I’m starting to get a
feel for my tournament strategy. It’ll be tough, but at least I
know my gear is up to the task!