The Midnight Bite

Here it is now, mid-July and not the ideal time for onshore walleye fishing on Lake Erie. But this 'new breed' of walleye break all the rules we've all lived by since the dawn of The Erie Dearie. It is all about the weather, always has been, always will, which dictates how an animal interacts with its environment. This new brood from an incredibly warm winter is quite different from the 'normal' walleye we're all used to deep water fishing for miles out in open water during the hot summer months. During this past autumn I noticed they preferred extremely shallow water. I mean a mere several inches of water at times! Shining a headlamp at them didn't bother them, would not spook em. They had no fear and are ferocious eating machines hitting on any type lure, even just plain worms.
It was just after the Super Moon in November when I was fishing down at Memorial Park on Route 83, five blocks from my house, fishing out of connivence mostly. There were anglers on each rock pier, including the iron boat launch. No one was getting bites and the last guy to talk to me before going home told me good luck. I told him as soon as those clouds break it is on, but his spirit had already been crushed and he called it a night. Half an hour later the Moon came through and I caught 26 walleye. Kept only 1.
Last night I went down to the boat launch shortly after midnight just to walk my dog and check on things. Noticed bait fish jumping out of the water. Ducks were skimming the water scooping up fry. A green heron was on the launch, something I had never seen before, greens being so shy. But there was so much bait fish circling about when I returned with my rod we fished side-by-side and I landed 3 before the rain set in. Released them all.