Spent Monday through Thursday sampling different harbors on Lake Erie in search of the elusive Eurasian Ruffe. This fish is from Eurasia, and it is now in three of the Great Lakes, the three upper ones, Huron, Superior and Michigan.
We survey these harbors on the lower lakes, specifically the western end of Lake Erie, this is a likely place where the Ruffe might be found.
Monday- weather in Sandusky was crappy, wind, rain, waves. No Ruffe found, lots of other fish though. White perch and round gobies were the most common.
Tuesday- weather was crappy again, 5-7footers out on the big lake in Toledo, to choppy to sample, improvised three sites down the river. no Ruffe
Wed- Finally nice weather, Cleveland boat launch closed, had to improvise and find a new launch. Got out, 6 sites in , then drove to ashtabula to finish 3 more sites. No Ruffe.
Thursday- Awesome weather, finished trip with sites at Conneaut and Erie, PA. No Ruffe.
Many awesome fish were caught! no Ruffe, but several other invasives such as the round goby, zebra and quagga mussels.
Next week, I will be sampling the Erie Canal in Utica, Fulton, Syracuse, Rochester, and Tonowanda.
