Lake Erie is known as the Walleye Capital of the World, and I had been dreaming about a trip to learn to walleye fish for years. Recently, I concocted a plan to take a multigenerational family Ohio road trip with my dad, husband, and kids to visit Port Clinton and experience this one-of-a-kind adventure.
Admittedly, I don’t know a thing about fishing for walleye or even where to find them on the Lake. That being said, I needed to find a private fishing charter with a guide who knew their stuff. I floundered through Google and just could not find the right fit until somebody told me about Captain Peg.
Full Disclosure: To help offset the costs of running Gleason Family Adventure, you’ll find affiliate links throughout the site. If you choose to purchase through one of these links, there’s no additional cost to you, but I’ll earn a small commission. You can read the entire legal disclosure on the full disclosure page. Lake Erie Shores and Islands hosted us.
Best Female Walleye Fishing Captain on Lake Erie
Let me introduce you to the Lady of the Lake, who is fondly called Capt. Peg, the owner of Blue Sky Charters. It is common knowledge that Capt. Peg loves children, and she has spent much of her life teaching them by creating a safe space to learn about fishing and the outdoors. When I researched her, I was impressed by the things she has done and continues to do for youth. As a mom, having a captain who would take time to help my kids learn and enjoy this trip was important. Yes, I wanted to catch fish, but more importantly, I wanted them to come away from this trip with a LOVE for fishing. (Capt. Peg was going to have her work cut out for her!)
Another reason I choose Capt. Peg is that she is one of only 8 female master captains registered in Ohio. I admire women who stake their claim into a career dominated by men and are extremely successful at it. For the record, she was named Captain of the Year in 2016, and nothing says respect like the respect of your peers.
Preparing for a Walleye Fishing Trip
Now that I had the charter booked and the confidence that we were going out with the best possible captain for our family, I was ready to tell the Gleason crew about the planned excursion onto Lake Erie. As expected, the teenagers were not super excited. Would there be WiFi? How long will we be out? Can we stay at the hotel? What possessed you to do this to us? These were some of the questions that were thrown out at me as I talked with the kids.
I was smiling inside, though, because I knew I had an ace up my sleeve.
So, you might think that a fishing trip consists of you just showing up, boarding a boat, and then off you go. I learned that this is not true. As I prepared for the trip, I realized I needed to do quite a few things beforehand.
- If you are over the age of 16, you will need a valid Ohio fishing license. It is easy to purchase via the link online. If you don’t have one, you can’t fish.
- Take anti-nausea medicine. Lake Erie can have some choppy waves.
- Pack layers for the family. The days can start cold, get pretty hot, and cool off on the way back to port.
- Don’t wear flip-flops! Closed-toe soft-soled shoes are recommended.
- You will want sunscreen and a hat. Sunglasses would be a plus as well.
- Prepare a packed lunch and snacks for your whole family. Bring LOTS of water to stay hydrated. (no wheeled coolers are allowed onboard)
One other important fact you need to know, you will board the Blue Diamond at 6:00 AM! You read that correctly; it is an early morning adventure.
Pro-tip: Book a room or VRBO in Port Clinton, Ohio, for the night before your trip out or at Maumee Bay State Park Lodge.
You can read more about things to do at Maumee Bay State Park and surrounding areas here.
Welcome Aboard the Blue Diamond Charter
Finally, after a season of planning, our day out on Lake Erie was here! I checked and triple-checked everything I would need for the day out. 5:30 AM in the morning at Port Clinton is quiet, and there is no traffic, so getting to the marina was a short drive from our hotel. We pulled up to the gated marina, and Justin, the first mate, met us there to take us to the boat.
As we parked, I could tell the kids were a little nervous, and they would never admit that; however, a mom can sense these things. As they walked down to the Blue Diamond, Capt Peg called out, “Welcome aboard!” Tentative smiles crept across their faces as they climbed over the edge to set their feet on the deck, and the tensions seemed to leave immediately.
Capt. Peg and Justin made their introductions, helped us get situated, and quickly went to work to get us out onto the lake.
Lake Erie is known for sunrises and sunsets, and since we were up before the sun, we were treated to a magnificent sunrise on our way out to the area where we would be fishing. As the boat raced towards the designated fishing spot, each one of us on board was quiet and enjoying the beauty of the morning.
Fact: Walleye move around the lake based on water temperatures and the different schools of walleye.
Fishing for Walleye on Lake Erie
There are two ways to fish for walleye. You can troll or pole fish off the side. Capt. Peg fishes with rod and reel, and this is my personal preference.
Now, here comes what I thought was going to be the hard part…teaching kids to fish for walleye. Immediately, Capt. Peg gathered the kids together and explained how to cast, count for depth, and how to reel in and feel for bites. All the kids listened and were ready to get fishing. I am not sure if she noticed, but my mouth was hanging open.
With her gentle guidance and a steady stream of encouragement, the kids got their hooks baited and set their first casts. Did someone almost get hooked? Quite possibly, but I will leave you guessing on that one.
You are not guaranteed to catch fish when you go fishing. Sometimes they bite as soon as the bait hits the water, and then other times, the minute’s tick by as you wait for some action. Consequently, our day out was not optimal for fishing, but that did not matter because Capt. Peg knows how to catch fish even when it is not the best kind of day.
Our family had a friendly bet that the person who caught the biggest fish would get $15.00 and the biggest scoop of ice cream you can get at Toft’s. So the race for the biggest walleye was on!
Who Caught the Biggest Fish?
As the day progressed, fish after fish came on board. As I mentioned, it was a slow day on the lake, but we were still catching a good amount of walleye.
I am happy to say that I was winning the bet. As the day was winding down, Capt. Peg said, “ It’s time to head in.” Nate, our 17-year-old, who seemed to have created a bond with Peg, decided that one more cast was in order. As he flung it out, he said, “This is going to be the one!!” I laughed and said, “Seriously, you think you will beat me on the last cast of the day?”
Mic Drop…
Yeah, he did it. As soon as the pole bent, you could tell it was a good one. He reeled it in, and his smile could not have been bigger. A HUGE walleye was on the line. He was sooo excited!
With the biggest fish on board, we all secured our rods and reels and then settled in for the 45-minute ride back to the marina.
Back at the Dock and Cleaning the Walleye
As the Blue Diamond pulled into the dock, I sighed a contented sigh. What a fantastic day out on Lake Erie, and we could not have done it without Capt. Peg and her first mate Justin. For a small fee, the first mate will clean your fish and bag it up for you. We did this because he can do it 10x times faster than we can.
As our day came to a close, it was time to say goodbye. I gave Capt. Peg a hug and said, “ We came as guests but are leaving as friends.” Before we left, she made her way over to Nate and gave him some words of wisdom, which I hope he takes to heart and follows the path she pointed him down.
It has been said that Capt. Peg has Lake Erie water running through her veins. While it might be said in jest, I would honestly not doubt it. I’ve never met anyone quite like Capt. Peg, someone who looks at each guest on the boat and tailors the trip to them. She truly has a gift of teaching those who want to learn the ways of the walleye.
Happy Fishing,
Brandy
Get a copy of Midwest Road Trip Adventures to learn about more amazing things to do on the shores of Lake Erie
