MIKE BRAUN Rockin' on Lake Erie with Gov. Taft

PORT CLINTON -- Any day spent fishing on Lake Erie can be counted as a good day, whether or not you catch any fish.
However, to actually catch fish while enjoying a sunny albeit wavy day on the Great Lake puts the trip into the exceptional-day category.
Such a trip was recorded last week, courtesy of the Ohio Division of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife, as part of a rescheduled "Fish Ohio Day." An earlier incarnation of the annual media-politician-ODNR foray in mid-July got blown off the lake by a tremendous northeast wind.
This time, another nor'easter blew into town shortly ahead of the festivities and nearly caused a second cancellation.
Usually the Fish Ohio Day is a trip taken by a handful of outdoor writers, local and state politicians, wildlife officials and charter captains looking to promote the lake's prime walleye fishery. Also taking part, usually on a boat by himself, is the state's governor.
Taft not shy
Our current governor, Bob Taft, does not shy away from a rod and reel. He caught his very first walleye during his first Fish Ohio Day and has been known to cast a line in other venues, such as the camping area north of Quebec, which has been a stop of the Taft family since the days of the governor's great-grandfather, President William Howard Taft.
But this make-up Fish Ohio Day trip was to be a tad different. This time, the participants would be plying Lake Erie's waters all on the same boat, the 50-foot "head" boat the Miss Drawbridge out of Port Clinton, piloted by Captain Larry Davis.
With about 30 perch-anticipating anglers aboard, Capt. Davis took the craft out of the Drawbridge Marina about 7:30 a.m. and made a dash for the Clinton Reef area near Catawba.
Because of the heavy wind -- which was not politician-induced for once -- the waters were churning in the 2- to 4-foot range and the lake was somewhat muddied. Neither of these two facts will encourage anglers looking for a good day.
After sufficient time flailing the water with little result, Capt. Davis pulled anchor and shifted to a spot around the lee side of South Bass Island. Here, with the sailing ship USS Niagara berthed within sight, we began finally to catch what we came for -- yellow perch.
Sufficient numbers
Catch perch we did, and though the size of the fish was not great, the numbers were sufficient. At the end of the 41/2-hour trip, Laura Jones, a marketing manager with the ODNR office of communications, said more than 140 keeper