Lake Erie during the late 50's and early 60's was an environmental mess. Rumors of fires starting on Rivers in Cleveland and Buffalo due to the excessive waste floating on the surface kept tourists and even locals from using this once Great Lake. Efforts from the number one environmental group, fishermen and hunters, started the cleaning process and Lake Erie is now once again the premier smallmouth bass lake in the Country.

 

Jim began to show his stuff at age 6 when fishing with his parents when he caught a 4 lb small mouth bass and in 1958 that was equivalent to  a 7 pounder today...the Old Courier Express carried the story.

 

In the mid 70's the Bass Tournament craze really began to hit America. Jim Attended a seminar in Buffalo with Ray Scott, Tom Mann and Rick Clunn from the Bass Anglers Sportsmen's Society and the following year entered his first Major BASS Event in the Thousand Islands. He finished low in the standings in that first event but that set the tone for a never fail attitude that has lead him to where he is today. He began guiding friends and family for smallmouth, walleye and muskies in that same time frame and it was only a matter of time that his reputation began to spread.

He guided on Lakes Marion Kissimmee and Toho in Central Florida in the mid 80's during the winter months and the summer on Lake Erie. Many of his customers fished with him in both States and been with him ever since.

 

His TV Show Northeast Outdoors began in 1989 with a push from his buddy Hank Parker and ran until 2004 when he retired. Copies of old past episodes of "Jim Hanley's Northeast Outdoors can be purchased on this web site. Instructional videos on smallmouth and walleye fishing are also available.

About the same time that Jim started fishing Bass Tournaments he began taking friends out on Lake Erie, Buffalo N.Y. to catch some the big smallmouth he had been locating and it wasn't long after that he passed the Coast Guard Exam for becoming a Charter Captain and began what has been 30 of the most successful years of Charter Fishing on the Great Lakes. He has averaged 30 to 50 fish a day over that time span and continues to do so to this day. Beginning in 2007 Jim will also be during trips for walleye as well as spring and fall musky.

 

Give him a call or send him an email. If you are interested in fishing on the best smallmouth. walleye and musky Lake in the US, the Eastern End of Lake Erie near Buffalo New York is unsurpassed.

 

He can be reached at
neoutdoors@aol.com or by calling 716 316 3567.

Check my Bass video and Walleye video. Each video is $12.00 and includes postage and handling. Just send me an email and I'll get one right out to you, just in time for spring fishing!!!!!

 

Best Fishes to you all