“I’ve learned that participating in our great sport offers many rewarding experiences above and beyond the act of catching fish,” said Panfil. “Things such as watching the sunrise on the water, seeing a bald eagle fly overhead, spending special time with friends and family, and getting to know your true self are just a few of the impactful events that can truly make a difference in one’s life. If we can make a difference or have a positive influence in a participant’s life by exposing them to the beauty and wonder of our great outdoors, then our mission is a success.”

Panfil started Cast It Forward after losing his 92-year-old father, Arthur K. Panfil, a veteran of the Korean War who was active in church and serving the community. “There are many reasons why I started Cast It Forward,” he explained. “But none more profound than to honor the memory of my father and to emulate the example he set for me. We may not be able to change the world, but we can try to make the part that we’re in a little better for others.”

And one of his favorite times to do so is autumn.

Across the Great Lakes, as the fall progresses and the water cools, the baitfish are on the move looking for warmer water. At this time of year that water is in the shallower, near-shore waters. Right behind those baitfish are schools of hungry walleye.

“Our strategy during this time is to target and troll depth contours from 10 feet out to 40 plus feet,” explained the captain. “Along with this we are always looking for access to deeper water in these spots. There, these fish use the natural depth contours of the lakes’ bottom to move up or down the water column to feed.

“In low light conditions we will start shallow and gradually move to deeper water as the sun climbs higher. Keep in mind that if it’s cloudy or overcast these fish can and will stay shallower longer. Conversely, in bright conditions the opposite can be true.”

Panfil added that it’s also important to note that even though you are on a good spot and marking fish, these fish will not always cooperate. It takes some discipline to move off a spot like that, he said, but if they are not “on” you should consider moving to another area instead of waiting for them to turn on.

This is where having what Panfil calls a “milk run” of spots can be to your advantage. Identify multiple contour areas and if one particular spot does not produce within a reasonable amount of time move on to the next. Again, this takes discipline and can be hard to do, especially if you are marking fish, but Panfil said the strategy has changed many a fishing trip for him, from disastrous to epic.

“One particular fall trip that comes to mind is when we spent all morning fishing many different prime spots without success. By noon we did not have a single fish or pullback to show for our efforts. We made another move to a nearby, similar spot and within an hour we had a box full of big, healthy fish,” Panfil said.

Other good baits he recommends are Rapala Deep Husky Jerks, Perfect 10’s, Reef Runners and Bandits. Preferred colors are baits having Blue, Silver, Pink, Orange, White and Purple in them.

One last tactic that he shared: “It’s always good practice to change your speed, direction and make ‘S’ turns in order to entice more strikes. Nothing pointed this out to us more emphatically than when one morning we had a seagull fly squarely into one of our lines when trolling,” explained Panfil. “The impact of this caused our board to violently move, which caused our lure to change direction, which immediately resulted in a walleye hammering the lure! We took the hint and started altering our course and direction which resulted in a very successful morning.”

Art Panfil started Cast It Forward to allow special folks the chance to get out on the Great Lakes for a day of fishing at no cost to them.

Panfil worked with Cleveland State University’s legal outreach program to incorporate Cast It Forward and to achieve their status as a 501(c)(3) organization. Panfil is a United States Coast Guard certified and licensed captain and is Red Cross certified in Adult & Pediatric CPR/First Aid /AED. His boat meets or exceeds all required safety regulations and has passed inspection from both the USCG and The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).

Panfil’s Cast It Forward fishing trips begin in April and continue through November, all fishing gear and other equipment are provided and there is no cost to those who participate. To learn more, participate, volunteer, or donate, contact Cast It Forward through their website at www.castitforwardfishing.com.

He trailers exclusively so that he can follow the ‘hot’ walleye bite, from the western basin reefs early each spring, gradually moving launching ports to the east as the season progresses and then back west again in the fall as the lake cools and the fish migrate. Captain Panfil uses a 2021 Hewescraft Pro V 200 ET HT with a Mercury Pro XS 150hp outboard. The 22-foot boat is rated for up to eight passengers and includes a 9.9 Mercury Pro Kicker and an 80-pound thrust MinnKota Terrova.