 |
| From Photo_Gallery6 |
We passed the set of floats ready to put the iceboom in place. Here’s how they look;
 |
| From Photo_Gallery6 |
Then we were on our way motoring in the general direction of Myers Reef in New York waters. We passed Waverly Shoal, then the red can marker at Seneca Shoal. The tack on the waves was to run the troughs of the big rollers as much as possible. As we were travelling the winds started, first out of the south and created a foot chop on top of the 4 ft waves and it soon made our trip a slow and uneasy ride. Soon the waves were in the 5 and six foot waves when we reached our destination at Myers Reef.
December 1st marks a number of important date stamps, many kids are waking up to open the first day in there advent calendar for a treat to start the count down in days to Christmas day. For those die hard anglers that chase Lake Erie Bass beyond the warm summer conditions it marks the unwanted closing of the Ontario Bass season. Luckily in New York the season continues as a catch and release fishery. If equipped with a New York fishing license, a seaworthy boat with a good navigational GPS on board, and warm clothing, you are ready to open your own Advent calendar and be treated to a big Lake Erie bass.
Roy set up his first drift in shallower while we worked the tip of the reef. It was minutes into the first drift that started in 45 FOW when I set the hook on our first fish. It was a quick of two pound fish. Our drift was quick and with two drift socks we managed to slow enough to keep heavy tub jigs and drop shot rigs on the bottom. Next fish was John’s on a tub jig and it was a nice fish that was very long and skinny but still pulled the scale to 4.7 lbs on the digital scale. Our expectations for bigger fish kept us from snapping a picture before releasing and soon I was busy setting the hook on fish after fish on drop shot.
The next two drifts marked 14 bass on drop shot at the back of the boat and not any of them exceeded 4 lbs in estimation. We pulled up to Roy to see how his shallower drifts were working out. His response was enough to have us try the same drift and we followed him up wind and waves and kept a slight distance enough to see each other, but too far to talk in the wind. We instead turned on our VHF radios to communicate and it wasn’t long when Roy called over his 5.6 lbs bass he had landed. I was still hitting fish on the drop shot at the back of the boat, but the bites were less frequent as our drift continued to speed up. My technique required a cast down wind of the drift and keeping it there long enough to get a strike. Then when it passed the boat, it needed an open bail to allow it to stay in place for a second or two.
Now the waves were building and the winds only increased and started to turn from the south to the southwest and then to the west. The waves were growing and white caps were all over the place. The sound of breaking waves were everywhere and it was no longer tolerable to fish in. Tying knots when on your knees was all you can do to keep your balance. There was one wave that scared me from the back platform of the boat to plant myself in midship as I looked up at its crest starting to break and ready to curl into the back of the boat. That wave was without a doubt 10 feet high. It didn’t take long for Lake Erie to get angry.
We met up with Roy, only to find Kevin losing his breakfast over the side of the boat and a clear message shared by all, “lets call the trip short and begin heading back”. The ride was mostly going with the waves and it wasn’t easy to stay on a direct course. Run the trough and then crawl over the crest of the wave. Here’s a video.
Shane Thombs
http://www.FINtasticSportfishing.com
No comments:
Post a Comment