tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34391601384835667992024-03-06T19:34:19.044-08:00FINtastic SportfishingFINtastic Sportfishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15868264209480937296noreply@blogger.comBlogger151125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439160138483566799.post-31159109880145931502020-04-13T08:12:00.001-07:002020-04-13T08:12:17.284-07:00The Rumination of Ranger <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8OZIYb9MkK1R8HIE0SW4oOdQuFyMz4RY9tqAMpwofYYRACW_S9H91pAB6L8TOBc3aIQ8r05Nk1_Kr6vq-gTvRzYQ4HORPToqB4cEb3bs8Km7I5GoHHxno4FdFa5Q4VTYlASqOmILdYMs/s1600/FINtasticSportfishingRanger620VS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8OZIYb9MkK1R8HIE0SW4oOdQuFyMz4RY9tqAMpwofYYRACW_S9H91pAB6L8TOBc3aIQ8r05Nk1_Kr6vq-gTvRzYQ4HORPToqB4cEb3bs8Km7I5GoHHxno4FdFa5Q4VTYlASqOmILdYMs/s400/FINtasticSportfishingRanger620VS.jpg" width="400" height="225" data-original-width="960" data-original-height="540" /></a></div>
<p>Last November, a day after our freak early winter storm, I shoveled out the 206 Key Largo Centre console before it’s new owner arrived to hook up to it and pull it away. Months previous, I spent a significant amount of time contemplating a number of things with regards to what type of boat I can see fit for my business and lifestyle as well as affordability.</p>
<p>I have been wavering between purchasing a bigger boat that stays on a dock vs a boat of similar length as the Key Largo but slightly different style. My discernment included the follow factors to swing my decision; </p>
<p>Adaptation to a changing fishery</p>
<p>Although we are still in a very good place on both Lake Ontario and Lake Erie fisheries health, there has been significant change. These changes have me thinking I need to be more adaptive, more versatile, be agile and limber to what swinging punches come our way.</p>
<p>Lake Ontario Observations</p>
<p>Lake Ontario’s Western Basin is Struggling Risk (Threat) – This will likely continue to struggle for the next five years (minimum) as we ride out an imbalance of predator/prey biomass. The sky isn’t falling, but there are some adjustments I need to make to position my business for what Lake Ontario still provides and where there are gaps. This includes; 1.) The dramatically less Rainbow Trout population after the 2014 and 2015 cold winters causing Thiamine Vitamin deficiency. This creates a quagmire for alternative Western Basin Mid and Late summer opportunities for when Salmon numbers are low. 2.) The significant lack of late summer salmon action with reduced number of returning salmon in the Western Basin tributaries since there isn’t natural reproduction and stocking numbers are down. In addition to this, Pen projects have been stopped this spring due to COVID-19 which will mean less imprinting for salmon stocked at Port Dalhousie for 2023.</p>
<p>Dockage Availability Risk (Threat) – In 2019 marina were closed and limited in fuel dock and other facilities for anyone looking to moor for the season. In 2020 COVID-19 has all Marina’s closed and even if we return to normal, the amount of time to bring things back to operation and make dockage services available once more, might not return this season. Not to mention the lack of income might cause some private marina businesses to be forced to foreclose.</p>
<p>Niagara River, Port Dalhousie and now Hamilton Harbour walleye have become a new opportunity.</p>
<p>Lake Erie Observations</p>
<p>The walleye population explosion Risk (Opportunity) -causing significant impacts in other fish populations, namely the perch numbers are down. Smelt numbers are also seeing a lower population count that has turned some of the walleye to turn to the shallows for large Goby especially in early summer. The creel limits and other increased measures to help harvest and control the walleye populations might be the result of fisheries managers. </p>
<p>Options for Eastern Basin Walleye Techniques Risk (Opportunity) – Its not just for mid summer trolling for chartering. The lake has provided other options that has engaged other techniques to catch walleye and extend the season. Walleye numbers are so high that it has extended the seasonal fishing opportunity and lake wide range and has expanded techniques. Shallow water trolling fishing into early summer and again in late fall, jigging deep water reefs in late summer, and casting and jigging in larger rivers like the Upper Niagara River and the Lower Grand River in the late fall and early winter.</p>
<p>The bass populations continue to be strong and does provide guiding opportunities in Fall. The bass diet has become more diversified as goby numbers seem to be dropping and more traditional shiner jigging and casting techniques, we used in the 90’s, are coming back.</p>
<p>With the above mentioned the other boat style and design will follow some other additional factors.</p>
<p>Asset Lifecycle and price point</p>
<p>I am 2/3 of the way through my career at the City of Hamilton. My pension planning says I have 10 more years before early full pension retirement. Financially I have a mortgage that will be paid by then, two kids that will be done what ever post secondary they need covered and that leaves me with a smaller than needed budget to buy brand new. I need a boat that will last for 10 years minimum, one that can be purchased at a price point that will not make me boat poor. One that operates efficiently and with less overhead. So here are my selection constraints for selecting the right boat that fits the above directive.</p><p>
1.)Only deep V fiberglass or heavy weld aluminum hull would do. The longevity of a hardy hull and the kind of ride to preserve my back.<br>
2.)Capacity/space/comfort of 3 adults to keep with the same current business format which puts you at a minimum 20ft length<br>
3.)Extend my season into the early winter (by December 15th) to take advantage of the Niagara River steelhead and walleye, Port Dalhousie Brown Trout, Bass on Lake Erie, and Hamilton Harbour Walleye means a different format for multispecies with large deck space for casting.<br>
4.)Need more horsepower to get up and go, with no fumes of a 4 stroke, and it had to have low hours to maintain longevity if older vintage.</p>
<p>In addition to these… I had a price range in mind and I was preapproved for that amount before looking at what else was above the price range. I didn’t care if I had to travel days on the road to find the right one. I knew that Yamaha outboards were far and away much more important to have then any other brand. Price for a Verado or a Pro XS would need to be -$3000 and an Etec wouldn’t even be considered. I am a consumer not sponsored and my dollars will only be invested in the best when it comes to power. No sacrificing motor quality to bring price point down I got to rely on the power behind me. After much investigation I also knew what was a good number of hours on the motor and the vintage and brand of boat. </p>
<p>Researching brands of boats it was clear that a Walleye style boat was most fitting my format. If Heavy weld aluminum was in my sights it would be on a Harbourcraft, Hewscraft, Stanley or the alike. Not some of the riveted models or light weld aluminums. If it was fiberglass walleye boat I was looking at a Skeeter WX series in 2090, 2100 or 2200, Ranger 620 or 621. In all of these makes, the Ontario market is weak in providing options. Simply put- everyone likes there riveted light aluminum boats in Ontario. That meant I needed to look more in the United States. This meant all sorts of other things to think about when shopping for a boat in the US. </p><p>
1.)The exchange rate at the time was $1.35<br>
2.)There are no tariffs applied to used boats but the 13% HST was to be added onto the US price tag.<br>
3.)If the boat was being sold by a dealer- it might also be subject to a State Tax. So pricing out values needed to consider the private sale and a negotiating range on a dealer boat.<br>
4.)The preparation for bringing the boat across the border needed attention. More on this to follow.<br>
5.)Not unlike buying a car, seller silliness is all over the boat sales industry. <br>
6.)The weather for towing the boat need to be clear.<br>
7.)Find someone who will ride with me for hours listening to my rants and hear me singing to the country music on the radio?</p>
<p>Bringing over a boat across the border needs significant planning. Planning with a time table and balancing the bidding process with a prospective seller with concessions of payment of a boat sight unseen. It’s a balance of seller patience and trust with buyer commitment and organization. </p>
<p>Leading up to finally finding my boat, I was ready to purchase 3 other boats but when your gut instinct tells you to steer clear – listen close and ask the questions that are most difficult. </p>
<p>The first boat I was ready to pull the trigger on was a Skeeter WX 2090 and it was nearly a done deal when I asked the owner on the second call if there are any Liens. Sure enough, there was a significant portion of the value of the boat rolled up in a lien with a bank. A lien can be paid for during the purchase agreement when you buy the boat but you need to have the ability to pay off the lien with the seller along side, during business hours and with the total amount on hand. This also means the difficulty of carrying a new title to the boat and the lien release form for both the boat and trailer. The complexity is far greater to sift through when you get the boat to the border and sort all of this out at Canada Customers. </p>
<p>The second boat was a Skeeter WX 2100 and the seller neglected to tell me until the third call that the motor was recently rebuilt and still was in break-in period. Because this information was given late in the negotiations, I had no trust in the seller and backed out. </p>
<p>The third boat was in Texas and was a great looking Skeeter WX 2200 with a 300 Yamaha. I found out the motor was part of a twin on a big boat and this was the motor with the proper rotation (on twins, the port and starboard motors rotate opposite to one another). The motor might have been perfectly fine but considering the lack of knowledge on the history of the motor and then the 26 hour drive to see the boat, I decided not to make an offer. </p>
<p>The boat that followed me home was a match of all criteria, buy and seller patience and trust, I was committed to having all details planned out and organized and with a timetable to drive out and buy the boat. </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyPwFjwnj1ync4nXMl4bY4ZjE5Av0KJBORrnN2h-ObRBMv7Gnl5iqfOAdBlRqRdIkEOkFARKn9V9t_BD7ch-YFXZLhl0SFHj_2E7Og1DGPPs-tDdORgbSJky1a68G6z2BAnF6uXPQxGMo/s1600/2006_Ranger620_Boat_and_Trailer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyPwFjwnj1ync4nXMl4bY4ZjE5Av0KJBORrnN2h-ObRBMv7Gnl5iqfOAdBlRqRdIkEOkFARKn9V9t_BD7ch-YFXZLhl0SFHj_2E7Og1DGPPs-tDdORgbSJky1a68G6z2BAnF6uXPQxGMo/s320/2006_Ranger620_Boat_and_Trailer.jpg" width="240" height="320" data-original-width="600" data-original-height="800" /></a></div>
<p>About the boat and it’s history</p>
<p>The boat was located in Stillwater, Minnesota by a private owner who was the second owner of the boat that had known the previous (original) owner. The 2006 Ranger 620 VS was powered with a 4 stroke Yamaha 250 horsepower with roughly 100 hours. The seller bought the boat in 2017 from the original owner with only 57 hours on the big motor and when he tried the kicker motor – It wouldn’t start because it was used so little the carburetor needed to be cleaned. He got it running and has been good the past two years. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXgaqhs3owHr3kjLk01hmcJbZw5qRA3wkHs23nbytVkXIJ3wBDC4OBdVZDPTlZGQB-78wjxgO67uJqFTG6kPglp29LShMLMSJtroyGNvBVyU3EAvY2svO2_PpAbYusbtWLksFJU7ixLIQ/s1600/2006_Ranger620_Motors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXgaqhs3owHr3kjLk01hmcJbZw5qRA3wkHs23nbytVkXIJ3wBDC4OBdVZDPTlZGQB-78wjxgO67uJqFTG6kPglp29LShMLMSJtroyGNvBVyU3EAvY2svO2_PpAbYusbtWLksFJU7ixLIQ/s320/2006_Ranger620_Motors.jpg" width="240" height="320" data-original-width="600" data-original-height="800" /></a></div>
<p>The seller described a very similar story about high water levels not unlike the lower Great Lakes. He said that the St Croix River has been shutdown to running the river with a wake. All year 2019 they couldn’t run the big motor to get the boat on plane. The boat had little use and it was evident when I went to see the boat. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwj7bjBAh2g3W43L_HPOzFKb28go7LX8j0ujW8G038YzNt_d0KKN9jEfpFRSy6t4BNz5zukjezwqYBt5B_v_6kEwAkTNSXcqk-VHPRQ3FJC9GYBkbXPWYksPNLo1X08qCg6HoDT0FlIvI/s1600/2006_Ranger620_Boat_Interier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwj7bjBAh2g3W43L_HPOzFKb28go7LX8j0ujW8G038YzNt_d0KKN9jEfpFRSy6t4BNz5zukjezwqYBt5B_v_6kEwAkTNSXcqk-VHPRQ3FJC9GYBkbXPWYksPNLo1X08qCg6HoDT0FlIvI/s200/2006_Ranger620_Boat_Interier.jpg" width="150" height="200" data-original-width="600" data-original-height="800" /></a></div>
<p>Numerous calls back and forth lead to the agreed upon price, timing and transfer of all the details that I needed to get the paperwork started for my return across the border. That paperwork included: </p><p>
1.)Vehicle Import Registrar forms which requires the Trailer VIN number, history report and lien clearance, as well as copy of title, and any recalls. I gathered numerous pictures of the trailer, the VIN number of the trailer, the ownership title of the boat with Trailer and I arranged my insurance coverage for the boat, motor and trailers before I was on route.<br>
2.)Insurance required Trailer VIN number, VIN number of the Yamaha 250 outboard and the Hull Identification Number. A list of other additional items like the electronics the boat came with and the kicker motor and its VIN number. Then also a breakdown of value of each as it sum the agreed upon price.<br>
3.)According to MTO, I was allowed to tow the boat without license plate, but because I had a plate already, I went into get a new plate owner slip so it was on hand and easy to read.<br>
4.)Although we had discussed everything on the phone between me and the seller, I also had everything followed up in an email back and forth. Then I printed off the email thread conversation that also discussed our negotiated price and the agreement of no deposit because I wasn’t interested in sending money with site unseen. Also collected was a series of pictures and photos of all the title documents.<br>
5.)I ran a background check report on the boat using the Hull Identification number which told me the ownership history, any accidents, recalls and encumbrance that will prevent the acceptance of crossing the border.<br>
6.)Money wise I not only negotiated, but also prepared to carry the money on hand across the border under the rules. I had a portion of the moneys in a Certified Bank Draft in US dollars as well as $3000 in cash. You are only allowed up to $9999.99 in US Dollars cash on hand when crossing the border. The bank draft is allowed largely because the intended recipient in named on the bank draft and it matches the sellers name and address and description of the boat.<br>
7.)To ease the mind of the seller I also had the seller’s financial institution call my bank to confirm the moneys were there and ready and what format it will be coming in as a Bank Draft. Some US banking institutions don’t recognize a Canadian made bank draft even if its in US funds. The call in advanced allowed the two institutions to verify the transfer will be successful.<br>
8.)Lastly, I needed to book my places of stay with very aggressive timelines to maximize drive time with my Minnesota arrival to be a decent timing to connect with the seller. The target time was 5 pm on Saturday and we were 30 minutes before! Talk about perfect timing. In addition, we wanted to be coming across the border in late afternoon on Sunday. So careful planning set out stop/stop locations to book our overnight stays.</p>
<p> Friday, February 7th at 1:30 pm I left work in Downtown Hamilton and drove to pick up my son Aidan at his highschool in Grimsby for 2:45pm. Run home and finalize our packing and then pick up my dad and hit the Highway. We got to the border in Sarnia at 8:00 pm and got through without any concern and stopped in Lansing for the night. Woke up at 6:00 am had breakfast and hit the road by 7 am. There was a snow that covered the roads and we got a bit messed up in our directions first thing as we circled around and then finally got on route. We found the worst part of our drive was driving around Chicago with more road cut offs and basket weaving roads then anticipated. The GPS kept telling us to go towards the City and we wanted to avoid the City.</p>
<p>The location of our stay on the second night wasn’t booked yet as we were unsure what to anticipate for timing, weather, and any other hiccups along the way. We instead drove to Madison, Wisconsin by lunch time and looked at our timing and plans and decided to book a room in Madison so we force ourselves to get that far before the end of the day as we backtrack our route.</p>
<p>To change it up, my dad drove for the next 4 hours as we made it to Stillwater, Minnesota and finally to see the boat.</p>
<p>The boat was inside a large garage with the cover on and all cleaned up. I helped roll up the cover to take a look inside and the interior was in great shape. No stains or wear on the carpet, even on the step up to the front deck. The deal was made and then backed up the truck, hooked up and waved good bye.</p>
<p>The signs on the highway and on the local radio announced an approaching winter storm. It was to hit Minnesota and Northern Wisconsin at 3:00 am with a snowfall of between 6 and 9 inches. Besides the safety and delays that might occur when driving in wintery conditions, I also didn’t want my boat to be covered in salt and slush and road grime. We were booked to stay that night in Madison, Wisconsin which is the southern part of the state and looking at the local weather suggested that instead of 3 am it would hit Madison for 6am. I said to my dad and son, if there are any flakes falling- we are loosing sleep.</p>
<p>I slept with one eye open partly because the kind of people I saw around the area we were staying and was worried about the boat and truck, and of course the pending weather coming in. 5:00 am my other eye opened as the snow started to fall. I leaped from the bed and straight to shower. My dad was up just as fast and we had to drag Aidan out of bed and into the truck to hit the road. We were pulling on to the highway by 5:45 and was near the border of Illinois by 6:35 where we stopped for breakfast and fuel and being chased by periodic snow blowing. No accumulation on the roads so we kept on our route and clocked the miles and managed the border by 3:30 pm and still no accumulation on the roads and no salt trucks.</p>
<p>My preparation for the border allowed the easy and fairly fast customs visit. Highway 402 to 401 was Hammer down and we got to dad’s in Stoney Creek at 6:30 pm. On our way to Beamsville we stopped at the car wash to spray down the boat and trailer and then arrive in the driveway for 7:30 pm. The snow was coming down good my then and we were happy to know we won- we did it, 32 hours of driving in 2 ¼ days and everything went smoothly. </p>
<p>The next day I stored the boat at dad’s and planned with Grimsby Tackle to begin rigging. Also took the boat to Canadian Tire to have the Trailer inspected and MTO certification of safety compliance sticker. Three weeks later the boat was at Grimsby Tackle’s show for Rigging. Next Blog is about boat rigging.</p>
<p>The Key Largo went out with a snow storm and the Ranger came in with a snow storm. Both boats go and come in like Lions, does that mean that the Ranger will stay like a Lamb?</p>
<p>Shane Thombs<br>
<i>FINtastic Sportfishing</i></p>
FINtastic Sportfishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15868264209480937296noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439160138483566799.post-39145857876408187032019-08-27T18:38:00.000-07:002019-08-30T04:47:45.657-07:00The Fishing Widow<div class="MsoNormal">
The skies darken the roar of distant thunder washes over the
sounds of the whitecaps and the whistling winds running through the fishing
lines. My cell phone rings, its Shari, my wife. “The storm is here, are you
getting off the lake?” Where would we be without the care of our other half? Looking
out for us, all the while hearing the wind static on the phone and our short
answers to speed up the conversation and get back down to business. It’s time to
do homage to our better half. The one who reminds us to balance our work, our family
life, and fishing in balance.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Of course we are keeping a watchful eye on the storm while <span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;">sea billows roll</span>. We intently assess the
situation by watching the RADAR, factor in our travel time in potentially
bigger waves and maybe even the need to consider driving rain as the storm
nears and the need to be off the lake where lightening is in dangerous range. We
even assess what time it might take to hook and land that last salmon of the
day and if that window of time should keep us from resetting that line to catch
another. Sometimes an approaching storm front turns the fish on the feed and it
can mean some amazing action. <o:p></o:p></div>
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From a charter captain’s perspective with clients on board,
the anxiety increases ten fold and we absolutely take no chances. We manage our
time and potential risk and “pull the lines” much earlier to ensure safety and
comfort. These are the things that when not being in the boat with us, would
not be understood from the perspective of looking out the window at home and
with the phone in your hand against an ear. But knowing you have someone
looking out for you is what’s important here.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Shari is my wife of seventeen years on September 28<sup>th</sup> of
this year and we were together for seven years before that. She knows full well
that fishing is a permanent part of my life, a life passion that has been with
me all my life. When she married me, it was understood that my flaw is that I
come with “fishing baggage”. Fishing baggage that means extensive time on the
water away from the house and the kids. To say it doesn’t come with arguments
and misunderstandings, would be a lie. I continually work towards a <i>work-life-fishing balance</i> so she doesn't feel like a widow at home. There is a bit of leniency and sacrifice that
takes place to make things work. From a place of poking fun at the situation,
Shari- the wife of a charter captain- has jokingly call herself the “Fishing
widow”.<o:p></o:p></div>
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All kidding aside, today I am sore and tired. Not because of
a long day on the water, as <i>a matter of
fact</i> we had to cancel our charter due to the weather. Instead, a friend in
need meant providing an urgent helping hand. A mother of four kids trapped in
domestic abuse from an alcoholic husband. A husband who felt drinking would fill
the void in his life, that void which could instead be filled with a life passion like fishing. She required
help to move belongings out of the house, while he was at work. The deadline for
his return to home was imminent and the stress levels for the family were
extreme. She was on the run from a very dire situation and potentially her life
and the lives of her children. We assembled to help, we worked fast and hard
and with heavy hearts. She was not widowed through the death of the deadbeat
dad and husband, but the death of a peaceful marriage that required escape.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW06Rr6Xyf1BkugZTiSn5xJBfLT1N-9bcWPIpKU-2ye6oQQCCLyPQBBF6-fsUV3V9WMrTUJy65KPHIDok5uB4O56U6gauCxDdFcD8-PNgAmzq4R56FVJ2DrH5bVVp31jXdnPs04Vydfno/s1600/FishingShack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW06Rr6Xyf1BkugZTiSn5xJBfLT1N-9bcWPIpKU-2ye6oQQCCLyPQBBF6-fsUV3V9WMrTUJy65KPHIDok5uB4O56U6gauCxDdFcD8-PNgAmzq4R56FVJ2DrH5bVVp31jXdnPs04Vydfno/s320/FishingShack.jpg" width="320" /></a>Sustaining a <i>work-life-fishing balance</i> lifestyle is not
easy. Working all week at my day job, working every weekend on the boat and
then pulled so many directions, it was clear that me and the family required break. ROAD TRIP!!!<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHRTSwB0WcJMuuMXxzt0mRN9CWurLGpY-9EWxTChVwjjJYYGeGCtMsUgStnVOyF1eQO4v0weuEIrkvh7ZcyQD8LwFK8HWVEDgEMcaxG_EQdJOfxOifWWfltKN8m8t-L044wws76YFCyH4/s1600/Farah_Shane_Halibut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1294" data-original-width="1600" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHRTSwB0WcJMuuMXxzt0mRN9CWurLGpY-9EWxTChVwjjJYYGeGCtMsUgStnVOyF1eQO4v0weuEIrkvh7ZcyQD8LwFK8HWVEDgEMcaxG_EQdJOfxOifWWfltKN8m8t-L044wws76YFCyH4/s320/Farah_Shane_Halibut.jpg" width="320" /></a>In July a family two week long East Coast trip answered the
need to balance things again. 5,000 plus km of driving offered us the views of
New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. 37 years before, my
parents did a very similar family camping road trip and it was my interest to
see some of the very same sights now, almost 4 decades later. This Shari and I
wanted to share this experience with the kids while they were at the perfect
age to remember it for years to come.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Driving in Nova Scotia, we toured the south coast
from Halifax to Lunenburg. Stops like Peggy’s Cove, Mahone Bay were planned but
one particular location was that of Indian Harbour just west of Peggy’s Cove. A
small campground called “King Neptune” was a location that I remember vividly
as an 8 year old. The old fishing shack and dock to the little red fishing
vessel piloted by the husband to Katherine (Kay). The included 1982 picture with the kids show my sister and I,
along with two other kids from the campground, holding up the fresh catch of
Halibut caught by Kay's husband.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioBjYXgAUcEnzM5wQ0RMuE93yjLWJIiFAhRwCacpGUPahVtsiE6GWph7ABS5-WQUAHOjAOpwm_heUESQczhONWJ_fY4aHJkwwffmLrGcu_uRZo86pAUGazVe_oeglqBWL0Wx8jS8Qs3l8/s1600/KingNeptuneSign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioBjYXgAUcEnzM5wQ0RMuE93yjLWJIiFAhRwCacpGUPahVtsiE6GWph7ABS5-WQUAHOjAOpwm_heUESQczhONWJ_fY4aHJkwwffmLrGcu_uRZo86pAUGazVe_oeglqBWL0Wx8jS8Qs3l8/s320/KingNeptuneSign.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaHyS7QgNMcmdHEI5aTWg0zXEH2DBHkMrVHkRNgiXkr00C8nS3CqYoeDo-eK76rccqBFHUFWmXQSVqJWdpcGaN0K7pqMZUYFt_Q2Y3OBNX1wZ_xEArQlTHRC15oYcaqENoTBieEnTD158/s1600/Kay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaHyS7QgNMcmdHEI5aTWg0zXEH2DBHkMrVHkRNgiXkr00C8nS3CqYoeDo-eK76rccqBFHUFWmXQSVqJWdpcGaN0K7pqMZUYFt_Q2Y3OBNX1wZ_xEArQlTHRC15oYcaqENoTBieEnTD158/s320/Kay.jpg" width="180" /></a>Kay is now 97 years old and is a true Fishing Widow as here
fisherman husband had passed away of natural causes. When we pulled into the
campground I explained to Kay’s son (who now watches the campground) that I was
only stopping in to gather the views and conger up those 37 year old memories.
Of course he was welcoming and showed us to the yellow house that still
appeared original and standing the test of time. We knocked on the door and
approached the screen door a 4 foot 10 inch woman to welcome us in. We intended only to say
hi, but Kay insisted that we stay for cookies and conversation.<br />
<br />
Soon we were
talking more than just names and where we were from. Laughs and thoughts were
shared with how the campground has historically remained the same, yet gained
popularity and with worldwide attraction. She showed here notebook of years of
logs noting the number of campers from countries around the world. Surprisingly
the country (outside of Canadian campers) of Germany was the highest count of
campers. The campground is full most of the summer which was not the case when
we were camping there 37 years ago.</div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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Kay also shared how the Swissair Flight 111 MD- 11 crash
impacted the campground in 1998. 229 people died and King Neptune Campground
became the command centre for search and rescue efforts. She explained that there
were some 30 men stationed at the campground rotating shifts out to sea. The
men were provided rations of sandwiches and soup for each meal. When Kay heard,
she stated with importance that she would have none of this. Instead she sat 21
men plus family and friends to a quality wholesome East coast cooking. Hospitality
of a Bluenoser is like no other!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqvTrKVsBZ5Q8mv59QdavgPeGSCuIkinJ2EPvQ13NCfP-cv9_vnYoeUdbMDe_kZjY3OaGrviF-AoppkcoO6C_gjd_JD5IEABpn1tT3oggN7ch3qA7PkHda5xsFFWawY3JMthb3u2YHO5A/s1600/Kays_Album.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqvTrKVsBZ5Q8mv59QdavgPeGSCuIkinJ2EPvQ13NCfP-cv9_vnYoeUdbMDe_kZjY3OaGrviF-AoppkcoO6C_gjd_JD5IEABpn1tT3oggN7ch3qA7PkHda5xsFFWawY3JMthb3u2YHO5A/s320/Kays_Album.jpg" width="320" /></a>Kay also opened up a photo album that showed various
pictures of the campground and life of Indian Harbour. Many pictures were of
her husband, at the fishing shack, on red fishing boat, and with the catch of
the day. Kay outlived her husband, but her spry spirit and hospitality showed
that being a fishing widow isn’t the end of her story and <o:p></o:p></div>
she provided a
welcoming way for me to reconnect to a special place as a fisherman and as a
person whom wishes to treat people as we like to be treated. <br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLwVV8wKqRfLGTusTPUPBwAxTL3hy_35KCmzJTcbhyphenhyphenLzRnq0Dyp0a8bRzFddJ9KaFxyqhQeMhOnhsMcldvuLViBt371RR2SRI7KtF1m7K88XXsjVZvF_vQkRnHIpGRdVex2ZzqsS6tIAY/s1600/LittleRedBoat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLwVV8wKqRfLGTusTPUPBwAxTL3hy_35KCmzJTcbhyphenhyphenLzRnq0Dyp0a8bRzFddJ9KaFxyqhQeMhOnhsMcldvuLViBt371RR2SRI7KtF1m7K88XXsjVZvF_vQkRnHIpGRdVex2ZzqsS6tIAY/s320/LittleRedBoat.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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We joke around and poke fun with the words of “Fishing
Widow”, but in life we are all in this together. As I continue to learn and strive
to create <i>work-life-fishing balance</i>, I can see it has helped strengthen our
family. Fishing as a life passion fills your soul with peace and happiness in a
world that can otherwise be mean. When <a href="https://youtu.be/FexGqNDBK3g" target="_blank">all is well with your soul</a>, you can
weather the storm, have empathy for others in need, and give generously no
matter how many mouths to feed.</div>
FINtastic Sportfishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15868264209480937296noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439160138483566799.post-37664933241320690942019-02-01T11:36:00.001-08:002019-02-01T11:40:26.017-08:00Today's Spatially Aware AnglerOn long drive camping trips when I was a kid, with my parents and sister, often meant sitting in the passenger seat beside dad who’s driving, with the Ontario road map partly unfolded on my lap.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi56Bd0v56_KwgXSFQdTdF3_fYa-Rfc4y7ND2y2EQgTPR-NMOO74rADLQ98vL7RqLSusvnmeQgTGvDWe6tzTRzPwFyb0STXAMb1LMkgtyjaEbaw0KKP2bw6ZsW-SPrXNaM9AwA6CiQFSHw/s1600/Hwy169map_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="350" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi56Bd0v56_KwgXSFQdTdF3_fYa-Rfc4y7ND2y2EQgTPR-NMOO74rADLQ98vL7RqLSusvnmeQgTGvDWe6tzTRzPwFyb0STXAMb1LMkgtyjaEbaw0KKP2bw6ZsW-SPrXNaM9AwA6CiQFSHw/s320/Hwy169map_sm.jpg" width="262" /></a></div>
I suppose I was the navigator since my sister in the back suffering from car sickness and my mom at her side. I didn't mind it at all, I enjoyed the job. Maps to me read easier than words in a novel. I was never good in English in school, but geography was my calling. <br />
<br />
Today we have GPS which has turned the Spatially Aware Navigator into a redundant skill replaced by your cell phone or dashboard mounted GPS. Now in my older years I sometimes like to explore without my electronics. Resort to a paper map or use my sense of direction to weave my way across the Lots and Concessions of the back-roads. I fear being Spatially Aware is becoming a skill lost on younger generations. <br />
<br />
Electronics for fishing has become heavily leaned on for navigator, but unlike a haphazard car trip across the countryside, decisive navigation on the water is as important as your car seat belt. In fact, as a captain of your vessel, it is by law you know where you are at all times even when the electronics clearly show it digitally. Marine Law enforcers pull over boaters and check for safety gear. On that list for a larger vessel is a Magnetic Compass and an updated paper navigation chart. Your electronics already shows your location and with accurate cartography to help your navigational needs. Truly what is desired is that (as a captain) you are spatially aware of your boat’s position and direction. It’s like a sixth sense for seasoned mariners.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4QoKO0ZKdR8I3YFPyN_DVt99aD4S6MHQARf63DGhyA0PuINsQ_LCqeDIulzS3FYPjZgyzYsT8hNosnlcWUvZSVWpB6W3_cxB87QbM6irvjK_fDQ_xuSn45OMsdZB2ekoFh5Or6W4pSEc/s1600/WalleyeElectronics.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1247" data-original-width="1600" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4QoKO0ZKdR8I3YFPyN_DVt99aD4S6MHQARf63DGhyA0PuINsQ_LCqeDIulzS3FYPjZgyzYsT8hNosnlcWUvZSVWpB6W3_cxB87QbM6irvjK_fDQ_xuSn45OMsdZB2ekoFh5Or6W4pSEc/s320/WalleyeElectronics.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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It has been said by many of professional anglers that fishing success is like real-estate success. It’s all about Location, Location, Location. Today’s technology has given anglers the tools to efficiently narrow down the best location to catch fish. <br />
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The number one question I get from those at the dock ready to go out fishing is “what depth of water were you in?” So many concentrate on how deep the fish are, but rarely consider where on the lake the fish are located. Which way out of port are you fishing? As the morning went on, where did you find fish migrate too? Information to provide your location, it is often using a visual location on land or on a map and rarely coupled by the depth of water fishing. Spatial awareness of your surroundings means understanding… x,y (location on a map) and z (depth of water).<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNvsf_MJpBJsdyyltFsUObQhnLAnB8VBd4PVg_k2V_hsOXIVpniT-sFs6-uuQfd6v-sAqQFXJtjg5ddA92SQOwUFyhW6Og8O93UALJZm_cgHuSlpxpDbQsHVQLXl-mQxwr02kdgURVpmg/s1600/LowranceHDS8_3D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="936" data-original-width="1404" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNvsf_MJpBJsdyyltFsUObQhnLAnB8VBd4PVg_k2V_hsOXIVpniT-sFs6-uuQfd6v-sAqQFXJtjg5ddA92SQOwUFyhW6Og8O93UALJZm_cgHuSlpxpDbQsHVQLXl-mQxwr02kdgURVpmg/s320/LowranceHDS8_3D.jpg" width="320" /></a>Spatial awareness allows the opportunity to justify how and where you fish, judge your fishing situation with other locations. They say 90% of the fish are in 10 % of the water, but I believe the Great Lakes is an even greater percentage of fish in smaller percentage of water, and unlike structure oriented fish like bass, pelagic fish are nomad. If a seasoned Mariner has a Spatial Awareness like having a sixth sense, wouldn’t you think as a Great Lakes Troller, would it not help you put more fish in the boat? With today’s electronics and technology, when used effectively, provides the information to become spatially aware.<br />
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<b>Future Great Lakes Fishing Technology prediction. </b><br />
<br />
In 2000 I did a seminar at the Strait Line Anglers Club after finishing my schooling in Geographic Information Systems. My main topic was how GPS works. At that time it was expanding rapidly and the US government stopped Selective Availability to enhance GPS locational accuracy for civilian use. I said in the seminar that in the future, our GPS units will not only have our bathymetric charting and our location on the map, but also correct the data in the map collected by SONAR. 15 years later we have SONAR Charts Live updates from Navionics.<br />
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So what is next for our future of fishing electronics… I believe we will see strides in wigitization of apps that would not only display on the hardware we mount on the helm, but also on mobile devises like our phones or tablets. Use of cloud storage of things like saved routes, Trails and Waypoints to be shared to other devices and other users. They will design electronics with emphasis on app integration between electronics like your SONAR/GPS plotter display and Down-speed display via added widgets and easy plug and play apps. Mobile devices like our phones will allow easy saving of Waypoints and control of the electronics and apps from anywhere in the boat by Bluetooth on mobile devises. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg860VaMJifldjdf4xHrZ1eeU40kj6G4aiyPLRUz-jRinXL0aS1hrPBnBXWlzk3IkHbLnE3bzNBzRRqmDVlbNhL2bAjFFCeYYqfMefmE4EalqwmbhD4BOph1H9eAPG7HCHjrcSbLuQEXzA/s1600/LargerSalmonConcentrations.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="1109" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg860VaMJifldjdf4xHrZ1eeU40kj6G4aiyPLRUz-jRinXL0aS1hrPBnBXWlzk3IkHbLnE3bzNBzRRqmDVlbNhL2bAjFFCeYYqfMefmE4EalqwmbhD4BOph1H9eAPG7HCHjrcSbLuQEXzA/s320/LargerSalmonConcentrations.jpg" width="320" /></a>I believe our electronics will have greater insights into our use of the electronics. For an example, it might generate hotspot maps of areas that are seeing greater waypoints saved via crowd source cloud storage sharing. Not unlike Waze for driving, you will have Waze of fish catching activity. This will open up the familiarity of your success measured by your location and the location of others. Are you fishing where more fish are being caught? There was a time when SONAR was said to be “cheating” because you see the fish. Then we saw the introduction of GPS technology viewed as a tool to uncover secret fishing spots. The next evolution in trolling technology will include information sharing and insights into that information.<br />
<br />
<br />
All the best electronics in the world will not make you a better angler. They provide you information so you can be more spatially aware as a troller. Spatial awareness aids decision making on the water. Making the right decisions will catch you more fish.<br />
<br />
Shane Thombs<br />
FINtastic SportfishingFINtastic Sportfishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15868264209480937296noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439160138483566799.post-25206146150150131352019-01-16T18:16:00.001-08:002019-01-16T18:16:45.364-08:00Are you superstitious? Lucky Charms in the boat.<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D25wg21O9dQ" width="480"></iframe>FINtastic Sportfishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15868264209480937296noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439160138483566799.post-72681720945050869522018-02-08T06:49:00.005-08:002018-02-08T06:49:54.939-08:00Links and apps for your Smart Phone when fishing Lake Ontario & Lake Erie<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Links and apps for your Smart Phone</span></span></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Website
Links</span></span></u></i></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Wind Forecasting</span></b></div>
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<a href="http://www.sailflow.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://www.sailflow.com/</span></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Buoy Data</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">NOAA<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=45139"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=45139</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Grimsby WX station = 45139<br />
Port Colborne WX station = 45142<br />
Port Stanley WX station = 45132<br />
Lorain, Ohio WX station = 45005</span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Water Conditions Data</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Coastwatch
Surface Temperatures </span><a href="http://www.coastwatch.msu.edu/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.coastwatch.msu.edu</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">MODIS
Satellite True Colour imagery </span><a href="https://coastwatch.glerl.noaa.gov/modis/region_map.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">https://coastwatch.glerl.noaa.gov/modis/region_map.html</span></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Environmental Conditions Data</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Solunar
Clock </span><a href="http://www.solunarclock.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.solunarclock.com</span></a></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Apps</span></span></u></i></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Wind Forcasting</span></b></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;"><img alt="Image result for Sailflow App icon" border="0" height="58" src="data:image/png;base64,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" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_1" width="58" /><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">SailFlow<span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;"><img alt="Image result for Windy App icon" border="0" height="59" src="data:image/png;base64,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" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_2" width="59" /><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Windy</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Storms</span></b></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<img border="0" height="62" src="data:image/png;base64,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" v:shapes="_x0000_i1027" width="62" /><span style="font-family: Calibri;">StormEye</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Temperature and
Precipitation</span></b></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;"><img alt="Image result for The Weather Network App icon" border="0" height="65" 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" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_3" width="65" /><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Weather Network</span></div>
</td>
<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-image: none; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 239.4pt;" valign="top" width="399">
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Moon Phase</span></b></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="height: 294px; margin: 0px auto auto 298px; mso-ignore: vglayout; position: absolute; width: 165px; z-index: 251657728;"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Simple
Moon Phase Widget</span></div>
<div style="border-image: none; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<a href="about:invalid#zClosurez" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Image result for Simple Moon Phase Widget App icon" border="0" height="294" 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" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_4" width="165" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></b></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mapping</span></b></div>
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<img border="0" height="75" src="data:image/png;base64,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" v:shapes="_x0000_i1029" width="75" /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Navionics</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Shipping</span></b></div>
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<img border="0" height="78" src="data:image/png;base64,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" v:shapes="_x0000_i1030" width="78" /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Canal
Status</span></div>
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FINtastic Sportfishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15868264209480937296noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439160138483566799.post-45950342235548608732017-09-04T13:06:00.000-07:002017-09-04T13:19:15.542-07:00Less XBoxes and more Tackle Boxes- Gamers to Anglers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFhRohVgsuY9uh1BxtEnkO2DHtOe5jEUnFj9E897Z7zDe7WL-0FOE72S3dNs54vmHEqIAZEu5nyGp6dC-rIWT41zgvTgESvYmlVDCyGDrbsAyGm5sZNSC5wy_wButKVwd8-71Dq8m0HUk/s1600/Stevens_FirstFish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFhRohVgsuY9uh1BxtEnkO2DHtOe5jEUnFj9E897Z7zDe7WL-0FOE72S3dNs54vmHEqIAZEu5nyGp6dC-rIWT41zgvTgESvYmlVDCyGDrbsAyGm5sZNSC5wy_wButKVwd8-71Dq8m0HUk/s400/Stevens_FirstFish.jpg" width="400" height="400" data-original-width="810" data-original-height="810" /></a></div><p>It’s the last weekend of the summer and if you have a preteen- teenager- tweenager boy in the house you might also be at your wits end with the amount of screen time this summer. </p>
<p>George Foxworthy has the redneck jokes, but if you could change that to Parent of a Gamers jokes it might go like this. </p>
<p>If by Labour Day your child’s skin colour is still white as snow, you might be Parent of a Gamer. </p>
<p>If your son asks to get more AA batteries for the wii remotes but the grass is two weeks over due for a cut and the lawnmower needs no gas, you might be a Parent of a Gamer. </p>
<p>If your home internet usage is more after 2 am than at 10 am, you might be a Parent of a Gamer. </p>
<p>I come from a generation where gaming was first introduced. Pong, Pacman, and Frogger. In grade school I had only a few friends who liked to play video games and there were many hours burned up looking at tube style TVs and hyped up on Jolt Cola. It was a novelty though as it would be a bit of a flash in the pan and then we were back out to play doing whatever else indoors or outside. </p>
<p>I do think things have changed since 30 years ago when it comes to the number of young gamers, particularly young boys from maybe 7 to 27 that are to call video games a novelty with a short shelf life. Instead more and more treat video games as a decent way to pass time. Or worst yet, can be considered addicted to gaming and find friends with very similar interests. </p>
<p>An interesting stat compared to my childhood the 1970s and 80’s, children now spend 50 percent less time in unstructured outdoor activities. Children ages 10 to 16 now spend, on average, only 12.6 minutes per day in vigorous physical activity. Yet they spend an average of 10.4 waking hours each day relatively motionless. </p>
<p>A pole showed these following reasons as the top excuses why kids prefer not going outside. </p>
• 80 percent said it was uncomfortable to be outdoors due to things like bugs and heat
• 62 percent said they did not have transportation to natural areas, and
• 61 percent said there were not natural areas near their homes. </p>
<p>Let’s not put the blame entirely on the kids, additionally a survey of Parents of Gamers showed that 50% were worried they might get hit in traffic when playing outside and 40% fear kidnapping by strangers. </p>
<p>Let’s instead think of Gamers as potential anglers of the future. I think there is an opportunity here if we look at it slightly different. Kids that are Gamers have what attributes? I think they are driven to find the ways to win. They will find enjoyment when they do succeed. They essentially are not scared of a challenge. If looking at fishing and what it takes to catch fish, it is about being persistent to try and catch fish. Where fishing doesn’t match up, it’s where you can try very hard, even do everything correctly, but you might not succeed. You might not catch a fish or as many fish as last time. Measuring success is not about how many levels you made to get where you are. It like starting a new video game every day. </p>
<p>In July I had to pleasure in having returning guests to the boat. A father and son annual fishing trip. This time, however, the son invited his friend to come along for a fishing trip. His first time ever fishing. The two late teenager boys are self-proclaimed gamers. So much so that in the past I remember the teenager arriving at the dock in the morning without sleeping after hours of gaming throughout the night. No pity we said, “fish will not wait for us, lets get out there” </p>
<p>This year was very interesting because his friend Steven was seeing fishing for the first time. This was like starting a brand new video game, to him. After fitting lifejackets and explaining the safety items on the boat and what to expect for fishing that morning, we motored out to our fishing grounds. In a side conversation I was told he suffers from anxiety and gaming is one of the many triggers that sets him off. Steven is addicted to gaming but also addicted to his school work. Second addiction doesn’t sound too bad right? It is bad. He doesn’t except having anything less than perfect and he works and works until it is. </p>
<p>His anxieties over the dangers of water, the fear of losing a fish and wondered if his inexperience will take away from the experience of others throughout the trip, had him bashful of participating fully. Having new to fishing people on a trip I try to explain that we don’t catch every fish we hook and sometimes we don’t always hook a fish to begin with. Its fishing. Measuring success is not possible. Each day we are handed a new units of measure. A big fish to one person is a small fish to another. 1 fish is a lot of fish some days, and 20 fish can be less than expected on some days. Success in fishing is not equally calibrated by measured by levels in a video game, or number of points. Maybe the lack of true measure is exactly what a gamer needs as an alternative to see success differently?
<p>Steven’s anxiety was interrupted 10 minutes into our trip when I handed him the rod with a fish on the other end, taking line off the reel while it was in his hands. He was no longer anxious as his concentration was fully on the task at hand. The feeling of a powerful fish, the sound of the reel drag screaming for mercy was obviously like no video controller could ever simulate. </p>
<p> “What do I do? what do I do?” he said. We smiled and like it was already understood by the rest of us on the boat, “welcome to fishing, enjoy this, this doesn’t happen every day”. He learned quickly while working the rod and reel to fight the fish toward the boat and it was nearly within sight at the back of the boat when the line broke. </p>
<p>Steven had no time to be disappointed, the other downrigger rod popped up and I hand over another rod to place in his hand. This time he worked the rod like he was experienced. I wondered if the quick learning and dexterity was from gaming. Maybe a gamer’s brain is trained to adjust and learn quickly or you lose the game. He brought in his first fish an 11 lbs Lake Trout. </p>
<p>If you are a Parent of a Gamer, you might be frustrated, maybe even disappointed that the summer has slipped by without your son participating in constructive things. Your family vacation to the cottage for a week might have provided the much needed break from all that screen time. Consider other opportunities to try other outdoor activities. My son is enrolled in Scouts, it’s a wonderful program I recommend. It is possible to distract your son away from video games outside your scheduled summer holidays. Consider fishing, a hike in the woods, or maybe a day canoe trip. If you like to try fishing but don’t have fishing equipment or feel like you might not be able to find a good spot to catch fish, hire a guide. </p>
<p>Steven, along with many other young boys, that have been gamers for far too long, have many attributes that would make them great fisherman. Let them try fishing. I think it can be the needed outdoor activity to reduce curb screen time.</p>
<p>Shane Thombs<br>
www.FINtasticSportfishing</p>
FINtastic Sportfishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15868264209480937296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439160138483566799.post-21235782758063987402017-07-14T07:34:00.000-07:002017-07-14T07:56:39.087-07:00High Water, Fishing on a High in 2017<p>Environmental conditions are pivotal to providing good fishing. It’s a known fact, but describing what makes good vs bad environmental conditions can sometimes be misconstrued. Some of the most common things I hear, and my responses from Captain Obvious would include some of these: </p>
<p>Q: “When it’s hot out, doesn’t the fish go deep?” </p>
<p>A: Air temperature and water temperature are not the same. Lake Ontario is a deep lake, and yes the fish will at times go deep, but the air temperature is not the reason to go deep. Although Lake Erie is shallower, it also has enough depth to provide its own levels of water temperature comfort.</p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKI0XwPbzMl_OR2V6uq35lrddTPWpyMFt0AM3KwP-hlgcHAyovCw6Zprl9luXnFwJBuQFl5_VObsqeD70HjbjW1qzk1lgQMIWPFMtQwfnu3-4Cyv_tzAVoj-bpxEODmQUvXOD1yPss0s/s1600/DoubleSalmon.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKI0XwPbzMl_OR2V6uq35lrddTPWpyMFt0AM3KwP-hlgcHAyovCw6Zprl9luXnFwJBuQFl5_VObsqeD70HjbjW1qzk1lgQMIWPFMtQwfnu3-4Cyv_tzAVoj-bpxEODmQUvXOD1yPss0s/s400/DoubleSalmon.jpg" width="400" height="274" data-original-width="1023" data-original-height="700" /></a>
<p>Q: “Don’t fish come up to the surface to feed during a rainfall?” </p>
<p>A: Sometimes, but it’s likely not the rain that brings them up in the water column. Low light conditions, a low pressure barometer and the benefit of less anglers around (fair weather fisherman) will make the fish rise in the water column. I use the word <i>rise</i> rather then come up to the surface. The surface water might not be what the fish want to be in if the water temperatures are too warm.</p>
<p>Q: “Why are the fish deep when the baitfish are seen near the surface?” </p>
<p>A: The large expanse of open water of the Great Lakes, fish can't hide for safety or hide to ambush. it’s a tug-of-war between baitfish (prey) and the Salmon, Trout or Walleye (predators). Some conditions provide baitfish with the advantage to avoid being eaten; other conditions provide the predators the advantage over prey. Where prey have the advantage, predators usually prefer not to use energy and rather wait for conditions that put them in the advantage. If baitfish can see the predatory fish coming, they have the advantage. If predators can sneak up on them without being seen, predators have the advantage. Low Light conditions, made by early mornings or late evenings, overcast conditions, or waves to break up the sunlight penetration, can provide salmon, trout or walleye with the advantage over baitfish.</p>
<p>Q:“Wouldn’t the fish prefer the clear water over dirty water?” </p>
<p>A: Building on the previous question, predators will usually find the advantage over baitfish when they are disguised in colour (turbid) water. In the spring, coloured water is literally the most important location factor to find catchable hungry fish. Clear water is also most often the colder water and sometimes called <i>lifeless</i> since most anglers will see the SONAR graph display empty and void of any life. The need for coloured dirty water becomes less the scenario in the Summer months since coloured water is less prevalent miles offshore. Instead the benefit to find green water is the goal. Green water is nutrient rich with phytoplankton (microscopic plants) to provide the foundation for a productive food chain, making it <i>full of life</i> as opposed to the clear lifeless water aforementioned.</p>
<p>Q:“The sun is out, the fish should be up sun bathing.” </p>
<p>A: It’s like an urban myth that seems to circulate. Unless we are talking about Carp, I don’t think I had ever seen a fish swim just beneath the surface to soak up the sun. Its not a situation on Lake Ontario or Lake Erie for salmon, trout or walleye.</p>
<p>Q: “How can there be currents in the lake with no river or inlet for many miles?</p>
<p>A: The Great Lakes are much different than a small lake or pond. We are talking about massive bodies of water with a lake surface that can be influenced by winds. Winds and waves move the water and localized winds can influence the currents of other areas not subject to winds. Three other factors are added to creating currents. 1.) Water temperatures will create variations of where the currents will move. Cold water is more dense and often slower moving. Cold water can be imaged in exaggeration as thick molasses where warmer water would have to move around it and slip past it. Vertically we see this between the warmer water above the thermocline vs. the colder water below. Horizontally you may see the smooth surface water with debris gathered alongside the colder wavy water that it meets. 2.) Point sources to add current into the lake. Niagara River for Lake Ontario is the largest catalyst to currents in the Lake Ontario. It is often referred to as the engine that turns currents in the lake in a counterclockwise direction. Lake Erie has the Detroit River at one end and the Niagara River at the other end. In three years the volume of Lake Erie is changed over. 3.) tides are minimal in freshwater but have a slight current created. It is more of a factor during the full moon in September and fishing for salmon staged to move up the river. Tides will move the water around the piers and night time glow spoon chucker’s will see the currents moving when there isn’t any wind. Less a concern for current changes in the main lake, but the tide times or Solunar gravitational pull can influence the times fish feed. Winds, water temperature differences, river water point sources and the effects of the tides are all examples of how the Lake currents are always moving.</p>
<p>Q: “If there’s a current, do fish like the current?” </p>
<p>A: They like the current to bring them food. They don’t like to spend energy fighting the current. The question can instead be asked what is the current bringing to the fish. Is the water rich with baitfish and warmer coloured water, or is it cold, clear and lifeless? Will the current not only move the water, but also move the fish to your area or away? As a fisherman, what consideration would you have to combat currents? Is your trolling speed at the depth of your presentation correct? Are there differences in bottom structure that will change or deflect the lake currents that will provide predators with an advantage to prey on baitfish that might pass by in the current? </p>
<p>Q: “Has this year’s high water made the fishing better?” </p>
<p>A: Yes and No. I think. ?!? Fishing has been exceptional this year, but its hard to say its entirely because of the higher water levels. Certainly the rising water of the Great Lakes has changed the scenario that fisherman have had to adapt. Some might say the fishing is good if they could actually get out fishing. Some boat launches are/were closed and limited fishing pressure in some areas. Some bigger boats were/are waiting for lake levels to subside to gain access to docks that are left submerged. The increased volume of water from runoff might have added a greater amount of nutrients in the lake that will generate a good growing environment for plankton and provide more fuel to the food chain and sustain more baitfish. There is also the thought that the warm winter we had in 2016-2017 along with the increase in water levels has added lots of warmer water to help the lake’s productivity. Localized fishing success as a result of higher water levels might be linked as well. The higher water levels and increased flow from the Niagara River might have changed how the Niagara River has continued to be a draw for fish into the start of Summer. When the river water usually draws fish in May and then warms too fast and fishing slows in the area, the river water still continues to draw fish well into July (thus far). That might be because of the increased water levels and water volume. Areas that seem to be great fishing spots in July have struggled to find consistent fishing, namely Grimsby has seen a slower summer start for reasons unknown to me. The fish are still subject to where the water goes and the baitfish follows. Higher water levels don’t seem to change off shore locations of fish. Whether the water is 210 feet or 214 feet in the same spot has less concern for the salmon swimming 50 feet down. </p>
<p>Describing how good the fishing is from one season to the next is not usually related to the current weather, but the overall climate of the season and past seasons. Cold winters and summers are bad for fishing for Lake Ontario Salmon and Trout and less concerning for Lake Erie Walleye fishing. Water levels as high as they are this year, might or might not be the reason for this year’s great Lake Ontario fishing. There are likely many other similar environmental conditions that tend to be confused with how it might make fish react and how good the fishing will be.</p>
<p>If the fishing is good, Make Hay while the sun shines. If the fishing is slow, When handed Lemons make Lemonaid. Environmental conditions and fishing success have very confusing outcome interactions. Get out fishing and find out if the old sayings are an urban myth.</p>
<p>Shane Thombs<br>
www.FINtasticSportfishing.com</p>
FINtastic Sportfishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15868264209480937296noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439160138483566799.post-6950290628440973932016-08-14T12:00:00.000-07:002016-08-16T11:04:39.103-07:00Agile management of stocking numbers can work. Are you ready?<p>In March, various newspapers (both hardcopy and digital), social media, and talk around the Great Lakes centered on the collapse of the Chinook Salmon Fishery in Lake Huron and the very real threat of Lake Michigan following the same dismal path. Conversations at tackle shops and fishing club meetings were of concerns that Lake Ontario might also be sucked into the same vortex that leads into the black hole of salmonless waters. The hype over the doom and gloom reports of the salmon fishery on the upper Great Lakes had many thinking we are next and with this thinking after two extremely tough years (2014, 2015) of lake Ontario fishing, it was like the writing was painted on the wall. </p>
<p>I am a volunteer member of the Fisheries Management Zone 20 advisory council. Essentially a group that work together to communicate the various interest groups around the lake. Geographically, Jerry Mitrovich and I have done our best to extend the interests of the Ontario South Shore angling community, covering Hamilton and Niagara to be specific. Maybe more so, being on the council has allowed a better understanding of the state of the Lake. What we know, what we like to know and what we like to see happen to open water and near shore fisheries are discussed and learned by those on the council. Although the members of council share a variety of viewpoints, when the data shows a significant trend, where a variety of data sources seem to coincide, there is no reason to push individual agendas when we have a very necessary mandate to help manage a trophy salmon fishery and mitigate the risk of any such collapse. </p>
<p>The media and angling community buzz was enough for the council to pay close attention to the issue. Coincidentally Lake Ontario data revealed a troubling change nearly upon us. The signs written on the wall were seen by members of council in 2015, but the angling community still hadn’t seen those signs, it was still early to say for certain where the fishery was heading. Fragile – Yes – but with a warm winter in 2015-16 we had high hopes for a recovery. Unfortunately recent survey data shows we did not see a recovery significant enough to provide us hope.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Kys52weAlLw/V7NPo2btIhI/AAAAAAAADCI/fuF5a5GYJ0ohBu1IYhx0kG4qeviEWN97wCPcB/s1600/Missing_year_class.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Kys52weAlLw/V7NPo2btIhI/AAAAAAAADCI/fuF5a5GYJ0ohBu1IYhx0kG4qeviEWN97wCPcB/s1600/Missing_year_class.jpg" /></a></div>
<p>Additionally, the content in the media about the upper Great Lakes were only part of the writing on the wall when it comes to the state of Lake Ontario. The upper lakes mostly struggle with the lack of nutrients and plankton to feed baitfish. Lake Ontario, on the other hand, has more short term concerns related to cold winters in 2013-14 and 2014-15, and the stressed alewife populations with a gap in year classes. Like a car that needs an engine tune up, rather than a full body off restoration.</p>
<p>I am an avid angler with an extreme interest in a quality Chinook salmon fishery but still remain objective on all aspects of a potential decline in baitfish levels, it was absolutely critical not to get sucked into the negative slant the media had played, but also not to take a foot stomping, near sighted “there’s tons of baitfish- I see it on my SONAR – there can’t be a baitfish problem”, stand.</p>
<p>The council continues to be educated on the ecological scenario past, present and future (whatever that might be?). Knowledge is power they say, but it’s not about power, it’s about an understanding and the council requires we work together to abate any possibility of a salmon fishery crash on Lake Ontario. We will soon grapple with what measures we need to take in order to react to changes in predator/prey balance? We need to be agile enough to be proactive instead of reactive. Have trust in the data, the concepts and the idea that a balance of predator/prey is more than an allotment of stocking targets. Make changes ahead of any signs of a failing food web is critical, a lesson we should learn from watching the crash of Lake Huron.</p>
<p>The biggest point of interest to discuss is how we plan to stock fish. Can we work with our neighbouring jurisdiction in New York to find a happy place with not only numbers of fish stocked but how we stock those fish? Not just about acting on increasing or decreasing stocking numbers, instead or also by adjusting the allocation of fish as they relate to the most effective sites and survival rates at those sites. Pen sites vs direct stocking sites vs tributary stocking sites. Some may argue we need to know more to make bold decisions, I think- even if it’s not solid science; I rather do something, and learn from it, then do nothing and learn what we should have done when it’s too late. </p>
<p>Without getting into a great deal of history on Alewife in the Great Lakes and the rise of the Chinook Salmon fishery, Chinooks were likely North America’s and maybe even the World’s largest success story in fisheries management. Projects are often judged by three main factors, Social, Economic and Environmental. Socially, Chinook Salmon are without a doubt the most sought after Salmon or Trout species in the Great Lakes. Economically they generate highest investment over the other Salmon and Trout species. Environmentally, the imbalance in the Great lakes ecosystem in the 60’s with an Alewife population explosion, went through a dichotomy, becoming a relatively stable predator/prey balance once Coho and Chinook salmon stocking was introduced and for the most part remain balanced for the past 50 years.</p>
<p>In the 60’s it was an experiment, in the 70’s the fishery was discovered, in the 80’s the fishery reached an unprecedented flurry of angling attention setting the bar for expectation. In the 90’s the fishery began to turn downward in relation to the expectations set in the 80’s. In turn, this changed angler attitude. Anglers thought stocking numbers would directly correlate to catch rates and a sense of political pressure or measure of accountability towards fisheries managers was the new agenda. Adjustments to reduce stocking numbers to restore a healthier predator/prey balance, was met with angler disappointment rather than a means for providing a balance.</p>
<p>In reaction to anglers holding fisheries managers accountable, stocking numbers became rigid targets to be met to please the angling community.</p>
<p>In the 2000’s that same attitude persisted, but the state of the lake and fishing productivity seemed to have rebounded after anglers figured out how to catch more fish using “new age” trolling techniques. </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iW3pc9fvuKg/V6j8z0romhI/AAAAAAAAC90/K_hOHAzgp14GMwEkHwNKWqpi4gISXVCowCPcB/s1600/upload_-1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iW3pc9fvuKg/V6j8z0romhI/AAAAAAAAC90/K_hOHAzgp14GMwEkHwNKWqpi4gISXVCowCPcB/s320/upload_-1" width="180" height="320" /></a></div>
<p>Folks, it’s time to react to change once more. The rigidity of our stocking targets amoungst a fishery that is dynamic and ever changing, doesn’t work. Perfect example is the state of Lake Michigan’s fishery faced with the same sense of rigid stocking targets became a discussion of stocking entitlement rather than truly reacting to a decline in predator/prey imbalance.</p>
<p>The demographics of alewife in Lake Ontario have recently changed. Recent surveys show data that we are not in a great place. Anglers may say they see lots of bait on their SONAR, but having an understanding of what they are seeing might add knowledge to the subject herein.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eSqZJkUdh5w/V6nhp4UL7YI/AAAAAAAAC_A/2_zuaBZulHAE3rsfcMxr0ygKuX588lbTQCPcB/s1600/How%2Bold%2Bis%2Bthat%2BAlewife-lowres.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eSqZJkUdh5w/V6nhp4UL7YI/AAAAAAAAC_A/2_zuaBZulHAE3rsfcMxr0ygKuX588lbTQCPcB/s640/How%2Bold%2Bis%2Bthat%2BAlewife-lowres.png" width="640" height="466" /></a></div>
<p>The 2012 year class of alewife are currently what is holding up the existing fishery. Subsequent years of recruitment failed to follow suit with its more prevalent predecessor adults born in 2012. We are facing a two and maybe even three year gap that is very concerning for the health of our alewife population in the near future. The 2012 year class are over their prime. It’s like having no men and women in Canada under the age of 50 and then asking 50 year olds to make enough babies to keep our Canadian population strong. Are you getting the sense of the magnitude of the issue? </p>
<p>Yes it’s an issue but it’s not with certain doom. Unlike the upper Great Lakes the most important factor that will help Lake Ontario rebound is that we have much higher nutrient loads to fuel the food chain. Higher nutrients provides- higher phytoplankton provides -higher zooplankton provides - food for Alewife. If we help the Alewife numbers by reducing pressure from its predators, a recovery can happen. This isn’t the case for Lake Huron and maybe even Lake Michigan as it would be only part of the problem they face. We can make good of a bad situation, but we must be willing to act.</p>
<p>Knowledge is not power in this case, but what knowledge we do have on the topic and how we react to this change, we might come out ahead. What do we need to do- change attitudes about the sense of entitlement when it comes to stocking numbers. We need to be creative and forward thinking, be willing to try even without solid evidence that one stocking technique, number or location be the definitive answer to our problem. </p>
<p>Those that like it in black and white…</p>
<p>If you were to give up a significant number (maybe even all) of Chinook salmon stocking numbers for 2 years knowing your catch rates will drop dramatically for the following 3 years as a sacrifice made in order to mitigate the risk of any such collapse, would you do it? Short term pain for long term gain? </p>
<p>You can point your finger and demand to see evidence, but as my mom would say, “ you point your finger and there are 3 others on your hand pointing back at you.” Don’t hold grudges over who gets what and how much, change your sense of entitlement. If the writing is painted on the wall, saying “Enter the black hole leading to salmonless waters here”, why not paint over it? </p>
<p>Shane Thombs<br>
www.FINtasticSportfishing.com</p>
FINtastic Sportfishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15868264209480937296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439160138483566799.post-75135944287183251692016-07-17T12:00:00.000-07:002016-08-16T09:32:07.973-07:00Go fishing, It’s as simple as that.<p>Over the years my charter business has become busier and busier. My clientele might even be a bit different from others in the Charter fishing industry. </p>
<p>I was told when I started, that the preferred clientele are those from the corporate world. They have the money and they throw you a bit extra after a good day of fishing. Sounds great, but after 6 years in service, I am not so sure that’s the type of people I get calls from. Instead I seem to cater more for families, and friends. Less suit and tie and more folks who work hard, but value a little time away from their 9-5 or night shift working for “The Man”. </p>
<p>My groups are often about the experience and not about impressing a hosted corporate client. Don’t get me wrong, I think the corporate guys could enjoy my service as well, but because for me its about fishing, and not about pampering, I don’t think I have what they want. </p>
<p>I like to think I have folks with good “Work Ethics” and recognise the benefit of having quality time fishing with friends and family. If I was to further describe the type of clients I have would be that they are respectful, grounded, and expect only a nice time on the water with or without a boat load of fish. </p>
<p>There are so many stories of hard working folks I have shared the boat with. They soak up the experiences of watching the sun rise, the sound of the drag on a reel buzzing with a big fish, and the trill of seeing that fish in the net hit the floor of the boat. It’s the weekend, it’s a fishing trip to remember, its time shared with those people who mean more than a corporate account on the ledger. High fives, sometimes kisses and hugs, and ‘dat-a-boy’ echoes on every trip. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/G-Hh4x4xA_fOWthQ79CQW_M71lZBdz4JFdq0jiPrR-I?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-AV8Y6TaIexY/V5JAgqpt5cI/AAAAAAAAC5A/zXv9atRTkI8WhTx4XcJLUMUj3dKXSYwzACCo/s288/upload_-1" height="288" width="208" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/6310175672491499297?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery20</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Three years in a row I have had the privilege of having Charlie out fishing with his son Samuel. Sam’s new name is “Salmon Super Fan Sam”. Charlie contacted a Harvey Velix the President of the Golden Horseshoe Outdoors Club in Hamilton. They knew each other from working at LiquidAir in Hamilton. Charlie drives truck and makes deliveries all over Southern Ontario but lands home each night to balance, the best he can, family time. Charlie contacted Harvey because he had a bad experience walking along the Charter boat dock at some other marina, and was asking if there would be a charter boat that he can take him and his son Sam out fishing for the day. Totally understand that a big charter boat wouldn’t pull off the dock without a hefty cost associated, but Charlie felt a bit of a cold shoulder. Maybe had he shown up in a suit and tie it would have been a different response? </p>
<p>Harvey referred Charlie to me and for that I am grateful. The first trip we shared was in 2014 when we launched on an afternoon trip in August out of Hamilton Harbour and ran nearly 18 miles before dropping lines. We caught a bunch of fish and Charlie was surprised and Sam was completely converted into a Salmon fishing Super Fan. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/crmbgZM269Ld0I_jaj-M8NMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JOF5kFFKAnU/U__LfDqEXLI/AAAAAAAACPk/-rj8EnF4MfYX9XUV3MuxnJXZFRTcECX0gCCo/s288/MorningRunFromHamilton.jpg" height="162" width="288" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery15?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery15</a></td></tr></table>
<p>In 2015 we departed from Grimsby, but the Northeast winds made the lake a little bumpy. We ran into the waves upwind and trolled “down hill” back towards Grimsby. In the first 20 minutes we hook-up with a decent fish. Sam was on the rod working the fish to the boat and we slide the net under the fish and scoop it up. Sam’s smile was ample, Charlie was also ecstatic and was so proud of Sam’s catch. We placed the fish in the fish box and continued trolling when Charlie fell ill. At first we thought seasickness so we wrapped up our trip early and headed in. When we got to dock he apologised over and over again to Sam for cutting this short. Sam is a good kid (respectful, using good judgement and the opposite of spoiled) took it in stride and was still on cloud 9 with his biggest fish he had ever caught, in the box. </p>
<p>We drove up to Grimsby Tackle and put the fish on the scales. It weighed 20lbs 4 oz and was good enough to win the St Catharines Game & Fish Summer Derby Youth division.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/LBlroyCSmbpDPkZUHzijaNMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LWMb5Lv7Dns/VeCqHyQ_cCI/AAAAAAAACb0/Kp16fKPcWqAPgDRjpMf9_qFAGZOOjSQBACCo/s800/upload_-1" height="450" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery17?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery17</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Before they drove home Charlie was feeling a bit better and he explained that he has been working far too much. Waking up at 2 am to get home for dinner time. He works 6 days a week and felt bad that he was so burnt out. It wasn’t seasickness, it was fatigue that caught up with him. He knew in the morning leaving the dock that he was exhausted, but wanted Sam to enjoy a simple day of fishing.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/8MiIn4Uzgu9q3n0BlSYu-vM71lZBdz4JFdq0jiPrR-I?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cS10uhRLk10/V5JAgGo36CI/AAAAAAAAC40/fcvBIJ4UWK46VV3yA3d1lu1SldavkSKuACCo/s400/upload_-1" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/6310175672491499297?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery20</a></td></tr></table>
<p>I am a Huey Lewis and the News fan and this is a great song about the working class that the corporate world might not understand. The last verse is exactly what Charlie books his fishing trip to share with Sam. It goes like this,<br>Before you know it the kids are all grown<br>
And married off with kids of their own<br>
And it's all in the past<br>
It's as simple as that<br>... <a href="https://youtu.be/eYlox9OgHJc">YouTube Huey Lewis and the News</a></p>
<p>On July 17, 2016 Charlie and Sam were ready. Charlie got a call from work on Friday evening and using his words “don’t do this to me, I had this planned a month ago”. It turned out to be just a question, but you can tell Charlie’s work ethic and being at their beck-in-call must be a privilege of the company. We set off at 6 am and it felt like in no time we had 17 fish in the boat, Sam’s second biggest fish at 20 lbs 1 oz (only 3 oz shy of last year’s fish) and with a two man limit of delicious salmon in the box by 9 am. The lake was flat and we had time, so I didn’t mind cleaning the fish for them so they can enjoy their afternoon and maybe have one on the BBQ for dinner when they get home. Besides making a mess of the kitchen counter wasn’t exactly what Charlie’s wife had in mind.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/nGmQF2uRZxoK5Wtkb03IyPM71lZBdz4JFdq0jiPrR-I?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-iIa4sB5yMrs/V5JDV-0EfSI/AAAAAAAAC5Y/9EKgJ8dOLiMCVZ_pygYZjAR7Lq5xnLBowCCo/s800/upload_-1" height="800" width="449" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/6310175672491499297?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery20</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Sharing stories, Charlie described his experience bumping into Johnny Bower while shopping. This was only a month after Gordie Howe had passed and Charlie knew they were buddies that would go fishing together during the off season. Charlie described how Mr. Bower was approachable, and easy to have a chat with. 90 years old, a hockey legend and not unlike many of yesteryear’s hockey players, they are respectful, and truly understand hard work.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Aoh6wzD4JK01qLuwfoiOp_M71lZBdz4JFdq0jiPrR-I?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-RUsGtQlrOCc/V5JAfOOsr2I/AAAAAAAAC4o/IWCaWifHXlkUkY8AcKhCr86X3uM54sV3gCCo/s640/upload_-1" height="640" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/6310175672491499297?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery20</a></td></tr></table>
<p>We were dockside a little earlier and Charlie was happy to shorten the day and have about 30 lbs of salmon fillets in the cooler to take home. Salmon Super Fan Sam maintains his nick name. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/B31QXU1X9kJiVviq_u7qD_M71lZBdz4JFdq0jiPrR-I?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lcmVdHbGBAY/V5JAej0gagI/AAAAAAAAC4c/ChgPjCjTX4QLKBhLUOG0FLpfnjb3mOVCACCo/s640/upload_-1" height="640" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/6310175672491499297?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery20</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Corporate Clients or fellow family members and friends, it doesn’t matter, as long as the time is less about pamping and more about quality time together fishing, It’s as simple as that.</p>
<p>Shane Thombs<br>
www.FINtasticSportfishing.com</p>
FINtastic Sportfishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15868264209480937296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439160138483566799.post-18697777127414729052016-06-07T07:44:00.001-07:002016-06-09T11:14:39.021-07:00I see red for more Coho action<p>There is something to be said about those who have refined a fishing technique so well that their reputation is formed by it. I can easily name off fellow fishing friends who fish Lake Ontario and subsequently name their preferred trolling technique. Some (maybe even most) of them wish to keep their learnt experience, crafting their technique, a secret. In a humble way, those who rightfully deserve the reputation as a good ____ fisherman, will usually deny knowing enough about their beloved technique to make it the answer to catching fish every day, throughout the season.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/JE4yXjyNHKKfW_bTeEWg2dMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-a5G2M_Uo3nI/V1bbe018FrI/AAAAAAAAC2U/zh9KK3nWHhgb21ht_vgaL1JMrz92vtlwwCCo/s800/upload_-1" height="450" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Misc?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Misc</a></td></tr></table>
<p>In some instances though, it becomes such a refined craft that your confidence in its use becomes the only path to your success. "Live by the sword, die by the sword". If your technique is less effective than another technique, then your catch rates also becomes less. Conversely, when your "tried and true" technique is only passively catching fish on other novice angler’s boats, you likely have a few tricks up your sleeves to elevate your success well above average. Further to that, with your refined skill, your success in fish catching numbers exponential grows over others when the fish are hands down focusing on your one technique over any other, that day. I write this thinking about how cutbait has become one of those refined trolling techniques that more folks have intently focused on and many of them completely rely on its success.</p>
<p>Talking to a fisherman who has the need to hold a fishing rod in hand and cast and manipulate the bait, are usually the first to turn up their nose to trolling. Saying words like “trolling is boring” in a tongue and cheek response. Trolling for salmon can be as regimented as you would like it to be, or as fluid and agile as you are comfortable with. Trolling is one big topic from which countless techniques are spawned.</p>
<p>A very quick list of merely salmon trolling techniques that I lean heavily on would look something like this...</p>
<p>-Shallow water LIVETARGET stickbaits off Planer boards in the late April.<br>
-Spoons on downriggers in early May.<br>
-Deep water Cutbait and MC Rockets in late May and June.<br>
-Stealthy wide spread spoons in shallow in late June and early July.<br>
-8 inch Flasher and ATOMMIK flies in late July.<br>
-BlueZone speedy spoons on cores in early August.<br>
-Pierhead stager cutbait and flies in late August.</p>
<p>Each of the above listed would have "parameters" that have crafted its technique on my boat. The parameters discovered through trial and error become like rules and are programmed in your style of fishing. Provided that you pay attention things like trolling speed, properly matched equipment, when and where to use the technique based on conditions, you can then begin to form your own parameters. Understanding the parameters to your technique adds to your level of comfort and helps you to prepare and be confident before lines go in the water. Some anglers may have their own list; some might say they only do one thing every time they are out. The point is, there are many options, much to learn, much to perfect, much to keep your attention to details and it’s certainly “not boring”.</p>
<p>Seeing Red</p>
<p>For years I have been intrigued by new techniques and eager to learn and add to my own list of "Go To" salmon trolling techniques. A technique often referred to as the coho rig, is not something new, just newer to me. I have been trying it out, here and there, in past years with marginal success and really no set parameters learnt with those, too few, opportunities. This spring it started out the same. I tried it and it caught a few fish, then I put it out on the next trip and it caught a few more. After trip trial number 3, the fish responded once more and it was time to pay attention. For the month of May I truly challenged myself to learn as much about this technique as I could possibly cram in while the fish were responding. In the spring the coho are congregated and within close geographic range of the south shore. Historically coho catch rates drop off once the lake stratifies in horizontal temperature bans. The coho seem to spread out, move East and off shore. In May they are here, close, congregated, hungry and it's about that time. Strike while the metal is hot, Red Hot!</p>
<p>If anyone who salmon fishes Lake Michigan reads this, they will be shaking their head thinking where have you been? It’s true, for us Lake Ontario Salmon fisherman, we have been living under a rock when it comes to targeting spring time coho. I think largely because numbers of coho stocked in Lake Ontario were very low. The only coho stocking on the Ontario side is from the Metro East Anglers Club and not from the government. New York contributes to the lake a few coho, and in the past, stocking was the primary catalyst to coho numbers and catch rates. Now catch rates for spring time coho seems to steadily increase with each passing year. The contribution to the coho numbers and catch rates are not from stocking but from the successful recruitment from natural reproduction.</p>
<p>The upswing in Coho numbers still hasn't turned “King” salmon hunters to switch techniques and focus on the smaller cousin of the black gum beasts of Lake Ontario. Even with the continuous ups and downs of catch rates for chinook salmon in the spring, anglers still remain devoted to targeting King salmon and ignore the best tasting red fleshed salmon on Lake Ontario, Coho Salmon.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/xLLf2bFMzA1MBZ53d4L8rrqak1LhTTQA9E9u6_2cQWY?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qtS5gew39VY/V1IkQ2xKUBI/AAAAAAAACzw/sCcXbMHDYMwZgZUUcA6cmMeoffokhJ_IwCCo/s400/upload_-1" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery19?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCKzfyr-Dm6jM9AE&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery19</a></td></tr></table>
<p>If the attention to fish coho was evident, without a doubt Lake Ontario salmon trollers would steal Lake Michigan anglers coho rig techniques and also start seeing red.</p>
<p>The coho rig consists of a 00 red Dodger and small 1 –to 1 ½ inch tinsel fly. Michigan spring coho fisherman run nothing but coho rigs on all the rods and flush out as many tasty coho from the surface waters of Lake Michigan. Along with the 00 Dodger there is also the mini Red SpinDoctor with the same small flies. </p>
<p>This year I read as much as I can find on how the Michigan anglers run coho rigs and duplicated those techniques even though it is entirely different from the boats trolling around me.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/I_tarAKlfVV6bTA5sqXZALqak1LhTTQA9E9u6_2cQWY?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8wvuIUkYEZY/VzDGqVK5u5I/AAAAAAAACvw/pz3ImbKPMi4TNTK3upFrgpZ4oGZC2gTjQCCo/s640/upload_-1" height="640" width="460" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery19?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery19</a></td></tr></table>
<p>A few parameters I have learnt about running in the red...</p>
<p>00 Dodgers require speeds of less than 2.4 mph and I discovered this while running one on a wire diver and watching the cadence of action the rod tip twitches with every sway of the Dodger. Fast shakes of roughly 2 per second would tell you the Dodger is dodging back and forth. If instead the rod tip pulls back and forth slower at 1 per second, then the Dodger is spinning. 2.3 mph will insure a perfect speed before any type of spinning out even on the fast side of a turn. I have slowed the boat down to 1.8 mph and still got bit on 00 Dodgers, but if you are mixing in spoons on the riggers or on leadcores, they are likely not getting many bites at those speeds.</p>
<p>Where the experiment went viral on my boat was using walleye style inline planer board rods with braid line and a 15 ft of 20 lbs Trik Fish fluorocarbon leader. I tested out the new White Diamond OKUMA planer board rod and was thoroughly impressed. An inline planer board needs to run smoothly for Dodgers so not to interrupt the dodging action. My best results were on water that was less wavy and with the White Diamond OKUMA planer board rod with the proper action for inline boards, the boards tracked perfectly without bobbing or jerking. Smooth as silk.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/1ThOoenS-wXTf2MjYid9mtMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JAn7Lr4DPi0/V1bT6a9MGhI/AAAAAAAAC10/UB8HOS87ckwathCKkY61_-JG0hPXr2kswCCo/s400/upload_-1" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Misc?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Misc</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Because the coho rigs work when running them shallow beneath the surface (<15 feet down) braid line only requires a small amount of lead to bring the 00 Dodger down below the surface. The Lake Michigan guys use a inline keel weight 5 feet before the dodger. Instead I like to use snap weights and used the 50/50 technique so common for walleye trolling. 50 feet back then the snap weight pinched onto the line and then 50 more feet of line let out and then attach the inline planer board. Adjusting the amount of weight between 1 oz to 2 oz will keep the Dodger in the top 20 feet. My most consistent weight size was 1 ½ oz. and estimate that to pull the Dodger at the 15 foot mark.</p>
<p>The trouble with Dodgers having to run at no faster than 2.4 mph, it means finding baits that also run well at that speed if you are mixing up presentations for other species such as Chinook Salmon and Lake Trout. With great success I found running cutbait on the riggers and deep set wire divers on the rods near the boat in the centre of the spread to target Kings and Lakers with “happy” speeds that the 00 Dodgers worked on the inline planerboards out to the sides of the spread. Now you are fishing for Red, Greys and Black mouths all at the same time.</p>
<p>Those days when you're slower trolling and centre spread with cutbait isn’t getting kings and you require a faster spoon bite, the Dodgers come out and the mini red SpinDoctor and flies go in. 2, 3 or 4 colour leadcores will bring the mini SpinDoctors to the productive under the surface depths. On Friday June 3rd fishing off the Niagara Bar, one rod with 3 colours of leadcore accounted for 7 coho on its own and the total catch with the other 5 rods accounted for only 4 others running spoons. The mini SpinDoctor and flies worked slow at dodger speed, but also fast with spoons running 2.7 mph.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/yC2MjRBKx-KcWkPDXb1a3tMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--P28FXQNtkM/V1bIEvnEN6I/AAAAAAAAC0g/No3RRZ3f2b8FAjzs6pz3YHYqpXvqA0mLgCCo/s800/upload_-1" height="800" width="450" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Misc?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Misc</a></td></tr></table>
<p>The red 00 Dodger or red mini SpinDoctor are the most important part of the rig, but there are some interesting discoveries when experimenting with the flies as well. The leader length of the fly is absolutely critical. I tried longer (like 20+ inches) and kept trying shorter until I discovered the optimal length is between 12 and 13 inches to the head of the fly.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/aZtPFzliLAogMlVhEMBnurqak1LhTTQA9E9u6_2cQWY?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LR7OUVBLijs/Vy5yvR5v9fI/AAAAAAAACus/mjmrV7oP9pM9RZ3cRkc4Nei8HGo7YnPBwCCo/s640/upload_-1" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery19?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery19</a></td></tr></table>
<p>I use my ATOMMIK tournament flies and trim them shorter and slide them on the leader before a bead and the size 2 treble hook. 20 lbs fluorocarbon Trik Fish leader line is all you need and it's plenty strong for those coho in the 4 to 8 lbs class.</p>
<p>To experiment a little and to reduce the fly size a little smaller, I began tying my own "make do" coho flies using the tinsel from Craft Cord. Be sure to look for craft cord without filler yarn mixed into the metallic finish tinsel. Looking around the house for ever dead ball point pen and then pulling them apart and using the ends of the ink tubes that were void of ink. That was the tube to tie the fly and to allow the leader line to be pulled through.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/qMZLREwDpQSbIwVMQ5m05tMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1rIwG7miFq8/V1bT5jgJLEI/AAAAAAAAC10/jfZxQT4w9uQIXSTTUCYt7_RRIFtIW_fCACCo/s400/upload_-1" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Misc?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Misc</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Not uncommon to fly tiers, the tube is placed in a vice and then thread is tied on the tube first. To keep the thread in place and not spin around the tube, apply a drop of crazy glue. Then the tinsel from the cut craft cord will be pulled out as single strands to form the fly body with a nice skirt. Simply wrap the thread to tie the tinsel on the tube, add a little crazy glue and finally add some black nail polish on the threads to give it a shine. Trim the tube with side cutters to the head of the fly and run the fluorocarbon leader through the tube and tie it off.</p>
<p>I experimented with a few colours and found great success with Green, black, and blue tinsel as well as adding a little orange marabou to the inside of the fly to add a bright colour to the fly body.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/yTNwmTuvM5IfgN1ny8YMrtMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OTQLjZ6smZo/V1bT4t_udUI/AAAAAAAAC10/6Eu8wVQ2_z8VSZ2KPkOuDGAnJJbYVJgRgCCo/s400/upload_-1" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Misc?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Misc</a></td></tr></table>
<p>The coho rig doesn't just catch coho salmon, we have taken a few rainbows and the odd chinook salmon as well. I am confident now to say if I see the fish feeding on the surface chasing bait and splashing about while we troll past, the coho rig will produce. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/-MmmcHtEtOWz5kcONydyzrqak1LhTTQA9E9u6_2cQWY?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qFZuWn6KDkw/V0W73cwa1cI/AAAAAAAACyI/xQ7eqEQ8pWcdPg4ZzwrTzcznLDic-oTjgCCo/s800/upload_-1" height="800" width="450" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery19?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery19</a></td></tr></table>
<p>If you think “Trolling is Boring” then you are not challenging yourself to learn a new technique. If you want to add a new technique to your repertoire, give the Coho rig a try and start seeing Red.</p>
<p>Shane Thombs<br>
www.FINtasticSportfishing.com</p>FINtastic Sportfishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15868264209480937296noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439160138483566799.post-7733223575681293942016-05-24T12:00:00.000-07:002016-05-25T05:36:05.034-07:00Is it about the fish held by the fisherman or is it the fisherman holding the fish?<p>I was off to a slow start the Tuesday back at work after the most amazing weather and good fishing over the May long weekend. At lunch the gorgeous weather persisted and it meant getting up from my desk and going for a walk in the sun. The Durand neighbourhood south of City Hall in downtown Hamilton is full of great historic and some beautiful up scale homes and it makes for a nice stroll. I try to take a different route on each walk to explore and I know this particular route I had passed by before, but never realized this one feature at the corner of Bay Street South and Robinson St.</p>
<p>Decorated along the length of a stop sign pole was flowers and two candles at its base. I almost walked past without slowing my paces, but something intrigued me to look closer.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/oy5rZ6II3ovviFKGFezvP9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EFpVINa-WtQ/V0SchFeFh5I/AAAAAAAACwo/QisATiGPSg49CospcobfUrEWOChnKQ-QACCo/s400/upload_-1" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Misc?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Misc</a></td></tr></table>
<p>My toes nearly at the base of the two candles on the ground and without my reading glasses on, I focused on the picture of the person from which this memorial display was in remembrance. It was to my surprise a young man holding a Musky. I am not sure why it had a profound effect on me, but I stepped back and knew this was important.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ItS-2Qg84tm4Qfmyb7jMvdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0-M4bBg2w6I/V0Sch53SjuI/AAAAAAAACwo/ivEkIrnvCvENNWx_dEL0pOpXrz25JN5BQCCo/s800/upload_-1" height="800" width="450" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Misc?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Misc</a></td></tr></table>
<p>The first thought was about how I might have passed by without a change in my stride as I made my trek back to the office, but something stopped me.</p>
<p>Then most important thought was how it wasn't the fish that stopped me to take a look, it was something else. Essentially it was the person first that brought my condolences to pay informal respects, who happened to be a fisherman holding a fish. Discerning what that might mean, it became apparent that after a weekend like we had of incredible fishing, when social media feeds were literally flooding our mobile phones with hundreds of fish pictures that your thumb swipes past quickly in disregard for the moment of which the photo might have been taken. The deeper meaning to the great catch is the experience that the fisherman had just been a part of when the picture was taken.</p>
<p>On Saturday May 21st a friend of mine named Jason Schall from the southern states was up to experience more of what Ontario fishing has to offer. In particular, he desired to fish on Lake Ontario with his goal to catch the final species of salmon to complete the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) prestigious award certificate called the IGFA Salmon Royal Slam. Catching a Chinook salmon would round out his list of salmon species required. At nearly 8 am, a baritone yell of excitement and victory pierced the light wind and turned our attention to our friend Karl’s Lund boat marked OKUMA, trolling past in the opposite direction. No words are required for this picture and what it says about this special moment.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/q-Buwnkbszxx7wpNp04O0tMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-J6tkLUMtebM/V0SdHOUCfQI/AAAAAAAACww/QytjiEjNM7oDq1C6foBZ9u4bmx9tdtrAACCo/s800/upload_-1" height="600" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Misc?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Misc</a></td></tr></table>
<p>The picture of the young man holding the Musky for which the Bay Street and Robinson Street corner memorial was in remembrance of Jordan Jull. He passed away on November 3, 2014 2 days after his 23rd birthday when he lost control of his motorcycle at that intersection. Why did we have to loss another young angler when we already have too few? I don’t know Jordan, but looking at him holding that musky, I feel like I know him because I knew what that moment feels like when you hold that great catch. A “Fish of a Lifetime”</p>
<p>Even with the rat race of our daily lives, as a fisherman I know habits like scrolling past pictures of fish in my feed is another example of missing the true meaning of that great moment in life. It really is, and should be, about the fisherman holding the fish.</p>
<p>Shane Thombs<br>
www.FINtasticSportfishing.com</p>
FINtastic Sportfishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15868264209480937296noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439160138483566799.post-22061145370158601422016-04-30T23:30:00.000-07:002016-05-09T10:27:18.170-07:00Having the patience of a kid for Spring Time Brown Trout fishing, 2016<p>Everyone who fishes anticipates the coming of spring. This winter was very mild and kept an energy of excitement and anticipation for Spring. Seminars were packed, shows saw increased attendance, and the cash registers were ringing at the tackle retailers during a time of what would be the quiet season. </p>
<p>That enthusiasm was a necessary recharge to the fishing industry after two consecutive years of record cold winters and dismal fishing success throughout the summers of 2014 and 2015 on Lake Ontario. A positive attitude towards the upcoming season continued into the beginning of March with some incredible weather and boat ramps free of ice. For those with aluminium boats that were ready in time, would launch and find Brown Trout snapping up body baits trolled along the shoreline. On March 12th a friend in the salmon fishing fraternity boated the earliest Chinook Salmon I have heard of and it was not a small fish. It was just shy of 20 lbs. Here again the excitement level in the salmon fishing community was given a shot of energy like a race engine with a shot of Nitrous Oxide. Visions of spring time trolling spreads are planted in my mind. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/I_tarAKlfVV6bTA5sqXZALqak1LhTTQA9E9u6_2cQWY?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8wvuIUkYEZY/VzDGqVK5u5I/AAAAAAAACvo/_H-uFNif9NQxzOEhFXLmaYzqbwnRth4zgCCo/s640/upload_-1" height="640" width="460" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery19?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery19</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Then something happen on the fourth week of March and it shock us back to reality. The winter temperatures arrived, as did the snow falls. But it wasn’t for one week, it lasted for 6 more weeks. Like a kid full of sugar candy, my patience to start the trolling season was wearing thin. </p>
<p>The first half of April saw more snow than we did in November and December and temperatures that resembled what should have been during early March. With the cold weather came North and North East winds. The winds were persistent and constantly coming from that direction, not like it was induced by approaching cold-fronts, but rather like we were stuck in a polar vortex for weeks. (Got to love those new weatherman catch phrases). </p>
<p>By mid-April the coloured water along the shore looked promising for Brown Trout. We worked the shoreline waters of less than 12 FOW and managed the odd Brown Trout pulling stickbaits behind the boards. The best producer by far was the Jointed LIVETARGET smelt in the 115 size in black and silver back 55 feet behind the inline planerboard on 12 lbs test line. In April charter bookings were light and therefore made it possible to get the kids out. Here’s my son Aidan and Mark’s son Jeffery showing the results of a short evening first trip out on the boat for the year. Jeffery holds up the rod with the LIVETARGET that took the fish Aidan is holding. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/0QgtwcZkWrF9iRlHFE4gubqak1LhTTQA9E9u6_2cQWY?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3SXnd9h3QYA/VzC-RjTDEFI/AAAAAAAACvQ/O8I4Ye2LwVUKsrXAFYpa7o7urwYOO0UWQCCo/s800/upload_-1" height="450" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery19?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCKzfyr-Dm6jM9AE&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery19</a></td></tr></table>
<p>When the weather allowed us to get out fishing I was amazed at the great conditions of coloured water along the shoreline and the satisfactory water temperatures in the shallows. At times, hours of trolling resulted in no bites in what appeared to be the most perfect Brown Trout conditions. In New York they are blessed with incredible Brown Trout fishing and it is my wish that the south shore between Hamilton to Niagara-on-the-Lake would establish a similar fishery. Changes in the methods the MNR stocks Brown Trout would have to change. In the new 2016 stocking plan those changes were issued. Now stocking will take place in greater numbers in less number of locations. Port Dalhousie will see more Brown Trout plantings and that should booed well for the future. I keep thinking we need more though. I’m not an advocate in stocking more to catch more, but Brown Trout are a different type of fish that appears to find Gobies the new food source along the shoreline. </p>
<p>The Ken Fisher Memorial derby held by the Strait Line Anglers Club was the next trip out on the lake and the game plan was to seek a morning king bite in the green water that reached out to 40 FOW. We trolled mostly 27 feet to 32 feet where the colour transition appeared evident. We trolled quicker with spoons and a few stickbaits hoping for a silver fish to add weight to our cooler for weighin. Instead of hitting our first salmon of the year we were taking bites on the spoons we had on the downriggers. We boat the first fish on a spoon stretched back 40 feet behind the ball and down 14 feet. It wasn’t a salmon but a Brown Trout. Then maybe 15 minutes later a silly set up on an inline planerboard was a Super Magnum sized Matrix spoon in blue and silver back 50 feet on mono line with no weight hoping for a bite beneath the surface takes a strike. Dad reels it in and it’s a small Brown Trout that had an unusual appetite. As we net the fish and work to get the hooks out of the fish, Aidan yells Dad, dad that rod. It was the rigger rod set 25 feet down over 30 feet of water and spoon (a bit of a story about this special spoon in a moment). </p>
<p>Aidan tried to pull the rod out of the rigger rod holder, but I had to help. Then it was all him on the rod meanwhile dad and I ready the net untangling the hooks from the previous Brown Trout. Aidan is confident on the rod and works the fish in without instruction, but once I turned my head to what was going on I wondered about the type of fish. It wasn’t behaving like a Salmon and it appeared to be approaching the surface rather than bulldog down like a Lake Trout, none-the-less it wasn’t a light and easy fish like the last two. As it got closer and visible through the pea green water the fish was known to us as a Brown Trout. Not just any Brown trout, but a FAT one that I scooped in the net and high fives to Aidan as we giggled about what he caught it on. We brought it to the scales to weigh in for the St Catharines Game and Fish derby with hopes for it to break the 10 lbs mark. It was shy of that at 9 lbs 4 oz. But later it was told that the Junior division doesn’t have a minimum size. So that put him first on the derby board in the Brown Trout category. No wonder it was so fat, check out one of three gobies found in the fishbox that the fish spit up. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/vSGyGuI21dfszpIuuIVajLqak1LhTTQA9E9u6_2cQWY?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LCkD8uFR0Tw/Vxg7qDcpGXI/AAAAAAAACt4/nxmFaRuWR2gft-iBYju3bh_w7cH1T0wDQCCo/s800/upload_-1" height="800" width="430" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery19?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery19</a></td></tr></table>
<p>That Brown Trout was all Aidan’s and here’s the back story on the spoon. Two years ago on a charter one of my clients was fighting a fish on a Magnum Warrior spoon when the fish charged the boat and the spoon went into the prop. I unravelled the line from around the prop to pull off the spoon that had no more paint on it and it was bent in half at a little more than 90 degrees. About the chuck the spoon away I said to Aidan when I got home, “You want your own spoon to paint it as you wish?”. Of course he said yes, so I bent it back to straight and he picked gold and purple spray bombs from my garage shelf and proceeded to paint one end gold and the other purple. Then I said when it dried, you can add tape to it to finish it. I said you can use transparent tape like this fish scale tape over top of the paint and then add an eye. You can add other tape too, whatever you wish. So he added a glow eye and a glow ladderback. Boom – Aidan’s spoon. </p>
Picture of his spoon.
<p>Each time we go out fishing we have to run his spoon and this day was without exception. That spoon has caught its share of fish. Mostly Rainbows during the summer on leadcore. I asked where you want to run it. He said the downrigger. His call, his spoon, he spotted the rod, he fought the fish and he got it to the net. It was all him and that’s what makes it special. </p>
<p>Like a kid, I had little patience in waiting for the Spring Brown Trout fishing to get underway. Once it did, the kids shared turns on the rods bringing in fish. One of those turns might turn out a Junior division placeholder in the St Catharines Game & Fish Derby. </p>
<p>Shane Thombs<br>
www.fintasticsportfishing.com</p>
FINtastic Sportfishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15868264209480937296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439160138483566799.post-64555946201480298162016-02-05T12:37:00.002-08:002016-02-05T17:35:00.865-08:00Desired Rods and Reels Combinations, fit for the job.<p>At seminars and follow-up emails, and phone calls I am often asked what rods and reels do I prefer for Walleye and Salmon and Trout trolling. In the interest of answering this question I tried to demonstrate my desired combinations and the application it is used for. What you see in this list is not necessarily rod and reel combos sitting and waiting to be used in the rod rack at home, instead they are a mix and match and then taken apart and put together in another combination to achieve another purpose. Re-purposed. I have developed my own preferences in rod length, rod power, rod action, length of rod butt, line weight, line type and a slew of other attributes. My desired combination of rod and reel will likely be different than yours.</p>
<p>The most notable difference you will likely find with my rod, reel and line selection is my attention to satisfy my charter customers and provide fish fighting enjoyment. These are not combos designed to winch in fish in the hands of a Tournament Angler. On the big lake a derby angler may beef things up for the purpose of boating the biggest fish in the lake, looking for one big bite and not losing it when they hook-up. My approach focuses on more bites and less on focused effort toward the big bite. If I have to sacrifice brute strength in my equipment so I can instead turn more bites, I’ll do it. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/9h8EHJ8hOyA1J7ij7JlI4NMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-otptXoqNrGI/UAdzDoNjO5I/AAAAAAAABgM/uLvMgaQFm0g/s800-Ic42/fishn4%252520jpg.JPG" height="600" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery9?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery9</a></td></tr></table>
<p>I grew up in an era that preached scaling down to gain bites when others will not get bit on heavier line and equipment. As a young teen fishing Chinook salmon off the piers, I would cast crankbaits and stickbaits on light line using medium action spinning rods. Our typical lbs test line was 8 lbs test so we can fit enough line on the reel at the smaller diameter to allow those kings to run. We would still get <i>spooled</i> at times, but the light line helped get a few more yards on the reel and let us cast a country mile. But most importantly the light line got us far more bites. I remember my personal best line catch for a salmon was 26 lbs on 4 lbs test and it was the first week of September as those fish were still fresh coming in from the lake full of energy. I was no hero that evening as I landed only 2 and lost 3. But other anglers stop fishing to come over to see what the difference was. </p>
<p>Outfits are personal preference and even more so when your expectations of your catch comes into play. Telling this is no secret, in fact I can’t say the same list will remain this way as I refine techniques, exposure to new products, or that conditions dictate necessary changes. Take it or leave it, you can opt to mimic or dispute my selections, not unlike TV, turn the channel if you don’t like what you’re watching. </p>
<p>A few concepts I wish to clarify first. When talking about rod action I am referring to the amount of bend in the rod when under pressure. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.allprorods.com/quality/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/action.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.allprorods.com/quality/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/action.png" /></a></div> I will use a fraction to demonstrate the portion of the rod that you will see significant bend. ¾ would be a Slower Action bending throughout, ¼ would be a Fast Action rod. </p>
<p>When describing rod speed, it is the speed the rod blank will return back to straight. Faster speed rods will have the tip return to straight (neutral) very quickly – snap back. Slow, Medium and Fast speeds will be used in describing rod speed. </p>
<p>Lastly when we talk about rod power we are talking about the rod’s performance and flex in pulling against a force using the proper line rating. Light, Medium and Heavy power descriptions will be used to describe. </p>
<p><bold>Downrigger Outfits</bold></p>
<p><bold>Flasher/Cutbait Flasher Fly on Downrigger for Salmon</bold><br><br>
Reel- Coldwater 303 with 40 lbs Test Mono<br>
Rod – Blue Diamond 8ft 6in (BD-C-862MHa) ¼ Action Bend, Medium-Fast Speed, Medium Heavy Power. </p>
<p><bold>Spoons on Downrigger for Salmon and Trout</bold><br><br>
Reel- Coldwater 303 with 17 lbs Test Mono<br>
Rod – ClassicPro GLT 8ft (CP-DR-802M) 1/2 Action Bend, Medium Speed, Medium Power. </p>
<p><bold>Wormharnesses on Mono on Downrigger for Walleye</bold><br><br>
Reel – Convector 20 D<br>
Rod – Convector GL 7ft (discontinued but consider Blue Diamond 7ft 6in BD-C-762MLa) 3/4 Action Bend, Medium-Slow Speed, Medium-Light Power</p>
<bold>Secret Weapon Rig 3 colour Leadcore on Downrigger for Walleye</bold><br><br>
Reel- Convector 30D<br>
Rod – Deadeye Leadcore 7ft 6in (DE-LC-762M-T) 1/2 Action Bend, Medium Speed, Medium Power. </p>
<p><bold>Big Boards</bold></p>
<p><bold>Jet divers and small directional divers with 30 lbs Braid used for Walleye and using big boards</bold><br><br>
Reel – Convector 20 D<br>
Rod – Convector GL 7ft (discontinued but consider Blue Diamond 7ft 6in BD-C-762MLa) 3/4 Action Bend, Medium-Slow Speed, Medium-Light Power</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/i3hTcZHNxzImsnxc1O_11NMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PZhgYCt-FLI/VrUDsR1iJZI/AAAAAAAACsU/hVeQI8ZD4v4/s400-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Misc?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Misc</a></td></tr></table>
<p><bold>2 to 6 colour Leadcore used for both Walleye and Salmon using big boards</bold><br><br>
Reel - Convector 30 D<br>
Rod – ClassicPro Leadcore 7 ft (discontinued but consider Deadeye Leadcore 7ft 6in DE-LC-762M-T), 2/5 Action Bend, Medium Speed, Medium Power</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/xj_wKlSoVYnKawCStf5nZ9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PNhUkzWb5E4/VrUDVh68VEI/AAAAAAAACsQ/oHDHhpi25no/s400-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Misc?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Misc</a></td></tr></table>
<p><bold>7 to 10 colour Leadcore used for both Walleye and Salmon using big boards</bold><br><br>
Reel - Convector 45 D<br>
Rod – ClassicPro Leadcore 7 ft (discontinued but consider Deadeye Leadcore 7ft 6in DE-LC-762M-T), 2/5 Action Bend, Medium Speed, Medium Power</p>
<p><bold>Inline Boards</bold></p>
<p><bold>Spring Brown Trout and Fall Walleye on stickbaits and crankbaits on 14 lbs monofilament pulled behind Inline Planer Boards. </bold><br><br>
Reel – Convector 20 D<br>
Rod – Deadeye 10ft (DE-PB-1002M), 1/3 Action Bend, Medium-Fast Speed, Medium Power</p>
<p><bold>Inline Planer Boards with Leadcore or Copper for Salmon</bold><br><br>
Reel – Leadcore; Same as above, Copper; Clarion 453 for up to 400 ft<br>
Rod – Classic Pro GTL 8ft 6 in (CP-CL-862M) ¼ Action Bend, Medium-MediumFast Speed, Medium-Medium Heavy Power. </p>
<p><bold>DIVER RODS</bold></p>
<p><bold>Wire Divers for Salmon and Trout and Walleye</bold><br><br>
Reel- Coldwater 303D with 30 lbs 7 strand wire<br>
Rod – Blue Diamond 10ft with TwillieTip (BD-C-1002MH) 1/2 Action Bend, Medium-Slow Speed, Medium Power. </p>
<p>Braid Divers for Salmon and Trout and Walleye</bold><br><br>
Reel- Coldwater 303D with 30 lbs braid<br>
Rod – Coldwater 10ft 6in with (CW-C-1062M or MH) 2/5 Action Bend, Medium Speed, Medium Power. </p>
<p><bold>Mono Divers for Stager Salmon </bold><br><br>
Reel- Coldwater 303D with 40 lbs mono<br>
Rod – ClassicPro DD 10ft 6in (CP-DD-1062M) 1/5 Action Bend, Medium-Fast Speed, Heavy Power. </p>
<p>There are always trials with new techniques and coincidentally efforts are made to matching up with different rods and reel combinations to discover the most desired combinations in refining or craft. Desired combinations can also be named favourite rod and reels for the job, or most trusted, or most preferred. Regardless of what you like to call it, you will develop your own combinations you are most confident in. Your list will take on its own shape, it will morph as conditions change and your trials teach you more of what you like and dislike. Why do we go through this effort to finding the right combination? To build confidence. A confident angler is Kryptonite to fish. The Rod and Reel is the Superman “S” on the crest. </p>
<p>If you like to try out some of these listed examples, by all means. It’s a starting point to a list of desired combinations you will modify as time passes. Keep in tune, be aware and enjoy that time to develop your own confidence in your equipment selection. </p>
<p>Shane Thombs<br>
www.fintasticsportfishing.com</p>
FINtastic Sportfishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15868264209480937296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439160138483566799.post-74543491465621553982015-12-04T10:37:00.002-08:002015-12-04T10:37:47.090-08:00Using a LIVETARGET strategy to prepare for your the next Lake Erie Walleye Tournament<p>Making the big lake a little smaller, dialing in the numbers and selecting the right bait are what I would suggest, are steps to take, in preparing to compete in your next Lake Erie walleye tournament.</p>
<p>The sheer size of Lake Erie can overwhelm a newcomer to the lake. For a tournament angler the strategy in preparing for the upcoming tournament is in determining where the right tournament fish are located. Unlike bass fishing near structure, nomad walleye are constantly repositioned beneath the Lake Erie swells. Not only will walleye move in any direction a compass can point, but also up and down through the water column.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/VjpxomDNHoSlY8hLyeU8H9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EqBiVriNggc/VaPwuFIXP_I/AAAAAAAACY0/Fa4zwLFlD7o/s800-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="499" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery16?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery16</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Arriving at the port a few days before the tournament should be with one thing in mind. To find productive water is of upmost importance. To do that properly requires a plan that will help manage your time and space to scope out different sections of the lake. Make the big lake a little smaller by breaking it down into smaller sections. Those sections will be many miles apart so planning your approach to cover as many sections as possible is where your time management skills come into play. Keep to a schedule knowing that catching a boat load of fish isn’t the need; hence your time is less fishing and more exploring. Catch a fish or two and then move. Be sure to add a couple of unconventional areas to the list of sections of the lake to visit. They may not even need to get a line wet to know it’s not going to work out. If you do find that unique spot, that is completely unconventional, it can pay big dividends, it may win you the tournament.</p>
<p>Your judgment of what are the more productive areas will come from what you see on your SONAR, paying close attention to what might be different in your “picture” as you scan and troll one section to the next. Write all these things down or use your cell phone to snap a photo on the SONAR screen along with your position shown on the plotter.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/rwthClh82rT-oNpF4CUelNMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-u956TFgTiMk/VmHAi7Uko9I/AAAAAAAACp0/PQa4q2kGM-4/s640-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery18?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery18</a></td></tr></table>
<p> On the Ontario side of Lake Erie, you should be aware of the location commercial fisherman are deploying nets. Keep an eye out for the red and black flags that mark the ends of the nets and steer clear. Not only is fishing usually poor in the area for obvious reasons, but the nets pose a risk to navigation and loss of gear if entangled in a net.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/BUHbqm8p3Mgc6nYIBuIg77qak1LhTTQA9E9u6_2cQWY?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-U_wIHZtSWo8/VmHAuDvIsGI/AAAAAAAACrM/Q-uBK03Zcpc/s800-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="655" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery19?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery19</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Big Fish Friday can be your chance to dial in the numbers after determining your top sections of the Lake the days before. You may want to leave your best section of the Lake to tournament day, but you do need some fish to work, so you can refine your presentation. Keep an eye on where you see fish suspended in the water column. Guess the right number of colours on Leadcores and the numbers on line counters to run divers down into that depth zone. Start with some variety in your numbers and get ready to dial in on the right numbers when the fish respond. The first walleye bite is an anomaly, two bites is an indication, and three bites show a pattern. Duplicate the numbers, but always keep a small portion of the spread to test other numbers. Numbers will change over the course of the day. In the clear water of Lake Erie’s Eastern and Central Basins, walleyes will move up and down in the water column based on conditions. “Low light eyes up near the sky, midday eyes down to the bottom they ply”.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/S6vV6629eIZLnbtOHEOXIdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wVCxnsQvUls/VaPwv0HJM_I/AAAAAAAACZA/uco__1fzBok/s640-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="640" width="618" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery16?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery16</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Selecting the right bait is simplified for you when you consider LIVETARGET offers the most adaptable line of Lake Erie walleye trolling baits on the market. If you troll 1.5 mph or all the up to 3.5 mph, LIVETARGET Rainbow Smelt series of baits catch Lake Erie Walleye. The deep diving banana baits are awesome for slow trolling, the deep diving jerkbaits are an excellent mid speed bait in the 2 -3 mph range. The shallow banana baits can run slow but will equally catch Walleye up to 3 mph. If a speedy troll is your game, the shallow Rainbow Smelt Jerkbait will track a straight line.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/IM7t2KCmnvFARe41RsTPntMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-o4o-shRcmAg/VmHAg1xv4zI/AAAAAAAACpU/NejqmHEAewQ/s800-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="800" width="450" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery18?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery18</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Pull LIVETARGET hardbaits using monofilament line for shallow sets, use snap weights to target depths between 20 and 35 feet, use Leadcore line from anything between 15 to 60 feet down and behind directional divers or downriggers from 20 feet down to as deep as you like. Shallow diving Jerkbaits behind directional divers, shallow and deep divers on monofilament and leadcore, the presentation options are numerous.</p>
<p>True to the LIVETARGET name, the rainbow smelt series of finishes are the most lifelike Lake Erie baitfish looking colours available in a hardbait. In sunny conditions the silver/blue, silver/black or overcast conditions tie on a gold/black or silver/bronze. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/hJEuy1sPdIf52yxXuyIR89MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2L2dH9qVhWY/VeCqJMgPVTI/AAAAAAAACb8/6YjIlgtFysU/s800-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="450" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery17?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery17</a></td></tr></table>
<p>In this year’s Lake Erie tournament walleye fishing consider eliminating unproductive water by making the big lake a little smaller, dial in the numbers to present your baits in the zone, and simplify the task of selecting the right bait by looking no further than the LIVETARGET Rainbow Smelt series. </p>
<p>Shane Thombs<br>www.FINtasticSportfishing.com</p>
FINtastic Sportfishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15868264209480937296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439160138483566799.post-42983871998984966032015-11-20T11:12:00.002-08:002015-11-20T11:12:31.057-08:00Splash-Down Browns<p>Your boat’s first splash-down of the year, always comes with some angst. Turn the key with hopes all will run smoothly, the boat will run like it did last year. You hope for no surprises. It would be considered a good trip if your planned first launch and boat ride runs smoothly and all things work accordingly. Where a good first trip can be considered an all-around success is if you can also add to the trip, your first fish of the Lake Ontario trolling season. </p>
<p>Although tossing in the boat some of your fishing gear, might not be the priority when you launch the boat for the first time in the early spring, after an hour or two of paying close attention to everything mechanical and functional in the boat, your angst settles and your attention turns to fishing. On Lake Ontario in Late March and Early April that attention will be trolling shallow for Brown Trout. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ufOTizrhpXVVlJGFcOY18dMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FJrXFgOiseE/VZLLstBbZRI/AAAAAAAACWY/KhwFzuQ2Vwc/s640-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery16?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery16</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Catching Brown Trout on your first early spring outing is not only possible, but likely if you concentrate on finding warm and off-coloured water, and be equipped with lighter gear then you would normally use for salmon. When selecting a boat ramp adjacent to better early spring brown trout water, not just any stretch of Lake Ontario shoreline will do. On Lake Ontario for Ontario anglers, consider two parts of the lake to be your most productive Brown Trout water. The two most productive early season Brown Trout areas on Lake Ontario would include Prince Edward County’s west shoreline, near Wellington, and the extensive shoreline from Hamilton to Niagara-on-the-Lake. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/G4BVf7odzwQj6kByJN7ey9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cEC95zqvW6w/VTAAG3jvFKI/AAAAAAAACS0/jlwt3pOwOgw/s640-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery15?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery15</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Be aware of the conditions along those shorelines to quickly find the better locations to home in on Browns. There is rarely a time where Brown will be scattered and spread out, they are most commonly concentrated on areas that contain warmer water and slightly off coloured water to offer security when shallow. Shallow water means less than 20 feet deep with waters less than 12 feet deep as the highest probability for finding warmer water with a little colour. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/3DlDKrN5vVTvTHZQYeFDmNMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OLsgneWz9Gw/U1p2f4KNtAI/AAAAAAAACFI/cJioVRHjkVQ/s640-Ic42/Shane_BrownTrout_April21_2014CloseUp.jpg" height="536" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery13?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery13</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Warmer water can come from the outflow of rain swelled creeks. The plume of water will often be coloured brown and as it reaches out into the clear cold waters of Lake Ontario, the colour transitions to green. Salmon trollers love the colour change to green, but as a brown trout fisherman you shouldn’t be as concerned with that stretch of water. Browns will seek out the warmest water and that often is found immediately in the off coloured water. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/UMAKCeLQFmAxg363LHzdrtMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7Z5Th4Kq3Nk/U2BVpjXUtII/AAAAAAAACH8/9UYtyHYRPSc/s640-Ic42/1.jpg" height="640" width="359" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery14?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery14</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Additionally, the Lake Ontario shoreline can also be coloured by an onshore breeze from a day or two before where large sized waves crashed the shoreline. Turbidity will add colour in the water and can draw fish in close to shore, but you will need to find any pockets of warmer water. Waves have a tendency to mix in cold water from the main lake and chill the water that was once a few degrees warmer before the waves kicked up. The perfect scenario is to have coloured shoreline water that meets up with the warmer plume of run-off water by a creek or large over flowing ditch. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Fl33LDMK6hJ1QG0cg1AS79MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NQS0-UFxJW0/VTAAFxqQRII/AAAAAAAACSk/u-HW0CGOHlo/s640-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery15?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery15</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Browns in March and early April are not necessarily feeding on smelts or alewives; it’s too early for smelt or alewife to come in shore. Shoreline water temperature below 40’F will inhabit Gobies and emerald shiners and they will contribute to the diet of early season Brown Trout. By mid-April with waters warming above 40’F the smelt come in and by late April the alewife are crowded in the shallows. So much so that it’s hard to fish Brown Trout in areas that produced fish only a few weeks before. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/KPf7N5Nd-ogQfjvIfJ6A99MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rNu4talPGFQ/VT_C6xGUj_I/AAAAAAAACUg/H1FIrAQG0C0/s640-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery15?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery15</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Leave your heavy salmon gear at home and think about fishing Brown Trout like you would with gear you would use for walleye fishing. 10 lbs test monofilament, consider using inline planer boards and almost entirely your lure choices will consist of stick baits and thin metal and wide body flutter spoons that wobble effectively at slow speeds. </p>
<p>With water temperatures in the 30’s and low 40’f range, your more productive trolling speeds will usually start around 1.6 mph and will rarely exceed 2.1 mph. Not unlike the refined techniques from avid walleye trollers, you will find that presenting baits with consistent speed and less erratic action work for Brown Trout. Inline planer boards jumping over waves will jerk the bait out of the strike zone and look unnatural. Smooth running planer boards and stretchy monofilament line will translate into more brown trout bites. Trolling in the same direction of the wind is often the solution, but also the stretch of monofilament will bring added flex to the line and dampen any sudden jerks and jumps from an inline planer board. </p>
<p>Wide wobbling light flutter spoons like from Williams, Silver Fox or older spoons like Evil Eyes are great when used on a 1 or 2 colour lead core or with a few split shot to add weight to pull the spoon down. Trolling under 2 mph can be difficult for some spoons have enough wobbling action so even a little bend in the thin metal can add action. Bend the line tie end of the spoon up away from the cup of the spoon and bend the hook end of the spoon down to exaggerate the cup of the spoon. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/3WEApnz2uqTqxRf3prluIdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-toEFxW_wh3A/VZLLvUJfIRI/AAAAAAAACWs/vwS3nOxfiaQ/s800-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery16?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery16</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Likely the most productive tackle to focus your efforts will be to run shallow diving stickbaits like the LIVETARGET Smelts with my favourite being the LIVETARGET shallow lip Banana Baits. Rainbow smelt or Gold is the two best coloured baits and both smaller and larger sizes have their time and place. Run the smaller sized LIVETARGET shallow stickbaits off the outside (farthest from the boat) inline planer board on a slightly longer lead (depending on how shallow you run the board up closer to shore). Regular sized LIVETARGET Smelts and shallow Banana Baits can run on shorter leads and still manage to dive at depths in excess of 10 feet. Shallow Banana Baits tend to dive deeper than the regular smelt style baits if you are looking to adjust your lead lengths and achieve like depths.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/2F5gO9PL403dzFreORyJ19MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-AVBNVttA-38/U2BVpmF5jvI/AAAAAAAACH8/1Ce1q276pGA/s640-Ic42/JohnMann_12lbs_BrownTrout.jpg" height="640" width="359" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery14?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery14</a></td></tr></table>
<p>So often you hear the line- “I’m only running four rods, why do I need more than two planer boards?” In my opinion, planer boards should be used on the majority of your complement of rods in your spread. If I am limited to run four rods, I prefer all of them to be pulling stickbaits on inline planer boards. Two lines out on each side. Sometimes in clear water and in an effort to keep the boat running over deeper water and allowing the boards to quietly pull baits nearer to shore in shallower water, I will run 3 on the inside (between the boat and the shoreline). The key to running multiple boards off one side of the boat gives you the advantage to judge one well tracking board, against the other, in case the line collects debris or the bait fowls.</p>
<p>If you have the opportunity to run six or more rods then a 2 colour leadcore and flutter spoon off the back of the boat can be deployed, and don’t hesitate to run a downrigger with short lead length behind the downrigger weight using a small bright coloured spoon to pick up a curious brown trout seeking to find what the commotion is all about.</p>
<p>Boat traffic can spoil a good spot. Learn to leave a spot and return hours later. Continuously pay attention to where there may be rafts of diving ducks or terns and gulls feeding vigorously in one area. This often happens mid and late April as many of the migratory fish eating gulls and waterfowl are passing through.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/VuKeHL-fBHUW-cKM02KiUtMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2QzpK100uec/T6mvf2mXslI/AAAAAAAABQs/K5dO35tcVEw/s640-Ic42/Toms_BrownTrout_BearHug2.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery7?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery7</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Keep those hooks sharp and pay attention to the style of baits that get the most action. Duplicate lead lengths to ensure you are reaching the best depths. Close attention to your surface temperature and look at the water clarity regularly. Use the cavitation plate on your outboard motor as a measure. When you can see the cavitation plate, you have decent colour. Too much turbidity to the water should tell you to use larger sized bright coloured baits with rattles or jointed baits to add sound. Cleaner water can mean the use of smaller more natural looking baits and concentrate on the planer boards to set them away from the boat.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/mfdEC345x1AhtI-G3TVdGNMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XqJgssptyxY/UXRmSXp05WI/AAAAAAAAB0o/SKbya8fztVo/s640-Ic42/Aidan_first_BrownTrout_9lbs6oz_April21_2013.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery11?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery11</a></td></tr></table>
<p>When the boat ramp is clear of ice, your boat is ready to splash down for the first time and you want to catch the first fish of the open water season, look to the shallows for Brown Trout. Seek warmer water areas with a little colour and keep your equipment light to catch early season Brown Trout. You can turn your first Lake Ontario trip of the year from just a “good running boat” trip into remarkably successful brown trout fishing trip.</p>
<p>Shane Thombs<br>
www.FINtasticSportfishing.com</p>
FINtastic Sportfishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15868264209480937296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439160138483566799.post-12868829348328161222015-08-31T17:01:00.000-07:002015-09-11T20:44:33.112-07:00Network turns into more Net Work in August<p>It feels like yesterday when the internet became our biggest tool to expanding our network of anglers. It instantly expanded from those you chat with at your home Marina to those you talk to from Marinas around the lake. We often talk at length about how the ecology of the Great Lakes has changed dramatically and how that has played for or against our success in catching fish. What we tend not to discuss is how as anglers, we have made adjustments in order to continue to catch fish. The evolution of the most successful Great Lakes trollers can be hinged on the Network of anglers they are associated with and build knowledge and experiences with. Technology changed the way we communicate about fishing and the means of using it to stay on top of where the fish are, and how to catch them. We have gone from the 1980s and 90s where dockside conversations and VHF and/or CB radios were all you needed, to internet reports in the 2000’s from around the lake and now it’s all about the Cell phone era of txting and private messaging with a refined group in a circle of friends.</p>
<p>The Network has gone from small and social, to extremely large and unsocial, and then back down to a small and social but from a more refined group of individuals from various locations around the lake in an anglers “Contact List”.</p>
<p>The Dockside Dets</p>
<p>In the 80’s and 90’s the network of anglers in a single marina would be all you need in your network. In the 80’s the fish were plentiful and easily available with a short boat ride from your home port during the majority of the season. If you hadn’t been out in a week or so, a few simple questions around the dock, was enough info to put fish in the boat. Those in the marina worked together to find fish and the VHF radio chatter would help steer you in the right direction or bring others to steer towards you. There were plenty of fish to share and the info was something to share as well. Anyone with “Their ears on” can hear over the radio who is catching them and on what. This network was perfect for the scenario of the day, but something changed. Yes technology advanced but so too did fish location and fish behaviour.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/y9AGa6jj7at-QNx7Q4p3m9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QcBRqLkLOgE/VeCqG17fROI/AAAAAAAACbs/keoZDa08arI/s400-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery17?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery17</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Zebra mussels and reduced nutrient loading in the Great Lakes caused Lake Ontario to clear up dramatically in the late 90’s. Where fish were at home in slightly coloured water back in the 80’s were then exposed to the sun, the sounds of passing boats and more aware of the hardware that trollers in the 80’s could “get away with” because back then, the fish would barely see all the gear in the water and if they did, it was interesting to them.</p>
<p>In the late 90’s fish behaviour changed about face. The saying “Here today and gone tomorrow” was a 90’s term between salmon fisherman and if you thought you had those salmon figured out, all too soon you will be challenged once again. Sometimes change was daily, and it was evident that hourly adjustments on technique and location would also be necessary. This era was an adjustment for all anglers to deal with on the lake. The change spurred on “new-age” techniques like Directional divers and Leadcore line then followed by copper line. Boats seemed to expand range and run miles from their home port or for those with trailered boats would consider no Port a home port. This was the “New-Age in Salmon Trolling on Lake Ontario”.</p>
<p>Much of one’s success is about being at the right place at the right time, maybe even lucky. Salmon move dramatically in a short period of time. They will move across the lake, moving with the currents and the waves, following the bait in and out, up and down and then sideways. Fish found in front of your port, may be in front of the next port the next day. Move, Move, Move. Being there at the right time would consider fish in clear water would bite better based on environmental conditions such as during dawn and dusk, choppy or coloured water conditions or move up or down in depth and on structure.</p>
<p>The Internet Knowledge Base</p>
<p>The 2000’s brought on the internet and we developed a Network that was very large expanding to ports around the Lake. The knowledge base grew rapidly as we learnt together in the New-age of Salmon trolling techniques. You contributed your information and knowledge widely. You helped many catch more fish, find more fish and at times discovered you shared a bit too much with too many. That era of anglers developed skills together and we grew appreciation and respect for one-another over the internet. While on the water we used a VHF radio at times and carried a cell phone. We learned towards using the cell phones more and more and soon conversations were cut back from a massive internet audience to a one-to-one conversation. The Internet was a knowledge base but also daily reports helped give the perspective of where fish are being caught. Are they in Toronto, any closer to home caught yesterday, how deep, who was catching them and how deep. This helped as a starting point and after you get off the water you share your experience to the massive network of anglers so they can use your contribution. This was really useful for the weekenders, but a handful of charter and tournament anglers also filled in reports after a successful trip or tournament outcome.</p>
<p>Now-a-days newer trollers come to the internet to help speed up the learning curve on new-age trolling techniques since the knowledge base is easy to query and pull valuable information from. But here comes a divide and the reason why websites like “Spoonpullers” have been regarded by many as an internet chat board that has lost its appeal.</p>
<p>The Cellular Contact List</p>
<p>Experienced anglers already understanding the basics and rarely use the knowledge base of info on a website like Spoonpoullers. It’s a nice to have, but it’s not a necessity or something that will draw you back in on a daily basis to find out the latest and greatest fishing conditions. Experienced Salmon trollers find those types of websites taxing on your time sifting through messages of useless information and small talk. Filtering through so much text from unknown sources leaves much to be desired. Often the new guys to the sport are posting and the experienced guys are not. It’s a double edged sword that has lost its appeal for many.</p>
<p>Most successful anglers in the 2000’s up to today, are mobile, they are agile in use of tactics and location, they are confident in what they have will get bit, but know they are still subject to luck and the need to stumble upon something. Stumbling upon something can be overlooked if you are not paying attention to every detail and successful Great Lakes Trollers, are in my opinion, the most “situation aware” type of fisherman next to fly fisherman. Yes more than the bass guys, there I said it.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/jcSnRXxr3H5zlmUttI_ql9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yvCp9on0VZM/Ve4uTxlEC7I/AAAAAAAAClA/fOlyLxm_fps/s640-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery18?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery18</a></td></tr></table>
<p>If you put a situation aware angler in amoungst a refined network of other like-minded “situation aware” anglers then quality information is gathered. No more sifting through superfluous internet chat board messages.</p>
<p>Much of the pioneers that helped develop the internet chat boards are also the founders of the content in the knowledge-base contained in those websites like Spoonpullers. Many of those contributors cut back on communicating on the website chat boards, if they do, it’s more about posting a few pictures and telling funny experiences and not necessarily sharing details and info. If too little info is shared then often a few comments are added on the board to call you out. Give that a time or two and those highly experienced and knowledgeable anglers will instead post on a place like Facebook. Less negative feedback and if there is any, guess what, you are blocked from the Social network of that angler.</p>
<p>Today a cellular list of contacts are a circle of quality anglers that are instead interested in learning just a little bit more with attention to details, and looking for the little thing that counts. This pursuit is not found on the internet chat boards anymore. It is within a refined group of like-minded highly capable, highly respected anglers that are “situation aware”. Details are contained inside the network circle and are not meant to be shared widely. Good information will leak out in time, but let’s hold on to it just a little longer. Keep one step ahead if at all possible. This desire for a good network means you better share useful information as much as you ask for information. Loyalty, comradery, openness, out fishing regularly in similar waters and sharing similar styles of fishing will help find your place in a network. You get out what you put into it. You share more, you get more back. One sided conversations are a full stop to future conversations. Unlike a chat board, where you are called out and look bad if you don’t respond, in an informal Network, you are out, cold turkey. Not a secret society, not a code, just guys willing to share details with one another and manage who is in that circle.</p>
<p>I will admit that this promotes exclusivity, and is not the best environment for newcomers into the sport. I remain adamant that information will be shared on a one to one basis. Call me and I’ll be happy to share what I have experienced. No BS, Ill share details. One caveat though, report back with your results and share what you learnt on the water when you are out. Call on VHF radio, txt, private message or email and the Network grows with another individual. </p>
<p>I blame most fish we catch as a result of what information gathered through communicating. Yes you still have to trick the fish you have under the boat into biting, but it’s true that information sharing is the catalyst to catching more fish.</p>
<p>During the first week of August my family and I were staying at Port Bruce, North Erie Marina. This is a location that I discovered 4 years before through two generations of anglers. Marshman lives in St Thomas and Port Bruce and Port Stanley is his home waters. My other contact was Mike from Catch One Sportfishing a long time friend since back in the late 80’s from Fifty Point Marina. He settled in with a trailer and his 35ft SeaRay at Port Bruce. Information on where walleye were being caught was limited to a few willing to travel further to find fish. Marshman found walleye off Port Stanley near the weather buoy and a few other reports around the dock explained fish coming from 19 miles straight out of Port Bruce.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/9NSrrLRGrjssn2_bqHT9V9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wRHTPNWsAOg/VeCqUryIPVI/AAAAAAAACdU/asa3iM-j3ac/s640-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery17?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery17</a></td></tr></table>
<p>The first half of the week was a constant southwest blow that kept me and my kids from getting out on the lake as well as hosting others to come out with us for a few booked charters. Finally by Tuesday the winds slowed first thing in the morning and my son and I headed in the direction of the Port Stanley weather buoy. As we motored out the wind went from nil to at least 15 km/hr. By the time we stopped 2 miles short of the buoy, the winds were gusting and the white caps were forming already. My 10 year old son Aidan has seen his share of rough water in the past and he was good with it. We fished 4 rods and managed 3 walleyes before calling it quits early in the rough stuff.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/rhLN3J0hs0Q2CsJemnRViNMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gQHDF1k4PRw/VeCqSvS3VMI/AAAAAAAACdE/NQ0wx6i7n9s/s400-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery17?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery17</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Wednesday morning the leaves at the top of the trees were still, the kids were yanked out of bed and we set off with my daughter Myra and Aidan with me. We ran out to where we were the day before and the marks on the screen were plentiful. We set lines and got into fish right away, but this time it was sheephead after sheephead. We did pull in a few walleye but knew we needed to move out before the junk fish drive us nuts. So we moved out to 65 FOW and soon we were into a better walleye bite. We stopped at 11 am with 9 in the boat. LiveTarget deep diving smelt was good on 7 colour Leadcore.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://www.landbigfish.com/images/store/swatches/Koppers-smelt.jpg"><img src=" http://www.landbigfish.com/images/store/swatches/Koppers-smelt.jpg"/></a></td></tr></table>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/PCF1ABl6lMhBmwkSoPtIndMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TGk18sKQ5Wk/VeCqJ4mSZrI/AAAAAAAACcE/WmPw8ubrJtw/s800-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="800" width="450" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery17?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery17</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Thursday morning was going to be a special trip. We were invited by Mike and Lois of Catch One Sportfishing to join them for a fish on their 35 foot SeaRay.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/cF_gobvwTlV7L_H4cZCDs9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ciHcs29lCbI/VeCqTv-X7NI/AAAAAAAACdM/KJuk9XDqEqI/s640-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery17?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery17</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Shari and the kids would join me for the first time together in a number of years.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/rzQA1D5Qk3rFuExRZY6WINMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DBsSMlhtDJE/Ve4t-KkYXQI/AAAAAAAACks/zovhjTxEgLQ/s640-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery18?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery18</a></td></tr></table>
<p>We fished the same areas I left the day before and the cooler held 10 walleyes before we headed back in. 8 colour Leadcores with LiveTarget shallow Banana Baits in Green were best by far.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/hJEuy1sPdIf52yxXuyIR89MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2L2dH9qVhWY/VeCqJMgPVTI/AAAAAAAACb8/6YjIlgtFysU/s800-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="450" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery17?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery17</a></td></tr></table>
Picture of some fish,
<p>Big thanks to Mike and Lois for the hospitality. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/X3mJcRwJfaVocD9NEQtQyNMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WBcPMyRn57w/Ve4t8DDDqPI/AAAAAAAACkY/QcP7dUx5x1c/s800-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="800" width="450" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery18?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery18</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Mike and Lois are long-time friends and the very first members of my network of salmon fisherpersons. When I cut my teeth in charter fishing in the early 90’s working as a deck hand on Reel Pleasure Charters out of Fifty Point Marina, Mike and Lois had their charter boat 4 slips down from us. In those days there were a dozen other charter boats in Fifty Point and we worked together to find fish. By the mid 90’s Mike and Lois in Catch One Sportfishing and us in Reel Pleasure Charters, were all that were left. </p>
<p>One pivotal moment occurred during the last year of Reel Pleasure Sportfishing that had shaped my take on my own approach to charter fishing from that point on. The last year of Reel Pleasure Charters, Captain Larry O’Conner got a very inviting phone call from a friend and fellow charter captain Yvan of Get-it-Wet Sportfishing. Yvan had heard we were without fish and our success rate was dismal at the time, meanwhile the charter boats out of St Catharines were smashing fish. A dozen coho each trip, kings and lots of Lakers. Larry first came to me and asked if it would be a good idea to move the boat. I said yes, Larry agreed, but since our 30 booked charters were through Stelco, we had to run it by them first. This is where the “buck stops”. This kept Reel Pleasure on the dock in Fifty Point for its last dismal season.</p>
<p>The fishing out of Fifty Point was on a downward tailspin and the results of empty coolers were enough to eradicate the charter industry from Fifty Point. Soon Mike an Lois were left to themselves as the lone charter operator out of the marina and although Reel Pleasure Charters folded, I continued to fish nearly 3 times a week on the Lake mostly out of Fifty Point and continued to communicate with Mike and help out others out of Fifty Point. I was fishing mostly out of the “Grey Ghost” with the late Ken Fisher. We worked with other boats such as “Double Dutch”, “Bears Den”, “Class Act Sportfishing”, and “The Norseman”. </p>
<p>Those days we spent nearly as much time chatting on the dock as we did fishing. The network was truly a social interaction, but you often were unaware of how the fishing was from other ports. That was until the Internet happened.</p>
<p>I developed a website for our fishing club the Strait Line Anglers. We had a messageboard and I would post my results nearly every trip, and soon others added to it as well. One of my posts was about the great comradery between Lake Ontario Trollers. I nicked named them “Spoonpullers”. That was the start of the new Networking website for Lake Ontario and Jason Cuipak picked up the name Spoonpullers and the rest is as you have seen it unfold.</p>
<p>On my return to Lake Ontario the salmon fishing slowed dramatically once more. They were far East and it often meant our attention to fill the boat with Lake Trout. Cowbells and Spin-N-Glows ran on the downriggers bumping along the bottom claimed one Lake trout after another. Every trip we targeted Lakers it was a complete smashing. Anyone who thinks you need to go North to catch lots of Lake Trout- give your head a shake. There were many over 15 lbs. As much as 19 lbs and 4 in the 18 lbs bracket. Most trips were split in half. Try to fish salmon and rainbows for the first half of the trip (if it’s a morning trip) and then Lakers to finish off the trip. The reverse for afternoon trips.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/H_wgii-mp86DBSaAg4IM6NMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rcZppfyZqs4/VeRSXlE2OgI/AAAAAAAACjQ/EYz_RDb3TPQ/s288-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="288" width="162" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery18?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery18</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Still a few Salmon were making it to the boat and it still remained a cutbait bite whenever the fish were in range. Young Samual caught a nice one weighing in at 20 lbs 4 oz and enough to win the Junior derby division with his fish caught on the last day of the derby.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/LBlroyCSmbpDPkZUHzijaNMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LWMb5Lv7Dns/VeCqHyQ_cCI/AAAAAAAACb0/Kp16fKPcWqA/s800-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="450" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery17?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery17</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Rainbows were normally an August fish to target, but they still remain at large for the month. At this point it seems we might not have rainbows to target this year.</p>
<p>The odd rainbow that did find our spoons appealing was large bows. Here`s 3 bows that were 11 and 12 lbs.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/aJmAPfVd31a1YfzrlVzaJdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rusnjIaxOXc/VeCqFtpQrpI/AAAAAAAACbo/tCqV7t5hQHI/s400-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery17?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery17</a></td></tr></table>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/OBBeJA7QlqNa-NEY4ZkVKdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-s_8jw5pHY4s/VeCqEvCU5XI/AAAAAAAACbc/LyOdBFWL_To/s800-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="450" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery17?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery17</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Since the bows were less than dependable, Tom booked his trip that intended to fish for August bows. I let him know it wasn`t happening like he had seen in the past. I asked him if Walleye action on Lake Erie fit the bill. He agreed that catching fish for his buddy Clay would be best and to have some walleye to bring home to eat would be another bonus. So Port Maitland bound we went. Last trip to Port Maitland was the last week of July and there was a fender bender that set us off the dock a little late. Not unlike that time, Tom ran into some frustration driving down to Port Maitland. The highway was a mess with an accident slowing traffic. To make matters worse, Tom was pulled over for speeding and of course that set the start time back 45 minutes.</p>
<p>While we waited for Tom and Clay, as boats arrived after a morning full of walleye fishing, we gathered in some great information. Friend Rob Leblanc came in as well and thrown us a worm harness he had luck with and gave us a waypoint to plug into the GPS and set a starting point.</p>
<p>The Lake was calm and Tom and Clay were ready to see what Lake Erie gold looks like. We pulled walleye from deep water. 80 to 90 feet of water and we were pulling them off the bottom. Downriggers in the mud or 15 feet up off the bottom with a 3 colour Secret Weapon Rig took most of the bites along with Wire and braid 107 sized divers on 3 setting and out 220 to 250 to start the trip. Cores and higher sets on the divers worked in the last hour as the walleye started to rise off the bottom to the 60 foot zone. 8 colour leadcore and 10 colour leadcore managed a few bites. 8 walleye with a number of them coming off would be the final count.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/DSBHUgLfK037-f2mkVWcA9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9_MdGbw8WAw/Ve4wbNsH5oI/AAAAAAAAClM/Op1fIXKvrrI/s640-Ic42/TomClayWalleye.jpg" height="359" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery18?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery18</a></td></tr></table>
<p>August ended on a high note for Lake Ontario. The last weekend of the month the staging mature salmon showed up in front of Port Dalhousie. We unleashed a season`s worth of frustration with full on efforts for making up for lost time.</p>
<p>On Saturday morning I fished the Catch the Fry Salmon Tournament with Ed from Meaford, Ontario and Rob Leblanc that fishes the event with me every year. We fished our skinny water stager program and boated 8 mature salmon for 14 we had on in 37 FOW. Cutbait on 11 inch Hotspot from downriggers and Echip ProTroll and SpinDoctors with A-TOM-MIK trolling flies on the divers and 5 and 7 colour leadcores. We didn`t box the best fish we had on and we landed 5th.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/xamBnpMbKbTx2IZqO7cTqdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-W2YRqraBmHc/VeO0E9mZ_uI/AAAAAAAACgM/X6S5G5GADx8/s800-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="572" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery17?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery17</a></td></tr></table>
<p>The afternoon trip was also very good. We started out in 260 FOW and we had a few shaker salmon and trolled our way into Port Weller. We hooked a big Lake Trout at 19 lbs and then when we approached 40 FOW we hit a 22 lbs king.</p>
Picture .
<p>Then we hooked another moments after netting that one and by the end of that fight we were busy with fish after fish for the next 3 hours. We boated two 24 lbs kings and many in the mid and high teens and low 20`s.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/M8UAWcS5npIuR1m_vePnttMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8RbsbccR2oA/VeRRHWi_jsI/AAAAAAAACh8/RblePgS09h0/s288-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="288" width="162" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery17?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery17</a></td></tr></table> <table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/B5gebab2ZZ9pkSzidcIiT9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FC9rJCB29zQ/VeRRmzCa0tI/AAAAAAAACjQ/bQ6skghRo3M/s640-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery18?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery18</a></td></tr></table>
<p>The next morning Ed joined us for a morning fish. We first worked stager Salmon for 3 hours boating another 6 for 10 hooked. Then we ran out looking for Rainbows and losing 2 nice ones on jumps behind the boat. The Sunday afternoon trip was with Hockey friends Dave and his two boys and his brother Scott and his son Brad. The bite slowed slightly but they still landed 3 salmon out of 5 hook-ups and the biggest was 25 lbs plus. Biggest of the season on the boat.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/kDv6NROsKOMaEU3cfWL-WtMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xVhlJfyi8j8/VeRPGiVJX1I/AAAAAAAACjQ/6T8KbNPYYB8/s640-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery18?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery18</a></td></tr></table>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/VQ_ylG12A0YLd1_aTDPLRNMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-E3LaodmIHpU/VeRQGweZRLI/AAAAAAAACjQ/pBGVf1tO0m4/s400-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery18?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery18</a></td></tr></table>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/4m1npZR8-gKzUKle7uAe6dMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--4WuOjqlguM/VeRQizbKP1I/AAAAAAAACjQ/8T58UcGqz1I/s800-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="800" width="450" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery18?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery18</a></td></tr></table>
<p>The weekend count was an astonishing 21 for 39. Many lost fish but it was so much fun.</p><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/rmwYYZqofPWOOSsd7Tc4etMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VsUdUZbsGjI/Ve3TsRHpojI/AAAAAAAACj8/_bXvuigTebM/s800-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="800" width="450" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery18?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery18</a></td></tr></table><p>Wish we had those salmon sprinkled more throughout the season.</p>
<p>During the month of August the boat moved from Port Bruce, to Foran`s Marina in Grimsby, to Port Maitland to Port Dalhousie all in the same month. Move, Move, Move being flexible, and in the loop of what is happening through a network of great fisherman made the network put the net to work in August.</p>
<p>Shane Thombs<br>FINtastic Sportfishing</p>
FINtastic Sportfishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15868264209480937296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439160138483566799.post-69573913928816755662015-07-31T12:07:00.000-07:002015-08-28T12:08:17.924-07:00Lake Erie Gold over Lake Ontario Silver during July 2015<p>Lake Erie has a way of working in contrast from Lake Ontario. When Lake Erie is angry with monster waves, Lake Ontario’s surface is often more subdue. Where warm water abounds on Lake Erie, Lake Ontario would yank a toe test out of the water in flash. Two years in a row we have observed the most comparable contrast to affect FINtastic Sportfishing and that is in fish catching productivity. </p>
<p>This summer, maybe even more then the summer of 2014, Lake Ontario fishing remains “hung-over” from the preceding cold winter. It continues to sleep in, slow to get up, and not as compliant to stay on a predictable schedule. Lake Erie on the other hand, is boasting the best summer Walleye fishing in many years, maybe even decades. </p>
<p>Current summer fishing status on Lake Erie is nothing short of awesome, but that’s not the only good news story for Lake Erie walleye. In 2014 the walleye hatch was reported to reach the numbers not unlike of the last peak in 2003 due to a cold winter and cool spring in 2014. Although formal reports of the hatch rate in 2015 hasn’t been announced, one can only assume that with a similar cold winter and cool spring in 2015 should be the catalyst to another bumper crop of walleye. </p>
<p>My son is 10 and if his interest continues in the trend of enjoying fishing, he might follow in his dad’s footsteps and might want to have a boat before he has a car at the age of 16. 6 years from now Lake Erie may not only continue to be world class walleye fishing, but it might tower with productivity and shadow all other walleye water destinations if the 2014, and potentially the 2015, crop of Erie walleye fuel the fishery. Aidan might be coming into his own, into the sport, at the perfect time. </p>
<p>This summer we turned focus more on Lake Erie than Lake Ontario, offering booked Lake Ontario Charters the opportunity to instead fish Lake Erie, if the winds would allow. That proved to be very well received and I enjoyed hosting folks more familiar with holding up Lake Ontario silver to instead hold up Lake Erie gold. </p>
<p>My Lake Erie focus began on Canada Day July 1st. That Wednesday the winds were up, rain came down and my clients Paul and wife Anita were at the Crystal Beach boat launch from London with their boat ready to have me onboard for a “On-The-Water Clinic” a package I offer for those who like to have more instruction and show how to utilize the equipment they have on their own boat. The waves were 1 ½ foot to start and we launched and began to run upwind towards Point Abino. His motor began giving Paul problems so we instead changed tactics and turned into the bay to fish for bass. We caught around 6 bass, when I suggested they use the time with me to show how to troll for walleye even though we were many miles from typical walleye waters. The motor ran fine at idle, but we weren’t going to run out and fish off shore so we set up in 25 FOW and trolled with the waves on our stern. </p>
<p>I told Paul and Anita that we will set out a spread not unlike we do for shallow walleye and spring time brown trout on Lake Ontario. 12 lbs test mono main line, deep diving tight action crank baits, and short leads to keep them from grinding into the bottom. I let out the first bait 60 feet back then attached the inline planer board and set it out on the starboard deeper side. I set the next board out on that side of the boat and inside the other board with 50 feet of line out to the bait behind the board. Before I can put out the third rod the first board pulls back. I hand it over to Paul and I watch behind the board waiting to see a smallmouth bass leap out of the water, but it didn’t happen, the fight was typical steady resistance not unlike a walleye. With the net in hand the glossy eyes and mouth rimmed with teeth showed we had a skinny water walleye. This was directly in front of the Crystal Beach Boat Ramp in 22 FOW. </p>
<p>Minutes later the Port side outside board pulled back with a shorter 40 foot lead and Anita cranked another walleye! WOW this is cool. We managed two smallmouth bass and a sheephead trolling for the next 20 minutes and then just before the reef at Windmill Point in 19 FOW the Port side outside board pulls back again but this time the board is heavy, steady pressure and no leaping bronze to the surface 40 feet behind the board. It was a walleye- a good one at that. At about half way to the boat the hooks pulled free and the fish came off. We fished for another 10 minutes when we called it quits as the waves started to build in excess of 3 ft. When we returned to the launch we talked to friends that are hardcore walleye fisherman that fished the 60 foot of water off Point Abino and they were skunked. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/0uWuIM-IkfBPymxebzOJsdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-d5Of3_DNqJM/VeCqRpY0-EI/AAAAAAAACc8/JUqMQGao26s/s288-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="288" width="162" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery17?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery17</a></td></tr></table>
<p>The weekend of July 5th was a holiday south of the border but for Ontario Canada Day was in the middle of the week. This time I launched out of Port Colborne with a 5 person group that was about to experience a very interesting charter package experience. Brent Bochek of Fish NV was to help with accommodating the larger group like we do on other times, but the unique scenario this time is that a full 8 hours of fishing for the 5 guys, 2 boats and two styles of fishing at 4 hours a piece. 4 hours walleye fishing with me and 4 hours bass fishing with Brent. In the morning I took 3 guys and Brent took 2 and then at 10:30 we met up and changed crews so I had 2 in the afternoon and Brent had the other 3. Bass fishing was slow for Brent, but he managed a few for the afternoon guys. Walleye fishing was also slower with the East winds likely having something to do with the soft bite. The morning crew managed 4 walleye with one coming in at just over 9 lbs. The afternoon trip managed 5 walleye and a few that slipped the hook. Great opportunity to have the two different experiences for the 5 guys. I have never heard of this arrangement in the charter business so we might be on to something here. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/4m-exzUOp-CDV8f4m5u9ZtMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--uK_idUq_C0/VaPwxV1sqqI/AAAAAAAACZc/bQRkHxTcFQk/s800-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="450" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery16?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery16</a></td></tr></table>
<p>The second weekend in July was the CanAm Budwieser Shootout walleye tournament out of Port Colborne. I was stoked since I’ve been out of the walleye tournament scene for a number of years and hearing more positive reports of walleye catch counts intrigued me to enter the tournament with my friends Dave and Rob and our youngest member at 13 years old, Griffin. </p>
<p>Dave and Rob fished a number of times that week off Port Maitland and reported great catches. So I got a GPS coordinate from Dave and at Blast-off we were heading 23 miles west. The day started off with our biggest walleye of the day on a 3 colour Secret Weapon Rig off the Rigger down 15. That fish was our money fish for the tournament and on the official scale marked in at 9.23 lbs. Good enough for 3rd biggest walleye in the tournament and $500 cheque. We caught 11 walleye that day and didn’t lose a single fish, what a great crew. We landed 24th in a 55 boat field with our total weight of 6 fish falling short of being competitive. We needed another 8 lbs fish to swap out our 3.5 lbs walleye and we would have been top three. It’s so interesting to see how close you can be to winning in an event like this. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/S6vV6629eIZLnbtOHEOXIdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wVCxnsQvUls/VaPwv0HJM_I/AAAAAAAACZA/uco__1fzBok/s400-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="400" width="386" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery16?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery16</a></td></tr></table>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/VjpxomDNHoSlY8hLyeU8H9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EqBiVriNggc/VaPwuFIXP_I/AAAAAAAACY0/Fa4zwLFlD7o/s800-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="499" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery16?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery16</a></td></tr></table>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/765RhNW50UXuUMBJ0keZ29MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-GDvuzaX5EgQ/VeCqQ4xWoII/AAAAAAAACc0/-djjFnox0xU/s144-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="81" width="144" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery17?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery17</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Had a trip on the Sunday after the tournament out of Port Colborne and fished off of Mohawk Island in 70-80 FOW. Here’s the biggest of 5 walleye for the short evening trip with Jeff</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ef90P51C91LBtN6jau4x8NMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2zFEf8fJ_0Y/VaPwslNKJJI/AAAAAAAACYg/Tn7dgk5ImqA/s400-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery16?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery16</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Salmon fishing was slow but we managed some good ones on the weekend of July 18 and 19th. Cutbait running deep and slow managed a few bites, but the bulk of the salmon caught were coming from the central and eastern end of the lake with Toronto having the furthest western swing of fish to make a few days with good numbers of mature salmon. Here are a few we managed to scrap up on our side of the lake. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/EANASnScfajGO348CKFu6tMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NA2iy8yXjdg/VaPwzc8dOAI/AAAAAAAACaE/ySEIaA2MhPM/s800-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="450" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery16?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery16</a></td></tr></table>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/AlN3RJPsrjBYYpI7Njyo7dMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nhN4JWwjMmE/VeCqVH2bp-I/AAAAAAAACdc/F2MyzFbm8kM/s800-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="449" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery17?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery17</a></td></tr></table>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/jSRiHJc5hsEXU8Pt5C4o4NMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2hh5rAkH1j4/VeCqOTufHVI/AAAAAAAACck/T-8ycTDjVqE/s640-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery17?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery17</a></td></tr></table>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/m0xvR9FRa0FzdXDXsuZOqdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yehzxN5-Ul8/VeCqP20xL_I/AAAAAAAACcs/IITSOdAa_Yk/s640-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery17?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery17</a></td></tr></table>
<p>A few other trips out of Port Maitland, Lake Erie brought in Lake Erie gold. Leadcore on the boards in 5 – 8 colour leadcore lengths worked well. Also 40 Tripz Divers out 275 ft to reach those depths of 50-55 feet down worked well. The best rod by far on the boat all Summer long (July and August) had to be the 3 colour Secret Weapon Rig (SWR) on the rigger. Set the rigger 15 feet above your target depth and keep an eye on the rod tip. A little twitch, grab it, pop it off and let it swing up. It would often buckle over with a walleye using this stealthy set-up. </p>
<p>PANAM Games were in town for nearly the entire month of July. Working for the City of Hamilton (the host city for the Soccer events for the games) meant vacation time would not be available for some staff on standby for emergency planning. In my work field of Geographic Information Sysytems, mapping and information is a tool to emergency operations. I was on standby for the month, but that wasn’t entirely bad. The games ended on the weekend of the July 25th and it meant I can finally take 2 weeks of vacation after the games. The two weeks were planned as an opportunity to fish Lake Ontario during the first week as a “stay-cation” and second week on Lake Erie while we rent a cottage at Port Bruce, for the second week. </p>
The first week of my vacation was the last week of July and I managed a few trips on Lake Ontario and caught a pile of Lake Trout. Many in excess of 15 lbs. Each trip we managed one over 18 lbs. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/EzLe5-N14BCdXxghgtD6RdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4Yrhc4OsO9Q/VeCqNK2kIhI/AAAAAAAACcc/S6aP9Jxi7Qc/s400-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery17?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery17</a></td></tr></table>
<p>The salmon had “checked out” for the week in waters off Grimsby. Some smaller shakers around, but little in the way of sizable salmon to catch. My Wednesday Afternoon Trip was planned to go on Lake Ontario, but I suggested to Harry, let’s go out on Lake Erie instead. Our 2 pm departure out of Port Maitland was delayed slightly. Harry was rear-ended in Dunnville while on route. Damage was extensive, but the car was drivable still so they met up at the ramp after exchanging insurance info and shrugged off the stress off the situation as they stepped on board. I felt bad for them and I knew I had to try extra hard to make the afternoon/eve an enjoyable trip. Our cruise out was smooth as silk and the entire evening was beautiful with calm conditions and biting walleye. Harry’s daughter Faith managed the largest of the night at just over 8 lbs and 9 other decent sized walleye made it to the cooler for them to take home with them. The trunk was still able to pop open on the car and with a few parts to move out of the way and back in their place, the trunk latched with a bit of effort. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/EIE8FVEWs6YJmtoO4X-UQtMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8p_oAlm13yc/VeCqDTjUSYI/AAAAAAAACbU/v6m9mwtEWEw/s400-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="400" width="313" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery17?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery17</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Then it was time to trailer the boat down to Port Bruce on the Friday before the Civic Long Weekend in August. From that Friday on through to Wednesday the winds blew and we enjoyed the first half of our trip doing family day excursions in the area of Alymer and Port Stanley. It wasn’t until the middle of the first week of August that Lake Erie’s Central Basin was about to see the hull of the Key Largo. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/9NSrrLRGrjssn2_bqHT9V9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wRHTPNWsAOg/VeCqUryIPVI/AAAAAAAACdU/asa3iM-j3ac/s288-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="162" width="288" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery17?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery17</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Canada placed a second in the PANAM games medal count a “Silver” rating. Lake Ontario was also given a Silver rating, falling behind the Lake Erie walleye “Gold”. </p>
<p>Shane Thombs<br>www.FINtasticSportfishing.com</p>
FINtastic Sportfishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15868264209480937296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439160138483566799.post-68949435062711431112015-06-30T07:36:00.000-07:002015-07-10T07:38:04.574-07:00June transition period; when an empty cooler is still something<p>Finding active fish can be done in two ways, cover lots of water and use a fast presentation. A bass fisherman will fish a spinnerbait along a stretch of bank to find active fish, before pitching a texas rigged worm. A walleye fisherman may troll crankbaits in open water to find active walleyes before slowing down the troll with a worm harness. A salmon fisherman will troll spoons in excess of 3 mph high in the water column to find active salmon and trout, but slowdown to 2 mph with Flasher/cutbait to entice a lazy King.</p>
<p>June 2015 didn’t provide much fish activity on Lake Ontario in the Western Basin. Temperatures were still very cold, but on top of that the weather consistently changed and the wind direction was ever changing. Inconsistent weather and water conditions rec havoc on Salmon and Trout trying to find comfort and food.</p>
<p>In the 90’s we would block out the month of June from booking trips, as we wait for the transition water conditions and weather conditions go from Spring into Summer. That time off was usually well planned as the fishing was also very difficult. Since the 90’s Great Lake Salmon fisherman have learnt a great deal, added new techniques and tackle that has lessen the effects of the “transition period” on fishing success. Our techniques in the 90’s was all about finding active fish running 3 mph with spoons and rarely ever fishing below 100 feet down. The recent 2 decades brought on slower trolling techniques using Flashers/Cutbait, Flasher/Fly, fishing deeper with our downriggers, magnum directional divers and using stealthy Leadcore and Copper line.</p>
<p>”Low and slow” is without a doubt the most effect means to catch kings in June. Water temps are not setup that deep, but post spawn alewife start an instant migration from spawning locations along the beaches of the southshore to open water. We often refer to this behaviour with Rainbow trout when they drop out of spawning streams and instantly shoot right out into the open waters of the main lake to recover and find comfort. Water temps are still not to the Alewife’s liking and they live the early part of June in water temps colder than they like. Sometimes the temps are seldom different from near the surface down to the bottom in 200 plus feet of water. So why ride near the surface when you can escape predators easier at greater depths.</p>
<p>A little understanding of fish biology and the interaction of Salmon and their primary forage fish called alewife can be good starting point. Differences in Alewife location is entirely about what they prey upon. Understand “newage Alewife habits” can go along way to help unlock the mysteries of finding Salmon willing to bite during the changing and unpredictability of the June transition.</p>
<p>Alewife have also changed their diet in the past 20 years. Where zooplankton was flourishing in the lake high in the water column and near shore areas, now is much less with our reduced nutrient loading in the Great Lakes and the invasive introduction of Zebra mussels in the 90’s, the plankton counts for those species of phytoplankton, and subsequently zooplankton, have diminished. The prolific nature of plankton requires shallow warmer water with nutrients; June is not conducive to that environment</p>
<p>Where food is not near the surface in June, the only alternative is to seek a food chain substitution that live at greater depths and are more prevalent with or without the need for warm fertile nutrient rich surface water. Mysis is a shrimp like inhabitant of Lake Ontario’s depths and are becoming the replacement diet for Alewife in June. (T.J. Stewart, W.G. Sprules, and R. O’Gorman, 2009) https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/70034738 </p>
<p>The weather in June was rainy, lots of East winds that continued to throw a curveball for those fishing the far Western basin of Lake Ontario. In May the Niagara Bar on the New York side was hot, but come early June that scenario watered down as the fish migrated North and East of the Niagara River Plume. Every time the winds kicked up out of the East, the fish scattered and thinned throughout the Western half of Lake Ontario. Reports of good fishing one day were flipped on its head the next as the fish again moved. Reports literally meant nothing as you started from scratch each and every day.</p>
<p>Early through to mid-June had to be the toughest fishing of the year. Despite vigorous effort, three trips in a row the boat did not land a salmon. Lake Trout saved a few of those trips as we turned to run Cowbells and Peanuts or Cowbells and large Spin-n-Glows with trimmed used A-TOM-MIK flies to gain a few fish in the trip catch count. Even the Lake Trout at times were shy to bite, but in one trip where our focus was entirely on catching a derby contenting Salmon, wound up leaving us with an empty box for the trip.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Rutbl4IRES7zTqDhbNtnvNMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YyK7F6XPYRk/VZLLp5FrwCI/AAAAAAAACV8/BlHk5QfXAFg/s640-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery16?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery16</a></td></tr></table>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/L5o3l9lSktKW25WBBI1QO9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dydiyrqpgoQ/VZLLq1DFn8I/AAAAAAAACWE/78uv3zVdL7Y/s400-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery16?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery16</a></td></tr></table>
<p>The Veteran’s Day Derby was held on June 13th, 2015 and the derby asks charter boats and recreational boats to participate in taking out a Veteran on the lake for a fishing derby. Biggest Salmon was the goal, so Paul and I boated back to Grimsby/50 Point waters with hopes of finding a salmon sizable enough to make it to the derby scales.</p>
<p>Paul has served our Country and continues to be involved with Royal Hamilton’s Light Infantry. He is a Hamilton with kids that have grown. He described that fishing wasn’t a common thing to do recreationally. Instead fishing was a means of survival. He recalls working in the Artic and Icefishing for something to eat, jigging a line using his bare hands in brutally cold winds and not catching much. No wonder fishing wasn’t a favourite past time.</p>
<p>The day for Paul was about as fruitful as his Icefishing experience as we had only one strike the entire day and returned to Bronte Inner Harbour with nothing to show for. We were not alone, 35 boats in the Derby. Over 75 anglers and only 7 fish caught on 5 boats. Might be marked as the lowest fishing count day of the year.</p>
<p>During the BBQ and Weighin and many presentations an announcements, my emotions for those who serve made the empty cooler in the boat seem such a small concern. It struck me that my freedom to fish is far more important than the catch. The people who make it possible for me to fish are our Veterans. People around me were mingling like any other group function and without actually addressing their importance to Canada, we might not even recognize what they had been through.</p>
<p>The Poppy Memorial Cup was shown to remember those who have fallen, those who were lucky enough to get back up, and those who continue to battle the aftermath of the conflict in Afghanistan.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Hucl1Fao1KLjX2gmNcEv3tMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MDsAb6FenO8/VZLLpY8cjJI/AAAAAAAACV0/da2mP1r-TFo/s800-Ic42/upload_-1.jpg" height="800" width="450" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery16?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery16</a></td></tr></table>
<p>I had to hold my composure when listening to the moving stories from WO Renay Groves told with her Newfoundlander accent. How the Cup was made, what transpired as she took on the project to put together the cup that made it so special, so important. One of the veterans leaned over to me and said, “she kept it real”, meaning the story could be related to those who have served and not softened for civilian ears. For more info on the cup see this link. http://www.qor-east.com/Bringing%20The%20Poppy%20Home%20Project.htm </p>
<p>I thought about how the conflict in Afghanistan was in my lifetime, but how generations before lived the times of both World Wars, where friends and family were torn apart in an effort to hold up our nation’s freedom. A freedom that I don’t ever want to take for granted.</p>
<p>An empty cooler on the boat is still something, it means we were privileged to go fishing when so many sacrificed to give us the freedom to fish</p>
<p>Shane Thombs<br>
www.FINtasticSportfishing.com</p>
FINtastic Sportfishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15868264209480937296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439160138483566799.post-84424745621183956632015-05-31T10:39:00.000-07:002015-06-30T10:39:44.155-07:00May fishing can be described as on the Outside, Looking In<p>Salmon roam the waters of Lake Ontario at will. They know no international boundaries and unlike the common thinking that New York stocks more salmon then the province of Ontario, therefore would see more salmon on the New York side, but that is not true either. When we say they are nomad, is an understatement, considering studies that show that even during a very short window of time, Salmon and trout in Lake Ontario will swim from one end of the lake to the other. We still don’t understand how far and how frequent Lake crossing occurs during a typical 4 year life span of a Lake Ontario Chinook Salmon, only to say that home for a salmon is not just the waypoint you saved in your GPS. </p>
<p>During spring the lake is without warm surface temperatures to cap the main lake and allow thermal stratification of the water column. Even after weeks of warm calm water (like we seen throughout the month of May this year) the warmer surface water is too thin to allow salmon to sneak up on prey. Think of it like how during the winter you go inside the house, site in the living room beside the wood stove where it’s warm. In our warmer months the temperatures are more comfortable outside and you can roam anywhere you wish and remain comfortable. </p>
<p>Salmon need the thermocline to setup deeper to provide the fish a comfortable depth from the bright sun and anglers passing by in our fishing machines. Instead of having a comfortable depth and horizontal temperatures to coincide, we instead have the lake that contains an overwhelming amount of water volume that hovers around the 39’F- 42’F degrees and only a small amount of water warmer then the “Core of the lake”. Where the warmest water is in the lake is subject to change. Point source for warmer water like Creeks and rivers is one contributor of location based warmer water, but that is all subject to the lake currents and whatever way the wind blows. </p>
<p>With merely the natural lake current, areas of warmer water temperatures are subject to being gently pushed around in a plume of warmer areas to form vertical temperature structure. Too much wind can cause mixing with the cold lake core and chill the water down again by the wind and waves. </p>
<p>Here today and gone tomorrow is the fitting description of spring time salmon location unless you find the perfect situation of warm water, comfortable water conditions via depth or stained water colour from sun and angling pressure, and baitfish. The location of warm pockets of water will also be where salmon and most of the baitfish will be located. Spring batfishes seek warmer waters and coloured water to make them feel less visible to hungry salmon. If that environment can match that with close proximity to spawning habitat, like sand beaches or river outlets, they will relate to those areas in May. </p>
<p>In 2015 May’s weather pattern was calm and warm for many days in a row. It helped warm up Lake Ontario’s surface water, but more so it warmed Lake Erie’s Eastern basin surface water that is drawn down the Niagara River and into Lake Ontario. Like a light switch, the Niagara River’s plume flowing out into Lake Ontario was too cold to hold fish in April and was not much warmer than the Core of Lake Ontario but by the first week of May, the plume warmed above the Lake Core temperature and in came Baitfish and hungry salmon. </p>
<p>Since the Niagara Bar drops out into very deep water off the ledge, it also provides salmon ample comfort to ambush prey and abate angling pressure from above. The plume of the river became the perfect storm as these elements collide. The only thing that could change the scenario would be a strong wind to move the plume or mix it with the cold lake core. </p>
<p>Naturally and without the influence of wind events, the Niagara plume comes out of the river mouth and turns east to run along the New York shoreline. Since we were weeks without any winds or changing currents the Niagara Plume never crossed over to the west in Ontario waters. If you were outside the plume in New York waters your fishing success was dramatically different. Without a New York fishing license, you were simply on the “Outside, Looking In”. </p>
<p>How May unfolded</p>
<p>Thursday April 30th I was establishing plans to fish with my long-time friend Ron for the Friday before fishing the King of the Lake Salmon Tournament out of St Catharines Marina at Port Weller for Saturday and Sunday. Ron is a conservation officer for the Ministry of Natural Resources and was out checking licenses earlier in the week and observed many Salmon coming to the boats along the Canadian Side of the Bar but noted the vast majority of boats on the New York side of the border off the Niagara Bar. Some he recognized as Canadian boats and plenty of the larger vessels that were surely to be fishing the King of the Lake Tournament. </p>
<p>Lake Erie was at the tipping point of warming up faster than Lake Ontario and therefore flowing water into Lake Ontario a few degrees warmer. This phenomenon is often the case second or third week of May, but the sunny calm waters for two weeks straight has the situation fast forwarded a week. This situation also would never had been considered a month before as guys were still icefishing on Lake Erie around Point Abino on Easter Weekend. </p>
<p>Thursday night I consulted with my tournament team and good friends over Friday’s prefish game plan and I relayed the information I gathered. The interest was to find our own fish and make the best of it on Canadian waters. Dave and Bruno were to scope out the waters between Grimsby and Weller and Ron and I to scope out from Port Weller to the border. </p>
<p>Friday Morning Ron and I launched from Dalhousie and when coming out noticed that the water coming out of the pier heads was flowing well, was green and was 44’f! I scanned for a short while with the SONAR, but didn’t see much so we set off to start fishing at the Pier Heads at Port Weller. The colour was a tint of Green but nothing like the week before. In fact looking at the water inside of the canal at the mouth of the pier heads showed that the lake water was pushing inward slightly and not much current coming out like you would hope. </p>
<p>Point source for coloured and warmer water has important roles as to how the weekend would unfold. 20/20 hind sight as they say but documenting it here will surely help me in the future to be observant of these things. </p>
<p>Ron and I fished tight to the break wall East of the plume of water and trolled East to the Greenhouses following the canal plume and trolling with the light west wind on our stern. We manage two small kings on the first pass and turned to roll back west to make another pass when we hit this ugly looking Brown Trout. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/3WEApnz2uqTqxRf3prluIdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-toEFxW_wh3A/VZLLvUJfIRI/AAAAAAAACWs/q3lZ4feOdto/s800/upload_-1.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery16?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery16</a></td></tr></table>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ufOTizrhpXVVlJGFcOY18dMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FJrXFgOiseE/VZLLstBbZRI/AAAAAAAACWY/czqtBxd4ldU/s800/upload_-1.jpg" height="600" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery16?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery16</a></td></tr></table>
<p>The next past didn’t produce a bite, so we angled out a little deeper and trolled west in 45 FOW. 5 colour leadcore and 6 colour leadcore with magnum Proking spoon in Pearl Necklace colour and a Michigan Stinger Reg size NBK took two quality kings where one came to the boat and the other slipped the hook. The late April producer, a LiveTarget Deep Diving Banana was also set out on 12 lbs test mono and behind the inline board where it hooked up into our third good king of the day. We boated that one and then called it a morning to head in. Meanwhile at this same time Dave and Bruno in the other boat trolled their way down from Jordan Harbour to Port Dalhousie and stumbled upon the plume of green water with plenty of Kings. Soon they were steady on the rods and they had 4 for 6 in the boat while we were putting out boat on the trailer and heading home. For the next two hours before the 2 pm weighin for big fish Friday they manage 6 more kings that were all over the 10 lbs mark. </p>
<p>This flurry of action Dave and Bruno found was to be our game plan for the morning. We had this as a Plan A and a much weaker plan B at Weller where Ron and I fished. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/AaJ0dnqy63JApRDR87HTxdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LAWYA4AQ-b0/VZLLuQuXRsI/AAAAAAAACWk/clt1X_IwGTc/s288/upload_-1.jpg" height="162" width="288" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery16?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery16</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Tournament morning we lined up and blasted off at 6 am rounding the corner to the west, well in front of everyone going the same way. Dave’s boat is a 22 Grady White with a 225 Yamaha. We sat down in the water depth that Dave found them Friday afternoon and we trolled the first pass with nothing, but Yankee Troller and ThrillSeeker both reputable New York boats, worked their way inside us and fished the 25 foot to 35 foot drop. We watched them net one each and then Yankee Troller left, Thrillseeker stuck it out for another hour. We hooked 3 good kings and that was it. 5 colour leadcore with reg sized ProKing using a colour that was with oil slick looking tape on one half and glow on the other with a black ladderback tape down the centre. We didn’t fare well with many big boxes showed up to the scales and everyone who did them came from New York waters. </p>
<p>Sunday morning we had no plan B we were just out to go fishing and if we got lucky it still wouldn’t be enough to be competitive. We elected not to waste our money purchasing a NY license since we were so far out of it, so all we could do is turn to the west but this time with only one other tournament boat. Miles Ahead. We managed 2 kings and one coho that would measure, but all our kings were smaller and we had no Plan B. So we trolled a straight line all the way past Port Weller on to the ledge at the bar all the way to the border line. We were all alone on the Canadian side except for the odd weekender recreational boat in much closer to shore. But when you looked to the East side of the border line that would be New York waters there was a sea of black dots of boats thick as the bugs that coated the boat. It was like we were on one side looking into where we should have been, but just couldn’t get there. </p>
<p>Mother’s Day weekend I was out only on Saturday afternoon on Lake Erie for some Perch. We launched from Crystal Beach and were met with calm conditions and very hot conditions for early May. The trip was scheduled for 6 hours but it latterly took 4 hours to find a school of Perch and over 4 different spots. The last 1 ½ hrs of the trip the guys were pulling in perch as fast as we can hook them and bring them on board. I was busy baiting hooks and unhooking perch and they managed a bunch of excellent sized perch. A perch fry for Mother’s Day was made possible. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/2AzjkNuCTJfDXViUusYtAdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Bx4nVBtIiAs/VZLLtTGXVVI/AAAAAAAACWc/K64DRZGwq5o/s400/upload_-1.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery16?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery16</a></td></tr></table>
<p>The long weekend of May was a continuation of exceptional weather to get out on the lake. Calm water and sunny warm conditions was very inviting. Throughout the week leading up to the long weekend the reports of salmon in New York waters off the Niagara River continued to overwhelm. Trouble is, as a charter operator clients may not be fond of having to purchase a New York fishing license on short notice and without a guarantee that both the weather and fishing would make the added expense worthwhile. </p>
<p>However, there was light at the end of the tunnel, even though it may have been dim in compared to the bright light on the New York side. A few reports of Chinook salmon were being caught off of Bronte on the Wednesday through to Friday before the Long weekend. Baitfish was there and in comfortable deep water close by along the North Shore, even with Gin clear water. </p>
<p>The Saturday John and his grandson Carson joined us dockside at Foran’s Marine in Grimsby where we boated across a flat lake to Bronte and sat down in 170 FOW. </p>
<p>It was instantaneous to see the marks of fish deep in the water column and immediately we set lines to range from 50 feet down to 150 feet and in no time rods started popping. Lyman down 70 on a short lead off the rigger fired first and the drag started singing. 14 lbs King. Magnum Diver on 3 setting out 300 with Glow Green Dot and A-TOM-MIK Glow ProAm fly takes the next black jaws and it hits the deck in the low teens. Frog MC Rocket Mag size with 11” Hotspot flasher in Frog takes the next 3 shots and manages our largest of the day at 15 lbs to weigh in at the 3x3 Salmon Tournament that lasts all weekend long. We ended the day with 6 kings between 10 lbs to 15 lbs and 3 Lake Trout and 1 coho. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/7exD6LWYJ3bMSjXGXrMwsNMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BFVAajAYbFI/VZLLry6u0gI/AAAAAAAACWQ/iORY7E5GsJA/s400/upload_-1.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery16?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery16</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Sunday I was off the water, but heard the leading weights in the 3x3 were pulled from New York waters. </p>
<p>Come Monday John and his other Grandson were ready to tangle with some more kings off Bronte. Again, beautiful calm seas and overcast skies for us to motor across from Grimsby. We sat down in 140 FOW and trolled East. We weren’t marking as much. Water appeared clearer still and the baitfish were non-existent. We continued our search East past Bronte and still nothing. We pulled lines at 10:30 am and nothing to show for. Ran back to Grimsby but by then the shallow water bite was done and our time on the water fell short. – Marked as my First skunked trip in 5 years of chartering. </p>
<p>My wife was in for surgery after the Long weekend which meant I was off the water for the rest of the month. </p>
<p>This also was the beginning of the transition in the lake. More on this in my June summary, None-the-less two consecutive winters was about to show its effects on a very cold Lake core and the lack of heat energy stored in the Lake as a result. May was calm and warm which was a help for Lake Ontario, but the transition to summer temperature stratification will require a lot of the same warm and calm conditions. You never can truly tell when you are on the Outside, Looking in.</p>
<p>Shane Thombs<br>
www.FINtasticSportfishing.com</p>
FINtastic Sportfishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15868264209480937296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439160138483566799.post-80665774651241127872015-05-01T19:49:00.000-07:002015-05-21T19:56:48.954-07:00LIVE april TARGETs<p>The record cold winter we had instilled memories of the 2014 spring and summer fishing that was, in general, tough fishing. Like starting an old outboard motor on a cold spring day, it might take a few pulls of the cord and full choke, before it runs smoothly. It was assumed this spring we would follow the same pattern of tough fishing as seen in 2014. It was not the same at all. Calm seas, warm sunny temperatures played in our favour as the month of April unfolded.</p>
<p>Easter fell on the first weekend in April this year and it was this that also marked the first boats on the lake trying for shallow water brown trout. On Good Friday only two boat ramps were free of ice, Port Dalhousie’s St Catharines Game and Fish ramp and Hamilton Harbour’s Fisherman’s Pier ramp. Reports from boats that had their boats ready to fish over the long 4 day weekend witnessed excellent Brown Trout fishing. Over 10 fish per boat trolling shallow in parts close to the old Charles Daily Park and Jordan Harbour. Also on the internet a picture of a giant brown caught in front of the Lake House at Jordan Harbour went viral as the massive brown trout drooped a belly between cradling hands of a very happy angler. To this day the anglers describe the catch with estimates of its size ranging from 20 to 36 lbs. Big fish indeed and plenty of browns around to get the adrenaline flowing spurring me on to get FINtastic Sportfishing.</p>
<p>The boat was pulled out of the barn on Good Friday and cleaned up, batteries in while my phone beeped with reports from the lake. Frustrating to say the least, but working on the boat is better than wishing to see the boat again. It would be ready to splash down the following weekend. </p>
<p>Easter fell on weekend between 14 and week 15 of the epoch week calendar. I use week numbers to aggregate my fishing notes and look for weather and fishing patterns that follow week numbers. It makes it easier looking at my records that would otherwise be kept using individual days of a month. Week 15 (after Easter) we saw 3 days of high East winds that pounded waves onto the Southwestern shoreline from Niagara to Hamilton and heavy rain that swelled the creeks to overrun their banks. Warm water from the outlets of those creeks would be warmer than the main lake, but the rest of the shoreline that had water temperatures in the 42 deg f dropped to 37 to 39 along most parts of the shoreline due to the mixing effect of the large waves rolling in from the icy core main lake waters. </p>
<p>Often a little colour to the water can help brown trout fishing along the shore, but these conditions come the next weekend meant we would need to find water that allowed the fish to see our baits but also was warm enough to make them comfortable staying there and to feed. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/G4BVf7odzwQj6kByJN7ey9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cEC95zqvW6w/VTAAG3jvFKI/AAAAAAAACS0/D0SFGbZxx2E/s800/upload_-1.jpg" height="450" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery15?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery15</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Linda, Paul and Brian planned to see what fishing shallow would be like on Lake Ontario. We departed from the recently cleared of ice boat ramp at Foran’s Marina in Grimsby. Unknown to where to start fishing since this was literately the first few boats to launch from this part of the lake with no reports to feed information from. Like breaking the ice, but not really as the channel was clear of ice out to the lake even though other parts of the marina had plenty of ice in the corners and in boat slips. </p>
<p>Before setting off I coordinated with a friend Rob to go separate directions out of the harbour. We would go West and he would go East. Coming out of the harbour the creek was flowing brown water in the 47 deg temps and although the temps were right the visibility was less than 4 inches and simply not fishable. So we set lines and trolled west around past Murrey Park with water temps around 37 degrees F until where we noticed the water colour improved to a point where I can just begin to see the shadow of outboard motor’s cavitation plate. </p>
<p>Our selections of baits were big and were with bright colours. A firetiger coloured J 13 setback 35 feet behind the inline planerboard on mono line was pulled back by a fish merely minutes after setting it out and it produced our first 2015 FINtastic Sportfishing fish in the boat. Paul brought in the fish and we had a snap shot before he put it in the cooler. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Fl33LDMK6hJ1QG0cg1AS79MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NQS0-UFxJW0/VTAAFxqQRII/AAAAAAAACSk/o59CFBpOJoo/s400/upload_-1.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery15?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery15</a></td></tr></table>
<p>The fishing was slow and we worked hard to figure out what might be the better water and what baits can be seen or heard by the illusive brown water brown Trout. Once we trolled all the way to Fifty Point we turned to troll back when we caught our first coho salmon. Another bite followed, but we were closing in on the end of our trip. Then Rob phoned us and said he found the fish. Q. Where? A. Vineland. Too far and too late to make a move. The first trip of the year is always a success when the boat runs nice and the weather cooperates but the water was too Brown even for Brown Trout. </p>
<p>After dropping off Linda, Paul and Brian I wanted to run the big motor for a bit and it also gave me an excuse to see what the water looked like East of the Marina. I ran the boat down to Beamsville and noticed the water colour was much better. I was finally able to see the prop and the water temperature was up to 42 degrees. Rob said he found it go up to 43 in a spot along the shoreline at Vineland as well. Although I didn’t have time to fish much, I set 2 flat lines for 30 minutes and managed one coho and lost another fish minutes later. </p>
<p>That Sunday we had rough water and I had to cancel my trip. For the rest of Week 16 the weather was with strong winds from the south (off shore) but it warm and sunny and for those that managed to get out during the work week, they started seeing Chinook salmon show up around the old Charles Dailey Park and Jordan Harbour. On Friday evening after work I launched the boat from Grimsby and noticed right away that the brown water was blown out away from the shoreline and the water clarity showed the bottom easily down to 16 feet. We trolled around Beamsville and managed a small brown trout, and we decided to run to Jordan Harbour and take a look for the last hour to fish. As we powered down another friend was coming into Jordan Harbour and yelled out he caught kings just west of Dalhousie around the Greenhouses. It was too late to fish for them so we called it an evening and I knew what my game plan would be in the morning. </p>
<p>Saturday morning John, his son Johnny and his grandson Mitchell boarded the boat at Port Dalhousie. We literately only motored out at 11 mph as I watched the temperature of the water climb from 39’F to 45’F and then I pulled the throttle back and started fishing. We had hits right away but they were short. Then we hooked up on our first fish. Johnny reeled in this beauty Brown Trout that came on a Shallow Banana Rainbow Smelt coloured LiveTarget. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/KPf7N5Nd-ogQfjvIfJ6A99MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rNu4talPGFQ/VT_C6xGUj_I/AAAAAAAACUg/aD7GMzqkvLg/s800/upload_-1.jpg" height="800" width="450" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery15?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery15</a></td></tr></table>
<p>I set the line and minutes later the same bait hits another fish but this time the fish pulls drag swooshes the water violently 80 feet behind the board and pulls drag. My call out “KINGER” as it was typical salmon behaviour, but about 5 minutes into the fight the hooks pull out. Not bent, not broken, just came out. We trolled in shallower when the boat traffic seemed to get a lttle too busy in the same stretch of water we were fishing. As soon as we did, we came into coho and brown trout on a jointed smelt jerkbait from LiveTarget and a few other stick baits like the Ripplin Redfin and Bomber long A. </p>
<p>They managed a number of fish to bring home and John was happy to see Mitchell and Johnny get into some early spring salmon and trout action. </p>
<p>Week 17 was met with more warm sunny skies and calm water for the entire week. The water in the main lake was extremely clear and you can see bottom in 60 FOW looking over the side of the boat. Additionally the shoreline waters cleared right up as well and our approach to catching Brown Trout would no longer materialize since we haven’t seen rain to fill our creeks with warm coloured water as a point source. Instead, the only point source to add coloured water into the clear main lake would be Port Dalhousie and Port Weller (Welland Canal). When we launched from Port Dalhousie the water temperature was 39’F and still too cold. John and his brother Bill joins us as we motored to Port Weller and noticed that the temperature on the surface, went up to 42’F and later 44’F on the east side of the plume of coloured water coming out of the canal. </p>
<p>We set lines in 27 FOW off the Pierhead and trolled across Weller with boards and stickbaits and short 2 and 3 colour leadcores with stickbaits and spoons. Remembering a similar situation many years ago, I trolled flatlined deep diving body baits and caught kings that way. So I wanted to try that again. 12 lbs test mono with DeepDiving Banana Baits Green/silver LiveTarget on one and Smelt coloured on the other side of the boat.
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/aDOeJvxcTpHSsqovBx2MGdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3x66x_kbBpY/VT2XSnKIZtI/AAAAAAAACTo/oP1BLdMh_m8/s800/upload_-1.jpg" height="490" width="420" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery15?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery15</a></td></tr></table>
Out of the package the baits ran perfectly straight and when let out 120 feet on one side and 140 feet on the other, they never tracked off to the side and collect other lines. In short order they began taking strikes on frisky spring chinook salmon. Over the course of the day these two rods accounted for 3 for 5 of quality chinook salmon we hooked up on. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/4Nfozg-IDNNSx2UZjkZr1tMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ja8RXX-PfCk/VT2XOgMEzBI/AAAAAAAACTI/_JISuOmBZ8E/s640/upload_-1.jpg" height="640" width="359" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery15?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery15</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Only one other salmon we caught came on another rod set in the rigger down 20 with a Yeck 88 spoon only 10 feet back off the ball. We mixed in a number of coho and smaller kings on the stickbaits and spoons on short cores off the planerboards. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/gDgVp_NBQpSgn7i-MO4LYdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1ElC8MW4ccE/VT2XWGFH4VI/AAAAAAAACUI/PmRVth68qWI/s400/upload_-1.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery15?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery15</a></td></tr></table>
<p>On the Sunday I decided to scope out new water by fishing Grimsby for salmon with the oncoming King of the Lake Tournament planned for the first weekend of May. I launched from Grimsby with Rob and my son Aidan for a fish close to home. The water was green out front but quickly went clear as you trolled any distance from the outlet of Forty Mile Creek. Temperatures were 44 ‘F on the surface. We ran similar fatlines of a Deep Diving Banana bait in rainbow smelt colour LiveTarget, but to keep from diving too deep, the lead was set out to 100 feet of the mono 12 lbs test line. We trolled East first and the water temperature dropped to 41’F and we began turning back to the west when the flat lined bait takes a strike and Aidan is handed the rod. The fish clears the water three times and pulls a bit of drag. After the initial few moments in the fight the fish was relaxed and I thought it might be a 5 or 6 lbs coho. When the fish came to the back of the boat my jaw dropped while I scooped it and brought it aboard. Aidan caught his first Atlantic Salmon. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/oUyliGm9uHYUdOKsMMQsV9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-iPqItH-wYu0/VT2XUdwTaII/AAAAAAAACT4/OBt357f9RWU/s800/upload_-1.jpg" height="450" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery15?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery15</a></td></tr></table>
<p>We set the bait out again and a few trolling passes infront of Forty Mile Creek in 27 feet of water produced a Lake Trout and then at 9:30 am the same flatlined DeepDiving Banana Bait from LiveTarget gets crushed and the reel sings. Aidan was put to the task again and he cracks away like a champ on this king salmon.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/5b6DgntrMFZX1Vhq7pNY8tMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4vj9N3XNhow/VT2XRNy248I/AAAAAAAACTY/fZnEyrVp25w/s640/upload_-1.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery15?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery15</a></td></tr></table>
<p>April started off with Brown Trout in brown water, then for the rest of the month we were looking for coloured water to find fish. It started out with coloured water caused by onshore winds. Then run-off water from the local point source of local creeks like 40 Mile Creek, 15 and 16 mile creek with warmer outflows of coloured water and when we didn’t see rain for an extended time we found Lake Erie water effluent from the Welland canal out of Port Weller be the point source to attract the fish. </p>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lXYKT6X7FTk?rel=0&controls=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p>April required many changes in locations, running the right baits – Thanks to LiveTarget -using techniques that were tried and true in the past. The results were nothing short of fabulous fishing throughout the month. April was a month of LiveTargets. Targeting the right location for Lively biting fish, and running the right LiveTarget Baits to get bit. The cold winter was a distant memory, and May was looking like it was going to start out better than May in 2014. </p>
FINtastic Sportfishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15868264209480937296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439160138483566799.post-19779706634785528262014-08-08T18:30:00.000-07:002014-08-19T10:50:47.580-07:00Walleye on a YoYo Port Bruce Barometer, August 3 & 8, 2014<p>You got to love that fishing excuses shirt with all the reasons printed all over it that reads why you didn't catch fish on your fishing trip. ***Sometimes you feel like you are living those excuses when your catch rate is slightly less than you have anticipated. You can try to align yourself for the best outcome, but whether you like it or not, you cannot control everything that is explained on that shirt of excuses.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.springhillwholesale.com/images/products/detail/0897.1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.springhillwholesale.com/images/products/detail/0897.1.jpg" /></a></div>
<p>Over the August Civic Holiday Long weekend and crossing over the next week into the second weekend in August, I made plans to make the best of my time fishing for Walleye out of Port Bruce. The past two years previous I was exposed to what I would potentially call a Great Lakes Walleye trollers dream fishery. Here, limits of walleye for most savvy, fast paced, Lake Erie trollers were common practice. Coming back to dock with anything less than a count of walleyes that equal full limits would mean pulling out that most dreaded excuse shirt again. It usually not about if you got a limit, it’s more asked, “and how fast you reached your limit?”</p>
<p>The Civic holiday Long weekend was first met with the adversity to drive down to Port Bruce. The drunken dump truck driver that smashed his way to producing total traffic mayham in Hamilton, clogged all routes in and around Hamilton trying to make a detour around the closed QEW Toronto Bound at the Skyway bridge.</p>
<p>My son Aidan and I rode out together with our tent, alarm clock and the boat behind us as we inched our way across the South Hamilton Mountain zig-zagging our way to the 403 following lines of vehicles doing the same. We rolled into Port Bruce and stayed at Beelin Trailor Park where we set up camp right at dusk.</p>
<p>The next morning the clouds hung low and were dark and the air humid. Aidan and I made a big campfire breakfast and had plenty of time to prep the boat, put it on the dock at the campground slip and then manage to drive into town for ice and a few other “missed things” on the camping packing list. Meanwhile the thunder already started to rumble across the lake and the rain followed with lighting chasing most of the fisherman off the lake and back into Catfish Creek. It was only 2 hours of fishing for most of those guys and I was glad Aidan and I took our time that Saturday morning.</p>
<p>While in Alymer, I get a Phone call from Tom letting me know they were well on their way from Burlington, traveling to meet us at the North Erie Marina. At 2 pm Aidan and I met up with Tom and Mac at the gas dock and while we set off down Catfish Creek towards the open waters of Lake Erie, a fellow angler warned us that another thunderstorm approaching in about ½ hr as it was already in the Port Stanley area.</p>
<p>With discussion with Tom and Mac and as a safe alternative we decided to do a bit of perch fishing first and wait out what will happen with the chance of another T-storm on route. The Perch grounds are close and easy for us to pick-up and go back into dock in sheltered harbours. This would be a better alternative than being 12 miles off shore fishing for walleye.</p>
<p>We motored out to where at least another 10 boats were anchored and pulling up perch consistently. I set the anchor and start putting minnows on pickerel rigs and handing the prepared fishing rods to Aidan, Mac and Tom. In no time they were into the perch, two at a time and many were in the 8-10 inch range. No really big perch, but we were able to manage 20 keepers before a big black cloud sounding its alarm of thunder approached us. We pulled up and ran into the creek, making it to the dock with just enough time to tuck away all that we didn’t want to get wet, and out of harm’s way.</p>
<p>Harm wasn't the word for it. We stood under the fish cleaning tent as I cleaned the perch we had just caught and watched rain pour down then mix in hail, strong winds and flashes of lightening that lite the darkness under this ominous and powerful storm cloud. The Trailer Park was flooded with areas of giant pools of rain water, I could only guess the harm to our stuff in the tent, back on our campsite.</p>
<p>The time was ticking away and the storm seemed to hang on us like it was barely moving past. It was 6 pm when the rain finally ceased, we hopped in the boat and set off to the Lake once more, but we knew we are getting close for time to get this trip in. We reached the Pier head and looked out to the South only to see another very dark cloud. That was enough, the walleye excuse shirt for the day would include a thunderstorms.</p>
<p>The next morning Aidan and I woke up to the alarm clock and we met up with a friend of mine, Rob to attempt the walleye trolling thing,once more. Again the skies were overcast and the air humid with the marine forecast labeling it a chance of thunderstorms. The lake had only a slight chop from a light Northeast wind. We ran straight out to my waypoints from last year and began setting lines. Before the second rod was set the first one already had a fish on. I hand the rod to Aidan to reel in. I set the next rod and it goes off. Oh boy, We are doubled up and wouldn't you know, both came off, I thought “not one of those days?” Sure enough the next three were lost fish and then we finally boat one walleye barely hooked on the tail hook of the crank bait. Subsequently the next few walleyes we boat were also just barely on the tail hook and we drop a number of other fish off the line between each successful catch.</p>
<p>I said to Rob, “These fish are biting soft after all those Thunderstorms yesterday”. They were tough to keep on the hooks, but as the morning continued we discovered what sets were getting more bites and we started to present more shorter leadcores with deep diving cranks. I simply had one 5 colour Leadcore and one 7 colour leadcore that I alternated on the starboard side Bert's mast planerboard line. The other side the planerboard line pulled a 10 colour Leadcore that wasn't nearly as productive. To make that change, I instead pulled one of the rods off the Planerboard and ran that rod with a reel, spooled with 10 colours of Leadcore, down the chute, but only let out 7 colours. That change translated into managing a few more bites and fish. The divers set on 3 and out 130 and 140 were also getting bites pulling stickbaits, but the diver bite slowed as the morning progressed and the leadcores took over the production line.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Fx__0F2TIvSnk7tKCoq2utMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-itfgpe70Qss/U-5ci4T5byI/AAAAAAAACOQ/uoHrEUIiZP0/s800/AidanTSC_PortBruce_Walleye.jpg" height="800" width="600" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery15?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery15</a></td></tr></table>
<p>We heard rumbling of thunder from across the lake and decided to motor back in at 2 pm. We were 3 shy of a three man 6 fish limit with 15 walleyes in the box, and 8 lbs 10 oz was Aidan’s biggest of the day. We dropped Rob off at the Marina and then Aidan and I had went to the beach and then a fish fry. After dinner it was about 7 pm and I said to Aidan, "let’s get out there and fish until dusk – this evening looks too good to pass up." The threat of that distant thunderstorm never turned our way and the skies opened up and the winds remained light. Aidan was so eagerly looking forward to round two on Port Bruce Sunday fishing with just his dad and we motored out 7 miles and set up in 52 feet of water this time.</p>
<p>Running four lines meant easy to manage and relaxing troll for me and the little man. One directional diver with a Knock-out Blueberry muffin on a 3 setting out 135 feet, One 5 colour on an inline board and one 7 colour on the other inline board and the last rod was a chute leadcore rod loaded with 10 colours but let out 6 colours. The diver and spoon managed 2 walleye, the 7 colour managed 1 walleye and the 5 colour leadcore another 2 walleye to finish our limit, but the chute rod was yet to come in. Sure enough it manages another walleye and we turn it free at the back of the boat. The Sun was approaching the horizon by this time. 1 ½ hr fish and we were “boxed out for the day”. Instead of fishing the Monday morning we packed up and headed home and watched a giant black cloud hang over Burlington. It was the storm that caused the flooding and damage in the area.</p>
<p>The Friday August 8th I traveled back down to Port Bruce with Rob, leaving the house at 3 am and launching the boat at Port Bruce at 6 am. We were met with Bob and Nicholas at the ramp and we set off for another try at limits of Walleye. There was a light to moderate East wind that made about a 1 ½ foot to 2 foot chop and I decided to run East of my waypoints with the idea to troll downwind to them. We set up in 57 feet of water near where the depth drops out gradually to 60 feet of depth. We quickly boat four walleye on the diver and spoon and diver and stickbait out 120 and 140. And the leadcores on the boards were getting bites too but things slowed to one bite per 40 minutes or so and we lost a few as well while the winds finally started to diminish. Once they did the 7 and 10 colour Leadcores started picking off fish at a much faster pace than the divers and we soon had 9 walleye in the boat by noon and it was time to pull and run in to pick up the afternoon crew.</p>
<p>Dave and Ryan were next to board for the afternoon and we set off with the lake now flat since the wind was no longer blowing. I set up East of the waypoints and trolled to them and this time with a much better game plan. Rods were firing at a regular pace all afternoon. We lost many walleye, but the group was easy going with only poking fun at each other and jokes to keep conversation light on everyone's missed opportunities. 7 colour Leadcores were by far the best on the boat. Divers also had plenty of hits but too many missed fish. By 6 pm everyone on board had limits and we were running back to the marina with big smiles and a heavy colour of 13 walleye and 2 rainbows. The day’s 12 hours of fishing was 24 walleye and 2 rainbows and likely lost nearly dozen other walleye throughout the day. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/HzGeY9diKYel6aSSAU_5gNMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-beWAzmkGojc/U-5cizdbDJI/AAAAAAAACOM/dWOQ-n8XlH4/s800/Dave_Rob_Ryan_PortBruce_Walleye.jpg" height="800" width="587" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery15?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery15</a></td></tr></table>
<p>As a casual once-a-year visitor to the Port Bruce area, I think I was caught up with all the hype and then set my expectations pretty high. Nothing grounds you quicker than working your way through adversity. Chased off by Southwestern Ontario thunderstorms, to fishing a soft bite due to the passing of those thunderstorms and East winds, and then the many lost fish that are, for the most part, all elements in the game we cannot control. This time the excuses shirt was well worn. So much so, it turned into a hand rag we can use to wipe off the Walleye juices.</p>
<p>Shane Thombs<br>
www.FINtasticSportfishing.com</p>FINtastic Sportfishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15868264209480937296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439160138483566799.post-77869612893834534572014-07-24T22:00:00.000-07:002014-08-14T06:39:59.385-07:00FightRileyFight, Hockey and Fishing. July 24, 2014<p>When a NHL hockey team is knocked out of contention in or before the post season, the reference to golf comes up. Golf… Hmmm, yup I suppose that is a popular off season activity for a Hockey Player, at least that’s what the press can capture in photos and make reference to. The silent, and- maybe best to keep it that way, -is fishing, shhhh! Not too many paparazzi will wake up when it’s still dark to run down to the marina to take a photo of a Hockey player setting off in his boat to go fishing. Hey, hockey players grew up bouncing out of bed in the dark to make their way to the arena for practice before the arena food booth had the coffee percolating. </p>
<p>Not all the media coverage on Hockey Players is as intrusive as I had described. Riley Dunda of Grimsby, plays for the Hamilton Redwings Junor A team, and had suffered a significant stroke that was considered life threatening. It was first covered by the media as a “bad news story”. Local, Regional, and even national news of the story spread rapidly. Certainly it would be a shock to the local hockey world (fans and organizers) to see one of its young prospects be challenged with this adversity. The Dunda hockey family instead took the “bad news story” and rewrote its meaning. Fight Riley Fight says it all as Riley ensues what was his already well understood Hockey work ethic into a rehabilitation, strength and conditioning. The media picked up on it and now we have Fight Riley Fight, road to recovery "good news story".</p>
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<p>If you are not familiar with Riley’s story, here is a link to help bring you up to speed <a href="http://hamiltonhealth.ca/fightrileyfight/">http://hamiltonhealth.ca/fightrileyfight/</a>. Follow his progress on Facebook <a href="http://www.facebook.com/FightRileyFight">http://www.facebook.com/FightRileyFight</a> as many of his great accomplishments are shared in video and status feeds. This write up is not about his undeniable diligence toward full recovery, it is about experiencing life away from its seriousness. Instead Riley, accompanied by his brother (and best friend) Liam and local Grimsby angler and advocate of Grimsby Minor Hockey, John Slade and myself. This is Liam in his Plymouth Whalers sweater</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn.c.photoshelter.com/img-get2/I0000eZSx3RJ6tuY/fit=/fill=250x250/g=G0000.GnDOedVxlI/I0000eZSx3RJ6tuY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://cdn.c.photoshelter.com/img-get2/I0000eZSx3RJ6tuY/fit=/fill=250x250/g=G0000.GnDOedVxlI/I0000eZSx3RJ6tuY.jpg" /></a></div>
<p>John arrived early to help prep the boat and connect with Riley. Riley showed dockside with his mom and I was introduced to him by John. I shook his left hand as it was lifted to present itself for the hand shake. The handshake was also met with eye contact to reveal his spirit and proud sense of being. I truly believe a handshake tells you a lot about a person. I knew right from the get-go Riley was not one to back down from this experience. Moments later Liam pulled up as he just witnessed the Blue Jays win their 11th game in a row- What a season they are having. He was still in his Jays fan wear when he stepped into the boat. </p>
<p>The Lake was picture perfect with nothing more than a ripple and a bright sunny sky. I motored out to 90 feet of water and settled the boat just East of Grimsby. I set the lines and John steered the boat and managed conversation about all the things around fishing, hockey, and life in general. </p>
<p>I have known John for 25 years since I was a young teenager fishing Forty Mile Creek for Salmon and Trout. John, ever since has been somewhat of a mentor for me in the fishing industry. John was also heavily involved in his son’s hockey as he made his way through minor hockey and beyond. His son also coached both Liam and Riley during those early years. John has a way that inspires one to do their best, and is an advocate of life lessons learned through experiences on and off the ice for hockey players, but also for me as it relates to on and off the water. I had worked with John on conservation projects, fishing promotions and public speaking opportunities that have etched important “life lessons learned” that have shaped me. That same knowledgeable mentoring was communicated while on the boat with both Liam and Riley. Yes conversation talked about Riley’s highly involved physiotherapy and training, but John also explained why fishing is also a form of his recovery. </p>
<p>Then we were interrupted by the sound of the drag coming from the reel on the port side wire diver rod pulling a directional diver and a Spindoctor and <a href="http://www.atommiktrollingflies.com/">ATOMMIK Tournament trolling fly</a> 130 feet back behind the boat. It hooks up after taking the strike and we have our first fish on. I place the rod in the rod holder and told Riley, "It’s all yours". Riley worked to crank the reel as this aggressive salmon pulled line out of the reel and Riley worked to bring it back in. He reeled it all the way in and I net the first fish of the night. I hand the fish to Riley for a photo and he was all smiles. We put the fish in the fish box ready to come home. </p>
<p>Riley looked at his left hand in agony after much work turning the reel handle hundreds of times to pull in this fish, and John kidded with him saying, "This will be his new physiotherapy equipment. A fishing rod and reel".</p>
<p>We continued to talk about all things hockey, from the past and the future of both Riley on the Hamilton Red Wings Junior A team and Liam on the OHL Plymouth Whalers team. As the evening was near its end and the sun approached the western horizon, we anxiously waited for our next fish.</p>
<p>We were pointed back towards port and now approaching 120 feet of depth when the starboard side wire diver pulling an 8” Protroll flasher and Magnum frog coloured <a href="http://www.mcrocket.com/">MCRocket</a> out 130 feet on the 3 setting, takes a vicious strike. The line is peeling off the reel as I hand the rod to Liam and the reel's drag screams as the clicking turns into a high speed cadence of sound. As soon as the rod leaves my hand and into Liam's, the Port side wire diver rod strains as it was out 125 feet on a 3 setting pulling a Spindoctor and <a href="http://www.atommiktrollingflies.com/">ATOMMIK Trolling fly</a>. That drag was singing as well and I knew both fish were about to make a memorable story for these two hockey kids. I handed the second rod to John, and John worked with Riley to fight the fish. John didn’t even touch the reel’s handle, just worked the rod to help hold it up against the muscular fish. Riley cranked away through the firm instruction from John, when and how fast to rotate the reel handle.</p>
<p>Meanwhile I coached Liam as his reel revealed the fish had pulled enough line out to display 900 feet on the reel counter!!! I told Liam that fighting fish is like learning to make and receive a pass using an egg on the blade of your stick, and not break it. I told him, "Slow and easy", just enough to push push the egg and not too much to break it. The line can only hold so much, soft hands and finesse in fishing is the same as stick handling.</p>
<p>Riley’s fish was not a small one either. It too, pulled line out hundreds of feet, making it that much more work for him to retrieve all that line back on the reel and fight the fish to the boat. “Fight Riley Fight” He brought the fish to the back of the boat and I net the fish and bring it aboard.</p>
<p>The excitement climaxed as both Riley and Liam (still busy reeling in his fish) were giggling in hysterics over what would be one of the largest fish they have ever caught together. I again raised my right hand to shake Riley’s in congratulating him, but this time he presented his right hand with a giant grin, and I knew then, he was living in the excitement of the moment and no ailment was going to get in the way.</p>
<p>Minutes later Liam muscles in the second fish and I scoop it up in the landing net and lay it on the floor beside Riley’s fish of near identical size. For a moment there was silence, then a look between brothers that said it all. This experience, however serious things have gotten in recent months, is now replaced for a moment of pure victorious pleasure. You might even say it's the same type of feeling as you get in a win in hockey shared with your team mates. Even big Salmon are no match for Riley and Liam.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/odcD6gE7tb_Bn625wGhPTdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-nN6HH_fughg/U9JQF0Ir1YI/AAAAAAAACN0/VbH8wyUUggg/s640/LiamRiley_DoubleKings_July24_2014.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery15?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery15</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Shane Thombs<br>
www.fintasticsportfishing.com</p>
FINtastic Sportfishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15868264209480937296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439160138483566799.post-69976213946687602272014-07-18T22:00:00.000-07:002016-03-01T20:07:05.946-08:00Jigging for Lake Ontario Lakers… “For Real?”<p>So what is more productive, Trolling for Lake Trout or jigging for Lake Trout? I’m not sure I can answer that just yet. This year I was finally spurred on to jig for Lake Trout after a slow and dismal start to the summer time salmon trolling success. When the salmon are available to catch while trolling, the thought to stop the boat and jig for Lake Trout is less appealing, but the recent weeks without salmon to be had, made it an easy decision to try something new.</p>
<p>Call it ignorance, or as Doctor Phil would say, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and wish for a different outcome”. While the Chinook Salmon seem few and far between and the Rainbow Trout catch rate early this summer has been down and despite the obvious, we continue to troll with hopes of an elusive Chinook Salmon and a few silver sided Rainbow Trout or coho to come to the boat. Instead we reel in Lake Trout, one after another and wish for a trolling reel to pull drag and show us the power of a “KING”. If it’s Lake Trout coming to the boat anyway, the need to troll for Lake Trout also comes into question. What’s an alternative? Answer… Jigging! </p>
<p>Lake Trout have a stigma amoungst most Lake Ontario Trollers. Besides not the most sought after fish for the dinner table, from a sporting perspective they are also characterized as sluggish fighters. Trolling then hooking a Lake Trout does have an effect on a Lake Trout’s fighting style. They seem to swim along with the boat and rarely pull against its inertia. Take that same fish and hook it on medium action spinning rod more commonly used for smallmouth bass fishing and the boat only moving by the power of the wind and waves, and now you have a different fish.</p>
<p>On July 10th leaving the dock at 5 pm Scott and I ventured out to waters straight out from Foran’s Marine in Grimsby. A gentle 10 km/hour wind from the East made a perfect speed to drift and jig. I settled the boat in 105 FOW and scanned the bottom for obvious signs of Lake Trout. Minutes later the SONAR showed fish and the boat was then in 115 FOW. Set out a drift sock and sent down jigs and jigging spoons to the bottom. The drift would take us parallel along the drop-off that runs from 85 feet of water and down to the base in 110 feet of water. After about a 45 minute drift to cover water and try different baits those deeper marks were reluctant to take our offerings. We pulled in our gear and then ran up on top of the drop-off in 85 feet of water. The bottom was full of signs of life and we continued our drift and missed one fish that snapped at a jigging spoon and then another on a tube jig. In roughly 20 minutes of drifting, the SONAR went blank and we pulled our lines up again to make another move. </p>
<p>This time I ran in a little shallower and with greater fluctuation in water depths that drop-off into deep water only a short distance away from the shallow water. That area was west of the Grimsby Weather Marker and we stopped the boat in 74 FOW water and found bait fish and plenty of marks on the bottom below the bait. Almost moments after Scott dropped his smoke coloured bass tube jig with a ¾ oz tube jig head. He set the hook on a solid bite and his “bass rod” bent over. He slowly brought the fish up to the boat commenting that he was using a 3 feet of 10 lbs test fluorocarbon leader tied from his braided line and the jig. He played the fish to about ten feet from the boat trying his best to keep just enough pressure on the fish but not too much to bust the light line. To this point I’m thinking to myself this is a typical Lake Trout fighting style. Little to nothing, other than a head-shake, here-and-there. Then the fish made a massive head shake that throbbed the light “bass rod” and like you can tell the fish turned his head toward the bottom when his rod tip was pulled down and buried into the water and with burst energy the fish pulled drag off his 3000 sized spinning reel like he hooked a king salmon. Straight down the fish pulled out 80 feet of line in a single dash and I looked at the SONAR and watched the line from the surface to the bottom across the screen looking like the contrails behind a Jet across a blue sky. He managed to inch the fish back to the boat and again the fish dove to the bottom. Now we had two solid runs and already 10 minutes into the fight. This time the fish circled around below the boat and when it was viewed through the clear water showing the white leading edges of the pectoral fins and the dark silhouette of its robust body, turned to the net and we scooped it. The fish read 13 lbs 1 oz on the scale. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/cOREIXtjr77I9KlbEd8uP9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-0v-aDG7P2I4/U8iNCw6QjsI/AAAAAAAACM4/EyscyZCzTR8/s640/Scott_jiggingLaker_closeup13%253Bbs1oz_July10_2014.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery15?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery15</a></td></tr></table>
<p>For the next hour Scott hooked 3 more fish and landed two of them on that same jig. I also landed another fish on a 1 ½ oz Mr Champ Jigging spoon and that fish measured 13 lbs 7 oz! Three fish over 10 lbs and the fourth was around 6 lbs. All of them fought like the first and Scott’s comment when he hooked the final fish of the night was he was waiting for the second run to the bottom. Sure enough the drag on his reel was peeling out line again. </p>
<p>We made the same drift three times and on the third and last drift the sun was down on the western horizon and it was time to pull lines and head in.</p>
<p>A few days later Scott emails me and writes, “If Friday is available Ari and I want to give it another try”. The winds were in our favour once more and Ari, Scott and I were lined up to try those Lake Trout once more. The GPS chart plotter showed our drift path lines from the week before and it was a good starting point. This time the winds were slightly more East South East and that meant we would follow the drop-off contour lines in parallel. Our thinking is that if we find the productive depth, we would be in that depth for a long time during our drift. The first drift in 77 feet of water was without a touch. We pulled up shallower on the next drift, settling for 65 feet of water and almost immediately Scott sets the hook on the first fish of the night. It came to the net and we scooped it up. The fish was roughly 10 lbs and Ari, Scott and I were happy to see we had another fish to the boat on a jig. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/VvFhyAz6KZqrNpPI5u74NdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-0JVY6-q6738/U8nXm9ewfLI/AAAAAAAACNY/xqxR6DJoy7U/s400/Scott_jiggingLaker_July18_2014.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery15?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery15</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Scott released the fish and then we got back to dropping down our jigs to the bottom. Minutes later I lift up the tube jig and there was weight- not a bite-just weight. I passed the rod to Ari, but during the pass-off the fish comes off. During that same drift I had another solid bite that felt like a strike from a pike, it was so alarming to feel the strike, but the hook didn’t find anything solid. </p>
<p>Another hour went by and near the end of the drift where the west side of the reef also ends and the drop-off approaches; Scott sets the hook on another Lake Trout and hands the rod to Ari. Ari battles the fish for nearly 15 minutes and we slide the net under this nice 14 lbs 9oz Lake Trout and she was ecstatic. Her biggest fish ever! </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/LfkuWe8ZvaUKS8Mc463LkNMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-XTKDJJImZnc/U8nXnvoJJUI/AAAAAAAACNc/po_gnJ7qOSM/s800/Ari_jiggingLaker_14lbs9oz_July18_2014.jpg" height="600" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery15?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery15</a></td></tr></table>
<p>On our next drift Scott hooks and lands the biggest Lake Trout of the night at 15 lbs even and the largest Lake Trout on a Jig from my boat. The sunset was another beauty and Ari snapped photos and captured the moment. Another successful evening of Lake Ontario Lake trout jigging thanks to Ari and Scott. </p>
<p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/onLPLHR-33k" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br><a href="https://youtu.be/onLPLHR-33k">https://youtu.be/onLPLHR-33k</a></p>
<p>Contrary to the popular belief held by most savvy salmon trollers on Lake Ontario, jigging for Lake Trout is a common practice not only in up-north lakes, but also in the Great Lakes. For an example, where the Niagara River empties into Lake Ontario, the Lake Trout swarm the river’s sand and rock deposits commonly referred to as the “Niagara Bar” to spawn in the fall and then forage throughout the winter and well into the spring. Anglers jig for Lake Trout while drifting in the vast volume of effluent river water flowing into the Lake. The action of catching those cold water Lake Trout can be extremely productive. 20 to 50 fish days are possible and with the only restriction to those numbers is the physical endurance your arms can take to reel in one fish after another. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/2JzdFjyww4ImSxT5ebK4i9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-cXHrjG2LTXk/T2-_2ghWjwI/AAAAAAAABMI/vx7yZO6qWls/s800/LakeTrout_Closeup.jpg" height="600" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery6?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery6</a></td></tr></table>
<p>A less popular form of jigging for Lake Trout is fishing from a boat in the “wide open lake”. This was the exact words from Scott as he said he felt spatially lost being miles off shore and jigging on the big lake. Scott is an avid bass angler and has fished Lake Erie. Lake Erie, to those that fish smaller inland lakes, would have the same sense of “out in the middle of nowhere” type of feel, so for Scott to say the same thing about Lake Ontario Lake Trout jigging grounds, really resonates the meaning. Attention to your electronics and the advanced bathometry to show variations in depths and aspect of the drop-offs and how to approach them based on your drift direction are the elements to jigging success. The technique to determining your boat position for the best drift is possible after much practice drifting for smallmouth bass on Lake Erie. Even the position of your drift socks or turning the main motor on an angle will change your drift direction slightly. Tricks that work the same for Lake Ontario Lake Trout jigging. </p>
<p>Although more time devoted to jigging will reveal a greater understanding for technique and tackle, essentially you can begin to see how the fish will behave to your jigging rhythm and sweeping rise and fall techniques. For an example, Bass often chase your bait up when they are active, however Lake Trout appear to chase your bait readily regardless. We would see it on the SONAR as we raise and bait the fish would follow it up. Triggering those fish to bite is often about pulling it away from them rather than keeping it on their nose like you do for bass. That would be one tip is to work the bait many feet up off the bottom and be ready for a strike at the top of your lift, not just as it falls. This was true when using the jigging spoon as I would start by pounding the bottom and after a few thumps, I will crank the reel over, jigging the spoon a few feet off the bottom and then crank the reel over again and repeat until the bait was nearly 20 feet off the bottom. Then drop it down again and repeat the process. </p>
<p>Tube jigs were the most productive and the drift and drag technique that was made popular by the Lake Erie Smallmouth Bass anglers in 90’s was the same style technique that produced bites on Lake Trout. A few snaps of the jig to keep the bait pop up off the bottom attracting attention from Lake Trout a distance away, seemed to work. Scott described some of the bites as “goby taps”, which seemed contrary to thinking a big Lake Trout as a ferociously high-order predator ready to engulf the bait. Best producing Tube jigs were not the “white tube” you hear so much about for Lake trout ice fisherman from up north, instead, goby imitation colours like smoke with red and gold metal flake, or green with back and red metal flake were getting bites. Braid main line and then a 5 foot fluorocarbon leader was used. Tying direct to braid meant no bites on the finessing presentation using tube jigs, fluoro was important, but the main line being braid allowed the thin diameter line to provide good feeling of bottom in 80 plus feet of water, and the no stretch factor translated bites and allowed solid hook sets even with the fish being so far away from you. </p>
<p>We also tried shad tail plastics on 1 oz jig head and Finesse fish on drop-shot with a 1 ¼ oz weight and they weren’t productive during those outings. Much more experimentation is needed to truly count out what works and what doesn’t, but it was clear, tube Jigs in Lake Erie Smallmouth colours that imitate the goby, have a place in the Lake Ontario Lake Trout jigging tacklebox. </p>
<p>While Scott was fighting one of the fish to the boat, a couple of guys trolled past as I was netting it and lifting it into the boat. We came back to dock at dusk and the other boats were pulling up at the same time. They wondered what the heck we were doing with spinning rods lined up in the rocket launcher rod holders of my centre console. I called out, “How did you do?” the reply, “not even a sniff”, “you?”. “We were 4 for 6… pause…. JIGGING”. I felt like a kid who just put chalk in between the layers of the teacher’s chalkboard brush. The weird looks we got said it all, jigging won for the most productive means to catch fish over trolling that day </p>
<p>Shane Thombs<br>FINtastic Sportfishing</p>FINtastic Sportfishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15868264209480937296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439160138483566799.post-47578010894783158122014-05-31T00:00:00.000-07:002014-06-23T05:10:30.770-07:00Fish were less play in May<p>After a steller start to the 2014 season in April, May was marginally less productive but still a good month of Salmon and Trout fishing. Changes in conditions and how each portion of shoreline would see the effects of those changes resulted in changes to our fishing success. Like the David Bowie song.. "Ch-Ch-Ch Changes". Flexibility to move from one port to another was critical, and more so, having a network of fellow anglers keeping the lines of communication open to help keep on top of what was happening from Hamilton to Niagara-On-the-Lake.</p>
<p>The April rains and periodic East winds set up the shallows for excellent fishing in April and the very beginning of May. The creeks flowed with warm and coloured water that emptied into Lake Ontario at Grimsby, Jordan, Charles Dailey Park, Port Dalhousie and Port Weller. This provided excellent fishing the first two weeks of May in shallow. We continued our April shallow water stickbaits presentations towed behind inline planerboards and got into some excellent Brown Trout, Chinook Salmon and Coho salmon coming to the boat. </p>
<p>Top producing stickbaits were the Perch Ripplin Redfin, Clown Bomber Long A (silver and gold) and A steller stickbait that outfished the rest on the Saturday before Mothers Day was the LiveTarget Emerald Shiner Bait Bail Jerkbait. I found the stickbait set-ups were best using 9 ft Shimano TDRs with my 25 lbs test main line with 20 feet of 12 lbs test fluorocarbon. The heavier pound test mainline created “lift” to keep the body baits from diving down into the bottom and were perfect to hook up to the releases in the inline planerboards. The stickbaits were stretched back behind the board 100 to 200 feet. Three boards on either side of the boat, and two flatlines run straight back off the boat, rounded out a 8 rod spread. We trolled having the boat ran the depths between 12 to 16 feet knowing the far board closest to the shore would be in much shallower. That was where the LiveTarget Baitball jerkbait excelled since it ran shallower and had that great finish of emerald shiners that the browns couldn’t resist. The Jefferies family had a great morning trip with a number of Browns and smaller salmon. Winds were blowing, but they were from the southwest so close to shore was no problem.</p>
picture
<p>The Alewife baitfish showed up in huge numbers, raiding the waters along the beaches in less than 18 feet of depth. One trip with John, a Photographer from the Ontario Out Of Doors, was out with the plan to photo Brown Trout for the magazine. On May 3rd at Jordan Harbour the sudden visit of Alewife in typical Brown Trout shallows meant the browns already had enough to eat and they didn’t have to move too far to get to the dinner table. John’s trip, only resulted in one small Brown Trout for a picture.</p>
<p>Different stretches of the shoreline warmed up faster or were coloured more by heavy run-off coming out of the creeks. The balance of just the right temperature, coloured water and to what depth that water would find its way out to comfortable depths for wary spring salmon and trout, was puzzling. </p>
<p>The second week of May we had yet more rain, overcast and cold temperatures and this continued to add favourable conditions for shallow water salmon and trout. On May 16th I fished with a friend out of Grimsby and we found Chinook Salmon in the green coloured water in 25 Feet of waters. Action in a short 4 hour trip would suggest another week or so of great fishing along the shoreline.</p>
<p>On May 17th we had a very special guest on board. Aaron and his parents joined us for a 4 hour morning fishing trip. Aaron in his pre-teens is already taken a liking to fishing. His excitement for the trip was evident even as a shy and quiet kid, you can tell his eye’s sparkled with the thought of trying something new in fishing. We left the Foran’s Marina in Grimsby and turned west where we had success the evening before. But after 1 hour of trolling those waters, and only catching one small brown trout, Aaron’s first brown trout mind you, we decided to troll back across the front of Grimsby and down along the shoreline towards Beamsville.</p>
<p>40 Mile Creek was pumping brown run-off water and the currents of the lake looped the outflow to create a mud-line from the mouth and then parallel to shore running for nearly 2 miles to the east. Immediately as we entered the coloured water the downrigger set 10 feet down with a custom tapped Northern Dancer Magnum size spoon hooks into a 6 lbs Chinook salmon. This was Aaron’s first Ontario King Salmon.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/in-azbBexSB-oO3DAz_qQdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-P5bzL5BeobI/U6d6QrGIuxI/AAAAAAAACLI/XxyJkXMNV2I/s400/Aaron_Chinook_May17_2014.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery14?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery14</a></td></tr></table>
<p>It wasn’t long we started to receiver more action in the stained coloured water. Aaron brought in another brown trout as well as his first coho salmon. We lost a few other fish and a few short hits, but the shallow water bite was still around thanks to the rains and cool temperatures.</p>
<p>While we fishing shallow at Grimsby on the Saturday of the long weekend with some success for Aaron, the reports of incredible catches from Jordan Harbour to Charles Dailey Park area filled my phone with text messages. Then again on Sunday Port Dalhousie was met with a flurry of action of salmon. We were out on the lake on the holiday Monday and due to the past two days of success, I told John to meet us down at Port Dalhousie for as early as you can. We left the dock at 5:45 and motored out to Port Weller where we set up in 45 feet of water. 10 minutes into our troll the wire diver with a flasher/fly starts clicking away with our first salmon on. John’s grandson manages a nice silvery king to the boat. The rest of the morning was a slow bite picking up a few smaller salmon. It slowed to as little as no bites in 2 hours so we moved in shallow it hopes of resorting to Brown Trout and coho in those waters. We reached 30 Feet of water and the rigger down 22 feet with a spoon fires and the drag sings a welcoming sound to indicate a decent king salmon. Handed the rod over and the John’s other Grandson takes a hold of the downrigger rod and watches as many feet of line leave the reel in quick fashion. Then moments into a powerful run the line goes limp and we reel in nothing on the business end of the fishing line. We trolled for another 2 hours without a strike, but they had a few good eating salmon for the smoker to take home.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/5n5LzPEvs4dfATzrL7qEkNMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JbzD0NaHt9k/U6d6qNqvBBI/AAAAAAAACLI/GC8N7a7J3Ys/s400/JohnMann_GrandsonChinook_May19_2014.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery14?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery14</a></td></tr></table>
<p>The fifth week of May following the long weekend was the mark of the transition from very shallow water patterns to open water patterns. The Alewife that was so plentiful along the beaches was now splintering off into smaller schools and began migrating away from the shoreline. On May 24th we had a special event where we host a Big Brother/Big Sister and their little, out for a day of fishing on Lake Ontario. Mark Penner and I had a few hours to look for some salmon first thing in the morning, before making our way to Fifty Point Marina to the event. We launched the boat in the dark and set lines before the sun poked up on the East horizon. It latterly took less than 5 minutes before we had our first salmon in the boat and 3 more would come quickly after.</p>
<p>Then it was time to pull lines and run to Fifty Point. We gathered our Big Bros/Big Sister with two littles named, Madison and Oscar. We set lines not far from Port in waters in the 35 feet depth. After setting lines we waited. Then a fish pulled back a planerboard, but shortly after came unpinned. Short strikes would continue to plague us as we missed a bunch more and then the time was getting short so at 11 pm we turned out over deeper water and lowered the speed and put out Cowbells and Peanuts to manage a few bites from Lake Trout in 70 – 90 feet of water. Hooking three Lake Trout but we only managed to boat 1 and pulled in a small salmon as well on a leadcore line. It was a great event as usual. And with a total of 29 Bigs and Littles ready to see what fishing on Lake Ontario was all about, we just had enough boats to accommodate the crowd.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/4aZBILpVOxDfAse8OudN0dMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Ifa_okKUCFE/U6d68xPNzFI/AAAAAAAACLI/IBWJ5zZt1w4/s640/BigBrosBigSis_2014.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery14?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery14</a></td></tr></table>
<p>After the event BBQ, Mark and I were off to pick-up our afternoon clients at the dock in Grimsby. Larry and his grandson Carter were ready to board and we set off at 3 pm to fish until dusk. Larry has been battling poor health in 2013 and had this trip booked but had to reschedule it three times last year due to health and poor weather conditions. This was the day, and because Mark and I saw that the kings were catchable in the 30 foot depths during low light, but near impossible to catch when the sun was up, made our game plan a little less obscure. We were going to target Lake Trout and then turn into the shallows for the evening bite for salmon.</p>
<p>We motored out to near the weather marker and set lines in 65 FOW. Within minutes one rod went off and then the other. Double header! Both Lakers were around 10 lbs and nearly clones in colour and size. We thought it would be easy pickings for a few more Lake Trout, but we trolled for some time without a fish.</p>
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<p>Then by 6:00 pm the wind picked up and turned the flat calm lake into a chop from a brisk south wind. Immediately we made the plan to turn into the shallower salmon waters and reset our presentations to match. In doing so we had a massive line tangle that weaved both a 10 colour leadcore (too deep for our shallow water program) with the 5 colour leadcore that was optimal for our program. I knew we need to salvage the 5 colour and in doing so the next 30 minutes while Mark trolled our way slowly in shallower, I patiently took apart the leadcore “knitted scarf” and success! Both came out ready to do battle again.</p>
<p>Once we reached 40 feet of water, I sent a diver on 3 setting out 85 feet with a HogWild SpinDoctor and matching A-Tom-mik Tournament fly and this 14 lbs Lake Trout would be Carter’s biggest fish.</p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/KGqvdC1fV0J85RMcrV4CXNMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-aqldTjqve8Y/U6d8ArMhAbI/AAAAAAAACLI/D8CPqH2K_3g/s640/Carter_14lbs_LakeTrout_May24_2014.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery14?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery14</a></td></tr></table>
<p>10 more minutes we reached 30 feet of water in front of Murray Street Park in Grimsby and the 5 colour we just salvaged towing a Magnum Michigan Stinger Chicken Wing on an inline planerboard pulls back. The drag is peeling and the rod handed over to Carter again. The fish is an obvious Chinook salmon and not a bad one at that. After 10 minutes we pull the board off and then Carter wrestled this nice 17 lbs Chinook Salmon to the boat. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/AjdBu_7gKxAR-oEbZXVchdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-i8jCsntqi8g/U6d8pdbn_5I/AAAAAAAACLI/Pu6AvjGtYSA/s800/Carter_17lbs_King_May24_2014.jpg" height="449" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery14?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery14</a></td></tr></table>
<p>We release the fish and the rigger rod hooks a fish with the ball only down 12 feet. I slip on my footing falling directly on the gunwale beside the downrigger with both hands trying to free the strained rigger rod from the downriggers rod holder. The drag is singing and I hand the rod over to Larry and he kindly decides to hand it to Carter again, but during that transfer the fish comes unhooked.
We trolled until the sun disappeared off the west horizon with a spectacular sunset to cap off a very long, very trying, but very good result to a dawn until dusk fishing day on Lake Ontario.</p>
<p>To tail out the Month of May, Lanny from Toronto, a serious derby fisherman, joins us again this year with hopes of catching a decent Chinook Salmon for the St Catharines Game and Fish Spring Derby. I hold a boat ticket that covers everyone on board for the Spring, Summer and Fall Derbies held by the St Catharines Game and Fish and Lanny was happy to try his luck in catching a derby fish. We launched from Port Dalhousie and the lake had a nice ½ foot wave from the west. We ran to about 120 FOW off the ledge of the Niagara Bar and first stopped in front of 4 mile point and the screen revealed a great picture of baitfish and fish in the top 40 feet. Just to illuminate water we ran another couple miles to near the border to take a look there as well, but there wasn’t much to see so we ran back to 4 mile point and set up a six rod spread.</p>
<p>We were looking for derby fish and Lanny has a great amount of confidence running cutbait for bigger fish, our six rod spread started out with two cutbait rigs on each rigger, flasher fly on one diver, Lanny’s apex on the other diver and two leadcores (5 colour and 10 colour) with spoons. We had the toughest day ahead of us as we watched countless fish come in under the boat to the downrigger weights inspect our gear and then scurry off. We managed only 2 small coho to the boat on a 42nd Michigan Stinger on 5 colour leadcore.</p>
<p>The month of May had tough fishing at times as we adjusted to the "Ch-Ch-Ch Changes", but we had wonderful people to share the boat with and great conversations and laughs. Warmer temps are coming and that can only bring wonderful summer sunsets and more hard fighting Salmon and Trout.</p>
<p>Shane Thombs<br>
<a href="http://www.FINtasticSportfishing.com">www.FINtasticSportfishing.com</a></p>
FINtastic Sportfishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15868264209480937296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439160138483566799.post-65328572304827738422014-04-29T18:57:00.001-07:002014-04-29T19:15:16.286-07:00April’s shallow water trolling simulates the ol’ days<p>I started in the charter fishing industry in the early 1990’s during a time that was seeing the end of an era for consistent shallow water salmon success. Working on Reel Pleasure Charters full time out of Fifty Point Marina, we would start operations in late April and by the end of May we had already managed 40+ trips. The first few years as a deck hand on Reel Pleasure (1994 being the most memorable) the numbers of fish located along the shoreline in less than 30 feet of water was remarkable. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/cqL32dlbcOlKcMht6HcKf9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-GB1rYoQis-s/TiOwA667aOI/AAAAAAAABEQ/4-2r6C7ik8Y/s144/ReelPleasure.jpg" height="81" width="144" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Misc?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Misc</a></td></tr></table>
<p>The years before witnessed cold winters and subsequently the pattern of fish movement into the southshore shoreline shallow water was more consistent and predictable. You can blame it on our warmer winters, call it the effects of Global Warming, but regardless, the days of predicting good spring salmon fishing in April and even May along the south shore has become a thing of the past.</p>
<p>Then after the mid ninety’s we saw the change, Zebra Mussels, warmer winters, and less and less fish coming to the boat in the areas we fished in the past. Reel Pleasure remained moored at Fifty Point to accommodate the flow of corporate charters from the Steel industry in Hamilton. Close proximity to our customer base, but the problem was, no one told the fish to stay in our end of the lake. Not being agile enough to move with the fish worked against us. Times change and so do the unpredictability of spring salmon locations.</p>
<p>Our winter this year, from the prospective of ice coverage on the Great Lakes, showed the greatest percentage coverage since 1994. 20 years later, after a similar pattern in weather and subsequently a similar shallow water fishing migration of feeding salmon, has brought back the stickbaits, plainerboards and other shallow water techniques to kick off our 2014 April fishing. </p>
<p>What does this mean for FINtastic Sportfishing? Call the past a learning experience and when I started up my own charter business I committed my business plan to charter in a smaller- more trailerable boat so I can move to where the fish are. Stay on top of the most productive waters (within reason). I’m glad I’m not calling one port my home and “attached to a dock”, and as you read my April report below, you will understand why. </p>
<p>April 2014 is now in the books. Our start for FINtastic Sportfishing began when the boat was pulled out of the barn on Friday after work on April 11th. Then working up a sweat putting everything back together, check the motors on the water muffs, and then splashdown first thing on Saturday morning April 12th. </p>
<p>Mark Penner and his friend Steve from high school and my son Aidan joined me for the first 2014 Lake Ontario trip of the season. We launched the Key Largo from Port Dalhousie, largely because the ice still had not melted enough to open the other ramps in the area. The winter was a long and cold one, and as we motored out past the pier heads and turning west we noticed the water temps were 39 degrees F. </p>
<p>We set up in shallow in front of Charles Dailey Park and the water temps crept up to 42’F. We trolled for roughly an hour and then the first rod went off. Aidan fell asleep in the front of the boat, but was awaken and handed the rod. The first fish of the year was a small Brown Trout coming on a planerboard with a 45 sized deeper diver pulling a Dreamweaver SuperSlim. Not long after, another inline planerboard pulled back. The fish came off only 20 feet behind the boat. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/DmAHkXNwnu6NlyT9LHr6ANMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JQ0j9XovEck/U2BVpoOERxI/AAAAAAAACH8/s-QnyKZlr9I/s144/2.jpg" height="144" width="81" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery14?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery14</a></td></tr></table>
<p>We trolled west to Jordan and found the muddy water coming out of the bay was warmer at 44’F we found where the water went green west of Jordan in front of Vineland and then the action started to increase. We managed 3 more browns in the last hour of fishing and then pulled lines at 11 am. Success in shallow started the first time out. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/UMAKCeLQFmAxg363LHzdrtMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7Z5Th4Kq3Nk/U2BVpjXUtII/AAAAAAAACH8/1FNcdn2I6-c/s288/1.jpg" height="288" width="162" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery14?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery14</a></td></tr></table>
<p>The first chartered trip on Good Friday April 18th was with a returning customer John who had his son John and his grandson Mitchell join us for a spring time brown trout troll. This time we launched out of Foran’s Marine in Grimsby and we trolled the shallows from Grimsby Beach to Baker Road Water Treatment plant. The water was very cold at 42 degrees F with only an increase of about a degree in the brown coloured water coming in from Forty Mile Creek. Talking with a few friends that were there two days ago said the water temps were 46-48 degrees F but with the winds from the North East the day before, cooled the shoreline for our Saturday morning trip. It was Mitchell’s birthday and he was first up to reel in a fish. A 4 lbs Brown came to the net after snapping up a Chart/Chrome stick bait off the planerboard. It was a long wait for our next fish, but John Sr was ready when the rod in the downrigger only dropped 6 feet and 40 feet back, gets pounded by an obviously better fish. I thought Lake Trout, but the fish came to the surface and showed its brown spots and pulled drag and bulldogged to the 16 foot depths. John brought the fish the net and it tipped the scales at 12 lbs! </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/2F5gO9PL403dzFreORyJ19MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-AVBNVttA-38/U2BVpmF5jvI/AAAAAAAACH8/aHJ-I2AZK2E/s800/JohnMann_12lbs_BrownTrout.jpg" height="800" width="449" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery14?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery14</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Easter Monday I was greeted by the Town of Grimsby, Town Manager, Keith and his out of town brothers, David (Alberta), and Paul(Quebec). We launched out of Jordan, a decision I made after thinking the waters might be warmer in the area, more so than out of Grimsby on Good Friday. We began our troll not long after motoring slightly east and setting lines in the brown coloured water. Yes! The water temperatures were warmer. 44 degrees out over 25 feet of water and going up to 49.5 degrees in 12 feet of water in pockets between Jordan and Charles Dailey Park. </p>
<p>Our second line was hardly set before the first line was bit and then the Opti Tackle Inline Planerboard started to pull back with a splashing fish on the surface 90 feet behind it. Paul was up first and reels in the first Chinook Salmon to the boat at 8 lbs. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/BL0XkXjzOzQddkT0qpE7lNMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-zwiWMAGkz3g/U1p23areG7I/AAAAAAAACFg/NiEXjVn105M/s800/ShaneHolding_9lbsKing_April21_2014.jpg" height="532" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery14?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery14</a></td></tr></table>
<p>We angled in to shallower water and as we approached 16 feet of water the “short string” Wire diver rod with only 40 feet and a Deeper diver 65 on 3 setting and Dreamweaver Super Slim Mixed Veggi spoon starts throbbing under the pressure of a decent fish. First I thought big brown trout, but again I was fouled when the rod was handed to David and a silver sided King Salmon swooshes the water’s surface with its big tail and then bolts for about 30 yards. In the meantime another rod takes a strike and Keith is on it. The first double header of the season, yippy! David works on the his decent sized chinook salmon, and it comes to the net while the excitement of the catch spreads to laughter around the boat. David in his bright coloured rain jacket lights up the picture holding up this 19 lbs spring king. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/k2QjyxhTA5xECeKhZNbhQNMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9YTAMKIyLgg/U1p2YJPAApI/AAAAAAAACFQ/DJKMn3ls334/s640/Davids_Bright_Jacket_SpringKing_April21_2014.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery13?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery13</a></td></tr></table>
<p>Keith manages his fish to the boat that was a nice eating sized coho and it goes in the box for dinner that night. We release the 19 lbs salmon to grow a little bigger. We managed another coho and 3 brown trout to round off our count of 7 for 9. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/3DlDKrN5vVTvTHZQYeFDmNMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OLsgneWz9Gw/U1p2f4KNtAI/AAAAAAAACFI/3g01GKmkPoU/s800/Shane_BrownTrout_April21_2014CloseUp.jpg" height="670" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery13?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery13</a></td></tr></table>
<p>On Sunday April 27th I was asked to jump on my clients boat as part of my “On-The-Water Consulting” program. Nick launched his brand new 18 ft Tracker Targa down the Jordan Boat Ramp with the help of his fishing buddy Rob. It was later in the morning since the wind forecast suggested an 8 am start might let the lake relax after the strong Northwest winds overnight. </p>
<p>It was only a slight chop on the water and we only turned east rounding the rocks at Jordan and began setting lines.</p>
<p>The mud line was pushed in close to shore at Jordan, but we could see the giant plume of brownish coloured water that expanded outward from shore at around Charles Dailey Park. We trolled our way there and it wasn’t long before we started seeing action. First fish, a small brown trout, came on the short string wire diver and Dreamweaver SS in mixed veggie spoon. The other 5 lines were all stickbaits behind inline boards. First pulled at 90 foot leads, but after 11:30 the lead lengths were stretched out to 120 ft do to the bite slowing down due to boat traffic. </p>
<p>Nick and Rob managed 13 fish to the boat including 3 kings over 12 lbs, 2 small kings, 6 coho and 2 browns. The action was great and weather turned out to be a perfect day. </p>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/LwyfzePn3kFGFB9c_La3k9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-uUa7R_pEsJ4/U110nsEIDcI/AAAAAAAACGo/alhwCS4MRkc/s640/Nick_Rob_April27_2014.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114264061750963608919/Photo_Gallery14?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Photo_Gallery14</a></td></tr></table>
<p>The cold winter and late spring has one advantage for the Lake Ontario troller. The waters along the south shore of Lake Ontario, in shallow, warm up the fastest. The middle of the lake is still very cold cold, and the waters coming down the Niagara River remain iced down from the collected ice held back behind the iceboom strung across the beginning of the Niagara River at Lake Erie.</p>
<p>The Ontario side along the southshore is the place to be after a long cold winter since the warmer near shore shallows become a magnet for salmon and trout. Recent years we have had very warm winters and early springs and the window of opportunity to catch shallow feeding salmonids was shorten to only a week or two. In 2014 our spring is simulating our early 1990’s shallow spring salmon action. I rub my hands together that would also see some of the best May Salmon action if the Niagara River continues to flow cold. The fish may seek our warmer waters and remain accessible to those western end ports well into late spring. Only Mother Nature can write the end to this story.</p>
<p>Shane Thombs<br><a href="http://www.fintasticsportfishing.com">FINtastic Sportfishing</a></p>
FINtastic Sportfishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15868264209480937296noreply@blogger.com0