Feed The Fry Salmon Tournament, May 18, 2009

Congrads to Steve Fudge, Deryk Hastie, and Chris Vanrooy for a great win. Bronte was the spot to be early and fishing deep.

John Poirier, Brad May, and myself ran down to Grimsby where we slowed and scanned the water column for hope of a picture that would suggest us to slow the boat and start trolling. The picture was empty until finding marks closer to infront of ED Smiths Bubble roughly at McNielly Road Stoney Creek. We set up and it wasn't long before the Wire diver takes a strike, but after a short fight the fish is dropped. Then the rigger rod takes a strike and John cranks in a good sized Lake Trout. Not the species we were after. We took another Lake trout about and hour after on the other downrigger using Michigan Stinger Coyote Stingray 110 on the rigger over 130 FOW.

At 10:30 it was evident that the salmon were not hungry in front of Stoney Creek. We picked up and ran to infront of Bronte and set up in 180 FOW. Wetting up we worked a deep program again with hopes of coming in contact with some salmon. But 45 minutes and a sonar screen that would suggest fish were spread out. Talking to a boat he reassures us that fishing deep is working but bring up the speed to 2.5 mph instead of the slow 2.1- 2.3 mph we have been going at. Without down speed it was tough to make down speed consistent and we finally hooked up on our fist salmon on Walker 124 Deeper Diver Wonderbread on 2 setting out 190 on wire with Wonderbread ProTroll and No-see'um StrongFly. The fish was too small for the 25 inch minimum lenght that was the rule for the tournament.

We were trolling west at the time and noted that we were doing 2.5 mph on the GPS. Working East we tried changing the speed up and down from there to figure out which way the current was going, but the next one came when we turning back towards the west and the free floating slider with Stop'n Glow Michigan Stinger Stingray and the rigger ball down 100 over 145 FOW took the next fish. But it too was just under the 25 inch minimum at 23 1/2 inches! Time was ticking away and we still were without a fish in the box for weighin. Finally we hook up on a fish that was over 25 inches. It took a Dreamweaver Dave's Salmon Slapper down 124 on the rigger over 140 FOW. Not long after that the Magnum Walker Deeper Diver Rod starts ripping out 30 lbs braided line using the 107 black Walker Deeper Diver on 3 setting back 360 feet! White Protroll and Hoover Atommik. not long after John struggled to slide the diver rod out of the holder, the hook pulled free.

Time was spent and we needed 45 minutes to run back to Port Dalhousie. We pulled early and made it back in plenty of time with only one to wiegh in.

It was tough fishing in the tournament with only ten boats bringing in fish out of 35 boats in the field.

The tournament itself was a success as a fundraiser for the Port Dalhousie Pen Imprinting Project with $1,425 going towards the cause. John, Jay, and I plan to make the tournament a annual thing.

Shane Thombs
www.fintasticsportfishing.com

Port Weller to 4 Mile Point, May 15, 2009

With the Friday off and the marine forecast in favour of a nice morning ahead, John, Aidan and I headed out from Port Dalhousie out to in front of Port Weller. We set up in 100 FOW after reading the reports of salmon caught in the King of The Lake Tournament the weekend before were coming from deeps sets. Found a nice temp change that went straight out of Port Weller and we stopped and set up on the warm side (east of the line). We marked fish on bottom so we started to set lines on riggers and run divers on 1 setting and out 220 first and then more as we went.

First rod to go was the wire and it pulled drag and thrashed like a laze king, John helped my four year old soon crank in the fish and he worked the rod and reel like a champ. When the fish hit the net it was clear it was a good size Lake Trout. 16.7 lbs.

Walker Deeper Diver 107 in Blue Dolphin with Blue Killer Protroll and Atommik Tournament Hammer Fly.

After much switching lures and trolling east towards the bar it was evident that the King bite was nearly non-existent. Boats were running the bar taking Lake trout very steadily. We ran up on the bar and it was clear that the Lake trout were hungery when two rods go off on a double and we chank in two more. Michigan Stinger Coyote Stingray, and Yeck 88 in PK Special on the riggers running close to bottom in 80 FOW.

We called it a day at 10:30 am as there were numourous things to take care of for running the Feed the Fry Tournament that was scheduled to run on Saturday may 16th.

Shane Thombs
www.fintasticsportfishing.com

Beamsville Spring Kings, May 3, 2009

Our friend Ed Barbosa was on a weekend trip to Niagara to do some fishing on Erie and then with us on Lake Ontario. Saturday he went out Perch fishing off of Abino and managed 30 good sized perch in 60 FOW just west of Abino. Minnows worked very slow were the ticket.

On Sunday he had a drive from Fort Erie to Grimsby where he joined up with John Poirier and I for a trip out on Lake Ontario. We managed to get on the water at day break as we watched the sun come up over the flat lake. Marine forecast would suggest moderate southwesterlies were to come.

We boated from Foran's Marina down to in front of Bartlett Rd. We set up in 25 FOW and not long after had a good tug on the board line that never released. 3 colour leadcore with a Bomber Long A Michael Jackson. Later we check the line and it was busted off on a clean break through the leader material. First miss.

Then a few minutes later the Spotted Frog Reef Runner on the board on the other side of the boat went off. 75 feet back and the fish was not happy. No big runs, just surface headshakes and rolling in the line, short runs and about a minute in the fight -pop- the line breaks again.

We replace both baits that broke off and went for about 20 minutes before we hit another fish. Blue Killer Protroll with Attomik Hammer Fly behind a 107 Walker Deeper Diver in Blue Dolphin on 3 1/2 setting out 55 feet (that was running at 30 feet as it touched a few times going 2.2 mph) on braid. This was the biggest king we boated for the day estimated at about 16 lbs.

About 30 minutes went by and we hit a double. One on the rigger, Michigan Stinger Coyote Stingray set 100 feet back and 25 ft down over 35 FOW. The other was on a Reef Runner off the boat set 100 feet back in Purple Tiger.

Then there was about two hours without a rod move. we trolled out to 90 FOW and found the screen blank after 50 FOW. There was a hook on bottom in 70 FOW on the way back to the shallows and I dropped the Coyote spoon down there and sure enough a 10 lbs Laker took it.

We got back in tight to see if the late morning bite would turn for the better and it did. We hit another on the Coyote down 20 ft on the rigger back 100 ft. And managed to have Ed hold on to a big screamer on the three colour that found the hook pull free after the reel read almost 500 ft. That was on a Michael Jackson Bomber Long A.

We boxed one more on the Frog Reef Runner and we were off the water at 1:00 pm. It was a nice morning with a little bit of action. Water temp was 48 'F in the Green inside waters and 42'F in the 90 FOW. Our troll seemed to be best around 2.3 mph in the morning and then 2 on the money in the afternoon.

Shane Thombs

Jordon Harbour Spring Salmon, April 26, 2009

Finally my first trip out on the lake for 2009. After a light show of lightening and cracks of thunder, I was concerned that the fish might not be on the bite. Reports were good out of Jordon Harbour, and the King of the Lake tournament was on this weekend and it is tough to say if the fish would cooperate with fishing preasure as well as the weather change.

At 7:30 am John Poirier, my son Aidan and I motored out a short way and then started setting up in 25 fow. It took about 45 minutes for the first rod to fire. Braid Walker Deeper Diver 107 set at three and a half in the new colour Green Dolphin

with ProTroll 8 Yellow Killer with an Atommik TG Hammered Tournament Fly http://www.atommiktrollingflies.com/T142%20Hammer%20TG.jpg . Ten minute fight on a good one and the braid gave up and the whole rig went with the fish.

20 minutes later we were in 35 FOW and managed a triple header. Aidan reeled in the biggest of the day at 16 lbs and the other two were also kings around 10-12 lbs. Reef Runner Deep diver in Spotted Frog on the boards back110 feet.

. That same set up took one more fish and lost the last one of the day when the back split ring retired.Habenaro Dreamweaver on Slide Diver took one set on three and a half with 100 feet back and 80 feet out to the diver.

Also one other fish on a Bomber Long A on a three colour off the boards.

All fish were chinooks from 10-16 lbs and were caught from 35 - 50 fow from in front of Jordon to in front of Vineland. Trolling speed was 2.3 mph. Off the water at 10:30 when the winds pîcked up out of the east.

Get out there and have some fun,

Shane Thombs

SLA Bay of Quinte Trip, November 14-16, 2008

The Annual Strait Line Anglers Club fall Bay of Quinte Walleye trip brought five boats and 13 guys to Merland Park Cottages for a chance at a trophy walleye.

The weather on friday started the weekend with great conditions. Warm sunny and light winds made it pleasent during our jigging tournament. The objective of the tournament was to weighin four walleye's under the 24.8 inch mark or only one over the 24.8 inch mark.

Slowly jigging or dragging castmasters along the bottom in the deep hole at Thompson's Point. Also White perch on 3 inch Gulp Minnows on drop shot were in the same area. Yellow Perch were numerous in the shallow.

The white perch were an indication of the colour Grey Ghost in Mann's Stretch 20 might be a good one. None in the tacklebox to try trolling on Saturday.

The weather on Saturday turned wet. A fast approaching cold front was pushing a heavy low pressure in front of it that contained a great deal of rain. It remained warm throughout the entire day and the rain was steady throughout the day. Winds were light from the south and then from the east south east.

Walleye bite was on. Boats between the bait cave to Keith's shoal could be seen taking fish regularily.

Ron Arnold and I worked a trolling stretch just past the lighthouse on the north side, that was loaded with bait. Fish could be seen throughout the depths but the majority were around 50-60 feet down over 110 FOW.

Our pattern that got all four of our rods working went like this...

Three rods on inline planerboards with leads that were consistently set at 200 ft back using deep diving body baits that were making 35 ft depths. The fourth rod was a deeper set that used three colours of leadcore with a 35 tf mono leader and off the inline boards.

Baits that worked were...

Rapala Taildancer 11 30ft.PD-Purpledescent

Mann's Stretch 20, in Firetiger/Purple back (custom), Original Colour before Purple added to back

Mann's Stretch 20, Doctor Death

Yo-zuri in Crystal Minnow in Deep Diver Sardine Colour Chart

Other boats reported the best colours as

Silver and Black back

Blueberry Muffin

Yellow Perch Crystaglow

Grey Ghost Crystaglow

and Reef runner 900 Ripstick in Purple Barenaked.

1.6-1.8 mph was the best for us, but some teams found 1.8-2 mph good.

Our biggest was 10 lbs 1 oz.

I can't wait for our next trip.

Shane Thombs

Erie Smallmouths October 18 & 19, 2008

The weather the past few weekends have been favourable. Saturday October 18th was a chilly one with a stiff East wind, but we managed to get out on the lake none-the-less. Our launch site with our charter guests Sal and Kevin was from the Crystal Beach Boat Ramp. After a slow start we searched Windmill Point reef and managed a few small fish in the morning in around 18 fow. We moved to a deep water spot that in the first drift produced a 5.7 lbs smallmouth and as soon as it was in the net Sal took this pig that weighed 6.2 lbs. Drop Shot on both fish using Poor Boy Erie Darter Jrs in smoke and green colours. The winds were getting bad at that point so we motored to set up on the west side of Windmill Pt reef and drifted the 27 ft contour. It produced a consistent bite of fish in the 2-4 lbs range and we packed it in at 3:30 pm.

Sunday I jumped on board Bruno's boat whom has a boat load of boys around 9 years old. His son's birthday party on the boat fishing for bass. Conditions were different with flat water and no drift. It was a tough go, only managing some bass and everything was under 3 lbs. It was great to see the kids get so excited when they caught a bass. 27 ft of water was the ticket, but we also managed a few fish in 11 feet of water at Windmill point.

The fish are starting to congregate and go deeper- even though plenty of fish are stil very shallow.

Also good reports of perch off of Point Abino in 60 fow. limits of big perch.

Shane Thombs

Labour Day Port Maitland Walleye, September 2, 2008

Lake Erie was flat- just a gentle wind from the south west of less than 5 km. The skies were blue and it was warm.

Went out with a family of three kids, Bruno and his wife Bow. We fished in his boat, a 19 ft Lund Pro V Gary Roach edition. He had it booking along at 50 mph with six of us! He had it equiped with the 997 Humingbird side finder and it was my first experience seeing how it works. It was truely interesting to see how it works and I can see it be a smallmouth bass drift fisherman's biggest asset.

The screan was full of fish, bait at all depths but primarily between 20-40 ft and 60-90. Fish were mostly between 60 to the bottom with only the odd fish up higher. We trolled between 1.5 mph to 1.8 mph and tried as much as 1.9-2.0 when we had the slow period. 1.7 was the most productive all around.

We started slightly west of Port Maitland (straight out from Grant Point) and set up in 90 FOW at about 8:00 am. Finally got 10 rods in the water when the first rod went off then the second went off with a double header. First fish was the biggest of the day at 8 lbs 12 oz. Watermelon 82 Walker Deeper Diver behind the inline Planerboard 220 ft using Blue Berry Muffin Yeck #6 Colorado and Pink Metalic #4 blade in the front. The other was around 5 bls on a Black 82 Walker Deeper Diver back 240 ft behind the diver pulling a #6 Colorado Yeck Puss'n Bouts blade on the back and a metalic Purple #5 Colorado on the front.

Then there was a slow period for about one hour as we trolled Northwest into about 77 FOW and the screan started to show alot less. So we changed our troll to go back towards where we started and that helped get things moving at a slow pick as they would come in pairs.

One other fish came on the Blck 82 diver behind the Planerboard out 240 ft, but the boat divers started to fit more fish with the 107 Purple Walker Deeper Diver on a three setting taking two fish and losing one. It was set out 130 ft towing a Purple Thunder Yeck #6 Colorado with a Metalic Purple #5 colorodo blade in the front on the worm harness. The other 107 Walker Deeper Diver was the Glow Frog on a 3 setting out 130 ft and using Monkey Puke #5 Colorado on the back and a black/green #4 Colorado on the front.

7 colour Leadcore hit two fish with Blue Berry Muffin Yeck #6 Colorado and Purple Thunder Yeck #5 Colorado on the front.

Fullcore never got bit, a flat lined 20 Tail Dancer never got bit, the riggers never got bit and I tried a Spoon behind a diver and it never seen a fish.

Ended the day at 1:30 pm and on the way back something went wrong with the big motor. A squeal sound came from the motor and it wouldn't start after we shut it off to check it out. Had to come in the last two miles on the kicker motor. Good thing it was calm. That was the only low part of the day.

Shane Thombs