Ken Fisher Memorial Derby, April 30, 2011

13 boats and 30 people made for a great showing to the Strait Line Anglers Club www.straitlineanglers.com annual Ken Fisher Memorial derby and club day celebration. Ken Fisher was a good friend. I fished with him every weekend for nearly three years on board the Grey Ghost. He was a joker, a story teller and an avid Salmon fisherman. He put a lot of energy in keeping the club on track. He was a treasurer for many consecutive terms and continued to press the guys to keep the club a unity of good friends and great pride of being a part of the club. Ken Fisher passed away before his time with brain cancer and the club will not forget his passion for fishing and fishing friends through the club.

The day was picture perfect with sunshine and little wind. The spring, thus far, has been cold and rainy and even though we were at the end of April, the fish were still in a typical early April patterning of shallow and only feeding in short time windows and when the opportunity presents itself.

A 6:30 am blast-off had us guessing where to start. The King of the Lake (KOTL) tournament out of Port Dalhousie had their blast-off at 6:00 am and had already reached their fishing locations before we started. We noticed that a number of the KOTL tournament boats were fishing west of Jordon out to as far as Grimsby . Waters in front of Beamsville were the most plentiful with a cluster of boats, and we decided to run out in that direction and scan with the sonar for clues to tell us when to pull off the throttle and start our morning troll.

The SONAR didn’t reveal anything that would tell us to stop, so John said- lets set up on our old early April 2009 waypoint straight out from Vinland in 50 FOW. Our surface temperature was 42’F. We watched as the boats continued to troll west in front of us and moved shallower over the course of the next hour, but not nets were pulled. We followed suit and turned in around the location of the end of Tufford Rd between Vineland and Beamsville. On our turn in and deciding to turn back east along what we finally come across was some green water in 30 FOW, we hit a coho on a three colour and NK28 mirror spoon with Mnt Dew Tape on the face of the spoon.

From

The decision was made to pull lines and run back to in front of Jordon. We set-up in 40 FOW and continued to troll in shallower and into coloured water from the plume coming out of Jordon Harbour . The water inside of 30FOW was chocolate brown. Many boats were fishing in the muddy water, but we decided to work the water outside of 30FOW

We marked some fish close to bottom in 40 FOW and worked one small area over and over.

A Bomber Long A with a yellow back and white belly was set 50 ft behind the ball and down 28 ft.

After a short time the rod takes a light strike and John takes the rod and pulls the line out of the release with a quick jerk of the rod and then quickly gathers the slack line only to set up on a heavier fish. It wasn’t long and the drag started to pull off the reel. Not a long run, but it was clear it was a king. A short fight and the king came to the net. Then the other rigger using a Black and Purple customized with metallic metal flake on the side also set 50 feet back and down 22 feet.

I grabbed the rod and quickly brought in another small coho.

We work the area, but nothing seems to move so we angle outward and a short time later hit one last fish. Another coho on the three colour leadcore pulling a Orange Crush NK 28.

Time was running out and weighin at 2:30, we decided to call it a day at 2:00 and go it to get prepared for the weighin and BBQ. Everyone managed to catch fish and it was easy to see that it was anyones game to catch the largest fish- salmon or otherwise.

We managed to weigh the largest with our king coming in at 15.96 lbs about 3 pounds over second place.Great day to be on the water, and a great event for the fellow Strait Line Anglers.

From

Shane Thombs
www.fintasticsportfishing.com

SLA Bay of Quinte Trip Saturday Trolling Tournament, November 13, 2010

The trolling tournament was slated for the Saturday and a repeat weather forecast of our Friday sunny and calm conditions was to be expected. Saturday morning our boat was the last one on the water. Nearly 9:00 am we had finally set up just in front of the Bat Cave tight to the south shore of Adolphus Reach .

20 minutes into the troll our starboard inside board rod is pulled back. The flat calm waters made reading the board really easy and our steady 2.01 mph speed was easy to replicate. Ron was on it and slowly reels the board to the boat and then 250 ft of 15 lbs mono flatlining a Yo-zuri Blue and silver fish comes to the net and we measure it as it comes up 24 1/3 inches. Wow- that’s our under fish taken care of.

The sonar screen when blank after the fish was caught and we decided to run the middle and north shore of the Reach and it was evident the fish were instead in those areas. We started marking fish stacked up like firewood and we started marking big schools of bait.

Now a slight 6 inch chop coming down the reach from the east was making the scenario a little better as the waves were current to cut down the light penetration in the gin clear water. On our 1.7 mph troll Easterly into the chop we manage another fish, this time on the outside board Starboard side flatlining 30 lbs Powerprow with 20 feet of 100% Fluoro Trileene 12 lbs test 250ft behind the board at Reef Runner 800 Blue Prizm Blue (silver prizm inside a clear body) and pink belly. I was on the rod and got the fish in the boat with little fuse, but the fish was actually only slightly larger than our first fish making it our first fish over but it was definitely not enough to help with a competitive weight.

That made two fish on Blue and silver colours and after a few phone calls, the other boats were also doing them on Blue and Silver. That was enough to tell us to put 4 rods with that colour and look for active fish.

We trolled back down wind over the same area as the last fish and the same set as the last fish manages another walleye and John brings it to the boat. But it happened to be the smallest fish so far. Now we are looking for big fish and a phone call to Bruno fishing with Dave Viles revealed that the hot spot was still about 4 miles up the reach near the Gap. We pick up and ran to nearly the Gap and set up in 140 FOW. There wasn’t many boats in the area at all. Its no wonder Dave Viles was managing a good bite with lower fishing pressure. Dave’s boat had 7 for 10 walleye in the boat by 2:00pm and one was over 13 lbs!

After setting up again with some additional deeper sets for a bigger fish, the inside board rod on the starboard side with 75 feet out then 4 oz of weight and then 125 feet to the board pulling a Blue and Silver Manns Stretch 20, started pulling back. Before getting to the rod, the board then went light again and realigned and it was called a missed fish.

Ten minutes later the Outside board rod gets heavy on the flatlined 250 ft with the Blue Prizm Blue (silver prizm inside a clear body) and pink belly Reef Runner, but that fish comes unbuttoned. The same set on the outside board on the Port side then pulled back and Ron was on the rod. Taking our time we boat that fish and it’s the biggest of the day but still nothing to write home about. may be 8 ½ lbs for our second fish over 24.8”.

The sun was going down and time ran out. Lines were out of the water by 5:00 pm and an easy boat ride back to the Picton Ramp.

We had weighin at the cottage and Dave Viles with Gord Viles and Bruno manages a monster box of three walleye at over 27 lbs. The big fish was 13 lbs 8 oz and they reported they threw back one other big fish over the 24.8” mark so they could keep fishing, hoping for one more double digit fish. Best producer for them. 10 colour leadcore with a Fire tiger Renoski (shallow diver not deep diver).

Greg Ameil with friend Ed Barbosa on board took second place with 22 lbs and we managed third with a weight of 21 lbs.

Shane Thombs
www.fintasticsportfishing.com

Lake Erie Bass, October 17, 2010

Lake Erie Bass are in fall feeding mode now. Toronto residents John and his son James were ready to do battle with some monster smallmouth bass. John and I were leery about the winds as they have been moderate since Saturday afternoon. Over night, the winds were coming out of the Southwest and it was difficult to suggest our morning trip on the big lake would be settled enough. So we had cancelled the trip and we were watching the wind forecast for the afternoon tip scheduled for John and James. A quick morning phone call at 9:00 am suggested that we had a window of opportunity to get out in the afternoon provided we start at around 11am and fish the early afternoon before the forecasted winds were to become moderate once more.

John and his son made the trip to Port Colborne and met us at the ramp at 12:30 pm. From 11:00 am to 12:30 the wind had increased from 10 km to about 20 km coming out of the Northwest. Northwest is an alright direction as it comes offshore, but the forecast for strong winds in the late afternoon told us we needed to get off the water before long.

When starting at Cassidy Reef on the east side of Port Colborne , the South west winds of last night was enough to lead a three ft roll waves on the lake.

The increasing Northwest winds were adding a different dynamic to the wave direction and how we can predict our drift direction. We initially set up on the windward side of the reef in 35 FOW and then drifted up on top and then off the east side of the reef the whole time we were inside the red can. We immediately connected with fish, but staying hooked up was the tough part. We offered a little bit of instruction on the technique of hook sets and how to fight a fish and soon after James started hooking up on the second drift. This time the drift was changing as it was more of a Northeasterly direction as the winds started to change and come out of the west. Now the wave were building and white caps were forming.

Drop Shot with Poor Boy Erie Darter Jr was the top producing set-up

James’ personal best was a 16 1/2 “ smallmouth that he caught on there cottage lake up in the Haliberton’s. It was our intention to bump that up a little.

His fourth fish was exactly at 16 ½” and him and his dad were impressed. Not minutes later we scoop up James’ next bass and it gets the wow’s and ah’s as it measures 17 ½ inches. His new personal best! But the story doesn’t end here. More fish come to the boat between John and James and they were having a blast.

Then on a Tube Jig, a solid bite sets up on a brute smallmouth. 22 FOW the fish comes out of the water almost instantly. Now the cheer’s start up as Jame’s is in the fight of his life. The dark coloured smallmouth bulldogs to the bottom taking drag and then comes up on the surface once more with heavy head shaking and white water. Again the yelling and excitement escalates. Then after clearing the driftsock and managing a netting space the fish comes to the surface and id scooped up in the net.

As the fish is revealed in the bottom of the net on the floor of the boat, John and James are ecstatic and are giving high-fives in celebration. John says “That fish is going to be mounted” So without hesitation we put a scale on it and the digital readout is bouncing between 5.1 – 5.4 lbs (we were in the waves and hard to steady the scale). Length was 19 ¾ inches and not only surpassed James’ personal best, but likely will stand as his best bass for years to come.

The wind and waves were building to 4 or 5 ft and it was time to call it a day. We turned to Port and motored in slowly. We sent John and James off on there trek back to Toronto with conversation with Advanced Taxidermy to have the fish prepared for the wall. Now the story of the trip on Lake Erie in the fall of 2010 will be remembered for years to come.

Shane Thombs
www.fintasticsportfishing.com

SLA Lake Erie Walleye Tournament, August 29, 2010

After a tough day of fishing on the Saturday, it was clear we were still in search of fish for today’s Strait Line Anglers Club Lake Erie Walleye Tournament. After 8 boats were registered and checked we made our way to the mouth of the Grand River at Port Maitland for a 6:30 am blast off. We were late for the blast off in registering the last boats and getting our own boat in the water. But with the nice conditions on the lake it was easy to see where the boats were running to. Some straight out of Port and other went East of Port, but no one went west.

We trolled starting in 90 FOW and worked our way North East to the Ship wreck. We were getting bites, but nothing that was of any value and we pulled in white Perch and Sheepshead a few times before deciding to pull lines and try different water. We ran to the south east side of Tecumseh Reef in 75 FOW and we trolled with the waves that were starting to turn coming out of the South west. They were gentle one foot waves and our presentation and boat control was assumed perfect. Everything ran smoothly and even the serge of a 1 ½ foot wave was minimal on the diver rods.We continued to troll East North East and started shallower when we reached in front of Port Maitland in 65 FOW at 13:00 hrs. It was then where all of a sudden things changed for the better. Without noticing it upon the initial strike, the starboard side Large 107 Walker Deeper Diver on a 8 ½ ft Ugly Stick Down Rigger rod appeared to be jerked slightly. Then noticing the line was at a much shallower angle running into the water then what was normally the case. I grabbed the rod and proceeded to give the diver a quick snap to tri the diver when all that occurred was a head shake and indeed direct pressure. A few cranks on the reel and I could feel the hooks pull out. Darn that was definitely our first walleye hook-up and I blew it by trying to trip the diver. The diver was already tripped and the weight I felt was all fish.

It wasn’t 5 minutes later when I went to set the full core 10 colour Leadcore out on an Inline Planer board that while I slowly allowed the board to engage and swing out to the side knowing the harness was sure to be close to bottom, then all of a sudden the rod loaded up and the board pulled down heavily. Fish on! I reel in the board and began fighting the fish.

Then moments later the Inside Starboard 107 Black diver set on 1 ½ and out 130 takes a shot, with one hand holding the leadcore rod bent up in the air I grab the diver rod and the weight of the rod was again loaded up where I quickly pass the rod to John. He cranks twice and a head shake pulls the hook out of that fish. Almost a double header!

I reel my fish in and it is a solid 6 lbs, but there was no time to waste weighing him. In the livewell it goes and back to work setting rods.

By now the depth has crept up to 62 FOW and our divers started touching down on bottom so it required shortening the leads. The inside starboard diver on 1 ½ setting was pulled in to a 100 ft lead and the outside starboard 107 diver was set on 3 ½ setting and out 130 ft instead. This adjustment immediately works as the outside starboard diver rod takes a strike and I am on it again. As soon as I begin fighting this fish the rigger rod pops on the other side of the boat and James takes that rod. We boat my fish around 5 lbs and then the fish on the rigger down 60 feet was in the net as well. NOW WE HAVE THREE!!!

With 20 minutes of trolling through that flurry of action we decided to make another pass through the area with hopes to connect with that pod of fish again. We do that and set back up in no time with fresh worms and eager anticipation.

We trolled through the same waters following our trail lines and nothing moved, we decided instead of running up again the time was ticking away and we were now closing into the last hour of the tournament. So we decide to keep trolling and as we did the water continued to go shallower. Now in 55 FOW and the clock is 14:10 and we had to pull lines at 14:40 at the latest.

The inside starboard diver rod with the black 107 Walker deeper diver set on 1 ½ was now only 90 feet out. It takes a strike and John is quick to his feet and fights the fish on a short line to the net- It happens to be our biggest of the day. WE CAUGHT OUR LIMIT!!!

Back at the marina, we discover other boats also go there full box and description of weights sounded like we may not have a chance. Turns out I underestimated our total weight as we landed first place with 23.67 lbs.

Here is the tournament webpage for more information, results and pictures http://www.straitlineanglers.com/SLA_LakeErie_Walleye/SLA_LakeErie_Walleye_Tournament.htm

Shane Thombs
www.fintasticsportfishing.com

Port Maitland Walleye, August 28, 2010

Bill was our guest for a day of fishing for Lake Erie Walleye. Launching out of Port Maitland we were faced with three to four foot waves from the south southwest, but we took our time and made our way out to 92 FOW South of Port Maitland. We managed one long troll from there all the way into 50 FOW in front of Mohawk Point.

Bill landed a nice walleye in 82 FOW and we continued to bait hooks and release countless sheepshead, white Perch and boxed on Jumbo Perch. The walleye fell for a worm harness with a Purple metallic blade in front and a large Colorado Purple Demon blade in the rear. It was presented to depth by a 82 sized Metallic Purple Walker Deeper Diver on braid set to 1 ½ and with a 200 ft lead. This runs 60 feet down.

When in shallower water (60 FOW) we hooked up on a walleye on a 7 colour leadcore off the inline Planerboard and the hooks pulled out midway into the fight. Black/Purple with Green worm harness.

Shortly after we pulled lines and headed back to the ramp. Conversations with others at the ramp and with other boats on the radio- NO FISH- Slow.

Grimsby Salmon, August 10, 2010

John, Brian Blainey and I made a 4 hour evening trip out of Foran’s Marine in Grimsby . The sporadic report of fish caught out front was enough for us to investigate. Our departure was a little later then our normal 4:00 pm departure, as we needed to transform the boat from what was a Bass fishing boat in last Saturday’s tournament back into a salmon fishing boat. Downriggers, rod holders, tackle, rods and take the pro-poles out.

We were greated by sunny skies and flat water at the mouth of Foran’s and we took off on plane to a straight out tack at 20 degrees on the compass to put us in 80 FOW just east of the weather marker. It was there that while scanning the water the SONAR screen showed slight blips going 35 mph. Backing off the throttle and we started to set lines and turn the boat east to stay in that depth . Sure enough marks were plentiful. 40 -60 feet down and the odd bait pod (few- but some).

15 minutes into our troll the Full core (last rod in the water of the six and only in the water 5 minutes tops) starts pealing line. Magnum sized Matrix spoon that thumps the core rod tip even 475 feet behind the boat. Brian was on the rod and wrestles with the fish for nearly 25 minutes before we bring it onboard. It was a dark and skinny fish but still managed to pull the scale hook down to have a reading of 25 lbs 2 oz. Tagged the fish # 1496 and off it went.

A short time later the port side rigger jerks from it’s downward bent position but fails to release. A quick check on the Magnum Hi Ho Silver with black dots MC Rocket (new colout to come out next year) to reveal that it was a bent from the fish turning but coming unhooked. The leader for the Rocket was set to about 66” and was put behind a Large Bechold Fish Catcher in Clear with Double Crushed Glow. The lead behind the downrigger weight was 15 feet and down 55’.

Marks on the SONAR of fish were numerous, but sinking deeper as we moved away from our starting point when down temps changed to warmer at the 50 foot level and as the total water depth increased. 47’F at our starting point and 50’F only about three miles away. We concentrated on fishing the cooler water and it pays off.

An hour later the same Magnum Hi Ho Silver with black dots MC Rocket down 59’ on a short lead, takes a shot. The drag creeps out and John is on it. The fish really doesn’t behave like the kings did only a week ago. The drag only slowly pulls off and the fight is long and deep with only the odd short burst of runs from the lazy big fish. We boat it after 30 minutes and it weighs 27 lbs 5 oz. It is released, but not tagged. It had the same Fork length of 36 inches as the first fish , but much wider girth.

About another hour goes by and the Easter Egg Glow 8” Spin Doctor with a #2 MC Rocket Regular size takes a small 5 lbs 2 oz king from the rigger down 50 feet over 75 FOW. Tag # 1499. All night we couldn’t manage any fish on any of the three divers we ran. After many line lengths and lure changes. Tried Whole Herring, Lymans plug, spoons and a few flasher/fly combos and nothing went on a diver. One of those days.

The evening was a slow bite, but we remained entertained with countless jokes as well as more serious conversation about the fate of the Hamilton Tiger Cats, the location of the Stadium Site and the Pan-Am games as was the debated at Hamilton City hall at the same time.

The sun dipped down and the red sky over the mirror like water made a nice close to the night and we were off the water by 9:00 pm. No camera on board tonight.

Shane Thombs
www.fintasticsportfishing.com

Vineland to Port Dalhousie, August 4, 2010

Friends Chris and Steve joined us for a evening fish for salmon on Lake Ontario . It was Chris's birthday. Busy schedules and Chris's bad back had made scheduling this trip a few times miss-fired.

The cloud cover was thick and the humidity was some left undesired. T storms were not forecasted, but a watchful eye was in order for this evening. A chop out of the Southwest alowed us to run from Foran's to Vineland where we set up in 70 FOW. After only getting the fourth rod in the water, the first rod that was set released from it's bent position in the downrigger. Steve was first to crank this one in and it was a smaller two year old king caught out of 60 'F water down 39 ft on the rigger and with a lead of 15 ft. M&M Glow Yeck 88. No adipose fin.

An hour went by when we turned back to fish the same area we started and hit our second fish on a Green Dolphin 107 Walker Deeper Diver set on 1 1/2 and out 110 ft. It had a Michigan Stinger reg 3.75" Green Clown. (small spoon was thought to turn strikes on fussy fish). The fish was a twin in size from the last one but it was a natural fish with it's adipose fin.

Then there was a long wait for 2 hours while we searched for more productive waters. At dusk we hook up with a fish on the port side rigger using a Warrior Dr Death Hot Glow using a short 10 ft lead and using a 8 " Mnt Dew/Crushed Ice Glow Spin Doctor on a 5 ft line clipped directly to the ball to add as an attractor and set down 75 ft over 80 feet of water. the fish came right to the surface and spit the hook.

There were more marks on the bottom at this point and the sun was fully down and darkness beginning to set in when the hooks on the bottom moved up to 60 feet in a 20 minute time frame.

Then we were startled by the instant and alarming sound from the drag of the 7 colour leadcore set down the chute brings Steve to his feet and he takes the rod while the fish strips the line from the reel. FINALLY a better fish.

While he fought the fish we worked hard to turn a double header, but the blackness of the night was on us and it was time to pull everything in before putting the net under Steve's fish. His personal best chinook salmon at 22 lbs 4 oz.

12 mile boat ride back to Forans in the dark while we watched the lights of the Lakehouse Restaurant and by the passing cars on the QEW, the bright glow from the greenhouses in Beamsville and finally the flashing green lighthouse light at the end of Foran's channel to mark our trip ending

Happy birthday Chris and congratulations to Steve on this still very chrome coloured king out there swimming with tag #1498.

Shane Thombs
www.FINtasticSportfishing.com