Yankee @ the Oak 7/13-7/14

[Yankee Troller]

July 13th - We had some newbies on board this morning from New Jersey looking for a LOC Derby fish. At the same time we were competing in the second of five King of the Oak events. We left the dock a little after 5am and headed out to 90’ of water and began to set lines. Our troll was East, and the picture was decent, temps were good, and the fishing was fair on the inside. The North winds would pick up and it would get a little uncomfortable out there, but the fish were snapping!

On the inside we were able to pull a few Chinook Salmon, some nice Domestic Rainbows, and a couple of Lake Trout. After the sun started to rise that bite seemed to die so we pointed it North at the Glass House. Our North South trolls the rest of the day would prove worthy, and grab us some really nice fish.

Our spread consisted of our three Cannon downriggers, two wire divers, and three junk lines. Dreamweaver Sea Sick Waddlers were good on a 50’ rigger for the Rainbows. The Kings preferred the A-TOM-MIKs! Good combos on the wires were Wonderbread Smartfish/A-TOM-MIK Glow Blue Hammer, and a Dreamweaver Hammertime Spin Doctor/A-TOM-MIK Hammer fly out 150-225’. Our stud of the day was a Dreamweaver Green Dot Spin Doctor/A-TOM-MIK shredded Hypnotist on our 400 A-TOM-MIK Copper. It took a 21lb and a 26lb King. Those two fish combined with one from the morning bite inside were good enough to score us a 2nd place finish in the King of the Oak event.

We found the best water to be between the 25N and the 27N lines. A good mix of Steelbows and Kings were out there feasting on the many bait pods.

July 14th (Morning) - Same guys from Jersey, and they were still chasing a LOC derby fish. We left the dock with the intentions to work the same water with a similar program. The North winds rolled a little colder water into the inside. The bait pushed in tighter, and there were less hooks. We gave it a fair shake, which provided a few opportunities, but it just wasn’t happening so we pointed it North.

We ran our typical eight rod spread which consisted of our three Cannon downriggers, two wires, and three junk lines. The big guy rig of the day was a 300 copper pulling a Moonshine Carbon 14. The bite wasn’t as good for us on this morning, but we ground out a nice box that was half Salmon and half Steelbows. Another spoon that took a big guy and is pictured above is a Finger Lakes Tackle UV Sea Sick Waddler. Sick looking blade! The Steelbows were really chomping a Moonshine Green Shorts well late in the day on our Cannons.

July 14th (Afternoon) - I received a message from a guy a few days ago who was interested in getting his grandson hooked into his first Salmon. It totally took me back to when my grandfather took my brother and I fishing all the time. Although we had a morning trip booked I said I’d be more than willing to take them out on an afternoon trip. We met up at 4pm and ventured out, but given the mediocre fishing to the East we pointed the Yankee slight NW and ran it out to the 26N line where we started to set our gear.

Our charter program hit the water and we continued to troll it NW all the way out to the 29N line. That whole troll resulted in a small Steelbow. It was a pretty boring troll! When we got to the 29N line we turned the boat around and put her on a SW troll. When we got to the 27N line with about an hour left in the trip all hell would break loose. It started with the 300 copper and a Carbon 14, which the grandson jumped on. While this battle ensued the 500 copper with a Dreamweaver Live Wire Spin Doctor/A-TOM-MIK Ace Fly started to scream. Grandpa jumped on that rod and now they were doubled! The story couldn’t have played out any better than that! When it was all said and done both Grandpa and Grandson stood in the back of the boat holding identical 21.11lb Chinook Salmon.

The rest of the hour was just hectic. The 90’ rigger got hot with Salmon. Initially a Dreamweaver Mountain Dew Spin Doctor/A-TOM-MIK Big Fin Glow was going, but when we cracked that off a Chrome green dot flasher/A-TOM-MIK Sweet Pea fly started to take them. Our 55’ rigger with a pair of Dreamweaver Lemon Ice were also producing fish. In the end the grandson got his limit of Salmon, and his Grandpa had his limit of silvers.