Yankee Troller

Tom, Can we all change out boat names to A-TOM-MIK. Talk about giving the committee grief. They wont know which A-TOM-MIK team it is at the scales! LOL I just got back to work after being on the water for a few days. I have to go through this thread. I am totally with you on this. BASS recently allowed their guys to run their own boats on the last day of TV coverage rather than giving them a sponsor wrapped boat top use for the day. This helps guys obtain sponsors in a tough economy. FLW has also gone this route. They are trying to HELP their guys out by doing this, and it was welcomed by every angler.

Today and also again tomorrow I have my very first charter clients fishing with us. Great group of guys spread from Minnesota to the Jersey Shore. After what we did to the Cohos on Sunday it was a no brain'r to go back and beat up on them some more. We left the dock at 6:15 and ran about 9 miles West. When we sat down the screen wasn't great, but we started to set lines anyway. The screen finally got better, and rods started to pop. We ran a 2 color on the furthest line out on our Otter Boats, and a five color right next to it. On the 2 colors we had Dreamweaver Coho Killer and an Orange Slurpee SS going, and on the five colors were mini Dreamweaver Spin Doctors in Orange with blue/green and green/gold A-TOM-MIK Coho Flies. The green/gold was the HOT set-up for the day. On our riggers we put numerous spoons, but the one that went the most was a Dreamweaver SS Firecracker. A few shots on our wires today pulling Green SmartFish/A-TOM-MIK Hypnotist flies. We boxed out, and lost at least another one. That Coho roll is a real winner if you ever want to get un-hooked! Back at it again tomorrow, and the game plan is Cohos then maybe we go looking for a King or two. Not many Kings caught today from what I heard. Our Big guy today was a toss up between a 10lb Coho and a 9lb Rainbow.

Yup, they were everywhere. Im no marine biologist, so i wont even try to figure that one out. I wouldn't say its abnormal. We see bait die offs every year. Last year it was during the Pro Am.

It happens! Hey, it beats the Honey do List! Whack 'em hard next time bud.

5/22 - Today Jeff and his brother came all the way from the Jersey Shore with his son Jacob and his niece Sara. They were tipped off by my Monday and Tuesday crew that the fishing in Lake Ontario is pretty exciting. So, I made the poor kids get up and on the boat by 5:30am and we left for what we heard was a tough bite. We sat down in 60 fow right off Wilson harbor and the screen was LOADED with bait and Salmon. So we set lines on a NW troll. We tried to run a high low program today. High for some cohos to satisfy the kids, and low to try and WOW the kids with a MONSTER Salmon. It took a few minutes after we got set up to entice a fish, but once we did it was a steady pick until about noon. We never saw a Coho, but the skippy Kings put up enough of a fight to put some smiles on the kids faces. Our downriggers were going anywhere from 50-80. The spoon of the day was our Northern King Sea Sick Waddler fished on our 70 rigger. The 80 rigger went with an Northern King THAT spoon as did our 50 rigger with a Northern King dimple light Glow Coyote. We ended up throwing back five Salmon that really needed a few more years to grow up, and that was fully understood when this guy hit the deck and they saw what I meant: This guy weighed a hair over 19 pounds. Not huge, but a very good representation of a Spring King, and compared to the 12-15" Salmon we were catching this was a treat. Our program today consisted of 3 riggers, 4 wires, 2 short cores off one Otter boat and a 300 or 400 off the other otter boat. Just about everything took a shot. Jeff and family went home with a few bags of Salmon fillets, and the kids went home with a smile. To top it off on their way they got to see Niagara Falls, and they tasted some wings from Duffs. Here are some other shots from today: 5/23 - My brother Craig and I took our girlfriends out today, and the weather was exactly what they wanted.....sun and flat seas. Think they cared about catching fish? Nope! All they wanted was to get a sun tan, well they need to learn that those come faster than normal when your trolling on Lake Ontario. On the way out at 9a.m. (yeah that's right 9a.m.) I made a few calls and the story was that it was slow for EVERYONE. So, we just rolled West and pulled in at 4 mile creek before we started to set lines. It didn't take long and we were slowly moving rods. All Cohos for the most part, and there were some real beauties tipping the scale at 7-9 pounds. A-TOM-MIK Coho flies (Blue/Green), Dreamweaver SS's (Firecracker), and A-TOM-MIK Salmon flies (Hypnotist) were doing the trick. Around noon our ten color pulling a Moonshine Carbon 14 started to sing, and when that fish hit the deck we were pleasantly surprised. a 13 pound Atlantic Salmon! Thank you Canada! That fish went back to play another day. We pulled lines shortly there after and headed for the marina. Girls were baked, and our stomachs were empty. It was a pleasant day on the big pond, and we will be out Monday and Tuesday. Check out some pictures from today:

Sorry for your loss Jason.....you and your family are in our prayers.

Thank boyz! It was a good day. I got me a new Cimeter fillet knife from the 'ol lady, and a Blues Tooth. So now when Maniac calls me on the water I can talk to him.

(1) - Daiwa Heartland 8' M Downrigger rod. Brand new! Needs new tip. $20 * * * * (1) - Shimano TDR 8' Used for 2 seasons and in good shape. $20 * * * * Lot of Trolling Flashers 8-Smart Fish and 2-E-Chips. Some used some new. 2 of the Smart Fish are bent for extra action as a prototype. $40 * * * * (2) Eagle Claw Water Eagle Rods 8' with cork handles. $25 for the pair.

Fishing has been tough the last few days. Lets hope they POP this weekend.

Dude, that's a hog! Thanks for calling me last weekend! What, are you too good to call now that you have a Captains license?

That changes as the flow coming out of the Niagara river changes. So it is really hard to tell. Best idea is to call someone over the radio and see if they will tell you the magic number for the day.

New price!

Proof!

I think a little of both. Lol [ Post made via Mobile Device ]

Skipper - Some had alewives in them and others had real small smelt in them. None of the ones I filleted up were stuffed by any means. Yeah, they got one heck of a lure showing this weekend!

It happens! Don't be afraid to check out the 30-40' waters off the river and Irondequoit. My buddy and his kids did a 20lb King out there on Sunday. Said the screen looked OK, but they only popped that one out there.

Great job!

Thanks guys!

Very cool.....well keep up the good work!

Gator - I work at Wards Natural Science. Jeff worked there until he became the stay at home dad. That's how I met them. Great people, and those kids are adorable.

That's so weird! Once you get to 4 mile the cell phone reception is terrible. I wonder if that has anything to do with it. My last Tweet was dead on!

Please.....like you wouldn't want to snap a picture! That's a rare catch.

LMAO...chicken BBQ!!!! Nice one Rob.

Today wasn't great by any means. I heard about that picture out front of Wilson. A few days and those fish will be on fire.

Nice, we only did 9 today. It nice to see someone got them! Yesterday was definitely the better day for action. What boat was yours?