Sandy 8/15, 8/16, and 8/17

[Gator]

Friday I had the pleasure of taking a buddy's 9 yr old grandson out for his first trip on Lady O, and she didn't disappoint. He fought several matures on the wire and didn't lose a single fish! Due to the 2' rollers leftover from Thursday's NE blow, we set up shallow and trolled with them for most of the morning, between 60-100 fow. It was a decent pick of skippies, coho, and matures.

 

With one last rod in the water, we took a decent hit, but then noticed that this sailboat which had been approaching from the West for miles was bearing down on us under power, I'm not kidding when I tell you that he passed within 15 feet of us, despite my best attempt to veer away. PigPen was right outside of us and thought that we'd gotten hit!! When I politely told the guy that he was too close and that he was the give way vessel since he was approaching us from behind, he told me that we were on his line and to "F-off". Classy. I restrained myself from responding given the kid on board.

 

Saturday was a perfect weather day, but we rotted in that same inside water for an hour before deciding to push off. After motoring for 20 minutes or so, we set up at the 30 line right on top of them. My guys were a little timid on the rod and we went 1 for 7 on matures, but landed a bunch of quality coho and steelhead. The 80' rigger running an orange crush warrior XL spoon was once again the superstar, with 150 wire divers taking shots on various standard size spoons in combinations of black and green lol. Interestingly, neither the real nor fake meat got hit and we retired it quickly. Also interesting, we were taking steelhead and coho on the riggers going in one direction, then salmon on the divers in the other direction, without fail. Our down speed was identical and there was less current than I've seen lately. I couldn't explain why.

 

Sunday was limited by time and pending weather (which was eventually a non-issue, as the rain petered out and the thunder never materialized). We stayed inside to the East and caught mainly skippies with a few larger fish including a just-under Atlantic, and we lost one ripper due to a hook that broke at the bend. I've been hearing tales of some bad metal in the mix over the last year both on terminal tackle and spoons. Temps were higher than the previous days, with the browns exactly where you'd expect them to be near where 60 degrees hit the bottom and the other fish scattered through a fairly wide comfort zone from 40-70 down.

[ChrisS]

4 hours ago, Gator said:

Interestingly, neither the real nor fake meat got hit and we retired it quickly. Also interesting, we were taking steelhead and coho on the riggers going in one direction, then salmon on the divers in the other direction, without fail. Our down speed was identical and there was less current than I've seen lately. I couldn't explain why

Always interesting to me seeing how some groups of fish react so differently. I was out of Oswego Saturday in the 600s and only had hits on a ~220deg heading with most of my hits coming on meat with a white crush/mt dew spinner. A blue dolphin spoon on a weighted steel took the majority of the other hits. Landed two good sized kings in the teens and a bunch of smaller fish. Towed one very small king on meat for a while. 

[Silver Fox]

1 hour ago, ChrisS said:

Always interesting to me seeing how some groups of fish react so differently. I was out of Oswego Saturday in the 600s and only had hits on a ~220deg heading with most of my hits coming on meat with a white crush/mt dew spinner. A blue dolphin spoon on a weighted steel took the majority of the other hits. Landed two good sized kings in the teens and a bunch of smaller fish. Towed one very small king on meat for a while. 

I am far from the only one that has trouble getting meat to fire consistently out of Sandy. I used to hammer fish on it till about 5 years ago. My spoons are MVP with big fish. I don’t get it  and I’m not sure I ever will. Before anyone jumps on me from Sandy, I said “consistently”…..

[GAMBLER]

I find meat has it's days.  Some days it crushes kings and some days it only takes a couple.  It's all about their mood.  I always have a couple in the spread because it always seems to take the biggest fish of the day.  The 5 fish we took in the Rt 18 Salmon Slam, 4 out of 5 came on meat.  The smallest of our 5 came on a spoon.  

[Silver Fox]

And this is another topic I pretty much disagree with. A lot of big salmon are caught on spoons. Some of the biggest. I know guys do well with big fish on meat, but a lot of those guys use it in at least 75% of their spread. 

[rolmops]

The meat thing is a bit tricky. Lately I have had good results with very thin long strips stuck on the hook of tournament flies. It seems to work best just before sunrise when the fly/strip is behind a large reflective whitish flasher on a dipsy a bit above the thermocline

Edited August 18, 2025 by rolmops

[Lucky D]

we fished out of fair haven this weekend I did notice running 2.0 to 2.2 meat and fly worked ok but spoons never fired  when speed was 2.5 to 2.8 spoons were on fire and paddle shut down I think its hard to pull both and be productive.

[Gator]

For years, we pulled meat exclusively during the Shootout because it always seemed to trigger the bigger fish. With an "n" of one (me), I'm convinced something has changed. But I do think that it's important to run what you're confident in, and to have your spread dialed in so that it all works in synergy.

[GAMBLER]

13 hours ago, Silver Fox said:

And this is another topic I pretty much disagree with. A lot of big salmon are caught on spoons. Some of the biggest. I know guys do well with big fish on meat, but a lot of those guys use it in at least 75% of their spread. 

I agree a lot of big salmon are caught on spoons.  Heck, the last 30lb king to hit the floor on my boat was caught on a spoon (2013).  I run about 40% of my spread with meat.  If spoons are flying, I take it down to 25% meat rigs.  I also have found I catch more kings on 8" paddles over 10",11" or 13" paddles with meat.  Another very debatable topic!  

[Gator]

Scotty and I fished together last weekend and ran old school 1980s style dodgers! I could almost imagine him with big hair and sporting a Metallica tee...

 

It caught a fish, too.

Edited August 19, 2025 by Gator

[gottadownsize]

On 8/18/2025 at 7:03 AM, Gator said:

browns exactly where you'd expect them to be near where 60 degrees hit the bottom

Your Saturday's trip was very similar our day Saturday. Great report, can you clarify the above statement you made about Browns. Thanks RG

[Gator]

5 hours ago, gottadownsize said:

Your Saturday's trip was very similar our day Saturday. Great report, can you clarify the above statement you made about Browns. Thanks RG

Sure. Brown trout are typically found closer to shore than other salmonids, and our target inside depth is where 61 degree water (precisely) intersects with the bottom. We will then try to fish from there +10 fow. For example, if the bottom is 60 degrees in 45 feet, then we'd target 45-55 foot depths fishing 40 feet down or so. Simple rule of thumb that works every time, 70% of the time lol

Edited August 19, 2025 by Gator

[HB2]

9 hours ago, Gator said:

9 hours ago, Gator said:

For years, we pulled meat exclusively during the Shootout because it always seemed to trigger the bigger fish. With an "n" of one (me), I'm convinced something has changed. But I do think that it's important to run what you're confident in, and to have your spread dialed in so that it all works in synergy.

 

I pulled my meat this morning but that's another story not appropriate for this site . 

 

Anyway , I think the fish are not as aggressive this year for some reason . I've done well some days with my Rigs and some days they won't touch them which is more often then not  for some reason . 

 

Spoons have definitely been my go to this year . And I almost always have at least one flasher out mid July on . 

 

 

[whaler1]

Fish tend to hit what you run. 
 

[Silver Fox]

3 minutes ago, whaler1 said:

Fish tend to hit what you run. 
 

Which is my point. What’s most important is to be in the right water. 

[whaler1]

I agree. 3 of the top 20 kings so far came on spoons. However if people are running 80% meat that skews the numbers. 
My best fish this year was in 70 foot on a standard spoon.

 

[Shattered]

1 hour ago, Silver Fox said:

Which is my point. What’s most important is to be in the right water. 

Exactly. Being in the right water is what matters. 
Elimination of non-productive water is the key to success out there. 

[HB2]

I disagree with the fish tend to hit what you run . I put a spread of spoons out there and they will hit one or 2 consistently and not touch the others.  I run at east one flasher all the time and they won't touch it , 2 days this weekend . 30+ hits , not one on a flasher and I start out with 2 in the morning and switch up colors etc. So it's not that they they aren't seeing them . Some days they hit whatever is moving, others they are picky. 

 

 

Been saying for years  , location , location , location . Can't catch them if they aren't there . All you have to do is look at the leaderboards to see where the concentrations of fish are . 

Edited August 20, 2025 by HB2

[whaler1]

If you look at the leaderboard you see where the most people are fishing. 

[Lucky D]

Remember the old saying all fishermen are liars. 

[Gator]

10 hours ago, Shattered said:

Exactly. Being in the right water is what matters. 
Elimination of non-productive water is the key to success out there. 

Can I rely on you and @Silver Fox to eliminate the unproductive water for me lol?

Edited August 20, 2025 by Gator

[HB2]

8 hours ago, whaler1 said:

If you look at the leaderboard you see where the most people are fishing. 

Could not disagree more 

 

Spring the biggest kings are consistent caught west end .

 

Fall consistently caught east end .

 

Why is this ? Because that is where the majority  of fish are . You can catch the big one anywhere but odds say your chances are better where there is a higher concentration . 

 

This is why many captains head to Wilson and dock there till lake wams and fish spread out.  Then mid August , kings migrate to the Salmon river to run back up to the hatchery they were born . 

 

[whaler1]

I agree about the fact that spring favors west and fall is east. That is a given. My point is that when you run a particular lure don’t be surprised if they catch fish. It’s kind of a self fulfilling prophecy. That being sai the leader board over the years would suggest most derby kings come on meat and flasher fly. 

[GAMBLER]

19 minutes ago, HB2 said:

Could not disagree more 

 

Spring the biggest kings are consistent caught west end .

 

Fall consistently caught east end .

 

Why is this ? Because that is where the majority  of fish are . You can catch the big one anywhere but odds say your chances are better where there is a higher concentration . 

 

This is why many captains head to Wilson and dock there till lake wams and fish spread out.  Then mid August , kings migrate to the Salmon river to run back up to the hatchery they were born . 

 

The majority of fished weighed in is directly related to the number of boats fishing a certain port.  Not necessarily the higher concentration of fish.  

[whaler1]

Brian that was part of my point. Thank you.