Yankee's WHI Report

[Yankee Troller]

We knew going into the biggest tourney on the Great Lakes it would be tough. This would be the first large event that we would fish a charter group in. This group was no stranger to Lake Ontario, and they fished with us last year. They showed up on Thursday morning, so we had two days to whip them into shape.

Thursday & Friday’s Practice - As the week went on the bite got worse and worse. We saw the fish, but they were just inactive. The morning bite on Thursday was better than expected. We boated 9 Chinook Salmon, and a few Coho. Our Dreamweaver Sea Sick Waddler on our Cannon Downrigger down 50-60’ was on fire. We would work 50-100’ of water in the morning, and then slide out to 140-225 in the afternoon. Once we slid out our deep riggers down 150-200’ seemed to be the best, but those fish were few and far between. When they did go it was a flasher/fly combo, or a meat rig.

Saturday’s Tourney - We had a bunch of waypoints to hit up just West of Wilson, and we figured why change our game plan up when it had been netting us 5-9 Chinook a day for the last several days. We started in tight (40’) where we kept seeing the schools of spawning Alewife on our way in every day. We slowly worked out as boats flew by us to their spots.

It didn’t take long and there went the Dreamweaver Sea Sick Waddler on our Cannon out down. We boated that fish, and waited an hour for our next bite. That bite would come on our deep rigger down 175’ with a Stinger Hammertime E-Chip pulling an A-TOM-MIK B-Fly. Another hour went by when the Dreamweaver Hammertime Spin Doctor pulling an A-TOM-MIK Hammer fly took a ride on our 100’ rigger. Half way into the day we were 3 for 3 and I knew it was a tough bite. We hadn’t seen a net fly in any of the boats around us.

I looked at the clients and told them if they could get me one more fish I would guarantee them a top 10 finish. With a few hours left our Cannon out down pulling a white on white meat rig fires 100’ down. We had #4 on for about 5-10 seconds and it pulled off. Nothing anybody could have done would have changed that outcome, but on the way into weigh in I had a sneaky suspicion that fish cost us money.

When the scales closed we missed out on a top ten, and a check, by two positions. A tough one to swallow, but you can’t land every fish you hook. Our guys had a blast, and they were already asking about doing it again next year.

 

Disclaimer - We only took 3 fish on tourney day, but the guy who lost the one took a beating. He wanted to hold something for the picture. I took anotehr boats fish to fillet up for these guys, so he grabbed one of them.

 

 

Fish from the previous two days:

 

 

 

 

[MikeyP]

Nice report Rick. Never in my wildest dreams did I think our 3 salmon would make a top 10 finish, but we did! We saw about 35 boats and rarely saw a net move, but you never know what the other 30 boats might be doing. Considering we didn't move a rod on Thursday and was only 1 for 1 on Friday I knew it was probably going to be a tough day on Saturday. Our 3 fish were pretty good though and that put us into the top ten. Overall a great tourney as always   Looking forward to next year!

Edited May 17, 2013 by MikeyP

[brucehookedup]

Good job rich, **** happens what are you going to do, nooothing. Been there before, as i am sure many others. I never did see the standings on WHI.

[Yankee Troller]

They were posted on Facebook and Tweeted, but I will get them up on the tourney page in a little bit.

[bout time]

 

[Big Water]

Nice job Rick.  That was some tough fishing.  They turned on for a few hours Thursday night for us, but then all I could muster were a few lakers and steelies.  Well Done!

[choo-choo]

Nice Report...Nice pictures...Nice Job out there !!

[Sk8man]

Good going Rick

[times two]

Nice report, Rick.   Friend of ours (Mojo) finished up in the top 10, but said it was tough.

We were up the weekend before....started out great but the last couple of days was really tough....

 

John

[tannero]

Good report and looked like a good time!

[Yankee Troller]

Nice report, Rick.   Friend of ours (Mojo) finished up in the top 10, but said it was tough.

We were up the weekend before....started out great but the last couple of days was really tough....

 

John

 

Bite was tough after the first Sunday of the LOC. There was only one day we didn't get our fish that week, and it was Friday prior to the tourney. It continued right into the event for us. 

[crumcake1223]