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What a way to end the yr. 34lb beast!


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This is the Trench

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“Variety on the Stony Point Wallâ€

Captain Bob Dick

Bob-Dick-map.jpg

One of the best-known areas for a variety of Lake Ontario species is the Stony Point wall, also known as “Haystack,†out of Henderson Harbor on the eastern end of Lake Ontario. In July and August this unique area has outstanding structure that holds tons of bait as thermoclines fluctuate from the shallower edges to the deeper bottom. Lake Ontario’s most sought after fish frequent this area in search of smelt and alewives including king salmon, brown trout, steelhead, lake trout and walleye.

Most experienced guides and local veterans have a knack of snaking up and down the edge of the wall while some prefer to stay out in the deeper belly of the trench. Exactly what this “wall†consists of are flats of 40-60 feet of water dropping off on a quick edge to 140 feet with 165-foot depths in the belly. This wall extends from a mile and a half off of Stony Point light to three miles, then flattens out to 130-140 foot depths.

Downriggers are the number one producers of fish in the summer months, putting the lure in the exact location where fish are showing on the sonar or where your temperature probe is showing the thermocline. With most fish finders having 450 to 650 pixels, even the lightest of thermoclines are visible on the screen. Temperature probes are not always needed.  Dipsy divers are okay if you’re fishing the belly, but snaking up the wall they can create problems especially with other boats.

I’m a firm believer in free sliders on the wall, being able to run two lures on each pole at different depths with fewer poles in the water. What are free sliders?  I use “Seaguar InvizX†or “Pline†100% fluorocarbon line in 12to 20 pound test, 5 foot long, depending on how many salmon you are catching. Put a ball bearing swivel on one end and a #2 clip on the other for the lure. Say you are fishing 100 feet of water and have a lure at that depth, then you add the free slider attaching the swivel to the line and let it drift down. From the tip of the pole down to the release at 100 foot there is a belly in the line and the lure will stay in that belly presenting bait in a higher location, roughly in the 50-70 foot area, depending on speed. Doing this on four downriggers at different depths you are able to run structure with eight lures and no dipsy problems whether you are snaking or staying along the same depth. Everyone has their own techniques and some are very productive but if you are looking for a variety – this works! Many days we have picked up 8-13 pound trophy walleye and brown trout while fishing kings. I hear of many captains and local fishermen having the “Henderson Harbor Grand Slam,†catching king salmon, walleye, browns and lake trout on the same trip. In the deepwater belly, back in “the trench,†this also happens on those prime fishing days.

Our best lures have been stingers and stingrays named Sunkist, Yellow Jacket, Die Hard, hud special (Houdini), Killer Green, Gator and Brown Trout. Also, Northern kings 28’s in black-silver, black-green-silver, black-purple, silver-orange, black-purple-white, purple-silver, green glo-silver, dolphin and silver-banana.

Lures are the hottest item in July and early August for a variety of fish, but once more king salmon start showing up most switch to flasher-fly combinations.  Great success has been had using “Pro-Troll Prochip 8†flashers followed by “A-Tom-Mik†trolling flies. Colors vary; there are many selections to choose from. Let weather conditions dictate what works best.

If fishing is slow, many move up to the flats and off the “finger†(a long protruding hump) to fish lake trout, which can make for some exciting action.

Most charter captains agree that fishing an area where you have a chance to catch a variety of fish, versus targeting one species, adds drama and excitement not knowing what the next fish will be.

Capt. Bob Dick owns and operates “Moby Dick Charters†out of the Henderson-Sackets Harbor, NY, area on Lake Ontario. Capt. Bob specializes in sport fishing for trophy walleye, king salmon, lake trout, browns, northern pike and small mouth bass. He has lived and fished the eastern end of Lake Ontario and its tributaries his entire life and is a member of New York State Outdoor Writer’s Association.

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BOOM GOES THE DYNAMITE!!!

 

BTW - One of my favorite quotes of all time. However, it's only hilarious if you have seen the original TV sports broadcast of the nerdy guy who uses this line when he's ruining the sports boradcast b/c he's so nervous

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BTW - One of my favorite quotes of all time. However, it's only hilarious if you have seen the original TV sports broadcast of the nerdy guy who uses this line when he's ruining the sports boradcast b/c he's so nervous

That's where I got it from. Hilarious!!!!

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

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That's where I got it from. Hilarious!!!!

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

Awesome! Not a lot of folks have seen it, but it's still my favorite clip of all time.....in fact I just watched it again for the 100th time and I still die laughing!!

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I just watched it.  I know it is just me because that thing has gotten a lot of hits but I thought it was just painful.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W45DRy7M1no

 

"Boom goes the dynamite" is an awesome catch phrase.

 

Well did our last charter of the yr yesterday in the trench! Had a good day landing 5 kings and 2 cohos including a 34 lb beast!

Nice fish!  I love the 2nd pic where it makes all those normal fish look so small.

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