Hey there, fellow fishing fanatics!
I've been lurking in the shadows this year, but I've finally emerged from the depths to spill the beans on my angling escapades. My obsession? Hooking those mighty Lake Ontario salmon like there's no tomorrow! Cameras were rolling, capturing the wild dance of the waters, though my blockbuster video is still in the editing oven. Fear not, my friends, for come September, I'll unleash the cinematic extravaganza. But for now, feast your eyes on these epic snapshots of the fishing frenzy that's gracing Lake Ontario this year.
Picture this: a solo expedition on a fine Sunday, one rigger down, and a dipsy diver strutting its stuff starboard. I dove into the depths at 5:30 AM, in the company of the most elusive of companions—the salmon! But here's the twist: these slippery devils decided to play hard to get, leaving me craving that sweet tug of victory. A few nibbles, a 6:05 AM champion in the boat, tipping the scales at 16 pounds, and hey, not exactly record-breaking, but we're just warming up, folks!
Ready for Act Two? With a shift to deeper waters at 100 feet, the stage was set for more excitement. Cue the dipsy diver, ready for an encore! Bam! Eight pounds of dinner magic, and I was grinning like a kid in a candy store.
Hold on to your tackle boxes, 'cause Act Three takes us to 130 feet, where fish frenzy awaited. Here's the kicker: I was sailing solo in this underwater ballet, surrounded by a school of fish with no neighbors in sight. Then, kaboom! A mega-hit on the dipsy that could wake the dead, peeling line like a drag racer on nitro. Drag set, muscles flexed, and the battle was on! A whopping 200-foot run before the beast eased up. Not too shabby, but the fish was just getting warmed up!
The struggle was real, my friends, as I tangoed with this underwater behemoth. He took another 300 feet of line. Trolling motor on turbo to guide the ship, down rigger up, main motor turned-off, and a ten-minute standoff with my finned nemesis just to net it at the side of the boat - he just would not come within netting range. A battle of wills, a dance of desperation, and finally, victory! The beast was mine, and the boat felt like it had just conquered a stormy sea.
And the verdict? The scales whispered a tale of 22-23 pounds, not quite the colossal 25 I had imagined. But hey, the battle scars were real, and the fishy fables were ready to be spun.
With the drama dialed down a notch, I reeled in a more modest nineteen-pounder, and another high teens almost immediately after.
Fast forward through a whirlwind of waves and wind at 30 km/h, and the scorecard boasted an impressive 10 for 16. Two twenty-pounders led the charge, with high teens and a tasty dinner-sized fish rounding out the roster. A triumphant day, no doubt!
DISCLAIMER: All fish were released besides the 8 lber, which was harvested, and the larger 20 pounder which was weighed in for the GOSD. The weighed-in fish was brought home and was harvested for my dog. Nothing goes to waste. The other 20 pounder you see in this live well was just there to revive until I released him.
And just when you thought the curtain had fallen, radio waves brought another twist. Pan pans reverberated, a sailor's SOS in the wind-whipped chaos. Ready to play hero, I stood at the ready, ready to lend a hand. But fate laughed, the storm eased, and the coast guard was called off. A reminder, dear anglers: safety's the name of the game. So gear up, respect the waters, and reel in those fishy tales like the champs you are!
Until the next cast, keep those lines tight and the fish stories even tighter. Stay reel, folks!
Lake Ontario Report Sunday August 6th, 2023
