Don't let any post LOC Derby doldrums set in! There's plenty of big Kings out there evidenced by the spring LOC Derby results. The top fish were all 20 something pounds including the grand prize - 25 pounder. Those are good salmon by spring standards and other Kings of that weight still swimming have a real good chance of becoming 30 + pounders by end of summer and fall. Lakers were likewise well represented too with a heavy leaderboard. Browns on the leaderboard were light but that probably reflects fish over 10 pounds were tough to come by. Up and comer fish less then 10 pounds are surely numerous and those younger year classes are coming up through the pipeline for future big fish. Fall tributary runs of browns so far point to strong numbers. For all you tourney anglers, next in line is the Wilson Harbor Invitational this weekend.
Meanwhile there continues to be good and unharried action here in the Oak waters off Point Breeze. Lots of wide open Lake Ontario waters to roam for civilian rec boats and the home port based charters before the westward migration of captains returns likely after the Wilson tourneys!
At the end of last week, a few days of east winds made for tougher action. Now though, winds have lately been prevailing westerly with some rain showers off and on. Ahead there is the chance for NE winds again but the forecast is not calling for anything like days on end. Watch for storms and check marine forecasts as precipitation remains in the forecast for nearly every day ahead.
Seems like many trollers are in a searching mode, trying different depths and areas while the Lake is trying to transition to the warmer season patterns, likely a little earlier then traditional June timing. One rec boat recently had Kings and Lakers and a few browns east of Point Breeze in 65 - 90 fow on downriggers 45 and 55 down with a spoon program. Another out of state charter had Kings to almost 20 pounds off Green Harbor in 120 fow.
Capt. Jeremy Sage of JD's Custom Charters fished 5-6 miles west of Bald Eagle in 80-130 fow. "We had depths from 5-90 ft down throughout the day with a few MVP setups. 2 face 8 inch echip with an Atommik stud fly behind it and a black jeans Salmon candy mag off a 65 rigger. We landed 12 and dropped easily that many. Lost a couple potential LOC fish but that’s fishing! Our catch was made up of 1 Atlantic, 1 coho, 1 laker, 9 kings - biggest landed being 18 lbs! (Pictured below.) It was a grind but great day overall and persistence paid off."
There's been some bluebird and quiet weather here at Point Breeze for this start of the week. Even the latest NE winds have been only fickle and soft lake breezes and not enough to mix up Lake temp zones very much. And so the Lake Ontario waters have been mostly flat and clearing especially near shore and at mid depths. We don't know of any serious brown trout trolling pursuits, although casters are still having success around the Oak river mouth and other near shore areas. Careful what we may wish for though for a change in the weather, as some storms and rains and winds are forecast for the end of this week!
Thanks to historic LOC Derby efforts in other areas for this time of the year, the fishing pressure in the Point Breeze waters is pretty light. One angler in an evening only trip last night remarked he was the only boat around - and landed 9 or 10 fish in just a few hours with a one man rod limit! What would that translate for hook ups for an all day trip with a bigger trolling spread!? We have said it before, when pressure shifts to other areas for whatever reason there are still guys that quietly go about their fishing with good action right here.
For some trollers the pattern seems a little more like a June set up already with action out to 300 fow. Some trollers though are still working mid depths in a bit of a search pattern finding laker hook ups and some Kings. It's the deeper water action that seems more likely to yield salmon bites. One veteran angler in that 300 fow zone had riggers set at 35 and 55 with cheaters 10 feet up. That placed spoons at 25, 35, 45 and 55 ft and the best action was around 45 ft. Dipseys and leadcore out 5 colors also are taking fish but lately riggers are doing the most work.
Come fish the unpressured Oak waters and you may still find yourself on the LOC leaderboard like the current 9th place King!
