September 2025 Fishing Reports
Once again, Orleans County and the Oak proved why it’s the “Home of the King!” There’s lots of big salmon action to report on in both the Fall LOC Derby and the final leg of the KOTO. This week’s report will highlight Orleans County’s grand prize LOC Derby salmon, and next week, we’ll cover more big Kings that came in for the final leg of the KOTO. Stay tuned! And don’t forget all these same trophy salmon and trout in the big Lake are soon to make great tributary action this fall, winter and spring!
Aboard the Maverick on the last morning of the fall LOC Derby, the huge 33.03 lb grand prize LOC Derby King was reeled in by Amy LoPresti. Amy is the daughter-in-law of Capt. Chris LoPresti and when the big fish hit the deck, all aboard the boat looked at each other in surprise because they knew they had a legit derby contender - if not winner. The big King took 20 minutes to come to the net and was hooked 60 ft down over 150 fow somewhere between the pump house and out front of the Oak. It took a Hawks custom snowflake spoon.
The catch was something of a family effort for sure. The captain's son, Chris Jr, might take some of the credit because he kept insisting they get in the LOC Derby. So with a one-day derby pass in hand, they all went fishing – and the rest is history, as they say! Not a bad return on a one-day ticket. The other lesson here is that you “gotta be in it to win it,” and if you’re fishing during derby time, then get that ticket! It proved to be a smart move by the LoPresti family!
Also worthy of mention is another big King from Orleans County, Oak Orchard waters, that placed 4th in the fall LOC Derby. Vernon T. got the dandy silver King aboard Fish in the Box Charters with Capt. Tim H. on a Leonard Fly.
Lately, some of (but not all) of the best big fish action has been for likely staging salmon in 80 – 120 fow. Most trollers report a good amount of bottom-hugging marks in that zone. Other boaters are still working offshore waters for mixed bag action on mature & teenage Kings and a good steelhead bite. The weather ahead looks warming through about mid and end of week. Precipitation is forecast for the end of the week with another cool down on the heels of that weather change. Cooling temps and/or precip will help coax staging Kings closer near-shore and the soon to be at hand fall tributary action.
