The open waters of Lake Ontario produce exceptional catches from April through October. It's very common to land multiple species in an outing. We use different fishing tactics depending upon the time of year and location of the fish:
In Spring we use planer boards to get our lines out away from the boat, since the fish are in shallow water and very spooky. The "bite" is very close to the surface, and these fish are amazingly fresh and strong and acrobatic. They dart around, dance on the surface of the water and really put up a fight before they'll let you . . . REEL EM IN!
Once the fish move into deeper water, we troll with downriggers, which take our lines down to the depths where the fish are. When a fish hits, the downrigger "trips" and sets the hook automatically. Then it's your job to . . . REEL EM IN!
As the season progresses, the fish are putting on weight and gearing up for their spawning runs. It's not uncommon to have a 25 to 30 lb. King Salmon in your catch. These fish are amazingly strong - line screams off your reel as they make long runs away from the boat. And it's a while before they're tired enough to get them anywhere near a net! It's a fight between the angler and the fish! Will you have enough strength left to . . . REEL EM IN??
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