Yankee Troller

We canceled our charters for the weekend due to the forecast, and the distance our clients were driving. Well, the forecast was wrong for Easter Sunday. So, we took advantage of it and brought the ‘ol man, the original Yankee Troller, out on a morning shake down. Happy Easter to everyone and enjoy the first fish P - O - R - N of the 2015 season! Nothing was "the man" when it came to baits. Bay Rats, Thundersticks, and Rapalas mostly in natural colors worked on the boards. Blue Sea Sick, Mulatto, and Mixed Veggies on our Cannons.

When we came from Sodus around 6pm I saw a boat trolling near Ship Builders. Was just curious.

Were you the boat we passed coming from Sodus? I know two boats that fished there in the morning. Both struggled to get 12-15 bites.

You're right I was off .001 on my AFW 30# and the 20# Mason. Fixed! Thanks Jimmy.

Wire is a fun conversation. A lot of people don't know that the diameter plays a role in your dive curve. Also, when talking with buddies and giving them info on where your diver is firing you should also compare if your reels are full or not, and what brand wire you're running. AFW 30# Camo - .012" in diamater AFW 20# Camo - .010" in diameter Mason, Malin, Torpedo Wire 30# - .015" in diameter 20# - .011" in diameter Wire diameter is everything. The thinner wire will dive deeper. 20# wire is very fragile. You will lose gear with it, but if you want to fish deep it's the way to go. You just have to be very anal with it checking for frays or kinks and keeping it taught at all times. We run the AFW, and I know my dive curve is closer to 2:1 than 3:1.

Don't take offense to this, but with the boats that make awesome Great Lakes fishing boats (Penn Yan, Baha, Thompson), you'd be an idiot not to get it surveyed. The cost of the survey would probably be $400-$500, and that could save you THOUSANDS. Not to mention you can use it as a bargaining tool to lower the purchase price when you find out what needs to be fixed.

Yes, we use braid, but we are currently using the 150lb American Fishing Wire downrigger braid. It's the same diameter. The only 2 cons are fleas. If you fish the East end you will probably hate it. The other is if you have plastic spools the braid has been known to crack them. Going from 150lb cable to 250lb Power Pro you will gain nothing except losing some cable humm. If you stayed with 150lb braid you'd see a difference. We run 20lb sharks on it, and there is absolutely no problems doing so. It's all in how you want to fish. If you're a shallow fisherman it'd be a total waste. If you fish deep, a lot, you will gain some efficiency. When I say deep I mean 150'+.

Well said!

You're right Dave. The convictions and penalties need to go up! I'm not versed in politics, so how does such thing happen?

Then I guess we need to fight for more officers in the field to uphold the laws on the books. Let's band together on that! Sent from my XT1080 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

You're messed up bud! Sent from my XT1080 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

Interesting.....I just learned yesterday there isn't a law saying you can't do this in NYS. I always thought it was illegal.

I love a good debate, but you guys are really just trying to grab at things. You want to talk #'s. I am involved in 2 events on the lake. A little over 400 fish were taken at the one throughout a 2 day period, and way less than that at the other. 99% of these fish harvested do not go to waste. We run charters many times for tourneys and those fish go to the clients. If we are fishing a tourney team I can bring those fish into work, and within minutes they are gone. 400 fish is nothing. That walks off the Salmon River daily October-November. Let's also bring up the fact the State and Federal govt. attend these events to gather data on our fishery. Half the teams (which these things probably average 30 boats) don't even catch a tourney limit 90% of the time. There is no damage being done in tourneys when we are stocking 4 million fish a year, and then adding natural reproduction to that figure. You guys are twisting a suggestion to death all because you're concerned about your numbers in the stream. You're more worried about your numbers than the health of the fish in that stream. I feel I'm a well rounded angler. I fish every season on the lake and tribs. You don't see me complaining about a fish in the trib getting hooked every day? Or sometimes twice a day? You think that's healthy for the fishery? You think that doesn't hurt them when it comes to what they are really there for......to spawn? But I'm not even going there! Again, like other posters above, instead of offering up a solution you want to dig at other things, and think this is a personal issue I have. Maybe it's the fact you don't see this happening in your region of the lake. Guys stock pilling freezers full of eggs, and not consuming the fish is flat out unethical, and unsportsmanlike. It's happening a lot more than you may know.

I'm not for either of those regs bud. Sorry. The fishery is here for the people. It's put and take. I just want to curb the un-ethical taking.

Hey Ken, I will be contacting everyone who sponsored last year to see if they are in again for this year. If you have someone new in mind we'd love to add more!

Every vehicle out the is adding to the pollution. You can't single out one over another. Yet, still no solution to a growing problem about our fishery. Sent from my XT1080 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

I wish you were as adamant about the fishery, and protecting it, as you are against coming up with a solution.

The 2015 Oak Orchard Open will take place June 12th-14th. Where to send checks made out to the Oak Orchard Open: Bob Songin 96 Vista Dr. Rochester, NY 14615 Pay by Check Deadline - May 29th Pay by Cash - June 8th OOO Rules.pdf OOO Reg Form.pdf