dreamsteelie

If anyone fishing or plans on fishing the WHI and has any brief input on a few of the major changes, please submit a brief reply. Tournament organizers are always looking for ways to increase participation, or give events a new twist, or make changes due to comments from the past events. Like the dropping of the observer rule. Could be a good or bad thing but its a hangup for many and adds a body to someone's boat. So, proposing to drop it, may be a liked change and increase participation? Last year's WHI went very well, payout was as good as it can get for the number of participants, weigh in went fast and was very well run. This years biggest proposed changes are: no observer (LD test in lieu of), 8 rods from (6), Canadians fee is at par, so it may increase CND participation?, 7 fish max weigh (all could be kings or a combo of kings BUT 2 lake trout max)in an effort to possibly take some pressure off kings, put some pressure on trout and possibly create a different strategy. (King only guys might prefer a king only format-diverse guys may like an event with a twist similar to many south shore NY events which allow trout) and king-laker box is consistent with the week long trout and salmon slam leading up to the WHI. Also keep in mind, the LOC is also occurring that week and includes those two species as well. Those are the major changes occurring as the teaser video indicated.

Here are a few items regarding the 2020 WHI being held may 16th-make up day 17th Web site will be updated and finalized in 7-10 days and on line registrations taken. The trout and salmon slam will have same format as well as 1K a day. There are a few other changes noted in promo video: If video quality needs improved on your viewer, go to settings at lower right corner of the video and change your settings.

All of us who presented in 2020 would like to recognize these companies for contributing to this year's salmon school. Some contribute annually. Some are new and want to make their companies known, some are well known names already but all deserve recognition both whether they are big or small for helping out. These folks give back to the angling community and deserve some public recognition. 2020 Salmon School Contributors *Goodie Bag Sponsor *Team Dreamweaver *FishUSA *The Reel Shot Fishing and Hunting Company *Pro King Flashers *A-TOM-MIK Flies and Meat Rigs *Great Lakes Angler Magazine *Slide Diver *Michigan Stinger-Stinger Spoons *Torpedo Fishing Products *Wolverine Tackle-Silver Streak Spoons Fish Hawk Electronics SHIMANO Inc. Diabolical Custom Tackle Yakima Bait Company Pautzke Bait Company Atlas Mike’s Bait Pro Troll Fishing Products Jack Rosenswie Company SpoonCrank Box Magnum Metalz L.O.T.S.A (Please consider joining L.O.T.S.A -your membership matters) Please consider supporting our 2020 Salmon School contributors and Thank You

Good luck jimmyi and thanks... We have we can catch almost as many fish with the "right" 6 rods in the right place and doing the right things. A few of the tourneys are only 6 rods and a well worked-tweaked 6 rod program can catch almost or as many as a bigger program. Most of our Mid may to October fish come on the program we discussed. Junk rods work and have their better days but the program we discussed catches 80-90% of our fish once away from that skinny water ! Have a great 2020 fishing season. Captain Pete VQ

All, Very good and meaningful feedback. Thank you again for taking the time to post. 10-4 on vendor comments with discounts and more. Well said. Captain Pete VQ

Tim, Thanks for your feedback from the salmon school. Also, to those that took a moment and messaged us/me on our FB pages. None of us held back on sharing what we thought was important, even tho some may have sounded basic. Sometimes doing basic things right or adding twists to that can make or break a day or add a few more bites to your morning. Usually, if you cant catch fish with 6 rods, the 7th or 8th, wont help much anyways. Everyone had a good opportunity to see what goes on during our day and what our thought processes are !! I appreciate your comments. Captain Pete VQ

Great Question. I would check back at the end of the month or beg. of February. Reg should be open by then. Good to see you're fired up about it! Thanks

RD9, Yes-same as 2019 Thanks

10-4 on not making regular anymore ! I believe you are correct

Welcome back ACE

The 2020 WHI is scheduled for Saturday May 16th, 2020. The format will most likely be similar or same as 2019. Thanks, Captain Pete VQ

Doc, Darn, I gave you a chapter back and that's all you re-butt with Doc? Hey, I think we can all agree on that fishing and fish keep it interesting and if it was the same day in and day out, it would get boring and lose its charm.. (Ie. lake Erie all summer :)) Also, conditions and fish moods are always changing, lots of theories exist, we all have our opinions and if we all thought the same, it would be a pretty darn boring world... And the media would be pretty darn bored without TRUMP in office. Oh yeah, one last item: Doc with Team Yankee this fall??? That was a nice surprise at KOTL. Captain Pete

Doc, Now bringing politics into it? LOL-GO TRUMP 2020 !!!! (You started it) Wanna side bet who wins 2020?? I will cover it... You're not a fish, so one does not know whether a fish can hear a ball/weight/attractor/shark with hum of a cable? Another test needed I guess That was a great "opinion" on cable....BUT what about the Shark guys who use BRAID....... with SHARKS.... Hum factor is OUT! Do you call BS on 8" E Chip flashers? The East end gang may be lookin' for you if you answer that one wrong.. The debate on wire cable VS braid puling weights is another great debate. AND the conclusion is..... Whatever you feel most confident in is how you should roll. I am a 100% wire cable guy and prefer the noise advantage. I know guys who switched to braid then back to wire.... "They" felt wire generated more rigger bites. Again, would need a test but difficult to do and prove. There are days when divers generate more bites also that riggers and thats always a head scratcher.. That was the case this September for us.. My divers were not as effective BUT in talking to other captains fishing same water, they had similar results... AND there seems to be days throughout the year where a lot of guys fishing same water have similar scenarios, like long lines sucked today but riggers hot. Then two days later its opposite.. Its fishing and things are always changing... As mentioned, a controlled experiment would need done to be 100% certain but one cannot deny the simple facts that they create more noise/attraction and fish are attracted to or will shun from that...Fish finders prove that easily. Compare a ball weight VS shark on a FF screen.... Proof... Does a shark or cable do much for you when pulling attractors 15-100 ft back? doubtful since the attractors IMO over ride a Shark/Cable. However, spoons or offerings fished tighter is a different game. As seen 100X on my boat, pulling chrome sharks in the top 60 FOW will draw a lot of spectator fish, often many will not eat but they get pulled in, follow, skirt around these a LOT of time. Its frustrating because I think they are curious fish. Some bite but a lot swim through the set. We feel some of these fish end up biting our divers in close prox. tho if the don't bite the Shark "bait" (Rookie fishermen nailed it!) Can I prover it, NOPE... Summer Brown trout are known as a "skittish line shy fish" LOL but my best rigger is often the one my tightest lead behind a BLACK Shark if fishing deeper than 50 FOW.. Thats on my boat tho.... Captain Pete

It's all good Rick.... Thank You ! Earl28-Regarding the comment "Its like being one on one at the Salmon School" Now that made me smile and laugh... That was a pretty good reply. I think your on the right page with your order. Captain Pete

Earl 28: to answer your Q. One can never go wrong with black! Chrome weights can be used as an added attractant, whether high or deep fishing but some guys believe they may turn fish off (too much light refraction/spook fish etc...) Unproven but its a legit theory/concern. I carry chrome and black and use accordingly and like a 17# chrome shark deep ! and I like chrome sharks in the top 60 when hunting for steelhead and coho running spoons tight but not kings. White is unproven but now available at FishUSA. Will be interesting to try out some day) We tried white downrigger weights for Lakers for a couple years (On Erie) and always benched them cuz we felt they were not productive VS lead balls-Again. my opinion from doing this since the 80's and fishing April into November.... We usually do not use Sharks when pounding bottom for Trout tho. Too expensive and their noses can dig into rocks etc.. Hope all of this helps. Captain Pete

Iceman John- I am Not saying that there are not a few riggers that can pull 20# ers.. I have owned BJs since 1987 from std units to Brutes currently. One cannot run a 20# weight on a longer boom BJ as an example.Unless the boom is short- However, the motors CAN pull them easily. Walkers and older riggers suffer with 20# weights. The avg./rec angler does not use 20# weights. My point was to Rick because he promotes CANNONS because he believes in them and we don't tell others to Laugh when they talk about them. CANNON makes a great product and has vested itself in the Great Lakes market ! They also have a great captain like Rick on their team. Rick, I guess this part of your reply to John was a bit harsh from someone that promotes numerous products and ones that "you" believe in. Esp. since you do not truly know that answer yourself. "If anyone tells you they attract fish please laugh back at them" WTH? The fact that they "may" or may not is a debate-agree. But that's true of MANY things in the fishing world. These are all debatable things and we can go on.. (LOL-we are not gonna even start those debates) Does FC catch more fish than regular mono? Does scented meat out fish regular unscented meat? Does adding post applied scents like Pro Cure of Mikes help induce strikes? Does changing a flasher out pulling meat to a diff color flasher with same meat actually make a fish bite Or was it coincidence? Do Solunar Tables work all the time? Do lighter leaders get more bites when spoon fishing than heavy line? On and on....The beat goes on... "As for your downrigger dig, again another company that came to me, there are many companies who can carry a 20lb weight. Traxstech, Big John, Scotty, and Magnum Metal all can handle 20lb weights. I'd say the only one who can't is Walker". Rick-Try a standard BJ rigger with a 20#er or use a Brute rigger with 50" boom and 20# weight (Ker Plunk). Not gonna happen, so it depends on each situation with each rigger. Not all rigger, not all booms or setups can handle a 20#er. BTW-just wanted to get you riled up a bit because of your laugh comment. Its all good tho... SHARKS: 2/2: You are correct in saying they track great and omit sound signal below and that our sonar units can see that diff from regular weights and SHARKS weights. Whether they attract fish and help you catch fish is most likely a personal choice answer. I say yes along with many others. They do draw fish into spread and their weights get a lot of follows. PLUS and we all know fish are attracted to sound/disturbances, esp in the AM and when their on the feed bag. Captain Pete Vision Quest Sport Fishing

Rick, Ouch Rick.... I guess the same can be said with a dodger or certain flashers?? One can assume Is it the offering behind it really or the snap of does the flasher/type/color really matter after all? Does the wire used with wire divers attract/catch more fish than braid or mono line? Cant prove the wire does per se' but they do make a hum and do catch fish more. that braid typically (Or at least that's the rumor Are u promoting CANNON riggers because a lot of anglers don't have riggers that can pull 20 pound weights without something breaking. I know CANNONS do tho... But not all will or can. Just my 2 cents

Congratulations to : Div I Winner: Team Screamer Runner-up: Team Finders Keepers Div II Winner: Team Cannonball Runner Runner Up: Team Warship Checks and sponsor prizes will be distributed sometime this Fall and per the L.O.C.S. payout outlined on the web page. Final Results can be found here: http://greatlakesspecialevents.com/locsstandings.html Thanks to all who participated in 2019 .

http://greatlakesspecialevents.com/locsstandings.html DI and DII updates are available here. Royal Flush leader in DII and Screamer in DI but anything can happen with more events left. Some players may elect to take their second chance before the A-TOM-MIK Invitational. Will Cannonball and Finders Keepers elect to do that? Team VQ has entered their second chance for the Fall KOTL. Its still anyone's game... Thanks and Good Fishing

Thanks for the PM-I did not see it til after I posted here. Checking... Thanks

Jaybird, Will check it out but need a team name or name to verify accuracy? Thanks

http://www.wilsonharborinvitational.com/whi.html The scores for the WHI, Trout and Salmon Slam and 1K day have been updated on the WHI website. FYI Thanks