Yankee @ the Sandy Creek Shootout

[Yankee Troller]

We moved the boat down to Sandy Creek on Friday night. We just got back from the East end tourney’s last week which meant we haven’t wet a line on the West end in about a month. We’ve heard how good the fishing has been, so we were eager to experience it. We broke the pier head around 5:30am and headed straight out and set down in 80’ of water.

We put out a similar spread to the one we always use. On our Cannon DT-10’s we put down a Northern King Sea Sick Waddler, a Moonshine Carbon 14, and a Dreamweaver Glow Frog SS. The temp break was down about 50’ where there was anywhere from a 10-15 degree break that went from the upper 60’s to the 40’s. Our 50’ rigger was pulling Brown Trout and Rainbows on the Glow Frog. The 70’ rigger was our HOT king rigger with the Sea Sick Waddler, which also took our biggest King which weighed in about 20 pounds. Lastly, the 90’ rigger pulling the Carbon 14 worked the marks on or near the bottom in 120-140, but all we could manage were Lake Trout. Our wires pulled Walker Deeper Divers trailed by Smartfish/A-TOM-MIK combos. One was a green dot/Hypnotist, and the other was a wonderbread/Hammer combo. We put a pair of 300’ coppers out on the boards and ran a 400 copper down the chute. The 300’s pulled paddle fly combos, and the 400 pulled some meat.

Everything took fish! However the size of the fish was a little bit on the small side for us. We worked the 130-150’ range for a good portion of the morning. We were able to pull one big guy from there, and a MONSTER Lake Trout. This Lake Trout hit a 300 copper pulling an e-chip/A-TOM-MIK combo. When we got it in the boat the scale bounced between 21 and 25 pounds. When it hit the scales at weigh in it came in just under 23 pounds. We had to pull off the smaller fish, and choose to head North and get some more water under us, and when we hit 200+ our bite switched to a strictly King bite, but they were just 2yr olds. The 400 copper was practically dead all day until we got out to the deeper water when it took our third biggest fish of the day. We thought this fish was much bigger than what he turned out to be. We cleared our coppers and wires to turn on this fish in the 4-6’ seas because it was a hot fish. He turned out to be a long slender King in the upper teens, but not the 20+ pounder we were hoping for. About 12:30 the corner rigger fires with a Dreamweaver Gator and is screaming line. He would be our 4th best fish about 15lbs, and would be the last fish we boxed for the tourney.

We pulled lines at 1pm because we had enough action and waves for one day. 39 fish hit the floor of the boat, and only 4 fish would be keen enough to get away before they took a ride in our net. Wish we had that kind of batting average over the Pro/Am’s the last few months! In the end we would end up 2nd behind Trout n About, and right above Legacy who finished in third. Those two boats took their Kings to the West off Devils Nose. The organizers put on one heck of a tourney! One of the more fun laid back tourneys we have fished in quite some time! A huge thanks goes out to all of them as I know firsthand how time consuming putting on these events can be.

[33canuck]

Holy Hog of a Laker! Awesome

[motoman]

ok i'll be the first too start! So rick just how many laker's did ya have to go though to find that slob ?????? i didnt here any thing about the yellow spray paint no really you and craig & crew work hard & earned that 2nd place well done and hats off to you guys !

[Missdemeanor]

That is one big ole chicken......congrats on the 2nd place.....good to see your Dad back at it.....

[chowder]

Nice finish & WTG on that big old nasty looking laker! -Andy

[FISHINMAN]

The NEW LAKERMAN!! congrats Rick on the 2nd place always nice to talk with you and like Matt said it was nice to see your dad at it trying to carry the cooler by himself!

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[PolarBear]

GREAT JOB ,,,,,,and a FINE LOOKING LAKER

[Gator]

We'd nicknamed Brian "the chicken whisperer", but may have to reconsider...

Nice fish, good times!

[brucehookedup]

I always knew you were chicken farmer at heart. Thats definately a beauty. No more talking bad about those forkies. Fins, and a water tight ass, they are all good. Nice job at sandy.

[Yankee Troller]

ok i'll be the first too start! So rick just how many laker's did ya have to go though to find that slob ?????? i didnt here any thing about the yellow spray paint no really you and craig & crew work hard & earned that 2nd place well done and hats off to you guys !

LOL....OK....so my brother buys this ugly paddle at Fat Nancy's tackle shop while we we're down East. Its a white e-chip spray painted yellow on each side with crushed glow on one side and mtn dew tape on the other. He put an A-TOM-MIK shredded Big Fin Glow behind it, and that's what the Laker took off the 300 copper over 140fow. I don't know who is worse him or my GF with these freakin' combos!!!!!

That is one big ole chicken......congrats on the 2nd place.....good to see your Dad back at it.....

Thanks Matt.....I wanted to shoot the breeze with you, but you looked freakin' grumpy, and you left early. Now I know you were on zero sleep. I'd be the same way dude.

The NEW LAKERMAN!! congrats Rick on the 2nd place always nice to talk with you and like Matt said it was nice to see your dad at it trying to carry the cooler by himself!

[ Post made via iPhone ]

Yeah, he thinks he can still do it all! In a way it was nice our charter had to bail so the old man could fish this with us.

I always knew you were chicken farmer at heart. Thats definately a beauty. No more talking bad about those forkies. Fins, and a water tight ass, they are all good. Nice job at sandy.

Brucey.....I fished a Walleye tourney fathers day weekend, and now Lakers fight so much better! I'll never complain about a Laker again.....well, I'll try not to.

[GAMBLER]

Blame it on your brother. I see how you are. Nice job Rick.

[skipper19]

Nice job on the second place Rick great Laker...don't forget to eat that "yellow" meat ..yellow paddle and big fin fly....shoulda known it was a conspiracy Rick

Mark

[Luke510]

Rick,

Great fish. Glad to see it was worth the trip out this way.

Greg from Victory