Jigging Among the Waterspouts

[Pete Collin]

Hello All,

 

I launched thursday to chase the lakers once again.  It seems like this spot may be their home for the summer, so it will save me a lot of time looking for fish.

 

It's a pity that weather that makes for good boating often doesn't make for a good bite.  It was pretty calm most of the day, with bright sun much of the time.  There were a few lines of clouds running east-west.  Some of them had suspicious little spikes poking out of their bottoms:

 

 

As the hours went on, I eventually did see one waterspout that touched down.  I wasn't sure how concerned I should be.  It looked halfway to Toronto, and as skinny as a thread (too far away to photograph).  I have never seen a waterspout before.  Always thought they were like tornados, that they were rare and happened during a big storm.  Yet here I am on the most perfect day for boating you could imagine, and funnel clouds forming.  The clouds they originated from didn't look threatening at all, just puffy white friendly looking ones.  To be hit by a spout must be serious business, but they were so thin that you would have to be pretty unlucky for one to come find you out on all that water even if you ignored them.  So i kept an eye out and decided that i could see one coming for a long ways away and have time to react if I needed to.  The other boats didn't seem to be that concerned.

 

So the bite was indeed tough, but the sheer numbers of lakers gave me plenty of opportunity to catch one, and the weather was perfect for jigging.  What I missed in numbers was made up in size.  I missed about a half dozen and caught 4.  Three of them were over 30 inches and the biggest - a 34 incher - is the biggest laker I ever jigged.  They pushed the limits of my tackle, which is is essentially bass gear.  What great sport!  The action died around 2:00 and I stuck it out until 4.  I am so jazzed to be learning things about Lake Ontario.  Last night I lie in bed scheming about targetting the browns with my jigs in my little boat, knowing the action picks up in the fall.  New york fishing always offers you new discoveries, and it's exciting to be in the middle of one.  One of these days those lake trout will turn on, and I want to be there when it happens!

 

 

Pete Collin

 

www.pcforestry.com

[Mortigan]

I was out there too...

 

 

[idn713]

Must not have been out by Wautoma Shoals. I was out there today jigging in 80 ft and all I had were chasers. Very frustrating.

[christrouthunter988]

Beautiful Pete, the big lake will get a hold of you...the lakers look strong!!