Lucky Enuff Sodus Pro Am recap

[Fishtails]

Each year I look forward to this tournament with great anticipation. Imo, It's the most enjoyable tournament of the season and there isn't even a close second. The town is in party mode, the atmosphere is electric and the hospitality is unmatched on the south Shore in how the town welcomes us fishermen. The tournament gets better each year and was I think the only tournament to actually GROW this year with participation.

Please do yourself a favor and join in on the festivities in 2016.

Practice and the 1k a day -

I left Pa Monday in hopes of fishing all week because I have had very little time on the water this season.


On the way, I had a major tire blowout on the trailer.


So I get the tire fixed and Tuesday I begin to fish. That is at least the plan, but I fry a water pump in the first hour on my port motor and the buzzer goes off signaling an overheated engine. I go in on one motor and Arney's works me in the next morning. Wed. is a blow off day so Thursday I finally fish and boy did it feel good to be out there !!

I managed a 23.7 king fishing solo but it came in second for the 1k on Thurs. My son Justin joined me Friday. I didn't want to worry about having to get 3 big fish so we didn't enter bff. I just searched around and fished both kings and browns putting a plan together based on what I found.

Day 1

I fished the Am division and it was only myself and my now 16yr old son Justin. We do this every year together. It's hard to be competitive with only being able to box 6 silvers but I fish better without teammates well intended suggestions so it's a fair trade. It just takes slightly different strategy.

I decided to run 20 miles west and fish browns. I didn't need to go that far, but I was hoping for better size. The plan was to stay in striking distance so we would be in contention for a money spot Sun.. Fishing kings was to risky for day 1 and they are not huge on average this year anyway.

I had never fished this area, so it took a couple hours to get things going. Justin got nervous and wanted to go to our brown spots from Friday, but just then we get nailed on the 5 color in 35 fow and we started to put it together. We took only one fish on a rigger, but got 2 on the 5 color and 3 on a diver with a super long lead of about 15 plus feet. I had slide divers, but opted for this instead. A couple boats watched me hand line a couple fish in and must have wondered what the heck I was doing. Lol.
We were done with several hours left so we set up out front of Sodus and fished for our laker, at the same time watching the sonar to see if the kings were around.

We got our 7 fish limit and stood in 4th after day 1

Day 2 -

I ran 20 miles west to the same area, only this time I went for my laker first. I set a rigger on the bottom, a wire on the bottom, a rigger at 48 degrees and a wire in the middle of the water column at 150. Within 5 minutes, the 150 wire pulling a moonshine spoon screams and Justin jumps on it. Awhile later we net a 17 lb king. We then triple on Lakers so one goes in the box and we run in to our brown trout water.

The trout fishing started off great. The riggers were producing our fish but size was down so we threw a couple back. Then....Zzzz. SNAP and a rigger goes overboard after hanging the bottom. The base had snapped on the Scotty. Justin grabs the electric cable just in time and we pull it back in and cut the cable quick, loosing my second shark of the week and a fish hawk probe.

I only had two riggers cause it's a 6 Rod limit. Now I have one rigger. We regroup and stay at it and decide to keep a couple 5 lb browns. We have room in our box for one fish with 3.5 hours left.

I pull lines and run out to 640 fow. We set up for kings or steel, hoping for something big. We quickly hook a good king on a high wire but drop it. We would loose two more before getting our last king, but it was only 9lbs.

We head in happy and super proud of my son and the job he did. It was a great bonding trip for us.

We had a slightly better box than Sat. and we're able to move into 2nd place. I think only 3 Am teams had 7 fish both days?

I will forever cherish these moments with my son. It's a ton of work but the memories will last forever. I can recover in a couple days. Lol. Take your kids fishing....and consider fishing the Sodus Pro Am in 2016.







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Edited July 22, 2015 by Fishtails

[rdebadts]

Well done!

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[ray koziatek]

my little boy is 25 now .....enjoy .............Ashort fat bald guy once said.............Check the tire pressures......Good for you .Yea we woulda been buttin heads on a 20 mile west  run for browns,,but you guys got er done...lots of good times outa sodus..

[Frogger]

Great story, thanks for sharing. Kudos on being such a great dad.

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[Wolfhound]

Nice report... My boys are 2.5 and 1. I can't wait !!!!

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[TOP SECRET]

I should start selling spare probes... coulda made a fortune this past weekend!

[shadster]

Congrats to you and Justin, Rod. The boy has come a long way

[Wolfhound]

By the by way... I lost a crimp and dropped a torpedo and sub troll probe in lake....

[Finders Keepers]

I think I'm going to invest in a submarine...

[Fishtails]

It was an expensive weekend ! Probe, sharks, trailer tires, motor repairs, tackle.  We don't account for that stuff in our trip budget but I guess we can always make more money and buy new stuff. Those memories though.....it's all worth it 

 

I know you guys lost what, two probes on Finders Keepers?  You lost one Wolfhound, and how many other teams donated to the lake Ontario structure base ? 

 

Thanks guys. I love two day tournaments like this. I wish there were more during the summer months.  I don't worry about winning. I just try to be competitive and finish in the money. It doesn't always work out and that's fine too.  Most of all, we have fun and enjoy the atmosphere and experience of competitive fishing.  For $250, how can you not participate and experience this event ?

[GAMBLER]

My son is 5 1/2 now and I hope he is willing to join his old man for derby fishing when he is older!  Awesome report and Congrats on the second place finish!

[Richard]

Great job. I fish a small tournament with my father and son. I completely understand the memories. Keep enjoying those times. They all grow up so quickly.

[Xxx]

Nice report... My boys are 2.5 and 1. I can't wait !!!!

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They grow up fast enjoy your time with them, it seems like yesterday we brought the girls home and now their 10. I'm still #1 in their eyes but soon the boy's scene will be on the mind. They both know I'm not looking forward to that day. They both know dad has a big stick and lots of guns!!!

[Fishtails]

Totally agree with you guys. Each year I think it will be his last. This year he wanted to go to the amusement park with his new girlfriend instead, but he's so happy right now after a fun weekend that he joined me.

 

He's a young man now and has his learners permit and drives me around. My daughter wants nothing to do with the boat and 4 am wake up so life will change as it always does but that's okay. Sodus will be hard to fish without Justin by my side because it's kinda our thing we do together, but for now I will just enjoy it. I get emotional about it but I'm not to big of a man that I can't shed a tear or two.

 

When he can no longer make it I'll probably switch over to Pro to change up the experience but I hope to still get another year or two with just me and him yet. Either way, I look forward to the next experience. This lake is just amazing !! 

[stripinline]

I was right next to you when that rigger dropped and were wondering what the heck happened. Wow nice catch!!!

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[Wolfhound]

I think I'm going to invest in a submarine...

 

 

120 FOW right in front of Ginna....They might frown on the whole sub thing!  LOL

[Finders Keepers]

120 FOW right in front of Ginna....They might frown on the whole sub thing!  LOL

LOL!! Do they monitor underwater operations?? If so, then yeah, might have some issues...

[GAMBLER]

120 FOW right in front of Ginna....They might frown on the whole sub thing!  LOL

As long as you are outside the bouys, you are OK! 

[Fishtails]

 

 

I was right next to you when that rigger dropped and were wondering what the heck happened. Wow nice catch!!!

 

 

That was you in the blue boat?  I knew you guys saw that happen. Justin was like - hey dad, I hope nobody noticed       Had to be pretty funny to watch cause the rigger was all the way over the side when I looked back and he had a hold of the electrical cable yelling for help. He saved that Scotty for me !!  Dad screwed up bad on that one.

[Landshark]

Great job Rod!!!

[stripinline]

Yea that was me I didn't believe and my friends said yes that happened I thought you were moving it at first. Two years ago in the pro am we threw a copper rig over (on accident) and luckily caught it on a rigger rod and cold steel saw the whole thing! **** happens nice job in the pro am!

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[Fishtails]

Oh, it happened all right       Thanks !  Stupid **** happens, that's why we're not Pros . What team were you?  Honestly, I wish I could have met more of the teams. Maybe next time? We'll be at the salmon slam donating more structure to the lake.  Overall it was a blast !!! 

 

And that wasn't my only screw up, I showed up to weigh in on Saturday wet for a reason   lmao !  A couple people know..... Hey, if it was easy everyone would do it 

Edited July 22, 2015 by Fishtails

[Wolfhound]

That was a brand new copper.... Was rough as hell. Wave got the back of the boat and knocked me down...dropped rod in lake. Then rigger releases. It caught the freaking cheater. I reeled it in. I think Cold Steel saw the whole thing if I remember...all I can say is lucky and rough water!

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[Wolfhound]

By the way... That rod is lucky! Best rod in my boat!

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[Fishtails]