Captain Tony Buffa

Fishing Report #19

08/04/06

Yes it has been too long between fishing reports...so sorry for the hiatus. I'll be chartering on Lake Ontario through out Aug., Sept. and the beginning of Oct. The salmon fishing has been deep and offshore (350 to 650 feet). During the past week, winds from the west, southwest, and northwest have plunged the thermocline to120 feet. Typically we troll quite fast for August salmon. Not so at these depths. Stronger currents and lower visibility in the deep environment require a slower approach. We have scaled back to 2.25 to 2.4 mph instead of the usual 2.9 to 3.1 mph.

These slower speeds have allowed us to run cutbait effectively with a spoon and fly /attractor program...and it all is working. Phil and son Danny Roe, Hamilton, NY not only enjoyed the festivities at Harborfest but also caught their limit of salmon on cutbait fished with the 10 inch Assassin attractors, and the ProTroll e-chips fished with the Silver Hammer A-TOMIK fly. We found these salmon on an afternoon charter in 300 to 500 feet at 115 to 140 feet below the surface.

Salmon in the mid-twenties are also finding their way to the boat. Bob Illjes, Woodstock, NY, the previous owner of BANDITO III invited Jay Andretta also of Woodstock for a charter and treated his guest to a 24 lb. king salmon.

Kathy Schreiber, Fayetteville, NY enjoyed the high rev. singing reel and the ensuing battle provided by this twenty five pound king salmon caught while on a charter with her husband Russell, who is the golf pro at Onondaga Country club. Notice the outrigger boom behind Kathy. The rod which is in the vertical position holds 400 feet of copper and is attached to an Aftco roller release at the end of the boom. When that fires the recoil is a lesson in horizontal harmonic momentum.