Geared Up For Salmon
By: Drew Primrose

The salmon and trout fishing in Ontario seem to get better each year. The re-introduction of the Great Salmon Hunt has sparked a fury of anglers heading out to brave the big water in search of the derby winning fish. Many of the tackle stores are once again loading up their shelves with every spoon and plug imaginable, as well as all the necessities (down riggers, rods, reels, etc). Over the last few years Lake Ontario has gone through a few major changes, some changes are good and some the outcome has not been determined yet. Whatever the case, the fishing is hot and the fish are big. Last year anglers were throwing back 30 lb salmon like they were no big deal. Ten years ago, a 30 lb salmon was a guaranteed weekly prize. However, a 35 lb salmon may hold tenth spot now. Warmer winters in turn mean longer growing seasons. An abundance of food and clear water makes it easier for the salmon to find their prey. New anglers are eager to tangle with these arm busting, reel burning salmon that love to bite a properly presented lure. However, there is much more involved in catching prize winning fish than simple dropping down a line and trolling across the lake.

If you are planning on rigging up your boat to get in on the action, you are going to need to purchase some down riggers. Down riggers are essential because they are the main source of getting your line down to the fish. It is a good idea not to spend too much money. Match your down riggers to your fishing needs. If you are fishing several times per week, naturally you will want to buy the best units you can afford. However, if you are only out occasionally, top of the line is not necessary. This stands true for the majority of your equipment. Buy your rods and reels in accordance with your fishing needs. There are a few manufacturers that make affordable, good quality rod and reel combos that will stand up to a 30 lb fish that prefers the water on the other side of the lake. The one piece of equipment that you should take great care of when purchasing is your depth finder of fish finder, as this is your bloodline to the deep world below. A good unit should have a maximum depth of over 400 feet. It should also give surface temperature, boat speed, distance traveled as well as an optional G.P.S. Most top of the line units offer these features. The G.P.S is important when you are fishing a lake the size of Lake Ontario, not only for making certain locations but if you get stranded you can pinpoint your location to enable the Coast Guard or fellow boaters to find you.

Another necessity to have on your Great Lakes fishing boat is a V.H.F radio. Many anglers don’t realize how important this piece of equipment is. Several boaters as well as fishermen will agree that having a V.H.F on board their boat has probably saved their lives. Most large boats have a V.H.F, but many of the people fishing from smaller fishing vessels feel they don’t need to spend money. If you plan on fishing out in the lake, you must have a V.H.F. If you happened to be fishing when a storm of fog creeps up on you or even if you happen to have problems with your boat, your V.H.F radio is the best way to get help fast (ie: coast guard). There is also a weather channel that you can turn to for the latest weather and water conditions to help you stay safe. I can remember a few times being out on the water and hearing a storm warning, but the sky around me was clear and calm. I decided I wasn’t going to take any chances. By the time I got my lines up I could see the storm coming and I made it to shore just in time. That extra five minutes I saved by listening to my V.H.F saved me from 40 km/hr winds and a storm I will remember for a long time.

It is not necessary to spend a lot of money, a good quality unit can be bought for a few hundred dollars and won’t take up a lot of room on your boat. Another major advantage to having a radio on board is the ability to be able to communicate with other anglers. A good piece of advice helped me increase my success down rigging is that I got to know many of the regular anglers at the local marina. I will admit much of my success as a new angler to the lake came from their guidance and advice. I listened to my V.H.F and could communicate with other anglers when we were out on the water. This helped me learn different techniques for which I am thankful. I am sure that the many other anglers at other marinas will be just as happy and willing to help anyone out, so listen to them for all kinds of tips.

Having worked in a local tackle shop for several years I can remember being asked many times what the different shapes and sizes of cannon balls are for and which is the best one to buy. Well. There are many different cannon balls on the market but they are all basically the same and have the same purpose (to get your line down to the fish). The standard shape is the perfectly round cannon ball style, which is perfectly fine for most fishermen. The only set back to these cannon balls is that they put a lot of drag on your down rigger cable especially at great depths. There is a solution however. It is the “pancake” cannon ball, which is thin and streamlined to enable it to cut through the water much easier and with less drag. One key advantage to these cannon balls is that they provide greater depth control of your lures. At a depth of 100 feet, depending on how fast you are trolling, a standard ball may lose you 10 – 20 feet. This means if the down rigger counter reads 100 feet, your spoons are only 80 – 90 feet down. With a more streamlined cannon ball such as a pancake, the drag is much less and you have more control of your lures. This is very important in certain situations when precise depth control is essential. Many anglers don’t take this into consideration. It is a small tip, but if you can learn how to judge the actual depth of your cannon balls, I guarantee it will pay off.

What you can do is run a cheater line, which is a piece of line 5 – 8 feet in length with a snap swivel at both ends. One end has the spoon and the other just clip on your main line and the movement of the boat will pull your spoon down about halfway to the cannon ball. This gives you the chance of testing new colors while keeping your successful lures in the water.

A good thing to remember is that at different depths, different colors reflect light differently. On a warm, sunny, clear day, the sunlight penetrates the water very deep. On a day like this anything silver seems to produce well. In contrast, on a cloudy, windy day the fish seem to respond best to dull colors. Basically if you put time in on the water you will learn which color pattern and size will work best for you on any given day.
Finally, I would like to stress that the Great Lakes are large and can be very unforgiving if you plan on venturing onto any of these lakes. Take the extra safety precautions. The salmon and trout fishing on the Great Lakes are among the best in the world. More and more people are enjoying the fantastic fishing available. Try these few tips and techniques to help you get started and improve your catch.