In the early 80's , there was some reports of huge lakers being taken in 200+ water off the western coast of Manitoulin. I headed out to give them a crack. I was steel lining with my willow leaf when i got an almight smack. after several mins a big chinook appeared 35+lbs. I never caught another one and no lakers were seen that day. I wrote this off as a fluke. The next year i found myself out in the same area in 240ft of water. I was marking some fish about 30ft off the bottom, i thought maybe lakers or whities. I setup my downriggers to 10 feet above them and threw out a few spoons. July 18th 1982 is in my personal fishing log as my personal best fishing day ever!!!! This is what i wrote i am looking at it right now.
" 13 chinook--- smallest 31lbs largest 43lbs
2x ripple dodger
6x william gold
4x croc halo
1x rebel fluro
What have i been doing with myself, found large shoals of fish at ******, in 200ft ... i am in shock..."
Since this day i find myself in mid july in the deep water. I have never been this sucessful again but i always score a few big ones... they are farther and fewer to catch but they are big. They seem to taper off in mid august. A lot of the salmon that people catch are 3yr olds in the shallower water.. and the big boys are deeper... that my theory anyways. Give them a shot.