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They're back! - Bronte rarely disappoints.


SlowPoke

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I'm in the middle of a boat renovation... stripping, cleaning, buying, installing and I had some materials to pick up in Hamilton. Dan (Percher) calls me earlier in the week and the conversation went something like this....

 

Dan: 'Brian, I need your help.... forgot how to catch salmon.... Bronte...... Friday'

 

So, the morning is off to a crappy start...

 

My Wife: 'it's 6:20, I don't know what happened'

 

Why is it that the alarm "didn't go off properly" when I want to go fishing. It works flawlessly for her. I wanted to leave London at 6AM so I'm already behind schedule.... I know "what else is new, Brian"

 

I packed the car the night before, get my butt out the door, noticed my right front tire was really low, headed for the highway and then this....

 

IMG00118.jpg

 

I figure the truck turned, missed a shift and dropped a driveshaft or ran out of fuel.

Dumb truckers.

 

So I says to myself...

 

Self: 'this day isn't getting off to a good start, what else could go wrong'

So I put on my seatbelt. (I paid the seatbelt ticket today from the MC Odyssey BTW)

 

The ride from London to Burlington was uneventful. The front tire felt squishy but it got me to Dan's place. So I was about 20 minutes late.

 

Dan was hooked and ready to go, I tossed my gear in and we left. Got to the launch, get cut off twice by the same old man, got the boat wet, I park the car, head back to the boat, step in a pile of goose poo.

 

So I says to myself...

Self: 'nothing else could possibly go wrong!'

Fortunately, it didn't.

 

We motored out to "the spot" and we were into fish before all the rods were out. Sometimes this is a bad sign, today would be different.

 

Dan's downrigger rod went off while his back was turned. So I grabbed it (Like you wouldn't?). It felt like a freight train! Two or three solid runs and I handed it off to Dan when he finished what he was doing. This fish wasn't done yet...

 

IMG_0623_1.jpg

 

Another couple solid runs and Dan takes to the "Fighten' chair"....

 

IMG00119.jpg

 

He gets the fish boatside and I put the net on it. I can barely lift this thing into the boat! It wasn't a huge fish but must have swallowed a cannonball.

 

IMG_0629_1.jpg

 

Pic's and measurement... 31" and splash.

 

Dan deploys what would end up being the hot rod for the day. We still don't have all our lines out and wham! The hot rod fires again. I grabbed it and this one felt as good or better. Run after run and then a it comes stright out me. I reeled as fast as I could to pick up the slack. It's back under control.

 

IMG_0632.jpg

 

A couple more runs and I'm almost ready for the fighten' chair myself!

 

IMG_0631.jpg

 

Dan puts the net to it and he can barely get it out of the water. What are these fish eating?

 

IMG_0638.jpg

 

Pic's and measurement, 33" and splash.

 

I mentioned to Dan that we should lose about 10'-15' of stretched and mangled line but he said 'nahhh, it's alright.

 

We had enough time to get all the rods down; rigger/dipsy on the port and stacked riggers starboard. We ran all the same colours; two identical of the hot spoon and one smaller on the riggers and a black dipsy/green spin doc/green meat rig on "Torpedo Wire". It was my first outing with the new wire rig. Matthew raved about this wire and I couldn't wait to try it. Call it spamming if you want but it lived up to what he claimed "Low memory & Kink resistent". Needless to say, I was especially excited when the new wire outfit went off. I knew this fish wasn't as big as the first two but I felt every inch of it through the wire in addition to 17 blinks and 2 farts. Wire rocks.

This fish was a party all the way to the boat.

 

IMG_0639.jpg

 

No measurement but I'd estimate 26", photo and splash.

 

We got the rods down again and the hot rod fires again!

Dan grabbed it out of the rigger and and muscles it in... that is until, the fish put on the brakes. It was a standoff. I was waiting for the line to bust and Dan was strumming it like a poorly tuned banjo. "This one's fighting better than my derby fish". His 34.72lb from last summer. We expected to see some length and girth on this puppy but it turned out to be of the same class as the first two we caught. Perhaps a little angrier.

 

IMG_0643.jpg

 

We forgot to get a pose with the fish but did take a measurement for the tourney, 34". Splash.

 

IMG_0644.jpg

 

The rods went quite after that and I had to be off the water to go pick up boat materials.

 

All in all, 4/4 within the first hour and a half and about another hour floating around. All fish came from 32'- 48' over 85'-115'. Hot colour today, green.

 

Thanks again Dan - it's always a pleasure!

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OH no now you did it Brian you got me all excited.

 

Ryan and I can't wait to hook up with you guys in 2 weeks.

 

I want my arms to burn.

 

If I get a little 26 inch that would make me happy I need to experience the force of a salmon.

 

Last time I caught a salmon was 1981 I was 16 it was a wee coho weighing just 11lbs.

 

OK I must go to the gym now to train for those big brutes thanks for the action shots :clapping:

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Sorry. Didn't realize you were making a joke and that you are one.

 

My apologies.

 

Curt

 

No problem, I wouldn't have said it if I aren't one ;)

I wanted to say to "Dumb old people" about the guy that cut me off twice but since I'm not old, I kept it to myself. :)

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Great report and pics Pokey!!! :Gonefishing::thumbsup_anim:

 

Sounds like a fun couple of hours!... and that tourney entry is a beaut!!! :clapping:

 

I hope Dan appreciated your refresher course on how to catch the Salmoons. ;)

 

I'll be going out for some Atlantics if the water will ever clear up. :rolleyes:

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Nice new tourney entry, looks like you are back in first place :) Dan, you look very relaxed in that "fighting chair" and Brian, looking downright svelt these days. Good to hear that the bad start to the day didn't carry through.

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Thanks for the comments everyone!

 

The water looks soooo calm.......i might be down London way in september.....any room in that boat?

Absolutely. Prime muskie and salmon time, your choice.

 

 

Odd, I was certain you'd be fishing deeper. ;)

That would have been the game plan if I could stay out longer.

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Well Brian thanks for the report.I had a blast out there.Like I keep saying pound for pound inch for inch nothing fights like a king.We will have to do it agian real soon.

Dan

 

I agree 100%. Been saying that for years!

 

Great report...cant wait till August for them here.

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