| Keith,
A friend of mine is a charter captain out of Ithaca who will go
anywhere on Ontario and is good. Don't know his fees.
Gust Freeman
(607)-273-2861
He taught me how to fish Ontario. Havn't be skunked in three years!!
He runs a 22' Tiara with a 175 Evinrude and a kicker, 4 electric
downriggers, planer boards, etc, etc.
Good Luck,
Don
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re.0
My uncle went out on his charter a few years back, when he
got back he had nothing good to say about him or his service. Seems
he was the cause of a lot of aggrevation and the loss of a very
large "King", he had the mate put the boat in gear when the fish
went under the boat. Thus the prop cut the line. This guy is originally
from N. Andover,Mass. and went to the "Big O" too start his service.
There is a guy who runs an ad out of the Manchester Union Leader
(N.H.) that is good, his boat is called "Salmon Hunter".
Guy
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| I'd check with Jim Rusher of Whitakers (315 298-6162) in Pulaski.
He used to set up Charters, and everything he does is first rate.
Don't know if it'll help, but mention my name (Jack Varley) or Jack
Hagerty.
Supposedly the best guy on Eastern Lake Ontario is Bill Saiff (315
788-6642), or one of his sons (Bill jr. and Darin). He runs out
of the Henderson Harbor area, and dopes a lot of the "Rod 'N Reel
Streamside" T.V. shows. He seems to be a real pro, and Jack H. has
met his son Bill and was impressed.
Tony Buffa (315 633-2694) is also very good, and several pals have
used him and been pleased. If I can help some more, just let me
know.
--The Skoal Bandit
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The weekend of August 20th August 21st 1988 was one I, and my two
companions Joe Bettro and Garry Cousins, will not soon forget. I had made
arrangements to fish Lake Ontario out of Sodus Point N.Y., with charter
captain Doug Crane, in early February of that same year. With that much
time for anticipation already gone by the six hour drive from Westfield
MA. into Sodus Point N.Y. was almost more than I could stand.
I had arranged a cabin for the three nights we planned to stay
and we found it with no problem. Small but it had all we needed; sink,
stove, toilet, shower, 'fridge, table, bunk bed and two single beds.
Forty dollars per night.
After unpacking and arranging the cabin to our liking we went
into 'town' to find the captain and see what we could see. We found
the birth for 'CoH2O' behind 'Jack's Driftwood Lounge' and settled in to
wait for Doug to come in from his charter for the day. When he did come
in, and after the hour or so it took him to unload his boat and clean up
etc. etc., we got to talk and make our plans for the next days fishing.
Doug seemed like a real nice guy and I was 'pumped' for a good day of
fishing.
For me it was 'early to bed because it'll be early to rise'.
For my two friends it was into 'town' and 'yippee ciayo - tie one on'.
Up at 4:00 - shower - wake up the dead heads - into 'town' for breakfast
and down to the slip where Cpt. Doug and his mate (Ed the retired N.Y.
State trooper) were getting things ready to get under way. It was a
beautiful BEAUTIFUL morning and I swear I could smell fish!
About five miles out Ed throttled back and Doug commenced to set
the lines; four downriggers with a stacker on each. The water was 54'
down about 80 feet and that's where Doug said we'd troll as the salmon
like 54'. After setting up eight rigs Doug gave us a quick once over
about what should be done WHEN we got a hook-up, we drew straws for
the 'batting order' (Joe Bettro - Garry C. then me) and got to it.
Not fifteen minutes and the first hook-up! Bettro grabbed the
rod and announced that he was into a nice fish. A few minutes later the
captain netted Joes fish and announced that it was a 'small' rainbow
trout (seven pounds) and did we want to keep it? SHIT YES! Back under
way and soon Garry was given his first shot at Lake Ontario charter
fishing. As he was playing his fish, and I was 'clearing' the other
lines (bringing them into the boat to avoid getting them tangled with
the fish) another fish hit and Joe Bettro took it. We had a double header
playing and landed them both. Captain Doug pronounced them SMALL King
Salmon at about eleven pounds each! Keep 'um.
During the time between fish captain Doug had been going
over his log books from 1987 for the same time of year and made the
announcement that we could stay where we were and 'catch these small
ones all day' or we could 'go out' to where they were catching them
last year where the fishing might be slower but that if we did get
into fish they'd be 'big'. When he asked us what we wanted to do we
professed complete ignorance and left the decision up to him. In
five minutes the gear was all stowed and we were headed out to 'where
they were catching them last year' with all due haste.
Garry, Joe and I had our doubts about leaving the known good area
for a POSSIBLE good (and perhaps bigger) area.
When we were about twenty miles out, and surrounded by nothing
but water Ed (remember Ed) throttled back and, once again, Doug set up
the rigs. Fiftyfour degrees down at about ninety feet. Set the bottom
line on each downrigger down in the eight/ninety foot range. Set the
stackers ten/twenty feet higher on each. Sharpen each and every hook
before rigging it up.
We were soon trolling again and I was on deck (remember I had
my hands full during that double header making the order to this
point Joe B. - Garry C. - Joe B.). No more than twenty minutes into it
one of the rods came up and I was on it in a flash. As I took the rod
out of the holder I became PAINFULLY AWARE of the fact that this was the
biggest fish I had ever been connected to in my life! (I say 'painfully'
because pain is exactly the sensation caused by seventeen pound test Stren
being pulled over your thumb knuckle at 50 to 100 feet per second)
I was impressed! I was nervous! I was excited! I have never been
pulled at, by a fish, like that in my life! With seventeen pound test the
drags were set so that the reels didn't give up line easily yet this fish
was running at will and refused to move up out of the 54' water! Every time
I'd winch it up to sixty feet or so 'skreeeeeee' back down to ninety feet
it'd go. It was straight down under the boat and the paper graph was
burning the whole ordeal onto the paper (I have the graph paper from the
day in my office). Finally, twenty minutes later, I started to gain some
ground and the fish came up to the surface. I could have shit my pants
when I saw it! It was BIG! We were all whooping and hollering and
Captain Doug was trying to coach me into letting him net the fish and
don't you know it ......... Captain Doug makes an expert stab at the
fish with the landing net and the next thing I know ............
There's a 28 - 30 pound King Salmon laying at my feet!
Joe Bettro gets 'the one that got away' award for the fish
he was connected to that came up from ninety feet, stripping line all
the way, flailed about on the surface and threw the hook, all in
less time than it took Joe to collect the belly of line the fish had
pulled out (picture the line going from Joe, down to about eighty
feet, and then back up to the surface of the lake and into the mouth
of a salmon). From the way that fish was smoking the line off the reel,
and from the water it displaced as it thrashed about 100-150 feet off
the stern, captain Doug guesstimated it at 30 pounds or better! Joe's
the only guy I know who can come up from something like that smiling!
"Yeah well I got to feel it for a minute and yeah it was BIG!"
We finished out the day with two more good fish; 23-25 and
25-27 pound King Salmon, and headed in with 'shit eating grins' on
our faces.
We made port and the captain cleaned and filleted our catch.
He even offered to keep the meat in his freezer until we were leaving
town. We had a couple of rounds at the bar and listened, with some
concern, to the marine forecast for the next day. The forecast was
for rain, 1-3 foot swells in the morning going to 3-6 during the day.
Not a good forecast at all but, as we finally parted company for the
night, we agreed to meet in the morning and play it by ear.
Three happy TIRED men turned in at a reasonable hour that
night.
The next morning dawned raining and cold. The wind was up and
there were 1-3 foot swells at 5:00 am. We had breakfast, took some
Dramamine(sp) and headed for the docks. Doug was there and after a
short discussion we decided to take our shot and headed out. We in-
tended to fish where we left off the prior day but by the time we
had gotten out twelve miles and no more Doug had Ed throttle back as
the swells were up to six feet already and some were rolling higher
than that. He explained that although we were at no immediate risk
that he wanted to stay in such a position so that we could safely make
port if the weather took a sudden turn. Further he stated that it was
not a good day for fishing. That with the boat raising and falling by
six feet or more the baits were constantly running forward and then
dropping back but that if we did want to give it a try we could set
up and pay to fish by the hour based on the agreed upon price for the
day.
We decided to 'go for it' and watched as Captain Doug stood at
the stern setting up the rigs while Ed stood at the wheel trying to
maintain some semblance of control as the boat pitched and yawed in
20 knot winds and 6-8 foot swells! (They call this a LAKE!). Doug set
up four rigs; two with the hammered spoons we had been using the
prior day, and two with 'J-Plugs'. We started to troll, or more aptly
roller-coaster along and to our amazement a rod pops up!
I was 'on deck' from the day before and flew to the transom
to grab the rod ('flew' as at that moment the boat was dropping six feet).
This couldn't be happening! Not in water like this! This fish was
stripping line at will and obviously was headed right for the surface! I'm
going up six feet and down six feet; cranking in line on the way down and
holding on tight for the ride back up. The stress on that tackle must have
been severe! I stumbled back from the stern! I'm 'loose' on deck with both
hands already occupied! Someone (Garry) body checked me back into the
transom (my legs hurt for three days!). As the boat came to the top of
a six foot pile of water the line pulled out of the pile behind that. The
pulse that went through the system as the weight of the water came off the
line sent my heart into my throat. As my eyes followed the line back to
yet the next pile of water I saw, and so did the others, the salmon
swimming broadside through the top of the swell! I thought I'd died and
gone to heaven! No more than twelve minutes after the initial hook-up
I had the fish at the stern and Doug was by my side with the landing net.
This fish wasn't even tired yet! Up six feet --- down six feet --- Oh
how I hope the tackle can take this! One stab with the net --- MISSED!
We're still attached to each other --- another shot with the net ---
YES! WE'VE GOT IT! Into the boat and WHOLLY SHIT what a beauty!
A 25-27 pound male King Salmon complete with hooked jaw!
We called it a day shortly there after as we all were getting
a little green and never push good luck.
We were back at the dock by 11:00 and on the road for home by
3:00. We had over 100 pounds of salmon fillets in the cooler and one
hell of a story to tell.
Spark your interest?
I've got the pictures to prove it!
Here's his 'card' ........................
Capt. Doug Crane
7567 N. Fitzhugh St. U.S.C.G. Licensed & Inspected
Sodus Point. NY 14555 Fully Equipped & Insured
(315) 483-6509 For Your Comfort & Safety
Call or DECmail me if you want the real blow by blow .....
Joe Whittemore
WFOOFF::Whittemore_J
242-2514
Please tell him 'Joe Whittemore' recommended him (highly) as
he gives a $25 discount on referals
Joe Whittemore - From where the Westfield
meets the Westfield
by the Westfield
in Huntington (MA)
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| Top Line Charters out of Sodus Point are pretty good! I fished
with Bill Shone, real nice guy and knows where the fish are.
Capts. John Sweeney Sr. and Jr., out of the same charter are also
good. We went out last May, it was during a cold spell the whole
lake was pretty quiet, not much chatter on the radio, but these
guys were able to find the fish! John Jr.'s boat maxed out on both
days we were there, his father wasn't far behind and we went
8 for 15 (just the keepers 5 lbs + ) and 15 for 15 with Bill.
We caught almost all the species, Browns, Rainbows, Coho's, 1 steelhead,
1 Laker. One of the Sweeney boats landed an Atlantic salmon the
last day we were there. I don't have the phone# available, I'll
enter it when I locate it.
Mike
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