It hardly seems possible that we are well into September and still haven’t fulfilled all our summer plans. Maybe next year we can get an earlier start, but for now let’s think fall salmon. By now you have probably heard about a possible world record Coho salmon caught in Lake Ontario, not the Pacific Northwest.
A Pennsylvania fisherman caught the 33-pound, seven-ounce fish while onboard a charter boat out of Oswego. On the same day another Coho weighed in at 32 pounds, nine ounces was recorded from the same area. The weight of the potential world record Coho exceeds the present record holder by three ounces and has captured the New York record, but will take a few months before world record status is verified. It hasn’t been all that many years since Coho and Chinook salmon were introduced into Lake Ontario and we now hold the world’s record. The fish was caught on a flasher and cut bait trolled 43 feet deep over 73 feet of water.
Not only will the lucky fisherman receive the accolades of the fishing fraternity but manufacturers of the rod, reel, line, lure and whatever else they can think of will beat a path to his door with fistfuls of cash. Look for pictures of the fish and fisherman in next year’s fishing catalogs. The charter boat captain will make out pretty well too. After all, future customers will hope lightning will strike again if they get on the lucky boat. It would have been even nicer to report the fish had been taken in Niagara County waters on board a local charter captain’s boat. It’s still possible as fish continue to grow throughout their lifetime and there could be a future world record Chinook or Coho in Lake Ontario that is gorging itself and will eventually be taken from the lake or Devil’s Hole.
With heavy salmon action almost on us it would be wise to put some new line on your reels and check out the guides on your rods. After a summer of casting one or more of the guide liners could have popped out or had grooves worn in them and should be replaced. If you know how to rewind guides take the old one for comparison so you get the exact size replacement. Otherwise, have an expert do it for you. Replacing line is a no-brainer and you don’t need an expensive line winder to do the job. Thread the line through the guides and onto the reel with a bit of sticky tape and simply toss the spool into a pail of water. The idea of the tape is so that if the fish takes the reel-full of line let him have it rather than chancing a snapped rod. The reason for the pail of water is so the line un-spools correctly and goes on the reel arbor in the same direction as it came off. Use your thumb and a finger to put some tension on the line as you crank, you don’t need much.
Tackle stores are filled with various types of lines and for the most part they will all do the job, but for heavy duty fishing braided line is superior. Braided line has little, if any, stretch and is more sensitive than monofilament. When setting the hook the less stretch the better. It is thinner than monofilament, size for size, and will last much longer. It is more expensive than monofilament but in the long run worth the extra cost. In the monofilament category you’re going to find a bewildering array of choices. Buy the best you can afford, as the differences aren’t all the great despite claims of the manufacturers. When salmon are on a spawning run I doubt very much they pay much attention to the color of the line so discount color as a factor in your choice. Color could be a factor when fishing for easily spooked trout in a small stream, but it takes more than color to spook a salmon in the Niagara River. Always remember that when fishing Devil’s Hole or any stretch of the lower Niagara River your lure and line will come in contact with sharp rocks that could knick the line. A knick means whatever the line test was it is now lessened a great deal. A 20-pound test line with a knick in it could be reduced to less than 5-pound test. You increase your chances of a successful trip if you check the first 20 or more feet or line before casting. Simply run the line through your fingers and if you feel a knick cut the line to eliminate that end.
• Don’t be surprised if while on the lower Niagara River you’re stopped by Canadian authorities and checked out. Mike Fox and I were pulled over and when Fox questioned why, as his GPS indicated we were in U.S. water, we were told his GPS must not be accurate and the one in the Canadian boat would be the one used. Words were exchanged, tempers flared and that didn’t help matters. From that point the officer called for every bit of identification and safety item he could think of. He three shot shell like flares to fit the flare gun on Fox’s boat were not acceptable in Canada, something about meters or centimeters. To be legal you must have six of those shot shell sized flares or three regular marine flares. Then the officer asked to see Mike’s flashlight. That’s when I asked why a flashlight is needed on a bright, sunny day. The officer said it could be used to alert anyone on shore if help is needed. There was no sense in arguing over such ridiculous reasoning, after all, he was wearing the badge and who needs an international incident. The only bright spot of the trip was the more than 15-pound catfish Fox caught.
Joe Ognibene is a local sportsman who has covered the outdoor scene since 1957.
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