Sizzling Summer Salmon Action
By Bernie Schnieders
Scenic Thunder Bay at early morning light
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Our family has had a camp on Lake Superior for almost 35 years, and I’ve chased salmon on the big lake for more than 25 years, but the best salmon action I’ve seen to date came this past July. I was invited on an inaugural fishing outing with Aubrey Eveleigh on his new 32-foot Bayliner; ”Cool Change”. Joining us were veteran salmon anglers Bob Speer and John Mason. We headed out in the early morning at first light, and the scenery which included the harbour, city, Mount McKay and the Sleeping Giant was breathtaking.A quick trip on this luxurious vessel and we were ready to start trolling near the Welcome Islands. Bob Speer set up the Scotty downriggers and releases and we ran spoons high at 15 and 28-feet. When the first salmon hit, it was only on for a couple of seconds before it was off. Shortly later the second rod released and Aubrey was battling the silver salmon as it leaped and made sizzling runs back and forth across the stern of the boat. A quick net job and some photos and the 6-pound Chinook salmon was on ice and destined for the barbecue. A smile embraced Aubrey’s face and it was a great start to a great day. Thanks a bunch! |
| During the next several hours the action was superb as we landed 5 salmon and several lake trout between 4 and 8-pounds. And we had a bunch of knock-offs and lost several fish while working out some of the bugs with the new equipment. But the action was fast and furious, and everyone had a chance to land fish and get into the action. We used Scotty pressure pad releases as well as stackers and used two rods off each downrigger. Rods and reels consisted of Fenwick HMX downrigger rods and Abu-Garcia Ambassadeur 6500-C4 reels loaded with 17-pound test SpiderWire Super Mono. Bob Speer provided the spoons, which included Pro Kings, Northport Nailers and Northern Kings, which Bob says, “are currently the best 3 hooks on the lake”. Hot colors this year include greens with red eyes, watermelon, monkey puke, punk skunk, black, blue, silver and white. Other spoons such as “Diamond King and Nasty Boy have been producing as well” states Steve Delorme of D&R Sporting Goods. The stackers worked great as quite a few of the salmon came off the high lines, and even off the long-lined rod using a Gibbs sliding weight. I’ve used Off Shore clip-on weights and Gibbs weights set 15-feet or so up from the spoon to long line for salmon and steelhead. Traditionally on past salmon outings I’ve used sliders, which attach a flutter spoon on a 3 to 6-foot leader with a snap-swivel that slides down to the bow or arch in the main line. With lots of action there was no need to use sliders this day. |
 John Mason hoists a nice summer Chinook salmon caught in Thunder Bay. |
So why all the great salmon fishing this year, and why so early in the season? Bob Speer says it’s the best salmon fishing he’s seen in the past deacde; “not only numbers of fish but the size of fish as well”. Bob has already seen 13 and 15-pound salmon come in during July, and the average fish is in the 6 to 8-pound range. This bodes well for August and September, when traditionally the bigger salmon are caught. Ken Cullis, Lake Management Supervisor for Lake Superior with the MNR has heard the same stories of abundant salmon this year. Ken suggests that “strong year classes may have been assisted by milder winters”. And warm water patterns and abundant forage may have brought the salmon into Thunder Bay earlier this year. Black Bay and Nipigon Bay are virtually untapped salmon fisheries as well. And if it’s any indication I’ve personally seen hundreds of spawning and naturally reproducing salmon while on fall steelhead trips, in rivers such as the Kam, Wolf, Coldwater, Black Sturgeon, Nipigon, Cyprus, Gravel, Steel, and Prairie. Perhaps the higher water levels during the past several years have helped the year classes. And work by the Thunder Bay Salmon Association to stock more than 225,000 fry has to be helping the salmon population as well.
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(L to R) Aubrey Eveleigh, Bob Speer and Bernie Schnieders hold some gorgeous Lake Superior Chinook salmo |
Whatever the reasons, there is great salmon fishing to be had in Thunder Bay this year! The scenery is superb and the fishing has been spectacular. If you never tackled a leaping, sizzling salmon then get out or book a charter and give it a try. The Thunder Bay Salmon Association Derby is August 14th at the Marina, why not test your skill and luck! Not only are salmon a terrific fighting fish, but they’re also exceptionally tasty when placed on a cedar plank and on the barbecue. Good Fishing!
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