Observing and learning salmon fishing

adventure · **Posted:** Mon Jun 16, 2014 7:17 am

I spent the weekend being an observer for the King of Kings salmon derby held at the Bluffs in Scarborough. I was fortunate to go out with Trannyman, his two brothers and Big Gene. They were great guys to be around and put up with me answering all my questions. We had a rough go finding salmon pre-fishing the Friday before the tourny but that never bothered Trannyman. They showed they know how to fish when it counts and finished in the money on Saturday.

I was put on another boat for the tourny and went with a team from the U.S. These guys were as serious as it gets about doing one thing. Winning. They went at it full force and I had one hardcore learning experience from them. They ended up second overall with 98 lbs for 6 salmon.

All said it was a great learning experience for me. Now all I have to do is try to remember and apply everything I learned. I can't say enough about fishing with Trannyman and his team and would like to say thanks for taking me aboard.

Dave

Trannyman1 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 16, 2014 12:48 pm

You're very welcome Dave. It was great that you could go as our observer.

All the stuff you learned will come back to you as time on the water increases.
Any questions just send me a text or message on this board.

It sure was a tough bite weekend. Congrats to Matt Santoro, Greg Amiel and Ryan Hare. Team Scotty on the big win. You could call them the Canadian Dream Team.

Al

West Lake Willows · **Posted:** Tue Jun 17, 2014 1:10 pm

Dave,

Observing is a great way to learn, and the boys that fish that tournament don't mess around.

Who was the US team you were with?

Al,
I don't know Ryan Hare, but I know Greg and Matt and when I saw they were on the same team I knew they would be a tough team to beat, mind so is most of the field. LOL. Congrats on finishing in the money. Steve Yarrow told me after the QFS walleye tournament that "to finish in the top 10 means you are a good fisherman. To win means you are a lucky good fisherman." How true. Well done to finish in the money Al. Congrats.

Scott

adventure · **Posted:** Tue Jun 17, 2014 2:43 pm

Captain Greg Gehrig of Top Gun out of Oswego. He ran that boat military style. Three guys manned 2 rods each. They stood over those rods like a hawk from the second I said go to the second I said stop (8 hrs) and never took their eyes off them, not even to watch another guy reel one in. The fourth guy set lines and relieved the rod guys only when they needed a little boys room break. There was no deviation in depths and lures from what was told. There were no excuses on fish being lost.

Like I said, a hardcore learning experience. But I sure learned a lot.

West Lake Willows · **Posted:** Tue Jun 17, 2014 3:49 pm

It's funny how different peoples styles are.

I know guys who have no urgency to get to the rod. They feel if it's pinned it's pinned if it's not it's not. Getting to the rod fast makes no difference. I know guys that won't pick the rod up until a fish has finished it's first run so as not to put undo pressure on a fish. I lean towards the latter school but who knows. I'm more of a laid back fisherman to begin with. I think fishing should be fun first and foremost. For me that style isn't fun. But I'll be the first to tell you I don't know everything and I have lots to learn. Maybe I'll have a different opinion in a few years.

Scott

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Tylercurt · **Posted:** Tue Jun 17, 2014 4:27 pm

I was observer with Al (Trannyman) a few years ago in the States, I ended up on an all woman’s crew on the Saturday aboard Irish Thunder, had a blast, they took the fishing seriously but the things they did to bring on the luck ( I was told no pictures) Best part was the blast off, as we made our way to the mouth of the harbour to await the horn the Captain was blaring Thunderstruck by AC/DC on his bitching sound system, and to top it off the ladies were dancing up a storm. Needless to say I had a blast….lol Oh and I did learn a *** load about Salmon Fishing from Al, Don ,Gene and Ian. Thanks again guys….

BigGene · **Posted:** Wed Jun 18, 2014 3:06 am

Dave it was great having you aboard! Thxs for coming out and am glad you learned some things. Now just have to put it into practice. LOL! Good Luck Bud. Congrats to Team Scotty! Job well done. A loaded team with lots of talent.

Trannyman1 · **Posted:** Wed Jun 18, 2014 11:01 am

West Lake Willows wrote:

It's funny how different peoples styles are.

I know guys who have no urgency to get to the rod. They feel if it's pinned it's pinned if it's not it's not. Getting to the rod fast makes no difference. I know guys that won't pick the rod up until a fish has finished it's first run so as not to put undo pressure on a fish. I lean towards the latter school but who knows. I'm more of a laid back fisherman to begin with. I think fishing should be fun first and foremost. For me that style isn't fun. But I'll be the first to tell you I don't know everything and I have lots to learn. Maybe I'll have a different opinion in a few years.

Scott

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Good points Scott. I also have no urgency either to get to the rod with the fish on. More important while running 6 or 8 rod spreads during a tournament is to know if you have to get other rods out of the water to prevent tangles and loss fish. Yes they are pinned or not pinned.

The one exception is long coppers down the chute. I let the fish make that first initial run before I pick the copper rod out of the holder. By being too quick I have broke off more than I care to remember. Long coppers off the boards has a different set of requirements. First it important to take up the slack line after the release and decide if he is charging the boat or not. When kings hit that lure 125' out to the side and over 500' behind the boat he just runs in any direction he wants to. That's the fun part. The friction drag of the thick heavy line in the water is tremendous. Add a little reel drag to it and 30 fluoro snaps very easily. It takes time to develop that feel.

I know a guy and one of the best anglers on this side of the lake that drives guys nuts that fish with him. When a fish hits his set up, he'll first punch in a waypoint, fill out a very complex log book and then attend to the fish.

Everybody to their own.
Al

adventure · **Posted:** Wed Jun 18, 2014 11:24 am

I watched them lose quite a few fish (8 maybe). Probably a couple that would have won them the tourny as they missed first place by only 6 lbs. I would have to say I thought they lost more than they should have because they would instantly grab the rod, set the hooks hard and try to heave them in as fast as they could. He used heavy jigging rods instead of downrigging rods to do this.

I kept thinking a little more patience and finesse and that one might have stayed stuck. I'm also certain he would argue that against me.

Like said, live and learn to do what works best for you.

Trannyman1 · **Posted:** Wed Jun 18, 2014 8:06 pm

Dave, a lot of tournament guys have gone to the much shorter heavy action rods. (meat sticks)
Reason being you have a lot more control over the fish at the back of the boat between the multiple wire diver rods with the short heavy rods. With a medium light action 9 foot rods it is a hope and a prayer to get the fish to the net because we don't slow down or stop the boat. Those other rods must remain fishing at speed. That's how you get triples and quads.

In some tournaments the team may have 2 wire divers set up on either side of the boat. We don't pull them when we get a fish on another rod. You just have to get the fish to the net and keep it out of the wire.

As for setting the hook (not), if the release is set properly the hook is set. Just keep pressure on him.

Al

tomfoolery · **Joined:** Fri Nov 12, 2004 3:32 pm **Posts:** 144

Just reading through this interesting thread. It has been almost 20 years since I have fished for Kings. I did a lot of it from the late 70's to the mid 90's, most of it out of Bluffers and Port Credit.
Things have sure changed. If someone even suggested using anything other than a Penn reel on a 9' spiral wrapped Fenwick rod, they were ridiculed to no end.
When I sold my boat and got out of the business, the Fleas were just starting to show up.
Technology will continue to advance and your tackle inventory will continue to increase

What a unique experience for a novice to have. Learning from some of the best.

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Observing and learning salmon fishing

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