August Chrome

[jimbow]

Hi, again sorry haven't posted much this year but been busy... but I did manage to get out yesterday (08-21-18) for a while and I'm glad i did...We marked a lot of fish in the 40 ft real early in the morning so we set up with a variety of sizes of colors of Honey Bees not knowing what they were chasing. The right outside rod fired on a MP6 Beetle right off the bat. it was about a 14" salmon that came to boat quick. well I pulled the mag bees and started to change out to another mp6 well they kept firing...all smaller salmon so we pulled up and moved. We saw birds working one bay so we investigated and set up about 100 yards away and worked our way to them. Before we got 50 yards all hell broke loose. A nice chrome steelie broke the surface and immediately crossed two lines. After clearing everything we landed a nice 24 " steelhead. We reset and bam!!!...Another 19 plus inch steelie broke the surface, doing flips all over....we hit the jack pot a school of steel head working a pod of smelt. We continued to boat 5 more fish, but releasing all but the first two....the others averaged between 15-18 inch area. We worked the area and got 5 more releases but they seemed to hit short. I broke out and experimental lure I've been working on...A old #3 mottled orange bee (I'm sure the new ones would work as well if not better) with the single hook removed and a streamer with a stinger hook on a 10" long leader. I dropped it down and it took 4 more 14-17" long fish on it (all released) before the bait and the fish disappeared. We moved on and found another pod of smaller salmon about 80 ft down...and managed to sneak a nice 4 plus pound Salmon which was also released by mistake due to let's leave it at mis-communication between me and my fishing buddy...so no pix unfortunately. The wind kicked up bad by this time and decided to head back but what a day on the lake..doesn't get much better for this time of the year when you hit August Chrome...

I have some pix...the purple and chartreuse #3 was originally a split green chartreuse I taped with Jim's Holographic Violet and chartreuse tapes..available on his web site.

[Justin89]

Hi, again sorry haven't posted much this year but been busy... but I did manage to get out yesterday (08-21-18) for a while and I'm glad i did...We marked a lot of fish in the 40 ft real early in the morning so we set up with a variety of sizes of colors of Honey Bees not knowing what they were chasing. The right outside rod fired on a MP6 Beetle right off the bat. it was about a 14" salmon that came to boat quick. well I pulled the mag bees and started to change out to another mp6 well they kept firing...all smaller salmon so we pulled up and moved. We saw birds working one bay so we investigated and set up about 100 yards away and worked our way to them. Before we got 50 yards all hell broke loose. A nice chrome steelie broke the surface and immediately crossed two lines. After clearing everything we landed a nice 24 " steelhead. We reset and bam!!!...Another 19 plus inch steelie broke the surface, doing flips all over....we hit the jack pot a school of steel head working a pod of smelt. We continued to boat 5 more fish, but releasing all but the first two....the others averaged between 15-18 inch area. We worked the area and got 5 more releases but they seemed to hit short. I broke out and experimental lure I've been working on...A old #3 mottled orange bee (I'm sure the new ones would work as well if not better) with the single hook removed and a streamer with a stinger hook on a 10" long leader. I dropped it down and it took 4 more 14-17" long fish on it (all released) before the bait and the fish disappeared. We moved on and found another pod of smaller salmon about 80 ft down...and managed to sneak a nice 4 plus pound Salmon which was also released by mistake due to let's leave it at mis-communication between me and my fishing buddy...so no pix unfortunately. The wind kicked up bad by this time and decided to head back but what a day on the lake..doesn't get much better for this time of the year when you hit August Chrome...

I have some pix...the purple and chartreuse #3 was originally a split green chartreuse I taped with Jim's Holographic Violet and chartreuse tapes..available on his web site.

Awesome!!! What part of the lake??

[Windknot]

Great report and gratz on finding such nice steelies!

[Sawyer]

Awesome Jim. I like the looks of the Bee with the streamer attached.

[ThreeBuoys]

Great Stuff.
I haven't fished much lately, but it sounds like the Southern end of the Lake is where its at.

[jimbow]

It was the southern end of the lake....

[tamiron]

Jimbow:

Thanks for sharing and all the detail! Using the larger bees 3,4,5 as a small dodger for a light fly is a great tool. The trailer hook is also a great idea.

[C-Hawk]

Way to go Jim, I have never heard of so many chromer in one spot like that before. Always seemed like solitary creatures to me.

[fishy1]

wow jim you had a great day just like your text said. i was fishing at the time as you know so had to wait till now to read it. i have never heard of steelies grouping like that and biting like that also catching just one is a bonus. i believe i know where you were since we have caught steelies in that area in the past. till i get my jon boat set up wont be out there . southern end of the lake is always on fire my opionion always catch cold water fish here all year long.

[jimbow]

Way to go Jim, I have never heard of so many chromer in one spot like that before. Always seemed like solitary creatures to me.

Hi Jeff you are right when it comes to the truly big steelies (over 7 lbs) but the size i was catching for the most part will school.....Ask any Ontario fisherman and they will agree. The first and biggest one (24" and about 4 1/2-5lb range) was on the outside of main school as was the second largest (3 plus lbs). They (steelhead) were forcing a school of 2 1/2 to 3" long smelt close enough to the surface the gulls and cormorants were having a field day...and with that type of activity the smaller salmon were just on the outside of the ball waiting for left overs. The bait ball was at least 30 yards wide at one point from what we could gather. We just did figure 8's and slowed our presentation to match wounded bait...it worked great. I never had that many steelies in one place on Champlain before but that is a great sign that they are in the lake in decent numbers. Jimbow

[troutcrazy]

Holy moly that is incredible! Very inspiring report. I can't wait to get back out there!

[raz]

Sweet!