Never know what you will troll up in Sept...

[Reelax]

Hit Converse at 500am with Dreamcatcher and a new salmon troller Travis... we headed out in the dark and motored south to setup. Thermocline was at 70ft today in spots with surface at 62deg. We didn’t pick anything up till around 8 when a yellow perch hit a slide a slide diver out 135.

We got some action started by fryin up some bacon wrapped scallops that Travis brought on the bbq... after letting a small grease fire burn out from Dave’s wings from last week...
These scallops were the best tasting food we have had to date on Reelax... what a great idea for a day on the lake....

After getting a small salmon and a laker, the lead core shoot rod with 6 colors and a clip weight on it out over 350ft bends straight over and starts taking drag.... I ask Ken if we went shallow and he calls out 130fow!!! The lead is only 35-40 down so what ever we got is swimming.... I grab the rod and hand it to Travis since he is the new guy in the boat... I told him it was one of the biggest fish I have ever felt trolling... go get em...

Well Travis reeled and reeled and the fish took line and Travis reeled... started to complain about getting tired... got to the clip weight about 10 min later...

Fish is tired, oat is almost in neutral... finally see color and it looks like a cream colored barn door!!!!! No idea what he has but is HUGE!!! Yeeee haaaa

After another few tense minutes we net the pig and it ends up being sheepshead!!! Biggest fish ever in Reelax and Travis personal best... just cool 32” and almost too big to hold up...

After some pics we revive and release....

Trolled back north and after picking up a few more fish, I had a great tussle with a 24” Steele who jumped right off the rigger and then 4 more times before we could get the net under him...

For our 2nd BBQ course we grilled some marinated steak tips and had them with pretzels, pepperoni and cheese....

Then it was Ken’s turn... heavy release, taking line.... hmmmm what is it.... well another 1st. Rigger line comes up with a 18” laker and a 15” Cisco all on one rod!!!!

Gotta love the different action... brown trout short of a grand slam.... got bumpy mid day, trolled north 12 miles in 3 footers, it that’s when the bite started!

Thanks to Ken and Travis for another memorable day aboard Reelax... almost time to start scouting for the shootout!!!

Fish on!

[Reelax]

Film at 11


https://youtu.be/J7Fe7rnm2Cg

[ReelInvestment]

That’s awesome! Glad to see there’s some fish still biting on Champlain, I havnt fished up there in a couple weeks. Got back from Ontario last night, excited to get on Champlain this coming weekend!

[fishy1]

awsome report and that sheephead is a giant. certainly a basin derby entry. the food is looking good makes me hungry every time i see the pics. champlain you never know whats going to be on the other end of the line thats the best part.

[Reelax]

awsome report and that sheephead is a giant. certainly a basin derby entry. the food is looking good makes me hungry every time i see the pics. champlain you never know whats going to be on the other end of the line thats the best part.

You know I am in the derby and before I handed it off to Travis I thought this would be a derby fish.... But Travis has never landed a notable trolled up fish and It was more important for him to have the memory so I handed it to him and disqualified the entry at that point... I’m still fine with the choice... now if it were a big brown..... no... I’d still give it to him... he will never forget it:)

[fishy1]

you did the right thing matt . i would have done the same.

[Gecha (Gerry)]

Love your report Matt. Looks like another memorable day on Reelax.

[Captain Paul]

That is one Fat Cisco. Those Sheepshead fight HARD

[Fishin’rooster]

Myself and the fishin pole are heading up to westport next weekend, got any reports on fleas? Fishin report?

[Reelax]

Myself and the fishin pole are heading up to westport next weekend, got any reports on fleas? Fishin report?

Fleas are GONE! Yea! Yipppppeeeeeee.... Light lines again!

[Crazy Ivan]

Matt,
Great report.... we have been chasing each other around the lake all summer. The southern part of the lake has been great. July and August has been biblical, a state record brown from Tim and company for sure tops it all off.
We have been hiding in the southern part of the lake. My wife has claimed one side of the boat as hers. She is kicking my butt... in July and August she has landed 6 salmon or browns over 5.5 lbs every trip.
,we fished mid lake ( Thompson point area) Monday and had 3/ 20” salmon and a pile of Lakers. The Salmon all came 61’ to 71’, even though the temp was up high. Lakers were 25’ to 30’.
Lots of fun..... it’s September.
Tight lines everyone
Todd

[Reelax]

Matt,
Great report.... we have been chasing each other around the lake all summer. The southern part of the lake has been great. July and August has been biblical, a state record brown from Tim and company for sure tops it all off.
We have been hiding in the southern part of the lake. My wife has claimed one side of the boat as hers. She is kicking my butt... in July and August she has landed 6 salmon or browns over 5.5 lbs every trip.
,we fished mid lake ( Thompson point area) Monday and had 3/ 20” salmon and a pile of Lakers. The Salmon all came 61’ to 71’, even though the temp was up high. Lakers were 25’ to 30’.
Lots of fun..... it’s September.
Tight lines everyone
Todd

Thanks for chiming in Todd.... your the reason Reelax ever puts a 6 + lber in the boat.... the tricks you have shown me have all paid dividends time after time.... your home waters are the best for bait and action hands down. I am blessed to have you for a mentor as it really makes a HUGE difference...

I can’t believe knots in your cheater lines help bite rate!!! But they do!!!!! Who would have thought of something like that...... the little amount of turbulence created by the knot helps entice hits.... would not have believed it unless real data proved it.. and it did.... AMAZING...

Salmon fishing is ALL in the details....

I can’t thank you enough!

[Bearcat]

Imagine that - my laziness has actually been paying off and I didn't even know it! I've left a lot of those little tangle/wind knots in my cheater lines, thinking I was taking chances on breaking off but was too busy or lazy to tie new leaders much of the time - and my cheaters ALWAYS produce.