LOCAL CHARTER PRO AND FRIENDS MAKE FAIRPORT HARBOR TRIP A HIT

Followers of this column and our Web site probably know that I have in the past hardly expressed any affinity for trolling, regardless of specie. I'm the first to acknowledge the utter efficiency of the troll, its just that it has always seemed a bit less sporting and detached than jigging or other more conventional methods. Much of my preconceived bias against trolling techniques would significantly change by the end of this day.

The overwhelming advantage of trolling is the precision of keeping a multiple number of baits in the perceived "strike zone" while at the same time covering vast expanses of water in search of active walleye and steelhead. Tournament walleye pros will tell you the only time trolling is not the very most deadly means of attaining of a walleye limit is when the bite has effectively shut down. It is usually only then that trolling takes a back seat to more vertical presentations, like jigging. This is when the fish are so spooky, and their congregate strike-zone so small, that more aggressive horizontal methods such as trolling or bottom-bouncing with crawler harnesses may well serve to scare off more fish than it attracts. This was decidedly not the case recently when myself and nephew Danny of the "Buckeye Angler" pro staff, expert cameraman Stefan Welch of Welch Productions, and fellow Field High alum Jeff Hamilton and his wife Wendy, a Rootstown native, owners of Hamilton's West Branch Bait & Tackle, all met at the Grand River Marina on a weekday morning. Our goal was to film our first-ever Central Basin trolling show for the "Buckeye Angler" television program. It was overcast and a threat of rain loomed. I'm frankly always leery of whom we take our time to schedule filming sessions with. Travel and film crews are big expenses. It becomes increasingly important to pick our spots and research potential fishing scouts and partners prior to scheduling our seasonal shooting schedule, while at the same time being careful not to offend anyone. No such concerns this day. I'd heard through the Erie grapevine for some time how "Reel Time" charters Captain Mike Arnold could search out limits when others couldn't.The added plus that he was a local out of Diamond and a show sponsor to boot, sealed the deal. Mike eased the 33ft. Trojan Mid-Cabin with its two 502 cubic-inch Cadillac engines(!) outside of the breakwalls just past 8a.m.We headed northwest to about 68 ft. of water and more than one head nodded off during the smooth one-hour ride. Mike's pantheon of electronics is impressive indeed.

With a well-forecast and increasingly ominous front encroaching from our west, we knew every fishable minute was precious.The Okuma fiberglass trolling combos loaded with 20lb. Power Plus braid tied to . mono leaders were dispensed with due speed even as Dipsey Divers and Jet Divers were hurriedly but expertly affixed.Planer boards were similarly dispatched to the system post haste. The baits would indeed be Michigan Scorpion Stinger spoons arrayed in a variety of colors. Stingers are a thin spoon, much unlike Little Cleos and K.O. Wobblers, whose very flimsiness seems to contribute greatly to their unique action. It sure wasn't long after we decided on our order of turn that Jeff let out a yell and Danny leaped to the transom to reel in a gorgeous walleye at the end of 150ft. of line. A lot of great fun ensued as even larger walleye were nailed but what excited us all was the fact that the two acrobatic steelhead trout we hooked were the biggest creatures of the morning ! They were also a lot more fun-trolling or not-than a lot of my bassin' friends might prefer to believe. We wound up doing so well and keeping so busy that our trip being cut short by the impending front was hardly the negative development we it otherwise might have been. This kind of boat has little trouble beating a mere weather front back to the dock in comfortable, enjoyable fashion.

Awaiting us at almost adjacent "Brennan's Fish House" was a lunch even better than Capt.Arnold promised it would be. Jeff and Mike were both great company for our trio and Wendy was a picture of grace and tolerance as she listened to that full table of fisherman tell their stories, exaggerations, and lies about the sport we all share and love.

On the ride home, I think it was Stefan who mentioned that it was no surprise that the long-time "West Branch Bait & Tackle" locale has experienced such a resurgence in both business and reputation since people like the Hamilton family took over the reins barely five seasons ago. I guess sincerity, honesty, and family values still count for something...

I want to personally thank Jeff for his unexpected role as defacto first-mate on the boat that day. Clearly, his expertise at his store comes not so much from what he hears as what he himself has experienced. Good luck trying to benefit from this kind of expertise at your local "Mart" store. You too can experience such refreshing expertise at Hamilton's West Branch Bait & Tackle

(330-297-9901).

Stow native Capt.Mike Arnold of "Reel Time"Charters (216-509-6180) is every thing they say he is.Knowledgeable without being uppity, helpful without being patronizing, consistently productive for a variety of species (they say he's an absolute perch machine), and with just enough of an Andy Griffith-like countenance to make everybody feel at ease and welcome. Come to think of it, his good friends the Hamilton's place now reminds me as a sort of Floyd's Barber Shop for anglers. You know, no pressure and everybody's welcome to just stop by and chew the fat on a rainy day, since the nicer days are now way too busy there. Though the impact of their businesses now spreads throughout the entirety of northeast Ohio and beyond, we are indeed awfully fortunate to have fishing industry representatives like this headquartered right here in Portage County.

Oh yeah, Goober says "hey".