Story from Lake Ontario Counties Derby by Bill Hilts, Jr.
In the latest episode of “As the Boat Turns,” Mark Scott of Beckley, West Virginia reeled in a 24-pound, 10-ounce king salmon while fishing with Capt. Matt Yablonsky of Wet Net Charters out of Wilson in Niagara County to win the $15,000 Grand Prize (plus $500 big fish for the day) as the Spring Lake Ontario Counties (LOC) ended on May 14. The derby was held May 5-14.
“It was near the end of our trip when another boat cut in front of us and we needed to veer out of the way,” said an excited Scott at the awards ceremony at Riley’s Bar and Grill in North Rose. “As soon as we turned, the diver rod went off and we had a fish on.”
Fishing out of Yablonsky’s 29-foot Blackfin, aptly named “Get the Net Wet,” the crew of Scott, Charley Roles of Beckley, WV and Mitch Pennabaker of Beckley, WV were derby fishing on May 9 with nothing much to show for their efforts. They were trolling a Warrior Mag spoon in “Rod Father” pattern off a wire slide diver set back 150 feet in 82 feet of water, 6 miles west of Wilson when the fish hit.
“We really didn’t know what we had until we saw the fish at the back of the boat,” said Scott. “That was when we started to get excited. We immediately ran into the weigh station to weigh our catch.”
When asked if there were any plans for the cash prize, Scott just said that it was going to be split up between the three fishermen, with something for the captain. “My wife probably has plans for my share.”