If You Could Only Have One Lure: The Ultimate Fishing Dilemma
It’s one of the most enduring questions in the world of fishing: If you could only use one lure, which would it be? Much like the classic debate of “Ginger or Mary Ann” that defined a generation of male baby boomers, anglers have long pondered this question, trying to settle on the single lure that would get them through any fishing challenge. The debate has raged for years, with countless articles and discussions seeking to find a definitive answer. But, until now, no one had really cracked it—until Yakima Bait Company stepped up to the challenge.
Yakima Bait Company’s Bold Claim
Known for iconic brands such as Hildebrandt, Poe’s, Rooster Tail, Timber Tiger, FlatFish, Spin-N-Glo, and dozens of other top-notch lures, Yakima Bait set out to prove a bold claim: Their Rooster Tail is the world’s most versatile multi-species lure. While the fishing world has long debated the best lure, Yakima Bait’s mission was clear: demonstrate that the Rooster Tail could truly catch a variety of species, and do so effectively in a wide range of environments.
Rewind to 2012: The Challenge Begins
The stage was set at the 2012 ICAST trade show, where the Yakima Bait team unveiled their ambitious plan to test their theory. The goal was to prove that the Rooster Tail could catch as many different species as possible in a single week, at one location. To add an extra layer of credibility, they decided to capture the entire effort on video, aiming to set the Rooster Tail World Record.
As they traveled the country, speaking to media outlets and fishing experts, they were in search of the ultimate multi-species fishing destination—somewhere that would offer not only variety but also the kind of diverse fishing that could truly test the Rooster Tail’s versatility. After pitching the idea to dozens of outlets, one voice rose above the rest.
The Golden Crescent: A Multi-Species Fishing Paradise
Ted Dobs of Lake Ontario Outdoors was the one to convince them. His enthusiastic endorsement of Lake Ontario and its surrounding waters, known as the “Golden Crescent,” won them over. According to Ted, the Golden Crescent was the perfect location for their challenge.
“We have it all,” Ted explained with confidence. “Salmon, steelhead, smallmouth and largemouth bass, brown trout, lake trout, walleye, musky, pike, pickerel, all kinds of panfish… I’m confident you can get whatever you’re looking for right here in the Golden Crescent.”
Ted’s words were convincing enough for Yakima Bait to select upstate New York as the location to test their theory. It was the ideal backdrop for a fishing challenge that aimed to prove the Rooster Tail’s ability to catch an impressively broad range of species in one of the most diverse fishing environments in North America.
The Rooster Tail World Record
The stage was set. The team would have one week to fish Lake Ontario and the surrounding waters, using only the Rooster Tail to target as many species as possible. From the hard-fighting steelhead to the elusive muskellunge, every cast would be an opportunity to prove just how versatile this iconic spinner could be. The goal was not only to catch fish but to document the entire adventure, showing the world that the Rooster Tail could live up to its reputation as the ultimate multi-species lure.
Henderson Harbor and the Golden Crescent may not hold the official title of the country’s best multi-species fishing destination, but it’s certainly hard to find many places that rival this region. We searched far and wide, even in our home waters of the northwest, and nothing compares to the variety and abundance of Lake Ontario fish species found here. The quantity and quality of fish make Henderson Harbor and the surrounding eastern Lake Ontario waters the perfect spot for our ambitious challenge.
The Perfect Guide: Captain Bill Saiff III
Ted Dobs connected us with Captain Bill Saiff III, a seasoned guide and the son of the legendary angler and TV fishing icon Bill Saiff Jr. Bill’s Westview Lodge, located in Henderson Harbor, NY, is the ideal fishing getaway, offering a perfect blend of comfort and proximity to some of the best fishing in the area.
For a guide of Bill’s caliber, our request might have seemed unreasonable at first. We asked him to abandon his usual methods and only fish with Yakima Bait Rooster Tail spinners, which was a big departure from the lures he relied on daily. But Bill didn’t hesitate for a moment. His immediate willingness to take on the challenge speaks volumes about his confidence, expertise, and deep understanding of the local fisheries.
Fishing with Rooster Tails: A New Challenge
“Can we fish flashers?” Bill asked.
“Sure,” I replied, “as long as a Yakima Bait Rooster Tail is on the business end of the line.”
And with that, we were set. The versatility of the Rooster Tail was key, as we could troll, jig, or cast these spinners in four different types:
- The Original
- Vibric
- Sonic
- Super Rooster Tail
Each type offers a unique presentation, and with ten different sizes and more than 200 color variations, the possibilities were endless.
The Rooster Tail World Record Challenge
In the six months leading up to our trip, we launched a national promotion. Through a contest, one lucky winner would join iconic salmon and steelhead expert Buzz Ramsey to fish Henderson Harbor, NY, for four days and help us set the Rooster Tail World Record. From hundreds of contestants, Todd Pearson, a Washington State resident and avid outdoor enthusiast, was selected for the trip of a lifetime.
Together with Buzz, Todd was about to embark on an unforgettable adventure, as we set out to prove just how versatile the Rooster Tail can be in catching a wide range of species in this world-class fishing destination.
Our Trip in Mid-September of 2013
In mid-September of 2013, we landed in Syracuse and our trip started. It was a homecoming of sorts for Buzz. In 1980 he towed a drift boat from Michigan with a friend and was credited as the first person to run the Salmon River. Buzz says there was someone else who’d made the float before him, but many locals believe otherwise.
New Methods of Fishing
During that unforgettable week on the Salmon River, Buzz Ramsey introduced several groundbreaking fishing techniques that would soon become staples in the region. Backtrolling plugs, diver/bait fishing, and innovative drift fishing methods—once exclusive to the West Coast—were now part of the fishing landscape in Pulaski, New York. These techniques revolutionized the way anglers approached the Salmon River, and Buzz’s influence continued to be felt throughout the 1980s as he returned several times to refine and teach these methods.
A Return to Pulaski
Now, 25 years later, Buzz had returned to fish the same waters that had seen so many of his innovations take root.
“We launched right here at the Altmar Bridge,” Buzz recalled. “The water was high and running fast, but it looked perfect. In the first half mile of the river, we landed 10 steelhead. It was phenomenal fishing—just about as good as it gets anywhere.”
Buzz’s return was not just a trip down memory lane; it was a testament to the lasting impact his methods had on the fishing community in Pulaski. His techniques were not only effective but also helped shape the future of steelhead and salmon fishing on the Salmon River.
Our Assault on Lake Ontario: How It Was
After a quick hop from Pulaski to Henderson Harbor, we were greeted with a mountain of gear. It’s always better to have more than less, so we took the next day to get everything prepared for our assault on Lake Ontario.
The Gear: Prepared for Anything
To be clear, every Rooster Tail we used could be easily purchased off the shelf—there were no custom sizes or colors in our arsenal. We came fully stocked, with hundreds of spinners ready to tackle whatever the lake had to offer.
The Plan: Divide and Conquer
With the crew assembled—Ted Dobbs from Lake Ontario Outdoors, Buzz, our camera crew, Todd (our contest winner), myself, and of course, Captain Bill Saiff—we devised a plan to maximize our chances. Buzz and Todd would fish from Saiff’s charter boat, while I joined Ted in his bass boat, working other areas of the lake to cover more ground.
The Fishing: Diverse and Challenging
Over the next four days, we put our collection of Rooster Tail spinners to work, landing dozens of smallmouth bass, a few largemouths, some northern pike, as well as smaller fish like pickerel, sunfish, bluegill, crappie, and even several lake trout. However, rock bass—one of our target species—seemed to vanish entirely, remaining elusive throughout the trip.
Despite seeing plenty of brown trout and walleye on the fishfinder, these species were particularly uncooperative. We spent hours trying to entice them with the Rooster Tails, but they simply weren’t interested. On the other hand, smallmouth bass proved to be especially receptive, and northern pike took a strong liking to the spinners as well.
Yakima Bait Rooster Tail spinners proved their worth as an extremely versatile and effective tool for targeting a broad range of Lake Ontario species. As we fished day after day, we gained valuable insights into just how well these spinners performed.
At times, we’d burn the spinners back to the boat, making long casts and starting our retrieves the instant the ¼-ounce Rooster Tail hit the water. In these moments, smallmouth bass, northern pike, and pickerel would strike out of nowhere, attacking the spinner with a ferocity that made every cast a thrilling experience.
By the end of the trip, it was clear: Yakima Bait Rooster Tail spinners are a dynamic tool for tackling the diverse species found in Lake Ontario, proving their effectiveness across a range of conditions and fish.
The Color that Paid Off in the Stained Water
A Little About the Yakima Bait Rooster Tail
Another standout in the Yakima Bait lineup is the Super Rooster Tail. This safety-pin-style spinnerbait bridges the gap between an in-line spinner and a full-sized spinnerbait. Its unique profile and size make it an incredibly effective lure for both bass and panfish. During our trip, we fished with several different sizes and colors of the Super Rooster Tail, ranging from 1/8 ounce to ½ ounce, and had great success with them. Popular color choices like white, black, chartreuse, and rainbow all proved lethal on the water, attracting a wide variety of fish species across Lake Ontario.
The versatility and effectiveness of the Super Rooster Tail, combined with its distinct profile, make it an excellent addition to any angler’s tackle box when targeting bass, panfish, or other freshwater species.
Conclusion of Our Trip to Henderson Harbor and Lake Ontario
Our trip to Henderson Harbor and Lake Ontario was nothing short of an eye-opener. The area’s reputation as one of the nation’s premier fisheries is truly well-deserved. The diversity, quality, and hospitality in the region rival those found at any “blue-ribbon” fishery across North America. This trip not only met, but exceeded, our expectations, as we laid the groundwork for setting the “Rooster Tail World Record” with 8 species—a record that has since grown to over 30 species and is expected to surpass 50 by the fall of 2014.
A special thanks goes to Lake Ontario Outdoors for their support and invaluable guidance in organizing our trip, and of course to the master guide, Captain Bill Saiff III, and his Henderson Harbor retreat, Westview Lodge. Their expertise and hospitality made all the difference. We arrived with high hopes, and the experience far exceeded them. Thank you for an unforgettable journey!
Original Article By Trey Carskadon
About The Author
Trey Carskadon is a full-time fishing professional from Tualatin, Oregon, just south of Portland. He’s worked as a fishing guide, tournament pro, TV show host (America’s Outdoor Journal), radio show host and outdoor writer. After his first trip to Lake Ontario, he’s vowed to return.
