A couple weekends ago I attended the 2025 Salmon and Trout School at Fairways and Dreams. It was put on by Captain Casey Prisco (Dirty Goose Sportfishing), Captain Pete Alex (Vision Quest Sportfishing), and Captain Rob Westcott (Legacy Sportfishing). As a captain who has been fishing Lake Ontario on and off for over 25 years I am confident I can put fish in the boat most days, however I am also humble enough to know that these guys will out fish me most days as well. I am also the type of person who enjoys learning and is always trying to learn more. At just $250 for two days including lunch each day I figured I should learn enough to make it worth it.
I never expected to learn as much as I did. I am sure these three left a few of their secrets in the bag but during the two days of class it didn’t feel like it. It felt like they were giving away their entire programs. The three of them each fish from different ports on different sections of the lake. This was huge as there are major differences in the fishery from the east end to the west end.
They started right from trip prep and ended with lure selections and techniques. Putting pictures of each captain’s go to lures for the season on the screen. The presentations were excellent as they each took turns presenting how they approach the different seasons and species in their respected areas. It was clear they took pride in presenting the information and wanted everyone there to become better anglers. This past weekend I used information gained from the school while I was on the water and the pictures below show the results. I am excited to use my newly gained knowledge throughout this season as I have no doubt I will be putting more fish in the boat.
The lunch put on by Fairways and Dreams was excellent both days. The raffle prizes were nothing short of amazing. Everything on the table was top quality gear. The school was sponsored by all the local shops including Woody’s, Sonny’s, Fat Nancy’s and All Seasons. Everyone left with discount coupons for those shops and Fish USA. As I filled out the feedback form at the end of day two I struggle to find anything they could do to make the class better.
I would highly recommend anyone who fishes Lake Ontario for salmon and trout to attend in 2026. I feel you can learn something from every angler no matter your skill level. I know I took away much more than I ever expected over the two days. I have a note book with page after page of notes to refer back to and will likely attend again in 2026.
Wayne-o's Guide Service 