Frank Trubio and "Wild Thing"
Finding the best fishing boat is a difficult and personal decision. With all the choices in boats designed primarily for fishing, anglers have an array of designs, sizes, and brands. This article focuses on a River fisherman and his fishing machine. This neighbor enjoys the reputation of being amongst the best fishermen on the River. In fact, some friends refer to Frank Trubio as the ‘fish whisperer.” Frank can catch fish when no one else is having any luck.
Frank and his wife, Lee, live on Tennis Island for half of the year. Frank owns a 1999 Wahoo 16.2 center console named Wild Thing. He has owned this boat for over 20 years and purchased it as a used vessel. It is powered with a Yamaha 115 hp four-stroke outboard motor. Frank had to re-power the boat after finding a shoal years ago–but more on that later. This Wahoo is fast! I know because I have fished with Frank numerous times, and more than once we have had to outrun a thunderstorm or a nasty squall. When Captain Frank pushes the throttle up, Wild Thing flies. Guess the name of his boat is very appropriate.
Wahoo boats are often compared to Boston Whaler’s 15, 16, and 17-foot models. These two designs are very similar, with a low freeboard, multi-chine hull shape, shallow draft, and tendency to ride a bit rough. The Whaler hulls are foam filled for flotation. The Wahoo hull, in contrast, is lined with foam flotation. There are channels in the foam so that any water inside the hull can drain out. Whalers, on the other hand, have a reputation for water migrating into the foam liner and thereby adding weight.
Wahoos have internal fuel tanks inside the hull, while Whalers have external gas tanks. Smaller Boston Whalers do not have self-bailing cockpits and depend upon a bilge pump and battery to drain rainwater or waves. The Wahoo also has bilge pumps that pump water into the motor well, so make sure your battery is fresh. Scuppers can siphon water when underway. The Wahoo has wood in the transom. Therefore, it is important to be vigilant to bed and re-bed hardware through the transom.
About six years ago, Frank Trubio was taking our late friend John Haley to Picton Channel in search of bass. On the way, off Hub Island, the Wahoo hit an unmarked shoal. The hull suffered damage and started to take on water. Frank was able to nurse the boat back to Chalk’s in Fishers Landing, but Wild Thing sank just as they reached the boat ramp. Frank and John were able to swim safely to shore and the crew at Chalk’s was able to raise the boat. The hull was repaired yet Frank was forced to re-power Wild Thing as efforts to rescue the original 2-stroke Yamaha 150 outboard were unsuccessful. So, Frank purchased a new Yamaha 115 hp engine from a marina in Clayton. Proof that Wild Thing has more than one life.
Due to the heavier weight of the four-stroke engine, trim tabs were added to bring the bow down while under way. Wild Thing is fitted with a Bimini top for protection from sun and rain. She is equipped with a fish finder as well as a depth sounder. The helm and mate seats both swivel, so once ready to fish, the anglers just turn 180 degrees to cast their baits off the stern. Frank, as one would expect, has an ample supply of fishing lures, leaders, hooks, sinkers, worms, and of course a net, to boat larger fish. Make no mistake, Wild Thing is a serious fishing machine and is not a show queen. The boat is ready to cast off when wind and weather are favorable for fishing.
Naturally, my lips are sealed about Frank’s favorite fishing spots. To watch Frank working at his trade is a treat. His subtle but effective wrist action gets the fish to bite. I have tried to copy his technique, but it is a work in progress. Oh well . . .
Frank is a retired US Army sergeant major with many stories and buddies from his years in our nation’s service. He also has many other skills beyond fishing. He is a fine chef, baker, and gardener. His home-baked bread and pizza are excellent. Trubio grows many varieties of tomatoes and peppers. And an invitation to a fish fry at the Trubio’s is not to be missed. After dinner, Frank and Lee pass around home-made digestifs. Their hospitality is hard to match. Also, when I need a house repair, Frank proves to be a great asset.
When Frank’s son, Frank Trubio, Jr., is in town and the two anglers head out on the River, there is a local saying that bass, perch, and walleyes start to shake in fear. In any event, the Wahoo has been a great and dependable fishing platform for Frank and his buddies for many years. If you see Wild Thing out on the St. Lawrence River, you are seeing one of our fishing legends.
By Rick Casali
Rick Casali is a resident of Wellesley Island. During his youth, from 1947 to 1976, his parents had a cottage on Grindstone Island named The Orchards. Rick now splits his time between Stuart, FL, and the River. He worked for Columbia Gas System for 29 years and ran their Washington, DC office. Then in 2000, he started brokering boats and yachts, and he continues as a broker with North Point Yacht Sales. Rick and his wife Anne cruise the River in a recently purchased 1968 Chris Craft 31 Commander, which they named "Foxtrot". They also have the Seaway 24 named "Miss Annie".
Be sure to see more of Rick Casali's tributes and reviews. He has now written 28 articles for TI Life.
But this month, October 2025, the article comes to the author and our readers, with an apology! This article was submitted for the September issue but guess who forgot? This editor says that seeing, Rick Casali, in the email, makes her smile, knowing that another great River story will be told.