Took my friend Dave out this morning in our search for Chinook Salmon. He has yet to catch a salmon in his lifetime and his biggest fish of any species is a under 2 pounds. Launched from Shilshole Marina at 5:15 am and headed up to Edmonds Marina. Lines in the water at 5:30 am in front of the Marina in 200 feet of water down 85' and 100' on the riggers. Right away, his pole was doin' the happy dance! Lost it. About 10 minutes later, his pole was bouncin' again. Lost it. Now I was seriously wondering what was goin' on cause my pole was silent! He was runnin' a UV 50/50 Mountain Dew flasher with a UV green stripe 'white lightning' Coho Killer smothered with Pro Herring Smelly Jelly. I was runnin' a UV jelly crush flasher with a UV green stripe 'white lightning' Kingfisher Lite spoon also with herring smelly jelly. I decided to check my line. Started to release my line from the rigger to reel it in, when WHAM!! fish on! Good fightin' fish! Got to the boat, checked for adipose (missing) :) and then was about to net it, when I decided to give it a quick measure to be sure. 21" :(. Released at the boat to get bigger. Since I had my line in now, decided to change my lure to a UV 'cotton candy' Coho Killer with smelly jelly. Sent it down to 90' on the rigger. Didn't even get to sit down when Fish ON! for Dave. In the net it went, a PINK! about 3 pounds. Dave's first salmon ever and his largest fish ever. Awesome! As soon as we got his fish out of the net, by pole was bouncin'. In the net it went, another pink. This one was 4 pounds 3oz. Sent our lines back out, his to 90' and mine to 80'. While I cleaned the fish and got them on ice. Fished for about 20 more minutes and then we decided to run back towards Shilshole so we could drop the crab pot. I was reeling in my line and all of a sudden my line went very heavy. I thought, great, seaweed. Nope! Fish on!! Dave got the net and in the boat it went. Another pink! This one was a hefty one at 4 pounds 10 oz. Got that one cleaned and on ice. Ran back to Carkeek Park to drop the crab pot. While the pot was soakin, we decided to fish by the pot so we could keep an eye on it. I didn't want anyone "helping themselves" to crab or the pot you know!? Fished about 1/4 mile offshore from Carkeek Park in 500' of water. Sent his rig down to 90' again and mine to 85'. Didn't even get to sit down!! My pole took off. Even took it off the rigger clip! Thought it was a chinook, but no! another pink. This one tipped the scale at 5 pounds 3 oz! Cleaned it and put it on ice. Fished the same spot for another 45 minutes before deciding to pick up our crab pot and head in for the day. No crab to speak of, but plenty of fish and fun! Off the water by 10 am. An exciting day on the water for Dave, even though he only caught the one salmon. We had action all morning long! It was a great Puget Sound experience for him and I'm quite sure he's hooked on fishin' now. He will be doin the Edmonds Coho Derby with me I'm sure!

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