Details
Got up a bit earlier today, but did not start fishing much earlier than yesterday. Arrive at the launch and it is only half full. Even during the week the parking lot is full everyday. Line in the water @ 7:45. Wind and whitecaps today. Watched 3 fish get caught. Waited, waited, waited.......at 8:20 I release a 18" Blackmouth. Did not self release from the clip, so i new it was not big enough to net. But started feeling pretty good as it got closer to the boat. So I set the net closer to me, just in case.
I only mention this because the next line release came @ 8:45. Nothing there when I pick up the rod. Bummer! Lift the flasher into the boat and somehow bump the net and it slides overboard. Is floating away in the current. I throw the kicker into reverse, catch up to the net, which is still floating and proceed to get the net basket caught in the propeller. Kills the motor. So I am expecting a shredded net. Tilt the kicker up, and pull upward on the net. Which reverses the direction of the propeller an the net clears the prop. Wow, that was easy. Now how big is the hole in the net? Hmmm, seems nothing was damaged. Maybe I can test the mess if I get a fish to the boat today!
@9:00 next clip release results in the same way as the last. No fish, not even a head shake.
@9:20 clip release, no fish. I am looking at hooks. Sharpening hooks. Send back down.
@9:45 clip release. I jump on the rod with the quickness. Fight the fish half way back to the boat and goooone!!
nothing there............again! That is it, I toss the hooks. While retying a new leader. I put on a white glow
hoochie on 24" leader to fish with.
@10:20 it is feeling like the fish are done biting. The rips are gone. The wind that was present when the day
started had diminished to flat calm water. Check my gear for a shaker or salad and a bait ball develops
in front of the boat in 335ft of water. I look at the FF and see the bait ball develop. Fish start showing
under the bait ball. No indication of how deep those fish are. I guesstimate 65ft and send my gear
down. Back to tying that new leader and the line releases. What? A FISH! Grab the rod, fish feels
good. Then the line slacks.........are you kidding me? I don't stop reeling. Line still slack when I see the
fish and my flasher come clear out of the water. Still reeling slack line, it appears the fish broke me off,
flasher and all. Reeling in the slack reveals more head shakes! Smiling tentatively, from the other 4 lost
lost fish. This fish gets no more slack line. Fish in the net. Much nicer than the largest caught so far
this year, which was a 7.2lb buck. I guesstimated this fish at 8lbs. Would have to weigh it at home.
The net tested out okay, under the strain of this fish thrashing about. I was bleeding the fish in the
net, net in the water. Watching to see if the net was damaged, and therefore release it to one of the
many seals following on that day.
Sun was high, and warmer than the forecast of 60 degrees. Worked my back to the ramp as the wind started to build. Ended the day at 11:30. With white caps in full form. No other line releases, or shakers. Fished from 45- 110ft of cable in 120 to 350ft of water.
Weight of today's single fish, was 9.5lbs, and was a hen. Total of 6 line releases, resulting in 1 keeper fish. Yesterday was 4 line releases resulting in 1 keeper fish.
Tomorrow......Bird hunting.
Thursday, either Golf or fishing. Might pick straws to decide.
Saw some White sided Pacific dolphins again today. They are out and about in the Sound. They swim in bunches of 8 or so. They will surface at the bow of your boat while trolling. Frolicking, playing amongst themselves. They are 6 or more ft long and not shy. The wife caught a fish during a trip last week. As I was dealing with that, she went up front, sat down and heard a noise that startled her. Asking what that noise was? I heard a blow hole type noise and looked up to see them. What a sight. Many boats near by video taping and picture taking as they played in front of our boat for 10 minutes. Must have been 8 to 10 of them. They were close enough to reach out and touch them. Look kind of like a mini Orca Whale. That, and the stellar fishing was a highlight this season.
Comments
Why is this comment inappropriate?
Delete this comment? Provide reason.
