Well I got a new trolling rod and today was the first day I could use it. My first Shimano rod. I'm normally old school on rods so I'm not thrilled with the foam handle but enough on that. We changed strategies this week and decide to launch out of Everett instead of Shilshole Bay. We could have launched out of Mukilteo but lord I hate that launch. Original target is Coho and then Pink. Leaving Everett we find rough water and I'm starting to gripe about why are we up north (it's my idea anyways but I'm whinning anyways). We pass the Mukilteo ferry launch, the Lighthouse launch site and eventually decide to make a run at it. I set up first. Purple Haze Flasher with the Green/White Coho killer at 45 feet. My friend picks out his favorite lure and goes to 75 off the bat. Not a half hour into this and my rod pops. Lost the fish so back I go. 15 minutes later its repeat time. I'm happy with the rod purchase and I'm once again punching my card (in my head) and last weeks netting nightmares hit again. Just as it is about to go into the net it tosses the hook. Well now I'm 0-2 and 0 for the season on this boat.

I switch setup, replacing the purple haze with the larger white flasher. Toss on the pink Squid and back to 45 I go. Friends rod is still stuck in non combat mode. My line pops and again I get it close to the boat and the fish goes nuts and tosses the hook. I'm wondering will I ever mark the card on this boat. More smelly jelly and again back to 45. I sit I ponder and watch the rod again pop. Wondering out loud "how am I going to goof this one up?" I'm decide to nurse the fish as I recall the mouths on the pinks are so freaking soft. Eventually I call my friend over to possibly net the beast, and as soon as he grabs the net the fish goes nuts. Spooked by the boat or net, I don't care, the fish goes ballistic and heads towards the down rigger cable. I'm going sigh so WE WILL FIND YET ANOTHER WAY TO LOSE THE FISH.... but somehow it ends up in the net and I'm happy.

Check the leader, clean/bleed the fish, mark it on my card (in no particular order), followed by going back the 45. I sit and find out I have to stand again. Fish on! Nurse it in and it makes a nice trip into the net. I will do this a third time shortly after that. Three down and one to go. I barely sit down and the rod bounces. I'm thinking I will mess this up on purpose just so I can keep fishing. No such luck the fish ends up in the net, I mark my card and offer my setup to my friend. He so far has had nothing occur.

So now he has my flasher, my hoochie, and my depth. For about 20 minutes nothing happens and then his rod does the pink dance. He loses the fish. He finds two more ways to mess a hook up. We are both tied at 3 mishaps each and then it happens. Fish on, fish in net. He will eventually end up with three fish. But the weird part is all the fish caught were on my flasher and my hoochie. He had the smaller flasher but it wasn't doing the job.

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