Got to Hoodsport hatchery around 07:30, and the line of people wading was already out to the far buoy on the north side. Low tide was a 4.46ft, and around 08:39 today, so it wasn't too hard to get out and find a spot.

Last week, it was about high tide when I got here, and there was a thick rolling carpet of chums at the mouth of the hatchery intake. This week, I saw one chum going up the creek channel as I waded across to get out to the fishing line. I guess the tides have a huge impact on getting fish to swim up to the hatchery? I also noticed a whole bunch of nets in the water between Potlatch and Hoodsport today (tribal?).

All in all, I put in about an hour and a half, and only had one takedown, where it spit the hook after about 5 seconds of a good fight. Brined anchovy under a bobber. I quickly learned that uninsulated waders offer no thermal protection whatsoever. I decided to call it in after getting too cold. On my way out, I noticed hatchery staff were scoop netting fish trying to get up the hatchery gate, and dumping the fish into a big pile on the beach. I should have asked if they were giving them away, and plucked some nice hens out, but I was rather cold and on a mission to get to the coffee shop ASAP. On the escapment report for 11/5 (http://wdfw.wa.gov/hatcheries/escapement/2015/110515.pdf), Hoodsport was already reporting a surplus of 1,553 chums! The torrential rains last week really must have pushed in a massive bunch of fish.

Thankfully, not all was lost, as I brought a bucket and an oyster knife along with me. A short drive to a beach up north, netted an easy limit of some nice fresh oysters.

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