Hillside

x 2

X 2

7 for 8 today, lines in at 5:30 and last fish on at 10 (fish lost at 10:35 [30 feet from the boat]). Started putting lines in at 100' in the chop with an inexperienced buddy of mine again. It took a while but I got two rigger lines, two dipsies, and two lead core in (all while trying to maintain speed, find temp, and watch the marks on the fish finder). Saw some good marks low in 125' to 150' and picked up a dink (left fish and kept going...idiot move [never leave fish]). Slid out to 200 feet. Found the temp I wanted but no marks, so I did a 180 and we got a 17 inch Coho on a NBK down 45'. A couple of minutes later we got a smaller Coho on a Dirty White Boy/ Glow cup down 55' (returned without leaving the water). A while later, another Coho down 70' on a Silver Carbon 14 mag (returned that one without leaving the water too). A bit later, we start heading East, my 8 color, with a Black Wiggle pattern spoon on, starts going out (I hear it clicking from the bow of the boat as my buddy is "watching" the lines). I get the inline planner off and let him land a nice 20" Salmon. Then two more smaller Coho inside 150 fow on an East heading (NBK and one on flasher fly) both returned. I start tidying up down below and all heck starts... My buddy gets out of his seat and grabs a rod, "we got a fish", and the drag starts going, silver/green dot uv mag (he he he, his first big one). His fish takes an easy 100' as I swing the downrigger out and bring up the ball to get it out of the way. Then I move the dipsy line and bring in the 5 color (of course his fish had gone over and under the 5 color). Got that untangled. Next, I take his rod and show him how to "work the fish in" and give it back to him. He has had 12 knee surgeries so getting a stable base is a challenge. The other rigger TAKES A SHOT (silver carbon 14 mag again)! And line starts rippin! I'm just holding the rod, watching it dance way back behind the boat...ugh...my buddy's fish is more important at this point. In a rod holder my rod goes. We get my buddy's fish in the net; 35 inches and over 15 pounds. I just drop it on the deck and focus on the next fish; it has taken out more than 350' at this point. I notice the line is around the dipsy on the other side of the boat, so I do the dosey doe with my buddy (and the salmon on the deck) and untangle it. I have my buddy pull in the 8 color...my fish had gone around that too. We get that undone and in (without the lure; leader broke off at some point). The fish is still out 300' and I am not gaining. We start circling. Finally, when I get it into 200' out, I see it is WRAPPED and dead. Hard to bring in sideways. At this point, I should have just turned and gone toward it (lack of thought in the heat of the moment); fighting the wind, and waves. Got it to within 30' of the boat and the hook came out (I should have jumped in...nah!). I knew I only had a few seconds to turn the boat and get it but my buddy did not know how to turn the boat's autopilot off so asked him to watch the fish as I turned; he turned his head for second to grab the net and he lost the point of the fish. Easily more than 36", it was over 20 pounds... Fishing not catching... Inside 150 was best today and the last two we got wanted it fast (we were 2.8 to 2.9 at the ball).

Started setting up straight out at 6 a.m. in 100 fow heading NW. Had a buddy of mine with me who served and he brought his lucky hat from Kuwait. He watched me set up the two riggers then I start sending the dipsy with the same white crush glow spin doctor and green glo fly from last week. As I was setting up the second dipsey, the first one took a hit (out around 145' on a 3 setting). My friend was able to land a nice sized coho. Got all the lines set (added two lead cores) and started search mode and the rigger starts bumping; reeled in a dink on a Stingray glow black wiggler (released without removing from the water). Turned and went back through some marks and the rigger took a good shot ten minutes later on a Moonshine silver carbon 14 mag; my buddy and his bad knees made sure neither of us got there in time (it was a good laugh). About 30 minutes more of driving and I decided I wanted to wash down some of the boat (the black flies are starting); I turn to the back of the boat and ask by buddy where the in-line side planer is (it's under water straight behind the boat). He reeled in an Atlantic which hit a Nitro spoon by Michigan Singer in the Area 51 pattern (glow/green stripe with orange and black dots) on the five core. Back to fishing. About 45 minutes later and lure changes later, I see the other rigger take a shot and my buddy grabbed the rod but it was gone. Ended 3 for 5, we had to pull lines by 11 so my buddy could make it to a parade by 1p.m. Flat water, thick fog, seaweed, scum, and cottonwood out to about 200 fow. Fly spray next time out. No sea fleas yet.