Sandy creek 7/14 - Used up all our luck

[Tip-sea-tuna]

First trip in over 2 months after deciding to convert the old tattered soft top into a hard top, so it was a bit like a shakedown trip in a way.

Pulled out of the creek around 7AM, started setting up in 75 fow heading NW.  5 minutes after getting the last rod of the spread set up we get an instant screamer run on a #4 green Chinook diver with a hammered mixed veggie out 140.   Screamer just wouldn't stop - dials flipped over 999 and finally slowed and stopped at 122!  Ran off all 1000ft of braid and we were into the mono backer.   After a very long fight, only able to gain any kind of line back with the walk backwards and crank forwards technique, we finally get the fish in sight.   3 more random darting runs around the boat and on the final approach (and the attempted net approach seeing the fish was tired out finally) it charged the rear of the boat, partially porpoised, and got the diver leader wrapped in the kicker motor prop (which is just under the surface at troll speeds).

I only use 30lb big game mono for leaders and was really worried that it was going to get cut or rip the hook out of its lip.   Thankfully it was so tired,  it didn't really have enough energy to pull hard enough to make that happen.    After a good 5-7 minutes of me hanging off the back of the boat trying to somehow unwrap the leader, the whole time starring at a beautiful king, it was apparent it wasn't coming off without cutting an end.  

Managed, after several attempts,  to hand line the fish back into the net and rip it in the boat.

 

Very nice king, my son's and boat's biggest yet -Thankfully I had decided early in the morning we better enter the derby, just in case.   

 

Had another rip on a mag gramma warrior spoon on 330 copper while we were in the middle of the prop mess, but we had only 2 of us so we had to stay focused and let it be. 

 

Fished till 11:30 with only 2 rigger releases to show for it.  Went through a submerged debris field similar to other recent posts, fought fleas on everything, had several lines jumbled/caught unexpectedly,  and finally lost the same Chinook setup when trying to release it to pull in (must have damaged the braid in the prop struggle and didn't know it). To which my son said "Dad, we used up all of our luck on that salmon".   

 

Pulled out, weighed in and he's on the leader board - another first! (25lbs)

 

Very few marks, no noticeable congregations of fish at any particular depth.  Even pulled in and tried out in 400fow heading North.  Line of 5 boats at 7AM around 100-150fow had all dispersed and were assumingly hunting marks by 9AM.  Beautiful day to be out regardless of only boating one fish.

 

[BreakingBass]

Beautiful fish Tip-Sea!  I had a similar experience out of I-Bay yesterday, fishing solo.  Large king, diving deep then coming back up, around the boat then under the boat.  Managed to get it along side and when I reached for the net - POP! - it was gone.  I look down and the hook from the meat head is hanging on the downrigger ball.  You fared much better than me.

[woody 184]

That’s why they are called the KINGs. For a fish they do insane moves, you did an awesome job landed that king, just when you think you’ve got them figured out then pull another strange move.  Congratulations on the Derby fish. It’s a Slob….