Tales From The Tyee Pool........2017...

It bugged me all day after I saw Tim's plug this morning as I was sure I'd seen those two holes on a plug somewhere else, but couldn't quite recall where.

CC arrived and I showed him the pics of the plug and he said without hesitation that it was a Wallace Highliner plug modified to accept a hook harness.

Then I remembered I had one somewhere amongst my pile of fishing stuff so began the hunt. My instincts paid off and I quickly found it, completely unmodified save one of the two trebles had been snipped off.

CC has it at his place now and is going to modify it to fit our rules in exchange for first dibs at swimming it around the pool tonight.

It's a different colour than the killer one Tim has but we'll give it a good try-out for sure.

We'd be crazy not to.




Take care.
 
Things are picking up as we have two new Tyee on the board, a 30 1/2 and a 33, both caught this morning just after 6:00 AM. Pics to follow.

Last night my rod-holder and I tried two different proven plugs plus a spoon but had no results save one "hit" followed immediately by a fish rolling right above where the plug was working.

It might have hit the line or something but we didn't hook up.

Ironically, minutes after we reeled in and headed for the barn a bite happened and we saw three or four boats hook up just after dark.

None were Tyee and I don't know how many were boated but there certainly was a "bite" as there was this morning also when the two Tyee were hooked about 10 minutes apart.

I'm due, darn it, so out again tonight with a fresh set-up and new enthusiasm for sure.





Take care.
 
Keep the updates coming! I can't wait to see you post pics of your own Tyee!

And if you could, please post pics of your plug rigged with the hook. I'm curious to see it, as I recently found some of my grandfather's plugs from the 60s/70s.
 
Here's the pics of Mike and Greg with their 30 1/2 pounder this morning.

Mike rowed and Greg became a new member of the Tyee Club.

Greg-Askey-new-member-30.5-lbs-Aug-15th-600-a.m.-on-a-plug-rowed-by-Mike-Mackie-300x225.jpg



And here's another new member into the club, one Don Nicholas rowed by Robin Modesto. Both fish caught this morning on plugs just before low tide.

Don-Nicholas-new-member-33-lbs-Aug-15th-610-a.m.-on-a-plug-rowed-by-Robin-Modesto-300x225.jpg



That's it for now although I should note that Greg went out again today trying for the Daily Double and caught one just 3 1/2 pounds short, a 26 1/2 pounder.




Take care.
 
Keep the updates coming! I can't wait to see you post pics of your own Tyee!

And if you could, please post pics of your plug rigged with the hook. I'm curious to see it, as I recently found some of my grandfather's plugs from the 60s/70s.


Here's a link to a thread from a few years ago that shows the hook harness set-up most of us use when fishing Lucky Louies and other plugs that have been drilled to accept this set-up.

Scroll to post #14.

http://www.sportfishingbc.com/forum/index.php?threads/shovel-nose-louie.62076/

Use a different hook than what is shown but that's the basic harness set-up. You need to pinch down the end of the split ring to have it fit through the hole properly sometimes so be aware of that if you're going to make your own.





Take care.
 
I didn't measure it but did note it seemed a smidge longer than regular Lucky Louie/Minser plugs, most of which are 5" so I'd say the plug pictured is 6" or better by a bit.
Very noticeable to me at first glance was the diminutive size of the nose on this plug. It's smaller than any of my plugs, which are either Chinook-noses or Shovel-noses.
Tim and I discussed a few variables as we wondered if the weird hole near the tail might create a bubble trail or something when he mentioned the plug was a bit of a line-twister which suggested it might be acting like a cut-plug and had a smaller and quicker rolling action than what we normally think of when imagining the plug working away.
Who knows??

All I can say here is that, unless I've been pranked by Tim and allies, that this is one heckuva plug for a $5.00 bill.


As to rigging a plug:
Most Lucky Louie plugs have a diagonal hole through their bodies from the nose to about a third of the way along the belly and we make hook harnesses up from bead chains, swivels and stuff (varies) which in the end must fit into the diagonal hole far enough to have the line attached to the harness out front of the nose of the plug with the hook snugged up under the belly.

There are a couple of favored methods for weight attachment used in the pool, none involve a banana weight in the method one thinks of and most use the simple slip weight. Mostly 4 oz for plugs and 2 oz for spoons, but that can vary a bit.
A few use a sliding weight system that is pegged in place once the lure is out, the name of which I can't recall at the moment, but I tried to go that way a few years back and discovered it wasn't being sold anywhere I could find so stayed with slip weights.

And we use single barbless hooks, maximum 20# test line, (tested), plugs and spoons or "trolling type lures" so no Buzz Bombs etc. and you must be rowed or paddled.

Oh, you're not allowed to shoot your fish either. LOL

It's one of the actual rules.





Take care.
And that oh so magic special beeswax used on those slip weights...
 
Funny you should mention slip weights because that's what Bill was holding on to during a routine weed check when he got a strike on the plug that was wiggling away 20' behind our boat earlier this evening, the same plug that Diane hooked her fish on last week.

I've heard of that happening but tonight was the first time it happened to me or my rodman and it caught us quite by surprise and unprepared as it turned out.

"I've got something on," Bill said.

I sat there, not rowing as I'd stopped so Bill could reel in the line, grab the weight and put it in his lap before hand-lining in the rest of the line to check the plug, so I couldn't pull hard on the oars to help set the hook plus the rod was on Bill's shoulder so wasn't actually involved initially in the strike.

By striking by hand Bill caused the line to slip out of the weight so Bill dropped the weight in the water and grabbed for the rod.

"Whatcha got there?" I asked, thinking we might have a Pink or something, it certainly wasn't much it seemed.

Bill reeled up tight on the fish, which didn't do much of anything and gave no indication of what it was whatsoever. It made a short but not strong run, stopped after maybe 20' of movement and Bill reeled it back towards us.

I hadn't yelled "FISH ON!" or anything, as nobody was close and it's considered a rookie move to yell "FISH ON!" when it's only a Pink, Dogfish or Cabezon, plus we were still ignorant of what Bill had hooked.

"What the heck have you got?" I asked again.

Bill was reeling slowly and the fish came in closer and closer, still unseen and I asked if I should net whatever it was or did he want to just shake it off, presuming it was a Pink still.

Well, imagine our surprise, excitement and then instant dismay as the fish, a Chinook of unknown size, suddenly showed itself on the surface in a big boil, a quick direction change and a run that ended abruptly with a broken line and a lost fish.

The plug popped right up so I rowed over and grabbed it then asked to see the end of the line, terrified I'd find a tell-tale pigtail, often the remnant from a failed knot. I had just tied the plug on a bit earlier.

The line had a clean break in it as if when the fish switched direction the line crossed inside its mouth and the line cut on teeth or something. It certainly broke abruptly and near the hook harness, which is probably in the fish still as I type this.

The final indignity of the evening involved being towed in the last quarter mile from the Tyee Pool as my outboard ceased to function just as we got out at the start of the evening so I had to row us back in after fishing was over. I made it quite a way before CC came to my rescue and I threw him a line which he used to tow me home.

Gotta get it fixed tomorrow somehow.

But for now it's off to bed and a well-deserved sleep.

We'll get one tomorrow.




Take care.
 
Ok, so I lied about getting one tomorrow when what I really meant to say was that Greg Askey, rowed again by Mike Mackie, finessed a 35 pounder into the boat at 11:00 AM yesterday morning, thereby depriving me and my two most excellent rodmen Tyler and Daryl, not his other brother, from having any chance at catching it while out last night.

Here, again, are the happy couple with their nice 35, taken on a spoon on the flood yesterday.

Greg-Askey-35-lbs-Aug-16th-1100-a.m.-on-a-spoon-rowed-by-Mike-Mackie-arch-300x226.jpg


Mike is one of those really good rowers who know their marks well, have the boat handling skills to hold position in the right spot, and can dangle spoons with the best of them.

As I type this, that crew is jockeying for position right now off the corner of the bar, all hoping their spoon will attract the attention of a Tyee that they hope is nosing up against the bar as the flood flow roars by just off the end of it.

One day I'll be good enough to join them but given some are pros and all are much more experienced than I right now, I stay off them out of respect.

Lovely row-about last evening with a couple of guys who handled their rod-holder tasks really well whilst fishing but alas, not even a sniff for us.

Had one boat hook-up right next to us early in the evening, which is always taken as a good sign, but no bite materialized last night and no fish were boated I'm aware of.

We towed two very good plugs last night and saw a number of fish roll too, but none favoured us.

Tonight maybe 'cause I'll have two raw rookies out so should get something for sure.

I'm historically good with raw rookies, with the odd exception of course. LOL











Take care.
 
New leader/biggest fish so far weighed in at 36 pounds tonight.

Caught by a woman angler but I know not her name or her rowers name right now.

Nothing for us but we saw a couple hooked and a few rolling and cavorting about the south end where we were most of the time.

Hard to row away when you see fish hooked and you see fish showing.

More info tomorrow.




Take care.
 
HOLY JUMPING CHINOOKIES!!!

Here we go gang, four Tyee this morning plus two last night.

First, and I somehow missed this in the hoopla of a new big fish so must apologize to Lee and Jim for missing their fish last night, here's one caught before Liz's. It was a lovely 35 1/2 pounds, as can be seen here, rowed by Lee Deslauriers and deftly handled by Jim Clowes, an excellent rower in his own right with a 54 pounder to his credit a few years back.

Lee-Deslauriers-35-5-lbs-Aug-17th-830-p-m-on-a-plug-rowed-by-Jim-Clowes-300x226.jpg


Last night Liz Cookson became a new member of the Tyee Club when she weighed in the 36 pounder I mentioned which was rowed by Peter Wipper and became the big fish of the season so far. Here's Liz with her husband Dean. Peter was camera shy. LOL

Liz-Cookson-new-member-36-lbs-Aug-17th-900-p-m-on-a-plug-rowed-by-Peter-Wipper-300x226.jpg


This morning, Robin Modesto rowed himself to a 30 1/2 pound Tyee, no small feat at all. Good on him. Here he is on the left.

DSCF0266-Robin-Modesto-265x300.jpg


Then, Mike Hamilton rowed Gerry Mathiasen into a 34 1/2 pounder, making Gerry the newest member of the Tyee Club. And here they are showing off the plug that worked.

DSCF0269-Gerry-Mathiasen-300x291.jpg


Shortly after that John Todd rowed Bob Main into a 31 1/2 pounder, which means I shall be subject to much abuse and ridicule tonight from Bob as I harassed him last night about his lack of success to date. Bob beaming away with pal John on the left.

DSCF0275-Bob-Main-300x290.jpg


Kismet.

Finally, not to be outdone, Mark Thulin rowed Terri Sambrook into the biggest fish of the year to date, a 40 1/2 pounder. Not too shabby.

DSCF0276-Terri-Sambrook-300x273.jpg


Things are looking up.

We got skunked last night but saw a few rolling and cavorting and enjoyed time with a couple of old friends from back in the 70's and my surfing days.

Got to take my truck into the shop so that's all for now but I'll post some pics up later.






Take care.
 
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That's fantastic Dave to hear that so may fish are being weighed in!
Waiting for a selfie from the scale!!
 
That's fantastic Dave to hear that so may fish are being weighed in!
Waiting for a selfie from the scale!!

Had to laugh earlier when my rod-holder for tonight phoned me to say he'd been out this morning and witnessed a bunch of hook-ups and many rolling salmon, all told to me in a rather excited manner.

He didn't get bit this morning and we're taking his Mom out tonight and I'm feeling good about my plugs so.......................think I'll break his heart and get his Mom in. LOL

That would be so funny as we've been trying for five years now with but one under-size to show for it so getting one for Mom on her first outing with me would be awesome.

As to a selfie from the scale, I suppose I should actually fish more myself to try to accomplish that, but it's more fun meeting new peeps and trying to get them one and it's not the top of my list that I actually get one myself.

I will someday.




Take care.
 
That would be so funny as we've been trying for five years now with but one under-size to show for it so getting one for Mom on her first outing with me would be awesome.

Fate loves a good bit of irony - I reckon you're luck is in alignment!

I know I speak for more than just myself when I say Thanks for these posts @Dave H

Some of us dream of fishing the pool, and for those of us who can't get up there this thread is the next best thing!
 
Hi Dave! Great to hear there is so much action lately, we are looking forward to Sunday night! Maybe the coming eclipse on the new moon will drive the big fish into a frenzie!
 
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Saturday morning and time for an update.

Last night was a blow-out for me as I didn't go out what with the wind, a bit of a sciatica flare-up, local people who have been out and will get out again with me, the factors were all in favour of me taking the night off.

So I did.

And we witnessed the range of emotions from abject heart-break to excited elation all in a very short time right at the scale at the Clubhouse.

First, Bob Main went out to try for the Daily Double with his trusty rower who had helped him to a 31 1/2 pounder that morning. This meant that if Bob could register another Tyee the same day he would be the leader in that category, one not earned very often these days either.

Imagine their joy when Bob got bit, set the hook and began a battle culminating in a netted and boated fish that looked every inch to be the much desired second Tyee of the day.

Historically, a Chinook of 39-40 inches will make the 30 pound mark and that's the length many of us use to guesstimate the weight of boated fish, so when they eyeballed this one at over 40 they were elated.

And then they brought it to the scale, where Bob noosed it and hung it for all to see.

It was a needle width short of 30, which brought out gasps of disbelief from Bob and the gathered crowd watching.

Even a discrete jiggle of the scale didn't change the cold hard fact. It wasn't a Tyee.

Now I've known Bob for over 25 years and he's one of those easy to like guys with a great sense of humour, an asset I admire in people, so when he turned from the scale in total dismay and opened his arms in the universal sign that usually means: "Why me?" or "I need sympathy," I patted my shoulder and beckoned him over. He came over and laid his head on my shoulder and let loose a few loud pretend sobs while I patted him on the back in sympathy ......................................................................all in a good humoured way whilst trying to not laugh too bad as I really really would have loved to have seen that fish weigh more than 30 pounds.

But it didn't, yet it looked long enough for sure.

A tape was procured and I held one end at the fork while Bob held the other to the nose.

"41 inches." he said. "That one this morning was shorter than that and a pound and a half heavier."

Heartbreak.

Less than 10 minutes later it seemed, Mike Mackie arrived at the beach with his son Landon in the boat. Landon got out followed by Mike who had his hands full with a fish in one that was obviously under-size and a fish in the other that looked big enough to be a Tyee.

Bob grabbed the larger one, noosed it and hung it on the scale. The needle passed 30, wavered a bit then settled down.

"It's a Tyee." Bob announced.

Elation!

In the meantime, Mike revealed that Landon had caught both of them, the smaller first to warm up on then the 34 1/2 pounder hanging right there.

Being his first ever Tyee, Landon is a new member of the Tyee Club, plus, being under the age of 16 he's the leading Junior Angler to date and it's hard to imagine a more proud Dad than Mike last night as he'd been trying to get a Tyee for Landon for some time now. (Can't recall Landon's age right now.) NOTE: He's 11 I'm told.

Here they are after Landon rang the bell announcing his success.

Landon-Mackie-New-Member-Junior-34-5-lbs-Aug-18th-845-p-m-on-a-spoon-rowed-by-Mike-Mackie-his-Dad-300x225.jpg


When Landon's fish was announced as good there was a great and spontaneous round of applause from the assembled gang and Landon got his hand shaken by quite a few of us envious old farts too.

Damn whipper-snappers hogging all the fish. LOL

This morning, optimism was pretty high given the four Tyee registered yesterday morning but the only successful angler was Al Frumento who rowed himself to a 33 pounder, which is the latest one and brings us to 14 so far, not bad when you consider we had but two at this time last year.

Well done Al!

Al-Frumento-new-member-33-lbs-Aug-19th-630-a.m.-on-a-plug-rowed-by-himself-300x225.jpeg


Hoping the wind goes away and I'll have another shot tonight with a new rod-holder.

I really need to boat something this year.

I'm due.







Take care.
 
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Tonight, the 19th. of August, saw the best and most action-filled "bite" anyone could remember as it seemed at one time half the boats out were either outside playing fish or rowing like crazy heading outside to play a fish and all in about a 15 minute period.

We saw a dozen people hooked up all throughout the Pool, from the south end by the mooring buoy all the way north to the bar but there was a concentrated bite almost in the middle of the pool so I managed to weasel my way amongst the few remaining boats not hooked up and we hooked one ourselves, right in the middle of the pack.

I am naming the fish we hooked Leaping Lena, after a childhood friend from 60 years ago, because it was a jumping maniac of a fish, first going airborne in front of everyone and reaching at least four feet in height, maybe higher as I pulled furiously on the oars heading out from the pack so we could fight the fish away from other boats.

It was hard to find room outside the pool because everywhere had someone fighting a fish it seemed. We made it out of the pack ok, but not before another flashy splashy cartwheeling leap in front of everyone which elicited a few hoots from Rob, my rodman for the night, as well as showing itself as being somewhat dark and most assuredly not a Tyee. Mid 20's most likely.

I kept rowing steadily as Rob managed the give and take of line with Lena when she leapt again, her third airborne appearance and another high one too. This was one crazy fish!

Rob gained line and we noticed the weight hadn't slipped and was very near the end of the rod so he swung the rod to me and I quickly removed the weight completely and we were back on the fish.

A short run ended in another jump, her fourth followed by some back and forth behind the boat which resulted in my having to turn the boat back and forth rather quickly to keep an angle on her for Rob.

I reached around and got the net ready as we strained to see the fish in the near darkness and, as Rob led it very close, I picked up the net and prepared to capture our prize.

Alas, she made another short burst and went airborne for the fifth time and as she landed Rob exclaimed, "It's gone. Broke off."

The plug lay on the surface within reach of the net so I retrieved it only to find that nothing was broken, the hook had just come out...........................on Lena's fifth jump.

It was dark and several boats were heading in so I started rowing for the beach too, but then couldn't resist rowing back out and running that plug a bit longer............................ so we did.

Nothing further ensued and Rob and I wondered just how many people had hooked up in total, as neither of us had ever seen anything like that before. Had to be a dozen or more we thought.

Later I spoke with Mike Mackie and asked how many hook-ups he though had happened.

"Had to be 20 or so," he claimed. He'd had two or three himself.

No argument from here.

Others claimed they could vaguely recall hearing of bites like that but from back in the '50's and '60's, none in recent memory/history.


Oh, not a single one of the fish boated tonight turned out to be a Tyee in the end, which was the only disappointing thing about the whole evening.

But what a helluva bite my friends.

What a bite!!

Simply unbelievable, and we hooked up on the same plug I had my two previous strikes on too.

That thing is magic.

Now to actually boat a fish I'm bringing in my crack team of well-trained and long-suffering rod-holders from Comox for tomorrow night.

Wish us luck.






Take care.
 
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Hi Dave loving the thread. Got a question for you, i assume when you are talking about the slip weights you are talking the trolling weights that have been around forever. Have you ever thought of using the mooching slip weight method, fool proof and you don't have to worry about it not slipping or taking it off the line?? Good luck and keep the posts coming.
 
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