Sometimes you gotta go try somewhere else. Hit a few spots today searching and it paid off.
Today was an EPIC day.
First spot for Coho there was one other boat there and maybe another nearby; pretty fogged in may have been more but only one showing up on radar and passed him a couple of times.
First two of the day were right after dropping in, fishing the fog near the rocks, but then it went quiet and I think the only other boat around moved off to find coho on the other side maybe, but fishing by myself is more relaxing - long spells in between fish are okay when not having to keep others entertained. Later I moved out, the fog cleared (where I was) and there was no one around. The kind of fishing I like where I don't have to pay a lot of attention, just kind of wander. Sun was out, and after a while the fish started biting.
The Over 100# Tote
1st fish - Coho On the FLY!!!!
This is my new favorite thing. Finally found a setup I liked and bought it, and have now had 3 on the fly this year. 2 on the same fly; my son picked it out - don't know why but he's either got a great eye or just Kids Luck. He was also the one that picked out the BSEM - and when he picked that ugly sucker out I thought 'oh man I'm gonna have to run it I guess' - and it turns out its the BSEM!
Second on Spoon. Not the BSEM, but a pretty good one lately, has been working on the rocks now for a while, losing the paint off it.
Then did a lot of boating.
Then a SOCKEYE (Wow, they're still here!) Kinda caught in the middle of nowhere. Saw the initial hit. I have fairly heavy rods deep in the clip and tightened down pretty tight. Just a little tremor. Thought I had a small cod on it and just kind of ignored it because I was doing something else and figured I'd get to it. Then it gave a bit more action and popped the clip. Then a few seconds later Jumped! Then I thought it was a small coho.
Didn't realize it was a Sockeye until I went to release it beside the boat.
A couple more smallish springs released.
Then a nice Ling at my Ling Spot on Money Hootchie.
followed by a PERFECT Halibut on Money Hootchie. It Ran and Ran, slowly came back to the boat and then headed for bottom. Finally got it in - was fishing by myself and didn't have my son (best Gaffer around) to help.
Had 2 measures with different tape measures, at 112 and 110.
Then I got hit by something Big. I thought it was another Halibut. Ran and Ran again.
Lost it 20ft from the boat. Think it was another Halibut as didn't see any flashes of silver.
Put rod back down and hooked into another freight train on Money Hootchie
A substantial fight, a great deal of angst, and 3rd try with the net lucky. It was a Big Spring.
BIG Spring
I have a big net, and the spring used most of it.
Bled it, bonked it, then did a little dance around the deck - things you only do when you're fishing by yourself and no boats around watching.
Back at the dock got the Spring on the scale, 40# on the Dock scale.
Cleaned and at the processor was 36# head on.
What a day. Sadly back to work tomorrow.
So they're all still out there. Coho, Sockeye, Halibut and Tyee!
Back at it as soon as I can, possibly for Tuna if the weather cooperates.