North Point 5/19-21

Lucky Dog · #1 (**permalink**) 05-22-2006, 06:17 PM

Started of Friday morning in 40` just South of the harbor,took a 120* heading to the upper 50`s and stayed in that zone for the morning. I had 3 fishermen, and one fisher woman from the "Lake Holiday Fishing Club" and the action was steady as soon as we set lines. The 40` dipseys with a "Blue liz" and "Green Liz" Chedder flys ,took at least 8 hits. Followed by a "Lil` Boy Blue" behind a smoke dodger down 35` on a `rigger being the studs for the trip. A full core of lead with a Silver Streak "Hot Lobster" took a few quick hits and then slowed, so I switched to a Stanley Stinger "Purple Maniac" behind a "00" orange dodger and that put a strain on a few forearms as well. I stayed in the 60` range heading North and South between 42* 28` and 42* 26`for the duration. We came in early with 23 coho and 2 Bo`s
On Friday afternoon, my one O`clock trip showed up at 2:30 I went right back to the spot we left at 10 earlier in the day. The fish had moved, and I continued to troll South. The studs for the morning couldn`t buy a bite in the afternoon, I switched the "00" orange with a "00" "Mystery" dodger ahead of the "Green Liz" on the 40` dipsey, and a "0" size "Mystery" dodger ahead of a half cut white on a 40` `rigger and the action picked up. Those two rods were by far the best. The boards took fish as well with a variety of flies, but the darker ones seemed to be preferred. We ended up 19 for 25.
Saturday Morning I set up a little further South to get away from the pack around 27` N, again in the upper 50` range. I pointed the boat South and action was steady. The 5 person trip ended up being 3 as two had work, and we had their fish in the box around 9. I changed my spread in search of some Kings, with no hits after an hour or so, I asked a few other Captains if they had any King action and the majority had none or just a few. So it was back to the old spread, as soon as the switch was made we took the last 5 and had to shake a few off as I was pulling lines. The same spread that worked Friday morning was what I ran on Saturday. The differences were lead wasn`t as productive, and I never took a spoon bite.
On Saturday afternoon, the trip was a Birthday present for two boys, I returned to the same spot as the morning. I went an hour and a half with out even a bump. I was keeping in touch with another Captain who was fishing shallow water just south of the harbor, he said the bite was good. I pointed it West, took one fish on the way, and brought it all the way into 9` of water. The wind had really picked up out of the West and even that close to shore tangles and boat control were an issue. The current was flowing in towards shore at almost one 1 1/2 MPH according to my "Depth Raider". As I was heading South towards the Nuke, I could see the dodger off my inside board was directly behind the boat. The fish didn`t make it any easier as I had the bulk of my action just as I had to turn to stay out of the security perimeter of the power plant. I never took a hit on the `riggers so I pulled them and ran boards with 10`-15` stretches and dipseys just out of site. One board took off with the drag and I thought we had a King, or big steelie. After gaining no ground and nearing the end of the spool, I grabbed the line, it felt as if we snagged a log and were draggin`it, no tugging from the other end. Once again I had to turn out away from the nuke,so to avoid another tangle I cut the line. In the shallow water we landed 17 chunky coho from the Nuke North to the harbor.
On Sunday morning the trip was rescheduled due to the (once again wrong) forecast and an attempt to save a long drive up for the patrons.
For the afternoon I set up shallow just South of the Harbor where I left off the afternoon prior. The winds were brisk out of the Northeast and once again tangles were an issue. I went one for three on a pass all the way down to the Nuke. The fish were smaller than the day before, and the bait wasn`t as plentiful. I pointed Northeast from there and took a few fish in 30`. The ride was a bit rough so I kept it pointed into the wind to give the smoothest and warmest ride. We had scattered pockets of bait and fish. Once I was confident the boat would hold course, I put out the lead. Not long after a Steelie around 5 pounds hit the far outside board, taking a peanut Lil` boy blue behind a "00" smoke dodger. I moved the lead to the other side of the boat and as I was about to net the fish I saw that a board on that same side popped and drifted back, right into my lead. For those of you that ever witnessed the battle between a spinning dodger and lead core know what I was up against, 30 minutes worth of untangling. I was constantly changing baits, and everything was hit, the problem was finding the tight schools and getting them to stay on. This was the first time I had boards popping loose due to the conditions. We had good 4` foot swells, fairly close together, and 15-20 mph winds. We ended up 14 for 23 or so, with a few light bumps on the `riggers. As soon as I started pulling lines the winds subsided.
On every trip I ran the same basic spread, outside boards stretched 30`-40`, inside 20`-30`, back, 5/8 oz. "00" dodger and flie. Down riggers varied between dodgers and flies, and spoons. In the 40`-60` range most hits came around 30` down. Dipsey 40` on the counter. In the really shallow water, just keep from snagging bottom.

"Wet Nets"
Captain Jim