On Tuesday afternoon I took out six firemen part of "Villa Parks Bravest".
The 1`-3` waves must have been in the U.P. `cause they were every bit of 3`-4` when we left. I headed straight out and the current and wind blew me down to 42* 27` where I set up in 95`. I stacked two of my downriggers as it wasn`t too bad trolling Southwest with the wind. Within a half hour the first hit came on a Silver Streak Blue Dolphin 45` down bringing a 6lb. King to the box. Then another spoon hit as the Fishlander Gump Striper down 55` brought in the twin of the first King. Next the deep rigger (75` down) with a Silver Streak Kevorkian brought in another King. I pulled the 2 dodger flie combinations I had on the other `riggers and switched to all spoons. The next hit brought in a lip as a over anxious "Hook set" left one with a sore mouth
. As I was making a turn another deep `rigger (Silver Streak Blue Dolphin) took a hit and since we were already "Crabbing" with the current the fish seemed to be on the side of the boat, and yep he wrapped up with one of my stacked rods. After removing the swivel and spoon a quick clip tangled line brought our 4th king to the box. Now I pulled the stackers and was running a 7 rod spread. It seemed to slow down for a while as I stayed in the 80`-95` range where we picked up the first 4 fish.
One of the group was offering his fish to someone who hadn`t yet grabbed a rod as the waves were getting the best of him, and there was talk of heading in, I mentioned I`d like to take it into the 60`s and see what happens before we pull lines. I changed my 2 boom `riggers back to dodgers and flies (Smoke/Little boy blue - banana rig) and threw a spin doctor/ flie out on a full core of lead.
Perseverance paid off as we hit the high 70`s the lead core rod tried to pull the transom off the back of the boat, and this time it wasn`t in another boats gear
. It took ten minutes just to get back to the core as we had over 100` of backing in the water. I was hoping we wouldn`t loose the fish in the now 6`-8` swells. It was weird watching the lead ride through the crests of the waves, it`s in the water, above the trough between them, then back in the next wave. Well it took at least another 10 minutes as the fish was starting to tire and we finally netted an 18 lb. King. Within a few minutes of landing the fish the Smoke Little boy blue down 50` took off and didn`t want to come back, 5 minutes into the battle another `rigger with the banana rig popped and we brought in a 4 # coho. A few minutes later the other fish is now being coaxed to the boat, another King that topped the scale just under 15 lbs. We ended up 7/8 with one fish on the lead the rest were all on `riggers.
As I pulled the last line I saw a Rainbow (not the fish) up in the sky, and I thought it was odd with no beginning or end. I later heard on the news it was ice crystals in the upper atmosphere that caused it.
All in all it was a neat way to end a trip with a great bunch of guys.
"Wet Nets"
Captain Jim
North Point 7/12
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