Saturday morning was a zoo, reminded me of the Chain of Lakes on a Saturday afternoon

I tried to fish in shallow water and couldn`t handle the traffic. I had no way of fishing when all I could do was avoid other boats. We managed to pick up a few fish in 100` of water early, all hits came 90-100` down on the `riggers. A #4 "Dr. Death" "J" Plug took a fish as well as the stinger "Kevorkian" spoon, and a Clown Flie behind a chrome dodger.
I pointed it East and it was slim pickings until we reached 180`, the marks started to show up right around 100` down. I also saw plenty of marks in the top 40`, I had a clown flie on a full core of lead, a stinger blue dolphin on a board with 5 colors out, and a black flie behind a yellow dodger. All of these went off and took coho and steelhead, even a laker was take on a board . The `riggers down 95` -120` took kings and even a few steelhead . The best spoons were the blue dolphin and carlson real image. I changed baits quite a few times to get these marks to go, and we ended up 17 for 25. No really big kings but plenty of action.

For the afternoon we went back out to 180` and set up as the marks were still there 100` down. I ran boards and the lead to little avail, the `riggers were the best 95`-120` down. We ended up with 2 lakers over 17#`s on a white on white down 110`, the kings came on the Blue Dolphin, and Kevorkian spoon down 120`. we ended up 7/11, with a few steelies in the coler as well. I couldn`t buy a dipsey bite all day. I fished from the state line down to 42* 28` North the entire day

On Sunday we were out by 5:30 and started out south of the pack in 80`, I wasn`t going through that mess again :p . I had all 4 `riggers in with nothing so I put out a lead and then my 2 wire dipseys, as soon as I hit 115` all hell broke loose as well as my gear, we went 1/6 with 2 break offs within 20 minutes. We had the kings running under the boat, from one side to the other, over the lead, through the wire, it was a mess. Next time I`m sticking to running just the `riggers . My "Dr. Death" "J" plug is floating around somewhere just north of the Nuke plant, along with a Pro King Double crush glow spoon, in the jaw of a chinook. Then as quickly as it started it was over. I pointed it toward the sun and took another king in 150`on a Magnum blue dolphin down 110`. The next came at 170` on a wire dipsey back 275`with a white/mirage flie behind a plastic "Hot Spot" flasher. I saw Captain Jim on the "Mona Gale" get out of his meditating position to land a fish in the same depth, then I had another boat call and tell me they were picking up fish, also in 170` up towards the line, I turned it around and headed north, staying in the 170`-175` range all morning. We went 9/15 for the day with a total of 4 breakoffs , my worst tackle loss in one day ever not to mention in one trip .
The best `rigger had a $.99 Gaylans` black spoon with green/white cracked ice tape I added to it, it too is now dental work in what I believe to be a fairly large King , The rod never came up from it`s loaded position and the drag was screaming, when it finally started coming up it was around my wire dipsey, I had the dipsey rod in my had trying to figure out which way he was wrapped when it sounded like a .22 went off, I looked back only to see the look of disappointment from the guy who was hanging on for dear life just seconds before . I made up another spoon to replace the one which took 4 hits, and that one never took a fish . The wire dipseys or I should say dipsey that was working was back 275` with a blue dolphin spoon, it went 3/5 all kings. The clown down 95` took a 9 1/2 # Coho my biggest of the year, and it was a male, would have broke 10# if it had eggs.
That afternoon my kids came up for a sleep over and I was fishing with them back at the dock for panfish, and bass. Just as I was able to relax and forget about how much tackle I donated to the Lake I was splashed by a Northern as I lifted a crankbait out of the water, and guess what? He`s got a mouthfull now too :rolleyes: .

"Wet Nets"
Captain Jim