Salmon Season - Day 2 - Chovies were Towed

We got out OTW today.  My good friend and diving partner, Brandi, brought along her boyfriend Steve and we launched from King Salmon.  A mile paddle into the channel and we were in confused seas with some freight train swells going under.  We saw a powerboat trolling in the channel and he advised that he had gone out to the buoy and come right back in due to the rough seas.  The call was for 10-20 knot north winds, and the buoys were showing 15-20+ all morning.  So it was interesting to only have a slight 5 knot south/southwest breeze...  We never did see any significant wind and that made it possible for us to venture outside.  We headed out over the Humboldt Bay Bar and into the open ocean.  It was big and somewhat confused, but it was soooo do-able in the yaks.  Brandi runs in an old-school Scupper Pro, Steve in a T140, and I of course in my X-Factor.  We were all totally comfortable out there.  We trolled for a little over an hour.  I marked some bait and several fish, but nothing was biting and the word is still that not many fish are being caught.  We had our chance though, and we were in the right place showing the right bait.  It was really a great time.  The fog started descending on the jetties, so we headed back in, rockfished for a bit along the South Jetty (nada...), then made our way in and around the corner to the Coast Guard area to drift for a hali.  The water went to glass in there.  I had a couple cold ones and enjoyed the feeling of having been out in the swells where I've only ever been with my Dad.  It was some of the biggest water I've ever yakked on.

We cruised in, had a couple more cold ones and parted ways.

Looking forward to more time out OTW.   

Nothing like a beer after a grand adventure out on the great blue!... Had our toasts at Davenport today after our skunk.

Thanks for the report Eric.  The swell in the pictures look huge!  Hope you catch them next time...

Nice report and good trying. It is an eerie feeling losing sight of land in a little kayak in the big swell in the big blue isn't it. Makes you wonder how the European explorers felt crossing the uncharted Atlantic.

Is that a down rigger or some kind of alien robot arm trying to snag one of your Sierra Nevada bottles?

Eric,

thanks for the report. Happy that you did get to do some trolling with your fishing/diving buds. That is ripping. Word from the powerboaters is still slow. We'll put some miles in this coming week and see what we can come up with. Always rockfish and Pac Halibuts to chase, too. Being out in the waters you fished with your pop must have been nostalgic and meaningful for you. Understand it well. Can't wait for you to meet my dad and chase some kings with us.

SRJ

Eric,
I'm listening on the VHF for your victory hoops and hollers. I'm stuck at my shop till I can squeeze the last little bit of tourist dollars out of starry eyed salmon fiends and there disgruntled families. I get to watch all the boats coming in with long faces and stories about the one that got away. I saw a lady in her late 60's come in at my dock on the end of the island with a decent salmon. I was stoked for her being the only one amongst a group of old salts having any luck. Captains Phil, Tim, and Gary are under some serious pressure to produce and this first few days weather isn't what they're looking for. I don't think I'll get out this season so I'm living like all these other bros through your reports Eric, good luck to ya. Graham and I and probably 4-5 others are going to do a three day drift down the Klamath in our driftboats. We'll run the roadless section from Johnsons to Blakes riffle. Got an extra seat if want some river time non yak. When are you going out next?

I gotta take care of work and Mama isn't real happy either...  Who knows when I'll get out next, but I've had my fill of monster swells.   

Me and SRJ are due for a big ab hunt up north, and I'm heading out on a charter with Phil Thursday.  Hopefully the bite'll pick up by then...

Nice try Abby.

Graham and I and probably 4-5 others are going to do a three day drift down the Klamath in our driftboats. We'll run the roadless section from Johnsons to Blakes riffle. Got an extra seat if want some river time non yak.

That sounds super fun.

Those pics are amazing...

Glad you got out OTW and had a great exciting experience and that you all made it back in safe and sound...

Thanks for sharing another great report!!

Sincerely,

Jim

Good morning Eric Thanks for the report. The swell from the
background looks bigger than the one we had from Shelter Cove. Thanks
for sharing the salmon setup. Looking forward to fishing with you again. I
need some salmon for my AOTY.

Jedmo

Is that a down rigger or some kind of alien robot arm trying to snag one of your Sierra Nevada bottles?

Tripod!   

Jed - it was way bigger than the Cove.  If there were any wind blowing I wouldn't have gone outside.

WTGet out there AbKing and Friends!!!

 Those Rollers look HUGE!!!



 

Good try. I'll be looking to you for intel as the time draws near...

Good try. I'll be looking to you for intel as the time draws near...

This is the good news:  the fish aren't just stacked up in 300' of water where we have no chance w/o a mothership...  I marked fish and bait right outside the Jaws, so it's a matter of putting in the time and having the right offering in front of their face.  I heard of a few radio fish caught with WMA, but I prefer running the chove.

  Wow, way to be fearless and make a day out of it, I am sure some of us would have gone to the movies instead!  Thanks for the great post and intel.