ARW 6/17

Got in at 8;30(?) saw sandman, his friend Paul(?) 1st timer and bigdog, beautiful water, alas, no love. Out by 12:30, ready for another one sunday... Ben

Supposed to start at 5:00 AM at MLK to make bait.  Fell back asleep (zzzzz) and didn't get there until 6:30 AM.  Found Eugene there fishing from the fishing pier with his Dad.  Had him show me the technique again with the cast net because I didn't learn the first time.  While he was helping me out a big striper jumps on the rod that he set on the corner of the pier.  Dang...Eugene catches fish no matter what he does.  Eugene, what did that thing weigh on your bathroom scale?  I'm guessing 7 to 9 lbs.

Paul shows up with his cast net.  By then the water is down to 1 - 2 feet in the channel next to the fishing pier and Eugene tells us to try the bridge on the other side of the marsh.  So we walk over to the Edgewater bridge and us two rookies pick one smelt at a time until Paul finds the school...off to the ARW.

No PBs and a few kayaks.  Warm weather...Freddie Savage style, no wind, sunburn weather.  Tim was on the water (nice yak - new Adventurer), Ben launched with Paul (new - used Perception) and I.  Dave followed us in (thanks for the offer of bait) and Craig launched when Tim and I left the water at 10:30.  Lots of shore fishermen all along the rock wall.  I didn't go to the end of the rock wall to the deep water because I had to leave early.  Mainly stayed in about 20 ft of water.  Marked a few bait balls and isolated fish here and there.

I had three hits...one severed the smelt right behind the gills, had one hook set where I actually fought a halibut all the way up to the boat.  It showed color, took one look at me, thrashed around wildly and spit the hook.  Had to leave early for a relative's grad party so I hope someone caught something after I left.

BTW there was a Fish & Game Biologist at the launch when we left.  Not a warden, we used to run into a biologist all the time when we left the party boats.  They usually measure the fish, scrape off a few scales and look for tags/parasites.  Too bad we didn't have anything to report.

Good to meet folks for the first time...Dave, Paul and Tim.  They all have NCKA handles but first names work better for me (we're not truck drivers).

Gary

Some pics, Sandman in the distance and paul up close and ready for a hit.

Ready and waiting...

 
HAHAH. that must have been taken before i took a swim. thanks guys for showing me around. ill see you guys around again. paul