Monterey Bay 2017 Salmon Opener (non yak)

Got an invite from my buddies Jeff and Martin to go on Jeff's beautiful boat for the Salmon Opener...

At first I had to decline because I was meant to work Overtime. 

Then Overtime got cancelled, and Jeff still had a spot for me! 

Martin picked me up Friday evening along with Dysun and Chris and we headed down to Monterey.

After getting settled we went up to the breakwater and had drinks and some food, and then back to Jeff's boat for poker and more drinks, and then finally into bed over on Martin's sailboat.

I have never spent a night sleeping on a boat before, and it was so cool! I found myself laying there and smiling and giggling as the boat rocked back and forth.   

Up bright and early before my alarm and well before first light, over to Jeff's boat to set up and have a good luck morning beer and then out to the chosen spot as the sun was peeking over the Monterey Dunes.

Once the baits were down and trolling for a bit I went into the cabin to get some chips and salsa to bring out to the fellas and I come out and there is a beautiful salmon flopping on the deck!?!?!

I guess Chris was resetting a bait and as he was dropping it he got hit and just reeled it right up!!

Little bit of chaos as Jeff and the guys scrambled to reset, I jumped on the fish and gilled and gutted it and got it in the box. Such a beautiful thick 34 inch fish!! 

Martin was up top in the tower and circling us in the same area...went up and found Andy FishMaster on the radio and let him know about our success...

A little while later we got hit again and I got to reel in the fish and pop my Salmon cherry!!!!

Little smaller than the first one but still a solid 30 incher!!

Ate the tasty beating heart out of the fish for good luck!!

Lines back down, and a little bit later got another bite and Dysun reeled this one in to pop his Salmon cherry as well!!

Little smaller still and about 27/28 inches but still awesome!!

I did a beer luge with this fish to celebrate the amazing day!

https://instagram.com/p/BSWiMbZgb0A/

Spent some more time in the same area and saw humpback and grey whales and even quick sighting of a blue whale!!

Tried another area for no luck and then headed back into the harbor.

The bigger salmon weighed enough to win Jeff some $$ in a bet he had made with some fellow captains, Jeff fileted and distributed the fish and I got a BEAUTIFUL filet and at my request I got to take home the carcasses as well! 

Back at the house we had good friends Wendy and Juan over and straight gorged on the fresh fish....grilled backbone and collars, sashimi, and huge filet with rosemary and lemon slices.

Very grateful to my friends Jeff and Martin for bringing me along for such an awesome experience!!

Here is the porn.

 

Sincerely,

Jim

 

Few more.

 

awesome job...that beer luge though haha

living the life!! can't wait to give it a shot. How far out were you guys?

Congrats Jim. 

awesome job...that beer luge though haha

living the life!! can't wait to give it a shot. How far out were you guys?

Thanks!

Beer luge was silly, but fun, and something I've been wanting to try. 

We were in about 200 FOW, and the fish were up at about 100 feet...

 

Sincerely,

Jim

Solid! 

I heard about this second hand. Stoked to actually see the infamous salmon-as-a-beer stein pic!
congrats on an awesome day Jim!

Couldnt be happier happier for you bro! its awesome start of the season for you! Thats yummy BTW. And yeah that beer lugged will be instant classic!!

Hell yeah, Jim!

We're you within a few miles of shore? I gotta get on that soon...


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Thanks for sharing, Jim. And since you're interested in otoliths, I thought you might find the following interesting: "Archaeologists studying totoaba bones from Rancho Punta Estrella—a site in Baja California occupied by humans 10,000 years ago and then again 5000 years ago—found that a special bone from the fish’s inner ear, called an otolith, could help them reconstruct the totoaba’s early environment."http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/03/ending-poaching-may-not-save-doomed-totoaba

Looks like a lot of fun was had by all!

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Congrats!  No pinkie check?  Nice luge, I am pretty sure the fish won't mind!

Damn, just Epic! Awesome Report and Pics Jim. I need some of that

Hell yeah bro stoked for you!!!!!