Fish for everyone.

[Gaucho Gringo]

For real fun and games try hooking a seagull or a big flounder in the back. The last salmon I caught was 2 days before my daughter being born. She is 33 now.

 

[Caveman Jim]

Cutting off the hook is generally not a problem, but he wasn't coming any closer then 5' from the boat and when he did, he was diving under the boat and ripping off line going the opposite way. It took all of the 6' net handle to get him and I still had to reel in my other pole while trying to keep him from wrapping the two lines together.
I wanted my favorite custom made trolling gear back and slashing a sharp knife at a crazed native salmon while leaning over the low sides of my boat with every guide boat was hauling bubblegum up & down river wasn't an option.
It took all of my skill to handle that fish and when he swam away, I was the worse for wear, not him.

If I have a hot fish, I try to get the boat hook on the flasher & let it pop. I use 15# leaders for Coho with size 3-4 hooks and 20# BBG mainline & hate loosinf a $12 flasher.
I agree, not every episode is the same.

 

[Flymph]

I must have missed that, when did it start & what is the quota?

This year, they have taken nine, the quota is 100... but that was about a month ago.

 

[Caveman Jim]

This year, they have taken nine, the quota is 100... but that was about a month ago.

Them slackers better get crackin!!!

 

[Flymph]

I'm less worried about gear being lost than a fish stuck with a hook in it's mouth. Sometimes they can't get them out after cutting the line and the hook festers...
Tho some fish ya just can't help netting or cutting the hook on.

Them slackers better get crackin!!!

I have a feeling it's only a few who would do that, know how they should go about it, or even know that they can hunt sea lions in the estuaries.
I'm still curious if you can use adult sea lion fur in place of seal dubbing, which you usually get from the pups anyway!

 

[osprey]

Did you hear they are going to open the lower Skagit river for Spring Chinook.
First time in 30 years. For Chinook

Well I grew up fishing the lower Skagit for Kings with my old man so I got kind of horned up when I heard about this. After some digging, my enthusiasm has waned a bit. It will not be open below the memorial highway bridge in mt vernon. To me the best part of the river and where we used to fish. Further more, if you do participate, I recommend obtaining the tribal netting schedule because that is what will be happening below the memorial hwy bridge.

 

[EPS]

Well I grew up fishing the lower Skagit for Kings with my old man so I got kind of horned up when I heard about this. After some digging, my enthusiasm has waned a bit. It will not be open below the memorial highway bridge in mt vernon. To me the best part of the river and where we used to fish. Further more, if you do participate, I recommend obtaining the tribal netting schedule because that is what will be happening below the memorial hwy bridge.

Yep doesn't the tribe also fish above the bridge.
I know that when the pinks are running people fish on the beach right by the bridge.
But that is north.
I doubt I will even try.

 

[EPS]

They are all screaming save the salmon.
But the tribes are still setting nets all the way up the river.
Go figure.

 

[Flymph]

They are all screaming save the salmon.
But the tribes are still setting nets all the way up the river.
Go figure.

Well, more often than not I feel like it's their salmon anyway... and by that I mean the returning run is from one of their hatcheries.

Still hate gill netters.

 

[Caveman Jim]

Well I grew up fishing the lower Skagit for Kings with my old man so I got kind of horned up when I heard about this. After some digging, my enthusiasm has waned a bit. It will not be open below the memorial highway bridge in mt vernon. To me the best part of the river and where we used to fish. Further more, if you do participate, I recommend obtaining the tribal netting schedule because that is what will be happening below the memorial hwy bridge.

Exactly this, we do this in the Chehalis because the Indians still net for salmon, steelhead and sturgeon which we cannot keep.
Stewards of the land....

 

[Caveman Jim]

Alrighty people, I am planning a 2 day B-day trip down to Merwin, I have not nailed down the dates yet but thinking between 5-6/5-10.
You now have one week to develop that tenacious cough, sprained whatever or emergency appendicitis....

Let me know since I'll have to make reservations for an RV spot somewhere close to the lake.

 

[Flymph]

I already promised the SO we'd go down to Florence and maybe the Umpqua to chase chinook and bass for my BD trip next week... sorry man!

 

[Caveman Jim]

I already promised the SO we'd go down to Florence and maybe the Umpqua to chase chinook and bass for my BD trip next week... sorry man!

Well aren't you just a party pooper.
Good luck down there man.

You're not going to get any better weather to fish at Merwin then this right here folks, I can hear that chronic cough in the background.

 

[Caveman Jim]

Oh, and happy birthday.

 

[Flymph]

Oh, and happy birthday.

Thanks, and you too! Mine is Thursday, your's?

I can call anyone's boss and let them know that there is a family emergency and you need out of work, just ask!

 

[Caveman Jim]

Thanks, mine is this Sunday.

If I have no commits for Merwin then I'm going to ditch the camper & boat and head to Drano. A good friend said he'll have his boat ready & I can bunk at his place with the hogs & chickens. What a deal!!!

 

[Flymph]

Thanks, mine is this Sunday.

If I have no commits for Merwin then I'm going to ditch the camper & boat and head to Drano. A good friend said he'll have his boat ready & I can bunk at his place with the hogs & chickens. What a deal!!!

I hear the run has been pretty good so far this year, not to discourage you from your koke adventure... just saying reports have me suckered into buying tags this year, something I swore I would not do.

 

[Caveman Jim]

Same here I have not even purchased my fishing license yet. Unheard of for me...

 

[Flymph]

Same here I have not even purchased my fishing license yet. Unheard of for me...

What!!! It's MAY MAN! You don't even have to leave the house to buy one anymore... tho I advise you do, as I almost got a ticket the other day because my phone decided to store the app on the cloud so I could not produce proof of a license. I was lucky and let go, I guess I have an honest face. Third time I've ever been checked too!

Anyway, I hear there was like two weeks of a decent winter run where they all went at once, but otherwise it seems like spring is where it's at this year.

 

[Caveman Jim]

And no pictures? I haven't seen the inside of mine since I crawled up in her to remove the deep cycle 4 months ago. I actually felt a tinge of gusto to hang the kicker and fire it, and the main, up a couple/three weeks ago. And thought about getting our salmon tags that I swore I would pay for again this year. It didn't take long for the feeling to subside though. Clarity in the Willamette at 75 will do that.

Sorry I got sidetracked brother here you go, she's all loaded up & ready to go.




Come on guys, you said ya wanted a tutorial with the caveman, pony up & let's go rip some lips.