22-24August, 2013: Humpies!

Weather:  Sunny and warm.  Winds:  Calm.  Seas:  Flat.

Warning:  This is a fishing story, not a catching story.

Odd number year means a humpback salmon or pinks run in the Puget Sound.  Word is they are voracious, opportunistic and will hit anything pink.  Word also was they would stack up along West Beach on Whidbey Island during an ebb tide, waiting for the tide to shift, giving them an opportunity to swim through Deception Pass to head up the Skagit River.  Over these 3 days, Strider was motored to Deception Pass, anchored off West Beach and a fishing line was wet.

The first couple days I went solo, that is, by myself.

The first day, I extended the port ama at the slip, motored to the fuel dock, tied off and then expended the starboard ama while waiting for the fuel dock to open.  After motoring to West Beach, I took my cues from boats already in place and anchored in similar water.  Stayed for a few hours, casting in the same directions as the rest.  Got around 6 hits, getting 3 near the boat only to see them toss the hook in a roll over maneuver.  Two were clearly steelhead, but one was a humpy.

At quitting time, motored back, folding the amas outside the marina in Burrows Bay.  Normally, Strider is folded inside the harbor to avoid bashing the ama against the aka when boat wakes are encountered.  Unless Strider was secured to an immovable object, such as the fuel dock, folding inside the marina would be problematical and potentially dangerous as Strider could drift into other boats.  The fuel dock might not be available.  So, to mitigate potential bashing, a small fender was placed between the ama and the aka, hopefully providing a cushion.  No wakes were encountered this day.

I met another fisherman on the dock and told him of my day.  He suggested I played the fish too long.  "Reel them in and don't let the seals have a chance at them."

Second day was much as the first.  Probably 10 hits, 5 got to the boat, 4 to slip off and the 5th I could not get into the net and then the knot on the lure untied and bye bye.  Motor home was the same but did encounter some boat wake folded.  The little ama/aka fenders worked OK, but not sufficient.

Third day Kelly and the dogs came along.  Landed a humpy with Kelly handling the net!  4 guys on the boat next to us were constantly hauling in fish.  I asked them if they were using cheese....  Still, we had about 10 hits, got a couple to the boat and landed one.  Improvement!  Cleaned/filleted the fish on the way home, reserving the head for crab bait and the spine for fish stock.  Had the fish the next day and it was tasty.  Not as good as coho or king, but rewarding.