tenatureboy

2 hours ago, Jody Smith said:

7/3 - left dock around 4:45 am my son and we struggled to get a bite from 80-200 fow so we picked up lines around 8:30 am and ventured offshore to just shy of 500 fow, between Hamlin park and Bald Eagle. 1st bite came in minutes on a flasher/fly Combe on downriggers 80 feet down - 18 lbs. Next few bites came est. 30 minutes apart again on flasher/fly on downriggers - 15 + lbs. caught juveniles also. Boated 6 kings. Took a chance going offshore and we were excited to catch/release them for another day. Great father/son trip !  

 

 

 

 

Nice work brother!  I live vicariously thru you most days!

14 minutes ago, schreckstoff said:

Great report, thanks. Question about those skippers, were they all  about the same size, 12 inches? 
 

We are experimenting with ways to survey the juvenile Salmon, both the stocked fish and the wild fish. If those stocked fish are already 12 inches, they are going to be much bigger/tougher to catch in two months.

Most were around 12”. We hit a few bigger skips earlier in the morning in the 15-20” range then couldn’t keep the 12”  fish off the hooks later in the morning. 

Ran west to the nose and set up in 120. Worked westward between 110-160 to bald eagle.  
63 on surface

48 down 80 in most areas 

Lots of duck weed and scum in the water to clean from the lines in some areas.  if fleas were there the duck weed and scum hid them

Lost counts of the skippys we released during weed checks on all lines. Lots of 12” chinooks around. Lost 2 good screamers on rigger w meat rig and a diver with spoon. Kept one 6lb king for the grill and a laker (yes we dragged bottom as my buddy wanted a laker)!

divers, riggers and 300 steel all took shots. Black green and silver combos on the meat rig and all spoons that caught fish 

The good- we didn’t get skunked!  We didn’t lose any gear!

The bad - east wind with rain until 830am. No hits for 2.5 hrs. Covered lots of water.  Crazy down current moving east to west.  
 

The ugly- lost a decent king on 300 steel  with pickle seed spoon in 220 fow. Dragged bottom for a couple lakers for my buddy to smoke.  End a slow morning with my Overheat alarm blasting 150 yards from the mouth of the creek coming in at noon.  Found a hose that popped off going to the impeller. Almost had Rolmops tow me but I got it running and had him follow me up the creek!  Thanks Rolmops!

glad for a few days of wind for me to get my head back in the game!

3 hours ago, rolmops said:

I'll probably be out there too. It looks like it will be the last fishable day before a few gales will come through to throw what little balance there is into pure upheaval. I'll do something that I have not done for years. I'll be listening on channel 72

The sound of silence on 72.

If can get my hand held vhf to work I will contact you. I will DM you my cell # also
 

Plan to have lines in by 7am

Heading out in the morning to wet the lines….

any recent updates from bald eagle to Braddocks?

Will share the good bad and ugly tomorrow probably in that order!

12 hours ago, KagRunner said:

Probably a dumb question, just thinking out loud,,,,, but has anybody tried a thermocell on their boat while fishing to keep the fly's away?

yep i get that there is wind but its really no different than sitting on a deck or in a tree stand when there is a breeze.

Placement, thinking under the canopy, near the helm, that's where everybody sits anyways.

 

your thoughts on the subject please!

 

Not a dumb question!  Will beat wearing pants when it is 80 degrees out!

what to the pros say?

Fish when you can and make the most of it!  
 

It’s was a slow struggle today. Lots of bait and marks east of sandy to watoma bouy in 70-100 fow.   Also some nice screens in 140 fow NE of the bouy.  But few takers 
 

ended with 2 lakers, 2 small kings and a small Atlantic. 
 

no patterns. Diver, 300 steel, rigger. We threw everything at them. 
 

I will admit we dragged bottom with cowbells for 1 of the lakers 

Also donated lots of skin to the biting flies!

12 hours ago, rolmops said:

This morning everything was hidden in some serious fog, so I chose to do some maintenance and cleaning until the fog would burn off. That took to about noon

I finished playing with transducers and the end result is that the 600 watt Airmar is a better choice than the 1kw. The cone on the 600 is wider which at the depth we work at is what I need.

Going out to check it , I found that the temperatures went way up.  Over 130 feet the surface at 57 and 50 foot down 54.7. I did not look for a thermocline but it might be setting up. Bait was plentyful at 50 down over a hundred feet. In the 2 hours on the water I managed one steelhead and one king, neither of them very big. It was my first steelhead of the year

I’m getting a late start this morning.  Should have lines in by 10!  guess it will be search and wear sunscreen day hoping for a fish or 2!

Fished noon to 5

Wind kicked up from 1-3 made dealing with king doubles quite fun.  When the wind then settled and the bite was good until 4 and then it shut down. 

best was 30-40 over 55 fow off Hamlin for kings. only lakers and small rainbow further east.  Seasick waddler was the spoon today taking most shots then a green/silver spin dr with fake meat.  nbk and another green/white/silver spoon took fish also 

Temp was 46 surface 45 down 40 over 55 fow  That Temp was consistent from Hamlin beach to the creek in the depth we fished from noon to 5.
 

Released 10+ lost a handful. Best king was 10lbs kept that for the grill.  Good day given the wind blast from 1-3 which kicked the lake up a bit

hope this helps someone!

2-3’ rollers from the west with a strong gusty SW wind was sporty and fishable in close!  Ran west to in front of Hamlin beaches and cut out to 30-40 fow trolling east.  Some nice marks but no takers. 1 knock off in 35fow off the pump house no one home.   Angled in to 25 then 20 then 15 fow east of the creek.
 

King #1 off the rigger 75’ back. Pulled lines to fight it. Boated it ran back west  a 1/2 mile or so turned back east set up same again king #2 a little further east. Repeat #3. Back west then east again Boated a double on a small 6# king and a 4# brown.  During which I Messed up my cannon rigger clutch and dragged my fish hawk probe and ball on the bottom. Hand lined it back into the boat to save my probe while my buddy held both rods with fish on them. Time to rebuild my rigger clutches if I can.  Hands cut by the wire will heal also my pride is more in question!  Run west repeat with only 2 rods in the water. Lose a jumping screamer and then within minutes of resetting get a 10# king that fought like a 20#!!  
 

kept 4 kings from 10-12+ lbs for filets
 

All fish same spoon and all rigger hits 8-10 down over 15 fow east of Sandy in 48- 49 degree water 

crazy rough windy fun 2026 shake down cruise!  Only screwed up my downrigger clutch and stepped on a rod bending an eyelet. Not too bad! Didn’t lose anything!!

Ok you’re pushing me to finish getting my boat ready tomorrow for next week probably skip wilson in 2 weeks and drag you out on the dingy for an adventure! 🤔

We started with lines in around 7am to 11am  Fished 130-150 mostly in front of Hamlin beach.
 

Enough hits and fish to not leave to head offshore.  No big boys but my 86yr dad was happy 

boated 8+ missed at least that with knock offs and “hands free releases “

largest 8-10lb bow

6-8 lb bow

6lb king

handfull of 2-3 lb fish and some skippy kings

All spoons on Riggers, dipsey and 300 steel.  Seasick waddler, carbon 14, gold back 42nd and black/white/silver moonshine (i have to look up). Same spoons took fish all morning just deeper as the sun got high and the lake flat! 50-60 down then 80-70 down later

these guys pushed this barge right thru the 150fow fishing crowd!  Saw it coming from the west for a long time!  Hooked up right by it so all was good!

1 hour ago, rolmops said:

Hmm, Investing in a whetstone might be a good idea

Yep! 😳

Hit the water at 430-5. Banged thru the NE 2’ rollers to 140 set up found 46 degrees down 60. headed out to 200 first. Zero takers.

Headed back in hit a screamer on a 300 with a sea sick waddler in 150 fow. Buddy lost it!!!  🤦🏻 not really his fault just can’t keep them hooked this year! This fish is now a 30lber in our fish stories!

  Hit another soon after in 140 smaller fish but not tiny 65 over 140 on carbon raspberry !  Lost it!  Fought back around thru the waves to the same area 2x and zero!  
 

Finally hit another screamer off the rigger in 120 straight off Sandy only to lose that again also!  🤦🏻💩🦨

Released a 4lb king on a dirty white boy off the rigger in 40 over 120fow off the pump house   Texted wife to say we weren’t skunked!  She said it didn’t count.

Another knock off but no one there. Final fish of the day on a blue dolphin on a 200 steel in 110 fow. Best of the day!  

Send pic to fish to wife for evidence and was told I need to sell the boat as I can’t feed our family with it this year and I suck as a fisherman!

all of this is true but the boat is not for sale.     Yet!

Congratulations you caught what we lost!!🤣

Thanks for sharing!  

Those 50-60’ marks are killing my confidence but I am not alone!  Misery loves company!!

Hope this makes someone feel better… or helps!

set up 5pm in 110 fow. Worked marks for a while with flashers/spin dr and flies/meat (unmentioned buddy did well on flasher flies the evening before) but zero for us!  
 

Hung in the area all night went 2 for 5 on a 6lb king (6pm) and 5 lb laker (7pm) on riggers then only knock offs til sunset. All hits were in the 90-95 over 115ish fow on green and white spoons.
 

Flashers and spin drs with fake meat were silent!  Dipsy was silent and 300 steel was silent. some bait pods. Fair amount of marks in the 50-60 range but didn’t want to play (or I just suck)

nice night though with good company!

Next time I will follow HB2 around

We had a nice troll today out of sandy also

started at 630am in 140ish after a few passes and no takers we headed north to 400 realizing we were dragging a laker on a 300 steel behind a board! 🤦🏻Played with marks out deep for a bit then headed back to 140-160.

Finally a knock off down 90 over 150 at 1045am and then a 16lb king down 100 over 140 at 1110am
 

Had to head in right after.  

They are there just getting them to play with us is humbling at times 

Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for sharing!

got lines in at 745. Small 3# Atlantic in 165fow on 150 steel with orange yellow silver spoon. Zero marks. surface 58 degrees 45 degrees down 50’

trolled out to 350fow. Top and lower temps warmed a degree or 3. No takers 

few marks. Gave it an hr out deep
 

moved back in close nothing

decided to try for a laker!!  Skunked

called it quits at 11. Some marks in 90-100. No takers 

only the one Atlantic

good flat day to fish with my 86 yr old dad!!!

6/7 AM

17lb king on blue dolphin? 60 over 190fow

4lb king same spoon on 200 steel over 220fow

1 knock off on same spoon 60 over 180fow

again enough marks to be hopeful but slow for us. Tried all other colors but nothing would fire!

No skunking but no patterns except only random hungry fish were high in the water column…. Top 40’ over 150-190fow

3ish for 3  

4lb king on dirty white boy on 150 steel

5lb bow on nbk on 150 steel

prop wash release of another smaller silver fish on green/silver spoon off rigger 40 over 150ish

some deep marks down 110-130

some streakers

enough marks to keep us going but slow overall

Thanks for letting the cat out of the bag that the salmon are showing in the west end!!