well sky-guy i may be one of the oddballs who prefer the salt. don't get me wrong, i love river fishing and the feel of the current tugging at my legs, but my love is the saltwater.

whether fishing the shallow shorelines inside puget sound or sitting 5-6 miles offshore in the pacific i can't think of a finer experience. maybe it's the sheer expanse of the water and the feeling of smallness among all of it. is river fishing more difficult, probably... but it's kind of comparing apples to oranges, especially for salmon. if the salmon were actively feeding in the rivers i'm sure the fishing would be much easier.

i think part of the saltwater thrill for me are the sights one doesn't often see on land. of course, the marine mammals such as whales, porpoises, sea otters, seals, and sea-lions are obvious. but the large number of birds are something i haven't seen on land. whether it's watching the cormerants, murres, and puffins chasing bait and the ever-present gulls flocking overhead. the gulls on the rocky islands they roost in all taking flight simutaniously when a bald eagle flies overhead. watching herring, candlefish, or krill being ravaged by feeding salmon and rockfish is another great sight. the beautiful sunrises and sunsets over a broad expanse of water. feeling blind in the everpresent summer fog banks. the gentle rocking of the boat by ocean swells. wondering how something as wierd looking as a sunfish can actually swim *g*

and then of course there's the actual fishing. the diversity of species and interests. whether it's lingcod, rockfish, halibut, cabezon, greenling, salmon, sea-run cutts... you never know what you might hook along the shorelines. the trigger for these fish is simple, hunger. as with river fishing, there's a diversity of techniques that all work. whether it's mooching, jigging, trolling, or fly-fishing. plus, nothing beats the taste of saltwater fare, imo.

and besides some of the terminal fisheries for salmon like hoodsport, us saltwater guys don't have to deal with snaggers *g*.

great topic guys, just thinking about why i prefer one over the other brings back such great memories of both fresh and saltwater fishing experiences.

cb