After learning the importance of tides from good ol' Downriggin', I decided to try Pt. D on Saturday, with the tide swing from low to high being less than 1 meter. We got out at about 6:00 am, later than most of the 9,000 boats that were there too. I knew it would be crowded by the lunch wagon at the top of the hill selling fresh herring by the roadside. Once the riggers were out, we got our first keeper on the first pass by the slag pile. That seemed to be signal for about 30 boats to rush over to join us. So, we made a couple more passes and then went down to the clay banks. The floatilla of boats seemed to be drifting back towards the marina, so we had the area mostly to ourselves. On our first pass back by the banks we nailed a 9.5lber. On each pass by we got nailed by some big fish, but it was my kids turn to reel one in. Unfortunately, he doesn't have the strength and just couldn't keep them on. The first one was really stripping out the line and must have been huge. With some help, he got the third one in with an assist from my fishpal Trent. All in all, we ended up boating our three fish limit, and had at least three more great fish on but lost due to the kid's lack of super powers. I am giving him the 3:1 next time. It was our best day at Pt. D to date, it seemed not many were catching fish. We kept it quiet and did pretty well. If only we had some crab traps to boot!

How did everyone else do???

Thanks for all the tips, Downriggin'!

Thanks for the great report Steve! And all this time I thought Pt. D. was fished out.

Steve,
Sounds like you had a great day. Just an FYI according to the regs you can keep 2 chinook a day in area 11 June first thru Oct. first. So you could have kept fishing for kings.

I have been trolling around Pt. D the last two Sundays. Keep hooking flounder but not even a shaker as far as salmon go. I did really well during the last part of the winter season but seem to have hit a wall here at the start of summer. 0 for 2 on the season. I hope to get out again this week and certainly this weekend. Thanks for the report, its encouragement to keep going out!

Hi Steve, nice report. The Devil's in the details so here are a couple of questions. Were you one the bottom and what sort of setup was working for you?
James

DUROBOAT- I see it says "Daily limit 2 (combined)". It says the same for Nov1 to Dec 31 but adds "Daily limit 2 (combined).No more than 1 CHINOOK may be retained."

So, what do they mean by combined? I took that as no more than 1 each species. I think if I'd come to the ramp with 6 fish, I may have been shot!

Llittle Fish- Oh yes, the details. Pt. D ain't exactly a zipperlip, so here goes- We were trolling at 120' with a green/glo hotspot dodger trailing an army truck hootchie with a foil skirt about 36" behind. Sardine Smelly Jelly for an extra kick. My boat idles at about 1.5 mph, so fished between here and 2mph. On the claybanks, we were in about 160' of water, and got nailed coming from the narrows channel right in front of the marker on the shore. We had one downrigger double stacked, one at 125' and one at 100', the other rigger at 110'. They all got hit, didn't seem to matter. Each pass a different pole got nailed.

Hope that helps! My fishpal Trent is out there today and they have a 12lb blackmouth in the box, but pretty slowed compared to Saturday.

Steve its the same as it was last season and I was checked by the warden with a two fish limit with no problems.(both chinook)

DUROBOAT15- Well, I just got of the phone with the regional office of WDFW. It seems that you are correct, the comined means any combination, total of 2. Next time I'll know better and keep a' fishin' with confidence!

Thanks for the tip. Gee, does this mean that next time my second fish belongs to you?

Steve,

Any fish on the secret weapon?

Hey DR, love the new Avitar! Nope, not yet. One of these days. I have been doing too well with the Army Truck. I tried them on Johnson Pt. last month, but no fish. When I get a few guys with me, I'll throw it out on a rod and really knock 'em out!

Fishen1,
I had a pretty knowledgable guy from this board tell me a couple years ago, if you are catching Sand Dabs, you are trolling too slow. Anybody else out there ever hear that ?

The other day I was catching sand dabs 50' down in 90' of water. Now, if that ain't weird I don't know what is.

Hey Steve - thanks for the information. I just picked up some army truck hootchies so will have to give them a try next time out. I've only been out once since the season closed this spring, but looking forward to a long summer of fishing.

JR,

Junk fish are a good telltale sign... If you are still picking them up after juicing the throttle, it's time to move deeper.

Speaking of the knowledgeable guy, where's he been hiding?

Those sand dabs are probably eating the leftovers from something bigger and faster working a ball of bait.

YEA Steve maybe that second fish should go to me. LOL
But now that you know you can keep two please leave some for the rest of us.

DR,
I ran into SEACAT at a store not too long ago and it sounded as if he was looking forward to some summer fishing, especially Seikiu, but I haven't seen him out on the water yet.

I'll try speeding up a bit, and or moving deeper. The other problem I have is getting jelly fish goo on my flasher and bait. I can't think of any way to prevent that from happening though. Once again thanks for the tips. This is a great place for a rookie to get some advice.

Mmmmmmmmm jelly fish gooooo.....Yep, got lots of that too! Telltale sign when the pole gently bends over and then back up. I seem to pick them up on the cable, not the flasher so much. Don't know if you can do anything about it.

What about kelp cutters? Anyone use them? I have seen them, I think, a triangle piece of metal just above the ball. Are they worthwhile??

Been chasing Kings! So far this year I've bonked some high teens and low twenties, but they're not local fish. Been doing some travelling to get 'em.

Had some springer success on the Big C earlier this year.

I spent 3 days in Ucluelet the last week of May and bonked a 25# King and a 40# Halibut. My party of 4 had 230# of salmon and chicken sized halibut vacuum packed and also brought back another 75# or so of fresh fillet from the last morning out. That was a fun time.

I'm going to hit the local pond Thursday night if my partner can get the night off. Still might be a little early for Kings here, but worth a try anyway.

Planning on a Sekiu outing mid-July for 3 days or so. Should be some excellent fishing! Looking forward to that. Also planning a trip to Astoria for some sturgeon fishing too!

DR, tell DD we've been missing him around here! Looking forward to his early return! Too bad for you. The BM aren't missin' ya but maybe the family is!

UM, don't be givin' NEN all our secrets for free, he's a local guy and probably has a couple of his own. [Bleeeeep!] for tat you know? :p