For the first time in 8 years I have not been out for the opener out of LaPush or Neah. Kind of a bummer. I am usually out there for the whole shibang working on a charter but not this year . Just looking for some pics of nice fish and big smiles. I will probably be fishing out of LaPush on Saturday and thankfully fishing instead of playing deckhand. Lets hear some reports. -TBJ

Kinda long but here goes, Trip started Tuesday night loading up the truck and boat, Had to work Wednesday so the plan was to meet up with a friend and leave right from work. Hauled boat to friends house and left the boat there. went to work. 10:00 am I hear a crash and a few minutes later a co-worker informs me that someone hit my truck. Sho-nuff, truck got smacked, undriveable and full of camping and fishing gear. After hitting my truck the driver veered hard right and went on to finish his journey in the frt porch of a nearby house. Luckily no one was injured. The driver left by ambulance for precautionary measures.

I then spent the rest of the day on the phone with insurance companies and rental car companies trying to pin down a rental vehicle that I could tow with. After 4 hours of arguing and ultimately threatening the drivers insurance company with paying for everything and letting my attorney sort out the details they produced a truck in about a half hour. They dropped off a 2008 Dodge Ram 2500 Diesel. Quite an upgrade from my old 96 Ram Diesel.

Hooked up and got out of town. Made it in to LaPush about 10:30. Met up with an old salt who is the brother in law of my friend. Plan is to follow them and another boat out.

Left the dock at first light. Ran about an hour and a half out to the hole. Had our three butts in the first half hour ranging from 35-65#. Fished for a couple more hours in search of some lings catching a bunch more butts and 3 more nice ling cod. Made it back to the dock by noon. Water was great and the fishing was better.

Friday there was a restriction until about 1:00 so we just stayed in close and only managed a couple lingcod. Gassed up the boat and got everything ready to go for Saturday.

Woke up at 5am and the wind was whippin. There was a restriction to boats 16ft and under so we gave it a try. Made it out 8 miles and things got really nasty so we pulled the plug and decided not to make the six o'clock news. From the looks of things, the charters were the only boats that made it out.

This was my first halibut trip and could not have imagined venturing out there without a buddy boat or two. Learned a lot about when to say when. My condolences to the family and friends of the boat that capsized on tuesday. That was a really scary story and made me second guess going out at all.

Brains before limits...too bad more don't think that way....nice report...

Looks lik its kinda tuff going out there but you dont have to go that far to find butts. This one was caught just north of you out of one of Skyguys secret holes! Bonked it just after he vacated the hole. He didnt even see me shadowing him!