Posted by: Anonymous
Suck it WDFW - 09/15/16 05:00 PM
We managed to have a great time fishing this summer despite WDFW shiting on our Puget sound Coho season...
Right out of the gates on the opener, we boated a limit of Chinook along with 10 coho up to 6 lbs, we knew then it would be an epic season filled with the frustration of turning loose hatchery fish we paid for... Kings limits were had most every day along with multiple limits of large hatchery coho that died in a net, not necessarily my net. Kings were running small this year, 6-10# but all hatchery and all dime bright...
With Salmon season over in August, I found myself with plenty of time on my hands and the fantastic opportunity to join my friend Joel on his new (old) 26' shamrock for an ocean adventure we will never forget.
We set out of Illwalco early on a Sunday with a full bait well and a 40 mile trip out to the temperature break where the tuna were hanging out. it was a long run out but the bar crossing was cake and the ocean got better the farther we went out.
Things started off pretty slow, trolling teasers and plugs for two hours before we had the first fish on... But after that it was game on for the rest of the day... we boated 3 tuna in the first bait stop and had a deck bloody enough to make Dracula drool...
Once the sharks moved in, we set off on the troll and less than an hour later, we hit another and started chucking anchovies over the side... After multiple single hookups, a quad hookup, including one that we had to hand line, we now had nine in the boat.
After trolling another hour or so, and within 15 minutes of calling it a successful day, we hit one more fish on the troll but with the bait well nearly empty we still enough for one last bait stop. We fished the live bait right to the bitter end... In fact, the tuna were still biting right down to the last live bait we put over the side, which turned out to be our 18th for the day... It was a fantastic bluewater day and one that I will never forget!
Here is a Video my friend Joel put together of the day... I had never fished for tuna before and never held a gaff in my hand, as you can tell, but I will definately do it again!
Right out of the gates on the opener, we boated a limit of Chinook along with 10 coho up to 6 lbs, we knew then it would be an epic season filled with the frustration of turning loose hatchery fish we paid for... Kings limits were had most every day along with multiple limits of large hatchery coho that died in a net, not necessarily my net. Kings were running small this year, 6-10# but all hatchery and all dime bright...
With Salmon season over in August, I found myself with plenty of time on my hands and the fantastic opportunity to join my friend Joel on his new (old) 26' shamrock for an ocean adventure we will never forget.
We set out of Illwalco early on a Sunday with a full bait well and a 40 mile trip out to the temperature break where the tuna were hanging out. it was a long run out but the bar crossing was cake and the ocean got better the farther we went out.
Things started off pretty slow, trolling teasers and plugs for two hours before we had the first fish on... But after that it was game on for the rest of the day... we boated 3 tuna in the first bait stop and had a deck bloody enough to make Dracula drool...
Once the sharks moved in, we set off on the troll and less than an hour later, we hit another and started chucking anchovies over the side... After multiple single hookups, a quad hookup, including one that we had to hand line, we now had nine in the boat.
After trolling another hour or so, and within 15 minutes of calling it a successful day, we hit one more fish on the troll but with the bait well nearly empty we still enough for one last bait stop. We fished the live bait right to the bitter end... In fact, the tuna were still biting right down to the last live bait we put over the side, which turned out to be our 18th for the day... It was a fantastic bluewater day and one that I will never forget!
Here is a Video my friend Joel put together of the day... I had never fished for tuna before and never held a gaff in my hand, as you can tell, but I will definately do it again!
Ain't never seen too many tooona pics like yours before lol!
