David Johnson
05-29-2004, 08:24 PM
May has been long and busy with many great days on the water
Here are a some highlights:
Jon was up here from Florida to compete in the International Science Fair that was held in Portland. After winning second place and a $20,000 scolorship he and his traveling companions joined me to catch some Oregon spring chinook.
Sometime mid morning Jon's rod went off and he skillfully brought in and released this beautiful chrome chinook.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415Jonnate.jpg
A short time later it was Jon's turn again with another.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415Jonnate2.jpg
Congrats Jon, both for the second place project and the nice fishies :applause:
We have been getting quite a few unclipped/wild springers but they are fun to catch even if they must be released.
We've also gotten our share of keepers. All these guys got to release a few and keep a few.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415fivespring.jpg
It was well worth the trip from Spokan for these boys.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/4153fish.jpg
And for the Californians too.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415Billstr.jpg
The first timer, the second timer and the old hand, they all got their fish.
It's amazing how agressive these springers can be when fishing them with eggs.
If there are fish around in a hole it's not uncommon to hook up on one of the rods before everyone can get their lines out.
Sometimes the fish will be stacked in a hole and we'll get
four or five fish in just as many passes, picking them off as we back down lower and lower into the hole.
Other times there will be pods of fish on the move. When this is going on, it's common to start at the top of a hole, work all the way down into the tail-out and then catch one. The next pass we go through the same routine but this time we catch one ten feet higher in the tail-out. Again we start at the top of the hole and again we catch one twenty feet higher up than the last. Soon the main body of the pool is full of fish.
A lot of times we'll get bite on one rod, have the fish drop it and then move over to another rod. I had this happen to me today.
One day a week or so ago one of my clients, Pete, had one working on his diver and bait but then just befroe Pete could set, the fish dropped it. I had Pete reel in, then I put on a fresh bait and had him let out just a little bit shorter than the last time with the hopes of getting it in front of him again. It payed off! In no more than a minute it was "Fish On!" Later that same day the same sanario played it's self out again. Pete got bit, the fish dropped the bait, I re-baited him and we let out a little short so that it would be in front of that fish again and it worked. Within a minute another "Fish On!"
When they're biters they're biters, just got to get it in front of 'em.
-----------------------------------------------------------
<font color="red"> My Days Off </font>
May means long hours. Most of the time I end up putting in 12 to 14 hours a day with early morning prep and travel time, eight and nine hours on the water and then the clean up and prep for the next day.
I get down right worn out. My body, typically needing ten hours per night of sleep usually only gets three to five.
On the days off that I can get the chance to sleep in I usually sleep about eleven hours and then take an afternoon nap too.
But I am a glutton for punishment. Some of my days off I still get up early and go fishing.
Recently this was the case. My wife and I got up early and hit the river. Since it was my day off I had planned on getting off the water early so that I could go home and take a nap. We fished 'til 9:30 and Tesha caught this 25 pounder.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415TshSp.jpg
We headed home after bonking this one and then I slept all day :sleep:
A different day off in early May we headed down to the coast for some razor clamming. We'd never done this before but once we got the hang of it we had five limits in a few hours.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415clams.jpg
My daughter Montanna with her limit of razor clams
----------------------------------------------------------
Make Every One Count
It's about converting every bite into a fish, making every one count. That's how double digit days happen and that's how slow days when it's scratch fishing are saved.
One of the hardest parts of my job is getting people in my boat to not set that hook too soon. When fishing with bait or Kwikfish I say no matter how long or hard the fish is biting it is going to be too soon to grab it unless the rod is "down flat" and "loaded up". Most of the time line will be peeling out. If it's not doing this chances are the fish is still facing you and it's likely to pull the hooks right out of it's mouth.
Another factor in lost fish is in the hook set. Each morning I start out the day explaining how this is going to be done but then two hours down the road when there's a fish biting and the adreniline is flowing all goes out the window.
What I like to do for hook setting is of course wait, wait, wait for that rod to fold over. Once he's got it I'll say "OK, get 'em" or something to that effect.
When setting the hook on a level wind reel it's usually important to have your thumb tight on the spool so as not to have any slipping on the hook set. I also like to set the hook with the rod in the holder. This prevents from getting any slack in the line trying to get the rod out.
I've seen it all. Hook set too soon, too hard, not at all, free spool release hit resulting in a huge back-lash. Every day I work hard to get clients into fish but it's up to them to follow the system and get their fish in the boat.
Better hook-ups
This spring we have been fishing in some pretty fast or heavy water on account that it's been so low some of the traditional spots are slow and full of chubs.
In this fast water we were missing some of our bites even when we did everything right. To fix this I switch up in size to a larger hook and I also started runnin cutting point Owners. Since then my bite to hook ratio has gone up.
-----------------------------------------------------------
<font color="blue"> More Fan Mail
I love getting these encourageing notes.</font>
<font color="blue">
Hey Dave, I just wanted to drop you a quick email and say thanks again. You are a class act and I really appreciate all your patience with me bombarding you with questions. Thanks for working overtime for us. You really worked hard to get us into fish. I learned a lot from you and had an awesome time. Did you get into those fish today that were coming up? Well, keep me on your short notice list. My dad had a great time. Maybe we can book some trips in July. Thanks!!!!!!!!
Luke
</font>
<font color="blue">----------------------------------------------</font>
<font color="red"> Booking Early </font> <font color="red">
Every week this spring I've gotten phone calls and e-mails from people looking to book a trip last minute or even a few weeks out. Almost every time they had to be turned away becuase I was already filled for the date they were looking for.
Summer and fall is just around the corner with some pretty popular fishing seasons and now is the time to get a date secured. It would be a real good idea to book now for the fall chinook season on the coast, because in a few weeks or a month from now, there probably wont be any openings.
Most of the Astoria/B10 season has been booked for months now and there's only two days left open for that too.
On the agenda:
More spring chinook in June
June estuary sturgeon
July is ocean salmon and Columbia summer chinook/steelhead
August Astoria Salmon
September-December is coastal fall chinook
503-201-4292
</font>
Here are a some highlights:
Jon was up here from Florida to compete in the International Science Fair that was held in Portland. After winning second place and a $20,000 scolorship he and his traveling companions joined me to catch some Oregon spring chinook.
Sometime mid morning Jon's rod went off and he skillfully brought in and released this beautiful chrome chinook.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415Jonnate.jpg
A short time later it was Jon's turn again with another.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415Jonnate2.jpg
Congrats Jon, both for the second place project and the nice fishies :applause:
We have been getting quite a few unclipped/wild springers but they are fun to catch even if they must be released.
We've also gotten our share of keepers. All these guys got to release a few and keep a few.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415fivespring.jpg
It was well worth the trip from Spokan for these boys.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/4153fish.jpg
And for the Californians too.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415Billstr.jpg
The first timer, the second timer and the old hand, they all got their fish.
It's amazing how agressive these springers can be when fishing them with eggs.
If there are fish around in a hole it's not uncommon to hook up on one of the rods before everyone can get their lines out.
Sometimes the fish will be stacked in a hole and we'll get
four or five fish in just as many passes, picking them off as we back down lower and lower into the hole.
Other times there will be pods of fish on the move. When this is going on, it's common to start at the top of a hole, work all the way down into the tail-out and then catch one. The next pass we go through the same routine but this time we catch one ten feet higher in the tail-out. Again we start at the top of the hole and again we catch one twenty feet higher up than the last. Soon the main body of the pool is full of fish.
A lot of times we'll get bite on one rod, have the fish drop it and then move over to another rod. I had this happen to me today.
One day a week or so ago one of my clients, Pete, had one working on his diver and bait but then just befroe Pete could set, the fish dropped it. I had Pete reel in, then I put on a fresh bait and had him let out just a little bit shorter than the last time with the hopes of getting it in front of him again. It payed off! In no more than a minute it was "Fish On!" Later that same day the same sanario played it's self out again. Pete got bit, the fish dropped the bait, I re-baited him and we let out a little short so that it would be in front of that fish again and it worked. Within a minute another "Fish On!"
When they're biters they're biters, just got to get it in front of 'em.
-----------------------------------------------------------
<font color="red"> My Days Off </font>
May means long hours. Most of the time I end up putting in 12 to 14 hours a day with early morning prep and travel time, eight and nine hours on the water and then the clean up and prep for the next day.
I get down right worn out. My body, typically needing ten hours per night of sleep usually only gets three to five.
On the days off that I can get the chance to sleep in I usually sleep about eleven hours and then take an afternoon nap too.
But I am a glutton for punishment. Some of my days off I still get up early and go fishing.
Recently this was the case. My wife and I got up early and hit the river. Since it was my day off I had planned on getting off the water early so that I could go home and take a nap. We fished 'til 9:30 and Tesha caught this 25 pounder.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415TshSp.jpg
We headed home after bonking this one and then I slept all day :sleep:
A different day off in early May we headed down to the coast for some razor clamming. We'd never done this before but once we got the hang of it we had five limits in a few hours.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415clams.jpg
My daughter Montanna with her limit of razor clams
----------------------------------------------------------
Make Every One Count
It's about converting every bite into a fish, making every one count. That's how double digit days happen and that's how slow days when it's scratch fishing are saved.
One of the hardest parts of my job is getting people in my boat to not set that hook too soon. When fishing with bait or Kwikfish I say no matter how long or hard the fish is biting it is going to be too soon to grab it unless the rod is "down flat" and "loaded up". Most of the time line will be peeling out. If it's not doing this chances are the fish is still facing you and it's likely to pull the hooks right out of it's mouth.
Another factor in lost fish is in the hook set. Each morning I start out the day explaining how this is going to be done but then two hours down the road when there's a fish biting and the adreniline is flowing all goes out the window.
What I like to do for hook setting is of course wait, wait, wait for that rod to fold over. Once he's got it I'll say "OK, get 'em" or something to that effect.
When setting the hook on a level wind reel it's usually important to have your thumb tight on the spool so as not to have any slipping on the hook set. I also like to set the hook with the rod in the holder. This prevents from getting any slack in the line trying to get the rod out.
I've seen it all. Hook set too soon, too hard, not at all, free spool release hit resulting in a huge back-lash. Every day I work hard to get clients into fish but it's up to them to follow the system and get their fish in the boat.
Better hook-ups
This spring we have been fishing in some pretty fast or heavy water on account that it's been so low some of the traditional spots are slow and full of chubs.
In this fast water we were missing some of our bites even when we did everything right. To fix this I switch up in size to a larger hook and I also started runnin cutting point Owners. Since then my bite to hook ratio has gone up.
-----------------------------------------------------------
<font color="blue"> More Fan Mail
I love getting these encourageing notes.</font>
<font color="blue">
Hey Dave, I just wanted to drop you a quick email and say thanks again. You are a class act and I really appreciate all your patience with me bombarding you with questions. Thanks for working overtime for us. You really worked hard to get us into fish. I learned a lot from you and had an awesome time. Did you get into those fish today that were coming up? Well, keep me on your short notice list. My dad had a great time. Maybe we can book some trips in July. Thanks!!!!!!!!
Luke
</font>
<font color="blue">----------------------------------------------</font>
<font color="red"> Booking Early </font> <font color="red">
Every week this spring I've gotten phone calls and e-mails from people looking to book a trip last minute or even a few weeks out. Almost every time they had to be turned away becuase I was already filled for the date they were looking for.
Summer and fall is just around the corner with some pretty popular fishing seasons and now is the time to get a date secured. It would be a real good idea to book now for the fall chinook season on the coast, because in a few weeks or a month from now, there probably wont be any openings.
Most of the Astoria/B10 season has been booked for months now and there's only two days left open for that too.
On the agenda:
More spring chinook in June
June estuary sturgeon
July is ocean salmon and Columbia summer chinook/steelhead
August Astoria Salmon
September-December is coastal fall chinook
503-201-4292
</font>