Death from above!!!

Pilar · 05-12-2002, 01:28 PM

May flattie season weekend one is over. As Mr. Fisherman stated in the 5 -10 post it was rough and very hard fishing the first day, Friday. The bag included crab and three nice FB's 33, 36 and 40 inches. No other fish were caught.

I am happy to report that my dear friends who had a near sinking and near involuntary conversion of thier Boat into a reef, survived unharmed. The exhaust pipe on the 350 chev. was holed somehow and the bilge pump did not work. The quick and decisive action by Krystalflash saved the day and the CG towed them 32 miles back to Newport.

Yes you can back into the drift but this is a risky technique. Once we figured this tech. out we quickly limited the boat. You will take waves and splash over the transom and should be ready to deal with that. Drift socks work but not enough to slow the estimated 4 mph drift speed.

On 5/11, we went again against all common sense and were rewarded with another boat limit. This time both of my passengers were blessed with their first Halibut and later payed for the priveledge with a very long and rough return trip. My 1st mate, Jennifer bagged a 48", 45lb monster fish, her first. This also far surpassed any fish seen at fish camp all weekend. I managed a 42.5" and Ramstrong got a tasty chicken about 34". More crab the second day but a word of caution about the spot we crabbed at. Watch out for the North jetty at Newport during the afternoon wind storm. Very sporty and unmanageble. That spot did more for my pucker factor than the rest of the trip.

The ride back in took 4 hours and we just plugged along taking our lumps at 8 to 10 mph. I will say that my passengers displayed considerable intestinal fortitude and that they will probably never hurl in any sea that you could survive.

More about all of this later, I have fish to process and a very smelly boat to clean up.

Off to the pressure wash.

Pilar, out.

scrod · 05-12-2002, 09:17 PM

Pilar
I saw you out there and I can't believe you thought that was less than sittin in a paint shaker even with fish. Don't you think the halibut are smaller this year?

Salmonator · 05-12-2002, 10:22 PM

Pilar's got fish to process eh? I just got done frying flattie, vac-pacing flattie, boiling crab, setting up oyster s******* and keeping my mug full... all at the same time! He he, top that!

Salmonator · 05-12-2002, 10:24 PM

No H O O T E R S on ifish?? C'mon Jen can't we have a little fun??

Pilar · 05-12-2002, 11:01 PM

Scrod, No way, man! I think it was rough as hell and said so. Any time you have to fish on your knees to stay in the boat, it's rough.

On 'Puffin', I saw several seated riders in the cabin and big Jon on the back deck fishing alone, waves breakingon the back of his boat and the wind blowing spray. They wathced as Jennifer, a woman, caught a big flat one and this motivated the sitters. I can only imagine what Puffin said to shame the slackers into manning their rods........ :grin:

An update on Double Gaynor ... The boat is OK depite a long tow and flooding episode at the Chicken Ranch. Kudos to the pilot of that craft for clear head and quick action. Hey Mike, tell your story, I'll get it all wrong. When you tell it I'll give you some of this fish I caught.

Basically the dilemma was water in the boat ... it was thought to be from splash .. and then Mike discovered the real problem ... a small dime size hole in the exhaust pipe .. Bilge pump .. oh sheeeeeyat no work..... call the coast guard and declare an emergency. They were rescued and towed back to Newport. Now for the repairs ......

OceanBlue · 05-13-2002, 07:28 AM

I'm told I've earned bragging rights, but I'm still insisting that 48" flattie was as inexperienced as I was!

A huge THANK YOU to Pilar and Ramstrong (not to mention Mother Ocean) for making my first halibut possible!

You guys are awesome! What a team!