Shad, Sun Tans, & Chinook - Coon Isle.

AngleThis · 05-19-2002, 01:07 AM

After sleeping in, Nancy and I hitched it up and headed for Coon Isle agian...this time we launched right there instead of running half the channel with at least one big log out there. We dressed in the usual thermals, fleece, and sweats. but by the time she had the rig parked I had traded all this for the SVI (standard vessel issue) shorts which were stashed far up in the bow compartment. This was the first time I've fished in shorts and bare feet since last year; fall and winter are finally behind us. The weather was just great; the clouds had cleared and there was absolutely no wind. The warm sunshine on our bodies was like a first breath of fresh air in what seems like an eternity.

We anchored across from the boat docs on the north side of the island, very close to the north shore where I found slightly deeper water and stronger current. Around 2:00 we started fishing for shad, except I doubled up the heavier rod (a steelhead baitcaster) with a prawn rig, just for good measure. A passing Ifisher who I hadn't met stopped and struck up a brief conversation beginning with "Ah..the infamous Adrianna". After about 90 minutes there were 7 shad in the box, and one just caught on the deck. I had just reset the pole when she said "Hey U better get that other pole". I took one look at it, and knew immediately from the big bounces that that was NO shad. We weren't really prepared for a big fish hookup, so Nancy got busy reeling up the other pole, 86ing the anchor line, and getting the boat started. She had to hurry because this reel is tiny and I was watcing the line zig zag across the spool and getting nervous.."faster, faster...we're running outta line!!"

Once we got free and fired up, I had no problem recovering most of the spool. But I was fishing light and this was a very respectable sized salmonoid. It ran back and forth across and up and down the channel, and after 15 or so minutes we got on top of the fish. First time to the boat and Nancy excecuted a perfect fast grab with the net and our YTD salmon skunk smell was history. It was short thick stubby 18 lb hen, chrome bright and minus one fin.

We got bit once more, and boxed up 4 more shad before dark. So tomorrow I'm torn; Bonneville for peelers with fresh shad, or back to the channel for another shot at the springers which have illuded us this year, until today.

[ 05-19-2002, 02:10 AM: Message edited by: ********* ]

Myles · 05-19-2002, 01:50 PM

Did you have a big hairy dog with you??

I was out there until about 3:00 on a friends boat, a dark green over white Jetcraft with ifish stickers. I saw a blue and white glass boat with a couple and a dog pull up late, was that you? We got one take down trolling by Gilbert river then went and got a bunch of shad for sturgeon and crab bait by the docks.
myles

AngleThis · 05-19-2002, 10:10 PM

Yes..that was us. The canine mascott makes my boat unmistakeable. Did you see the nook we nailed? Tried agian today but the only chinook bite was on my trout pole...that didn't work so well.

Myles · 05-20-2002, 07:05 AM

Didn't see you catch anything, you wern't there long before we took off. We were anchored just behind you a bit, when we left we made a turn just in front of you and went down your port side, I didn't even think to look for the boat name. We trolled our way back to St. Helens, saw one guy fighting a fish, too many fins.

myles

Fishing freak · 05-20-2002, 07:16 AM

Nice fish Angle,

You netted it right along side my boat! (red and tan drift boat). That was a nice fat chromer.

PeterMac · 05-20-2002, 08:48 AM

Sounds like there was quite an IFISH attendance out there Saturday. My 9 year old had a blast, and so did I. We were in the older white starcraft, one of the first boats on the downstream end of the island... We put about 25 shad in the boat. Nice to meet you Angle.

PeterMac

RIPPLE · 05-20-2002, 09:19 AM

I was also out to enjoy an amazing day at Coon Island on Sat. Took a friend and his two boys out who are 10 and 12. Started trolling above the island about 7:00 a.m. and on the first downstream pass at 7:18 SLAM! the 12 year old's pole went down. We boated a nice 18-19 #er. Well I put the fish in the gunny sack, you guys are gonna love this one, and Jake who had never been springer fishing looked at me with total sincerity and asked, "how many of those sacks did you bring" My buddy and I, (he has done alot of springer fishing) just looked at each other and totally busted up. Nothing like being 12 years old and paying your dues for all of 18 minutes. We trolled around the island and past the shad fishermen, maybe you guys saw me in a green wood boat named "Ripple". We put out one shad pole to hold the 10 year old's interest and picked up five shad while we trolled for nooks. Around 11:00 SLAM! boated one more 15-16 # nook. Sunburns springers and Shad I'll say, what an awesome day on the slough. Of course the kids were getting a little antsy around 3:00, saying gosh why can't we get just one more salmon. Again rollin eyes and laughter, just one gunny sack for springer fishing, what was I thinking.

:grin: RIPPLE :grin:
p.s. Anise brined cut-plugs twirling near the bottom were what enticed the two nooks.

garyk · 05-20-2002, 10:25 AM

Anyone know who that guide is that is working the stretch from Coon Island to the Gilbert Ramp? A younger guy, wears blue goves, Alumaweld sled. I've seen him every day the past week out there, and he's just really cleaning house on the springers - a TRIPLE on Sunday. Anyone know who this is?

Myles · 05-20-2002, 12:04 PM

Ripple, I saw your boat and mentioned to my buddy that there was a guy on ifish with a "Ripple handle". Next time I'll have to say hi. Maybe we need more 12 yr. old attitudes. Enough sacks, bigger boat maybe.

myles

AngleThis · 05-20-2002, 01:13 PM

You know there are now so many ifishers out there that don't know they're sitting next to each other, I'm going to start dooing "ahoy any ifish members in range" type hales.

Thanks for stoppin by PeterMac.

DC

RIPPLE · 05-20-2002, 02:25 PM

I definitly had that feeling that I was amidst more than one Ifisher out there Sat. I look forward to meeting some of guys and gals soon. I'm off to fisherman's to get another gunny sack, maybe if I just expect more............

:grin: RIPPLE :grin:

AngleThis · 05-20-2002, 05:54 PM

I think we could use a way of idetifying ifish member's boats more easily...those stickers are hard to see from any distance and only visible from one side. ..Maybe something like little flags to fly on our antenas or something like that. A vessel name roster might also be handy. How bout it Jen, any ideas?