B-10 Thrill of Victory & Agony of Swamping

[5-Cents]

Took my wife and stepdad out to B-10 on Friday. We put in at Chinook and were fishing about 7:30 AM. Headed up toward the bridge and fished in, around and above the 1000 other boats up there. Saw a few fish picked up here and there but it was not hot by any stretch of the imagination.

At about 12:00 the bite really took off just under and above the bridge. My wife nailed her first nook ever at just under 25 lbs! :grin: I love it when she catches a fish she screamed and giggled the whole time! I would rather watch her catch a fish than have me catch one any day. My stepdad picked up a 15lb URB about 45 min later. I did my part by educating three fish with none to the boat. We had a couple of other take downs till about 3PM. Fished anchovies on 6' leaders with green or red fish flashes.

On the way back to Chinook we took 3 or 4 (cant really remember) huge wind waves over the bow of my sled and swamped it. My stepdad opend the step-through windshield to bail but unfortunately in his haste it was the bottom half :shocked: DOH! About 1.5 feet of water filled the rest of my sled! My wife freaked, it was scary but not life and death like she thought. By the time the coast guard got there we had all the water out and everything was fine. My wife wanted to ride with them and of course the were more than happy to oblige... "why sure little lady we love to rescue damsals in distress" LOL! They escorted us back to Chinook and when we got to port my jet started making some funny sounds so we brought it to the trailer on the sling!

The coasties said that they train in open bow jet boats and the worst thing you can do when the bow swamps is open the bottom door... :shocked: really!?!? I hope nothing is seriously wrong with my boat... I will find out in a couple of days when I take it in. We lost one towel, one rod holder, many bottles of Corona (if you find a cold one floating you can thank me later) and one tinkle bucket... not bad.

I guess I can chalk this up to experience is the best teacher since no one was hurt. We all had a good laugh about the events after I wiped the hard brown lump out of my pants !

I do have a question after all of this.... When heading back toward Chinook from the bridge are the wind waves worse toward the Washington side? Is the best approach out toward the sands and then cutting over? Heading back over the bridge toward OR the water looked calmer the farther you got from the WA shore? Could have been just the distance though.

[Trick]

:shocked: :shocked: :shocked:

Scary stuff......glad you were alright. It can get hairy out there sometimes. Glad everyone was alright.

[Lund]

i've had my open bow sled in lots of rough water in ocean and inland. the only way to get there dry is too plow. get the bow as high as you can and disregard any wake you might cause.

[Trick]

Oops.....posted again. Rookie mistake???

[ 08-24-2002, 05:25 PM: Message edited by: Trick ]

[Jennie@ifish]

Is the best approach out toward the sands and then cutting over?

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">Bill says:
No.
The best approach is to sneak up close to the Washington shore, (watching for depth).
Immediately below the bridge, though, the heavy outgoing current maximizes the effect of the wind waves, thus, I wouldn't go straight across right there at the bridge.

Bill

[fishbait]

5-Cents,
I know the water you are talking about, have seen it get to 5-6 ft for over 3/4 mile. Alot depends on a couple of things, how high the high tide is, how hard the tide is running and the velocity and direction of the wind. The problem with going out into the middle is usually the angle you have to take the waves out there, plus it shallow in spots, like Bill says, either go in farther towards the WA shore, watching depth and for pilings or wait, or take the waves as safely as you can. FYI, these waves come up about 80% of the time when you have an ebb tide in the afternoon and especially when it's hot in the valley and the wind really comes up from the W or NW., so the best thing to do is to plan for it and make sure that you are outta there no matter what the bite not long after the outgoing if the wind picks up , or properly prepared to deal with some nice big rollers. This also occoures at times right outside the Hammond harbor entrance, 20 some foot windshield sled went down there about 3 yrs ago. If you ever have to cross, do it above the bridge, unless the wind is from the south (rare, happended 8-14 this year) and then it get snotty above the bridge and better below, but this is the exception. Glad you are all ok, hope you motor was not affected and tell your wife to quit flirting with the coasties...........

[ 08-24-2002, 06:05 PM: Message edited by: fishbait ]

[5-Cents]

fishbait,

Thanks for the advice. I think the next time we are out there we will head back with everyone else. The fishing just is not worth it in those situations. As far as the wife goes, the coasties really ate it up! They were showing her stuff on their boat and giving her a regular tour of the area :grin: All in all I think they calmed her down and lightened things up for her! It was funny watching them talk up front in thier boat while we were soaking wet from bailing in our boat.

BTW my wife did try to help bail but the two scoops she took one landed on the back of my head and the other on my stepdads arse! After that we just had her talk to the 911 dispatch on her cell phone and on the radio!

I was quite impressed that our boat had so much water in it and did not sink, or even come close to sinking. Not one of the things you want to try to find out but still nice to know!

[TheRogue]

We lost one towel, one rod holder, many bottles of Corona (if you find a cold one floating you can thank me later) and one tinkle bucket... not bad.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">Wow, pretty scary, glad everything turned out right!!

Just one question....the driver wasn't enjoying the Corona, was he?? I'm kinda surprised the Coast Guard didn't jump all over you. Unless, of course, they were all still full, and you had no empties? If so, I apologize for even mentioning it.

Besides, it's just Corona that went overboard, about like the bilge water!!

[5-Cents]

TheRouge,

Unlike some others I dont believe in drinking and driving (boats, cars, or anything else, well maybe the computer from time to time). For the 8 hours that we were out there I had two beers. That wont do too much to me (6'3" 265lbs).

BTW the coasties did do a safety inspection after we got back to port, which I am sure is standard for any kind of rescue. We passed no problem.

Thanks for your concern!

Shane

[TheRogue]

Hey, drinking and driving the computer rocks!!!

Hmmm, that sounds good about right now.

Figured I'd pose that question right away, as people can make a lot of assumptions...got the truth right off the bat. Thanx for sharing the experience.

kyle

[fishisabonus]

The wind tends to come up right around Chinook. That corner can get really choppy. But the area around Tounge Point can be nasty too. The CR can be nasty and it can change really quick. You can go out and it is like glass and be praying on the way back that you make it. [img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img]

Glad everything turned out okay for you. Scary stuff.

Lynda

[Hogmaster]

That is the same area my buddy and I took water over the (open) bow of his Reinell last Sunday afternoon just trolling. After doing so, I emphasized to him a slight quartering would allow an adjustment if needed on the bigger breakers.

We ended up tacking back and forth a bit as we were trying to troll back down towards Chinook where we launched.

That worked out pretty well, but even then we used (only) the big motor so there would be quick throttle control if needed.

Always be careful taking breaking water head on. If the water gets big enough, the rooting on the downside can result in the infamous 1/2 gainer pitch pole!

Glad you were safe, and better luck next time.

[ 08-24-2002, 08:04 PM: Message edited by: Hogmaster ]

[luguando]

5-cents

I think I saw you out there on Friday. Do you have a North River? I was waiting my turn to use the launch at Chinook and saw the USCG bring in a NR sled. I saw that they had a lady riding with them. Must have been you. I was probably motoring in around the same time (around 3 pm right near the crest of high tide). That was NASTY out there. I have a 17' Stryker with a 10deg bottom and we got pounded pretty good a couple times. Sure was glad to have my bilge pump working well! Sounds like you guys did better than we did. We only managed 1 fish but it was a dandy (35# nook). Glad you made it back home safely and best of luck with your boat. Those guys at the USCG are alright. Very cool boat they have. Twin 150 hp Mercs! That's some power there. I learned a valuable lesson on Friday - get the hell off the water when you see that fog bank moving in. No fish is worth dying for. Take care.

[5-Cents]

lugando,

I don't know if it was us... I have a black and gold Alumaweld Mirage 22.5 feet long. When we came in the guy running the sling said they had to lift 3 others out of the water that day that the coasties brought in. I am sure that most guy's wives would want to ride with them after their husband almost sunk the boat! :shocked:

Shane

[rags]

It has been my experience that just outside of Chinook and up river al little you get some nasty waves especially on the outgoing. I don't care how good the fishing is I like to leave well before it starts. Glad everyone is safe.

[Snapshot]

Rags, where are you adn where have you been? Any fishing and what the heck are you doing up so late? Call me tomorrow afternoon. I am home.... :grin:

*fish only bite wet hooks*

[Bill]

5-Cents
We were fishing right above the bridge when we heard your distress call to the Coast Guard.
We heard you say you were by the White Church so we reeled up and headed that way to assist. We were the sled that pulled up right at the same time as the Coast Guard arrived. We saw your wife with the bucket bailing and then step into their boat. The four of us were glad to see that everything was under control with the Coast Guard there. We called it a day after that with 5 in the box. We were fishing 10 miles out off the bar and I'm glad my buddy knows how to use his gps in that fog!

[HOGTIDE]

I too was surprised how nasty it can get so far up inside the river. We fished thurday afternoon by the sawdust pile. When the tide changed out and the wind came in, it quickly got miserable. I kept the top up to shed the breakin' waves and made sure my bow and fish box drain holes were clear and we did OK.(Thanks Pete) The water wasn't extremely bad, but it would have easily rolled a sideways boat.

I had thoughts of hanging in to finish off a boat limit, but for once my better judgement got me out of there early. I have a 20' Alumaweld, but would have preferred a 48' Carver at the time!

[Tacklebuster]

5 Cents,
Over the years I have hit some pretty nasty water in that area. When I bought my new boat, I had them make the drain holes in the bow about 8 times the size that you see on most sleds. I opted not to have any bow storage at so if I fill up the bow, there is little chance that any of the water can get into the rest of my sled. I have had it fill up a couple of times this year when the shipping lane was slopping up and it drains so fast that you can barely notice.

If your problem was your bow not draining fast enough on it's own when you took the wave, I would suggest expanding your drain holes. When you take water in the bow, give her enough power to lift your bow up and she should drain out in no time. When you find yourself in a position where you are fighting those big waves and short intervals, keep your bow high and power up the waves and float off them. It makes you pucker up a bit but if you fish that area alot, you will encounter this again.

When you have an ebb tide in the afternoon and a NW wind, it's gonna get sloppy. I have found it horrible at times in June when sturgeon fishing in the area. Hug the shoreline and creep back to the ramp. When I say the ramp, I mean the closest one near you if it's dangerous. Cab fair to your truck is inexpensive considering the situation. Glad you made it back safe.....

[boater]

5-cents, you need to have a snap on cover made for your open bow to keep the water out, just my 2 cents worth.

[DAB]

5-cents
Ran into the same crap a while back, we needed to get to Hammond, we played it safe and ran back up river to the Deep River launch and caught a ride back to Hammond to retrive our rig . Now we watch the tides and the wind and are not over there on an out going tide or when the wind kicks up to hard .
Glad that you made it back OK . You might want to find the Deep river launch and know how to get into it in case you run into the same conditions agin,, A little out of the way but what the heck your wife wont be jumping ship on you and things will stay dry.

Hope that there not to much wrong with your power plant.
DAB

[crabbait]

My Brother, nephew and I were at the bridge Friday and decided to call it a day when the fog started obscuring the bridge. It was a wet ride on the way back with my Sea Dory but by keeping the bow high and taking the waves at a slight angle we made it back with not problems.

We were taking enough of the brinny over the sides just from splash and blow that water was over the floorboards in back. The bilge pump handled it nicely.



Here is a picture that Pete took of us fishing Friday. This was as clear as it got all day. Notice that we are all wearing SOSpender PFDs, all day, everyday (these happen to be camo). Don't even notice we are wearing them.

[ 08-25-2002, 08:02 PM: Message edited by: crabbait ]

[Killertraylor]

I fish that water every weekend from June through Sept. I've learned a real good shortcut back to Chinook from a local friend that cuts about 15 minutes and about 2 miles of nasty chop off of your trip, but you can only take it within an hour of high slack if you have a jetboat with a prop, or 2 hours either side of high slack if you have a jet. I'm not sure a big glass boat would make it, depending on how much water they draw.

You come in right next to shore by the church and then take a sharp right around that rocky point as soon as you pass the tunnel. You run full speed through about 3-4 feet of water within 75 yards of the highway and then angle out towards the port where it gets 6-9 feet deep, go around the jetty that protects Chinook and you're home. You shouldn't try this the first time unless you are following someone as there are some pilings you need to avoid in there. If you have an excellent memory, you can go look at it on a minus tide from the highway just west of the tunnel and see where you need to go. I've taken this shortcut about 50 times and never come close to hitting bottom - it's only mud in there with no rocks, trees, etc. and the pilings keep anything from drifting in there.

The problem with the shortcut is usually when you need to take it it's because it's in the middle or later stages of the ebb and there's not enough water in there to do it then.

Tacklebuster and I did the same thing - enlarge those bow scuppers. Boater's suggestion is good too - I had a fabric cover for my open bow on my last boat as it didn't have bow scuppers. It worked pretty good, but might not stand up to a big wave. The boat canvas shops will custom make one for you for about $175 with a pole in the middle to keep it propped up.