How not to behave in a hogline

ampersat · 09-06-2005, 09:10 PM

I fished with FastActionRodTip at the mouth of the Cow on Monday in his new Arima. It was crowded, cold, and a little smelly (yes, I put on deodorant) but boats were dropping out consistently in the fog so it was looking to be a good day. We anchored up on the outside of the line on the downstream edge of the Cow and a little while later someone comes and anchors on the outside of us.

Mistake number one: we weren't paying attention to what was going on above us. When the commotion set in we turn to see a boat scooting around a bit above the outside of our hogline and the line to the fish in question is running to the anchor rope of our neighbor, or so it would appear. Mistake number two: our neighbors decide to invite the boat in question between us so they can continue fighting their fish but there wasn't room enough between our boats for them to pass. They motored in a bit on the kicker and it soon became apparent that their line was under our anchor rope, not our neighbors. After goofing around a bit trying to figure out what to do, they get all squirrelly and in seconds they're right on top of our ball with their kicker running, almost completely out of control of the boat. I was watching all of this from the bow and was already untieing the anchor line when they started getting squirrelly and yelled to Mike to fire up the motor. We dropped out just as they passed over the ball (kicker still running in gear, they were lucky they didn't get the rope wrapped up in their prop). They managed to make it through the hogline and finally got outside with their fish.

We saw another incident that played out almost the same way in the line below us but ended up tieing up three or four boat's anchor lines. The guy in the boat with the fish actually ended up in the boat they ran down on somehow, leaving his wife (or lady friend) to run the boat, who obviously didn't have the appropriate skills to run the boat. Once the inadvertant host got their anchor situation straightened out, some really squirrelly action ensued trying to get the two boats lined up so he could get back to his boat. Finally, the boat from the lower line dropped off of their ball to go meet the other boat in open water.

I was also treated to the sight of one boat picking up the anchor line of another boat and towing it up some distance before realizing what they had done.

Then there was this guy:

(can you make out the little boat next to the shipper?)
He stayed on the ball as the shipper passed. You should have seen him cowboy around on the bow wave. I don't have deep enough shorts for that kind of action. This was the first of several ships to pass us and he blew five, then five again, then five again, then six, then just layed on the horn for about ten seconds. Boats fishing down by the bridge scattered like roaches.

In other words, it was another usual day on the river, or so I was told.

yankemnbankem · 09-06-2005, 09:18 PM

man oh man! I was there on Sunday and we had two incidents like yours.......first one had run over his anchor rope and as he was gliding down stream he forgot to mention his boat didnt have power until ten feet from the front of our boat.......whoa nelly! After that incident we had another guy fighting his fish come down not watching were he was going and almost swiped us. can you say DOH!!!!!!!!!

bankhog · 09-06-2005, 09:18 PM

That's all normal. It's just part of the experience.

jocose · 09-06-2005, 09:26 PM

not the experiance i seek... i anchor alone away from the goofballs.. its a big, long river and the fish swim the full length...

pearl · 09-06-2005, 09:33 PM

Welcome to the Cowlitz in September.

Seen it happen 100 times. In fact I expect it when we go down there.

Hooker · 09-06-2005, 09:52 PM

The same thing happend near the Lewis on Monday. For some reason the ships were really taking a wide turn and sweeping very close to the Washington side. It was foggy and although we were out of the way, it came in very close.

Several boats down river were anchored in the middle of the river and how the ships missed them in the fog is anyone's guess.

PapaHog · 09-06-2005, 10:11 PM

Amp I was in the red sled that picked up the anchor rope of the boat next to us when we were leaving.

I wonder what the CG was talking to the thunder jet about. He had pulled his ball that time but did not on the big ship that you have the picture of.

It was cold on the hook til the sun got high enough to burn the fog off. All in all a good day fishing. We got 2 for 3 that were hooked up and 2 or 3 drive bys.

I am not a boatman so don't know for sure what happend when we were pulling anchor but it worked out ok. I guess we must have pulled into his line?????????????

papa

Tacklebuster · 09-06-2005, 10:23 PM

Man I can't wait till springer season

Mr. Carp · 09-07-2005, 12:04 AM

The ships usually go closer to the Wa side than they were on Monday. I think they were being more than fair that day. They used to run just a few yard off of the mouth of the Lewis.

Fshklr · 09-07-2005, 04:29 AM

Quote:

Man I can't wait till springer season

Me Too!!!

I was also in the area..and saw the many near mishaps all morning..the rodeo that persued for hoglines in the fog was a site to to see

even a bigger site to see the lines spread about like marbles once the fog lifted

saw 3 boats that rode the WAKE closer than your pic Amp..the pilot came out on the plank/deck and yelled some very profound launguage to each of them!

FishinMission · 09-07-2005, 04:41 AM

The Columbia is lower now than it was this time last year...there is less room to play for them in the channel.

Mark

PapaHog · 09-07-2005, 05:34 AM

This is the front of the ship that Amp posted a picture of at the beginning of this thread.

Smj · 09-07-2005, 05:54 AM

GOOD LORD!...Can't help but notice the boat in the center of the pic... A profesional/commercial fisherman who's entrusted with the lives and safety of paying customers, wow!

The rabid salmon/steelhead anglers in the Northwest never cease to amaze me.

Smj

PapaHog · 09-07-2005, 06:00 AM

There were three guides between us and the ship.

The one you are talking about had 8 people in the sled.

papa

Smj · 09-07-2005, 06:01 AM

YEE $$$$ HAW

ampersat · 09-07-2005, 06:13 AM

My guess is that he had more anchor rope out than your boat did and when you guys started to make your turn, it dragged your anchor into theirs.

That ship was pushing a wave that extended all the way up to where the ship starts going vertical when he passed us. He must have started slowing down when he saw all the boats anchored up ahead of him.

PapaHog · 09-07-2005, 06:17 AM

Quote:

YEE $$$$ HAW

Thousand dollar day.

nookslayer · 09-07-2005, 07:43 AM

Ampersat... I bet you are missing the serenity of the Eastsider right about now! I can't believe all the boats out there and the proximity to those ships! I agree with you, my short just aren't that deep.
See you on the rivers in the drifter boys....no freighters there

FastActionRodTip · 09-07-2005, 07:45 AM

Yeah, ol' AMPRESAT needs to change his name to PAMPERSPLAT

Cool Texan · 09-07-2005, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Yeah, ol' AMPRESAT needs to change his name to PAMPERSPLAT

I saw the same thing last year....but I'd swear the guy int he boat on anchor was asleep. Barge missed him by a couple yards at most.

5-Cents · 09-07-2005, 08:56 AM

Man-o-man there is way too much water out there to put up with that stuff

Chromaflage · 09-07-2005, 09:06 AM

There are days that I have a tough time deciding what's more entertaining - the antics in the hog lines or the cluster muffins at the boat ramps. Gotta love fall fishing - if nothing else, we get great photo ops and story material. Glad no one was hurt - this time.

CrF

Hooker · 09-07-2005, 10:30 AM

Here is the ship from Monday that came very close to a couple boats anchored in the middle of the channel. Too scary for my blood....

FastActionRodTip · 09-07-2005, 11:10 AM

When AMP and I saw that bad boy making a wide turn downriver on Monday we were all hands on deck for a quick getaway. We weren't in the channel, but too close for comfort. There are other factors such as wind and current that if one of those big boys make a slight calculation error it could take out a bunch of us. I'm thinking about making Depends a standard boat issue piece of equipment from now on when anchoring near the channel.

Cohoangler · 09-07-2005, 11:29 AM

That ealier pic shows at least 10 people standing in their boats while a large vessel is passing at close range. I can't see a single PFD on anyone. Including a child!!

Perhaps the pic makes the ship seem closer than it really is. But why are so many people STANDING with no PFD's?! Most accidents are predictable. This is one waiting to happen.

Life is too short to take such risks.

StinkyH · 09-07-2005, 12:41 PM

Last year there was a boat that passed the St Helens area and hit the horn five times - time for the ends of the hogline to move but none did... as the ship got closer two CG boats came out from behind it and visited two of the boats closest to the channel. Imagine next time they'll drop off and get outta the way.

StinkyH

PapaHog · 09-07-2005, 02:42 PM

I think they have to do more than drop off the hook. I think they have to pull the hook and get out of the way.

Lots of hoglines that day. Lots and lots and lots.

wannacatchem · 09-07-2005, 02:49 PM

I'll never fish the fall run on a three day weekend again. Lot, lots, lots of idjits out there.

Stratocaster · 09-07-2005, 06:46 PM

PapaHog that pic is Scary!. I have been on the big C my whole life and i cant believe that pic. Just a matter of time, huh?

fish_on · 09-07-2005, 07:02 PM

I love the hog line, I call it "the show" the whole experience is great. I like the social aspect of it, the entertainment factor, and the learning experience. I have seen shots like the above pictures every year, and it no longer surprises me. I could fish up or down from my area and be alone but what fun would that be? If you look at it like a big social experiment it is kind of cool.

Sablefish · 09-07-2005, 08:37 PM

I have't experienced the hoglines like you all are talking about but I have experienced big ships. The pilot probably had to scrape his underware more than once going down river with a nice fog bank and 2000 unpredictable sport fishermen impeding his line. There's not that much room in that river for a big guy like that to maneuver. Give the guys going down river a break and some room. They are loaded usually and have millions of dollars riding on thier ability to get to deep water. just my .02