Ditto - the rod thump thing just doesn't happen in the same rythmic, smooth way in the ocean for me. But it doesn't matter. If the thing with a hook is spinning and you're at the right depth, you'll get bit.
MA 1 Ocean Chinook and Coho Reports
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I don't know about pro trolls but I fished mostly Shortbus in the salt so far. 22" bumper and 24" leader to a whole orange or red label or small chovie. I always run 16 oz in the salt. I was doing 5.4 mph SOG. The faster you go, the harder they hit......
Buddy managed this shot of a 7 or so pound coho on the leap.
That's the new chrome dipped Shortbus SS. Coho seem to like it.
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We run 10/12 is cannonballs on 360’s in the ocean. The flasher’s do there usual thump as long as I’m trolling fast enough.
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Just my opinion but you don't need elaborate flashers to mimic a wounded fish. Fishing in the ocean is all about feeding a fish getting ready to begin the run for the spawn. Thumpers and twirlers work but they aren't needed IMO. Attractors/flashers work because fish running/chasing after a bait is all about getting the bait.
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Yea, don’t over think this. Not nearly as complicated as some folks try to make it.
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Gonna be a poke your nose out early and look deal.
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Looks ugly
Another great day on the ocean for us yesterday. Crossed a fairly compliant bar about 8:30. Fished the CR for an hour and picked up a few fish, but it seemed slow. Followed radio chatter to Bouy 1, where we found pretty consistent action and fleshed out out a 5 man limit by finding and fishing obvious current rips. 9 coho and 1 nook. Came back in about 1:30 over an easy bar during the ebb. All fish caught between 15 and 30 on the line counter. We ran a mix of spinfish, green label, and Whackos from Further North Lures. By the end of the day we abandoned the spinfish and green label - the Whackos accounted for all our keepers today. We used a mix of triangles, skateboards, and no flashers with the Whacko -- all got bit.
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My son's chinook came at 30 on the line counter. Its initial run was so hard and strong and long I was convinced a seal or something had gotten it. Saw a number of really nice chinook at the Hammond cleaning station. I'm hoping that brings a lot of smiles like this for everybody when the main push of fish enters the river - a welcome change from the runts of last year. We treated ourselves to some luxury after a long day by having our fish cleaned at Sturgeon Paul's. His crew runs an efficient operation and turned our harvest into food in no time.
My son's chinook came at 30 on the line counter. Its initial run was so hard and strong and long I was convinced a seal or something had gotten it. Saw a number of really nice chinook at the Hammond cleaning station. I'm hoping that brings a lot of smiles like this for everybody when the main push of fish enters the river - a welcome change from the runts of last year. We treated ourselves to some luxury after a long day by having our fish cleaned at Sturgeon Paul's. His crew runs an efficient operation and turned our harvest into food in no time.
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Team Mustachio tested the inaccuracy of weather/wind/sea reports and fund ourselves fishing on a reasonable ocean. 5-6' swells were daunting but easy and not bunched up. It seemed to get better the further west we went. Might have been a good day for tuna! We had good success (4/6) fairly quickly just southwest of the CR then it just died. Finding any sign of fish was more of a chore then we've had for a long while. Ebbs, slicks and birds just went blank! Even the DS went devoid of arches. Boats around us weren't swinging nets either so we knew "something" was amiss. Reasoning the tide swap was the cause, we explored deeper depths and temperature differences. The "colder" water won. Our close out east of the CR came with three fish on in just a few minutes. We went 6/9 with fins and botched net jobs accounting for the 3 "lost". The fish are still small and upon cutting into bellies, found then empty. Apparently the fish are scouting for bait, and most likely, that's why they're not schooled up. Pstutheits post about going north was a considered option but we chose against "chasing" fish. Temperature gradients weren't where you'd think they'd be so perhaps the outgoing tide swirling temperature differences was why they were hitting out there. Nanoos helped us out finding a cooler temperature gradient and cooler water was the winner for us.
What STILL remains a puzzle is why the fish are devoid of bait/food/forage. It seemed obvious that bait is hunting for the cooler water and therefore the salmon we netted were looking too.
What STILL remains a puzzle is why the fish are devoid of bait/food/forage. It seemed obvious that bait is hunting for the cooler water and therefore the salmon we netted were looking too.
We found a few nice silvers, but most of ours seemed small for this time of year. Hope they fatten up quickly.
Must now have "Wacko". Found their site. Can you tell us what size Wacko you use? 3-4-5o hooks?
Thx.
Similar report for Sunday.
Picked up bait at Big Game at 7:00. Shoved off 7:30ish. Bar was fine but Ocean was a little lumpy on way to CR. Got better as we approached. Fishing CR in morning was slow for us. One Nate and one hatchery in what seemed like a very long time. Did not see many nets going and only about 20-30 boats.
Picked up and ran north. Long lumpy ride but saw the fleet there so thought something might be happening. Nada.
Decided to go down to Green 1. Must have been 1:30 by then.
Half way between Green 1 and Sparkplug there was a good bite. Lady Dee had nets flying the whole time we were there. They left about 2is.
All the boats we saw were hooking up.
Thing is though once we passed the sparkplug nothing happened for us.
Thought we would just turn around and troll north through the fish but Nada.
Had to keep running up towards Green 1 and then head back south.
Got bit on every pass trolling south.
Was tempted to put banana sinkers on and just keep trolling in circles like the charters.
Cant seem to troll in a circle without getting lines twisted. No matter how slow we go.
Had five fish in the box by 3ish. One small nook and 4 ho.
Ocean was a little sporty by then and decided to make one final pass.
After we passed the sparkplug we pulled in gear and one of the rods had a violent strike but did not stick.
Coho were probably following us the whole time and decided to eat when we started taking their bait away from them. Happens a lot.
Going back was a little sporty but bar was fine at 3:30.
Chovies from BGF and helmets.
Did get a protroll to work with a spin fish. Hooked at least 1 on that.
But hot rod was chovie helmet with "Bog Al green and silver triangle.12oz. 25-40 on counter. 180fow.
Picked up bait at Big Game at 7:00. Shoved off 7:30ish. Bar was fine but Ocean was a little lumpy on way to CR. Got better as we approached. Fishing CR in morning was slow for us. One Nate and one hatchery in what seemed like a very long time. Did not see many nets going and only about 20-30 boats.
Picked up and ran north. Long lumpy ride but saw the fleet there so thought something might be happening. Nada.
Decided to go down to Green 1. Must have been 1:30 by then.
Half way between Green 1 and Sparkplug there was a good bite. Lady Dee had nets flying the whole time we were there. They left about 2is.
All the boats we saw were hooking up.
Thing is though once we passed the sparkplug nothing happened for us.
Thought we would just turn around and troll north through the fish but Nada.
Had to keep running up towards Green 1 and then head back south.
Got bit on every pass trolling south.
Was tempted to put banana sinkers on and just keep trolling in circles like the charters.
Cant seem to troll in a circle without getting lines twisted. No matter how slow we go.
Had five fish in the box by 3ish. One small nook and 4 ho.
Ocean was a little sporty by then and decided to make one final pass.
After we passed the sparkplug we pulled in gear and one of the rods had a violent strike but did not stick.
Coho were probably following us the whole time and decided to eat when we started taking their bait away from them. Happens a lot.
Going back was a little sporty but bar was fine at 3:30.
Chovies from BGF and helmets.
Did get a protroll to work with a spin fish. Hooked at least 1 on that.
But hot rod was chovie helmet with "Bog Al green and silver triangle.12oz. 25-40 on counter. 180fow.
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"Sparkplug"? That's a new one on me, where's/what's that?
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The "Spark plug" is the CR buoy. The candle stick is the north head light house.
Size 4-5 for salmon. 2/0-3/0 hooks. Use a good bead chain swivel.
Thx boss. I'm in touch with the Wacko maker. Nice guy.
I did not see the watermelon one on their site.
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