# 53515: Subject: Pacific,

Submitted by Capt. Smitty (ip 63.202.174.199)

• Fished on //

• Report received: 5/1/05

Water Temperature: .
Water Clarity: .
Seas: .
Weather: .
Fishing_for: Salmon
Boat: Riptide
captain: Capt. Smitty

Report:
Ahoy there one and all!

This is the best day so far of the season!!! The ocean today was oily slick calm. We left the dock with 12 passengers who were enjoying the anticipation of an early start and heading out of the harbor with the dawn's early light just starting to emerge over the costal mountains. A day full of promise and it sure did deliver!

We headed southwest from the harbor and one of my regular customers Terry came up to the wheelhouse and said that the new propeller was so smooth was this the same boat???? I had changed the old propeller on Wednsday from a three bladed prop. to a 4 bladed prop with a different configuration and pitch. The change is dramatic to say the least!!! Kind of like driving on snow tires and then switching to a set of regular tires.

After getting about 10- miles off shore and south of the fleet I found a spot of krill and birdlife that looked intriguing. So upon stopping and getting the gear in the water for everyone we started to work the bait. BANG, FISH ON!! then two hanging! Holy smoke we were catching some nice 10 to 12 pound salmon! With the fleet staying up above us and my thoughts were to head south to get away from the other boats I continued to work down the line, hooking fish here and there - some doubles and triples. Which is the way of things when you are "krill fishing." This is one of the most exciting times for salmon fishing with multiple hookups and fish acting crazy zipping from one side to the other, jumping, then turning to look at the other rods as all the passengers are watching the fish and hollering HEY YOU GOT ONE ON YOUR ROD TOO!!! Dancing and weaving the lines around each other trying to keep them from tangling. Most of the time we are able to keep them clear but then some fish are just not going to make it to the boat.

Fortunately, there are many that do make it to the boat and I can tell you that everyone who was out fishing with us today is either home eating a great salmon dinner or fast asleep from all the excitement! Till next time!