Richmond Beach Report - 2010-08-16

BAIT!  That sums it up completely.

The 3 week post-cataract surgery prohibition on water sports have crimped my fishing since the end of June.  I had one week between eyes, but was still troubleshooting the boat but did get out and pulled in some crab.

Yesterday was the end of the second prohibition, the start of a two-week vacation, and I hit the water just before 6am (dawn) loaded up for salmon, hopefully chinook, but coho would do.

Dropped the lure (Brad's Super Cut Plug - mooching rigged) in the water when I was in about 50' of water and started trolling out to join the parade of power boats.  30 seconds later got a hit, felt small, and it was - flounder.  Back to the deep, but it seemed a favorable portend of the coming day.

It was not to be.  

Glassy water, bluebird sky, and bait everywhere - and I mean everywhere.  Two miles long and 1/2 mile wide stretch of boiling water.  From Wells Point to past Boeing Creek.  At times the bait was so thick the fishfinder locked onto it instead of the bottom.  Gulls, seals, sealions, dolphins all out gorging themselves at the banquet and nary a salmon to be seen.  One PB out of about 20 I talked to had a single fish.  Still 5 hours and 10nm of peddling was a treat.  The transponder worked well in its new minimal grease mount.  Still attenuated starting at 450' and vanishing at about 750'.  I think the attenuation is simply caused by shooting through the plastic of the Revo rather than directly into water as on the T13.  I turned up the sensitivity on the FF and got good bottom return at 750'.  The problems with the rudder have been resolved.  The tire tube under the live well is supporting the hull.  Lost one Brad's lure, a cannonball sinker, and a mighty fine Sampo swivel in the trench off Boeing Creek.

Late in the morning I could see small groups of fish coming in at 100' in 150' of water.  My gear must have been bumping them in the nose.  

As I was loading out saw another kayaker paddling south.  Anyone we know?

It was glorious.  The mirage drive rocks.  Today, house projects, physical recovery, then back on the water tomorrow.

Photo of the boiling water.
Photo of FF locked on bait as bottom.  I was in almost 200 FOW.
Photo of fish at 100' in 150 FOW.

Better luck next time.

I had that happen to me on Saturday, the FF saw the bottom as being 12 foot when I know it was 200-300, there was a TON of bait out there.