Spring Chinook and sea lions

I have been out a few times now looking for springers in the Willamette river where  the Multnomah Channel begins (out of Fred's Marina). There has been a large sea lion on the prowl for salmon in this location for a few weeks now. A significant number of fishermen have lost their fish to this brute while trying to reel in a fish. According to a guy I spoke with at Fisherman's Marine, this sea lion has learned to watch for nets in the air or even guys standing in their boats to help him focus his attentions on where to go in pursuit of the next dinner.

This weekend a guy was pulled overboard as this same animal grabbed his net right at the gunnel of the boat while he was trying to pull the fish on board. This is getting a bit aggressive and is probably worth thinking about while we try to net fish from our Tupperware. As if catching and netting a fish from a kayak is not challenging enough, it got me thinking about the precariousness of netting a salmon from my yak with an 800 pound pinnipedia (with a head like a bear), willing to fight me for my fish only inches away from me. I guess it is important to get the fish on board quickly and then stored on the boat, rather than on a stringer at the side of the boat (my original plan if I ever catch a salmon!).  If you didn't see the article in the Oregonian, here is the story I referenced above:   

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/05/sea_lion_yanks_a_willamette_ri.html

Have any of you had any encounters with this overconfident salmon eating machine?

If a sea lion gets shot in the forest, and there is nobody around to hear it, does it make a sound?

If a sea lion gets shot in the forest, and there is nobody around to hear it, does it make a sound?

"glug ... glug ..."

With the way that sea lion pulled the net away from that fisherman this weekend I think I am going to rethink my current strategy of putting a "keeper" on the handle of my fishnet attached to my kayak.  Not too interested in an 800 pound animal trying to sound with my net and my boat.

With the way that sea lion pulled the net away from that fisherman this weekend I think I am going to rethink my current strategy of putting a "keeper" on the handle of my fishnet attached to my kayak.  Not too interested in an 800 pound animal trying to sound with my net and my boat.

You could probably put a chunk of pipe insulation or pool noodle on the handle so it floats if you drop it.  I decided to do that with a few things so I wouldn't have all kinds of lines to get tangled in if i dumped it.

I spend a lot of time around those monsters, I think the one I saw a week or so ago was a Walrus.  He never got to close, thank God.  I string my fish from my boat and usually pull my stringer in when I know one is nearby.  But they do spook you.  A couple summers ago I was fishing with my daughter when a Stellar surfaced 50 yards or so away, she freaked out and made me take her to shore, I teased her and said Sea Lions weren't hungry for fishermen. I went back out to catch a couple Pinks and wasn't too worried.  I decided to Google Sea Lion Attack's and what do you know guess she was right.  Still I don't let them scare me off.  But that one last week, I wouldn't challenge Him.

I got back out on the river yesterday. My buddy John and I took our Outback's to Fred's Marina and spent the better part of the day looking for Springers. I had one fish take my herring and run with it for about a minute then was gone for no apparent reason. John had better luck with a nice 17 pounder. See attached photo.  Daveo

beautiful fish!!!  Can't wait for June 1 when area 11 opens up here.