Port Susan Pink Report

Well,it happened.Had the day off and wanted to yak fish for Humpies.Also wanted to test my new super nova dry suit.Decided to run down to Kayak Point and my wife wanted to go on her first yak fishing trip.Launched our yaks and she immediately points out there are fish jumpin' all over.I tell her just look for schools of surfacing fish and start casting. Not much but a sight to behold.I switch to a #2Buzz Bomb with a mini pink squid and whaamo.one lost 2 in the gunnysack.The wind is all the time picking up and we have 2-3'wind waves and are about 2 miles away from the
put in.I ask her to stay close to me and she hooks one and in my haste trying to bag my fish and get over to net her fish,I lose my knife over the side!!@@#$$%^&&**.She loses the fish but is stoked.Now mind you my new dry suit is great but she's wearing my Simms gortex chesties with the belt cinched tight.Safety minded,I suggest we work our way back fishing while we go.After a few minutes,I look for her and SHIT!!!!! her yak is upside down and she's holding on for dear life(she told me earlier that she's never capsized.It's not if,it's when).I paddle over like a man in heat
and start to tow her and her yak in.She cant get back in because of the wind a partially filled waders.We finally get to shore,empty the waders,wring the clothes,get back in our yaks for the trek back to the car.She's a trooper.I'll never let her or me wear waders in the yak again. Praise be to good quality pfd's.
 Here is the toll for one morning of fishing:1 lost rod and reel,1pair Tevas,1 hat,1 jig,
1 knife,2 pairs of paddle gloves(the dufus I am,when we got back to the takeout I thought i unloaded my yak and went back out to intentionally capsize my yak,see if I could get back in and really test the new dry suit,hence lost gloves)1 very nice digital camera and 1 binoculars.I think thats it but not quite sure.Great learning experience for both of us. Yak on.

On the up-side, your dues have now been paid in full (assuming that you're a creature capable of learning from your mistakes).  Time to start cashing in on all the good fish catching mojo you've earned.   

Oh yeah, glad to hear that the important stuff was still safe!  Knives and rods are easily replaced.  Significant others who are willing to go kayak fishing with you are priceless.

-Spot-

Glad no one was lost or hurt.  Wife definitely sounds like a trooper.  After all this, hopefully she isn't scared off the water.

Great thing neither of you chose to go out alone and good thing you both had your PFDs. 

Safety belts help with waders but if you choose to go that route, a properly fitted dry top worn over them further helps cut down on the water getting into them and weighing you down. 

Thanks for the report too.  If you're up for a weekend paddle, let me know.  I hear the coho are starting to make a showing too.

Glad it ended well.  It seems like you both handled it well. 

I switch to a #2Buzz Bomb with a mini pink squid and ...

Further explanation, please.  You used both a Buzz Bomb and a mini squid?  together?  How? 

Hey Demonick. Just used a #2 buzz bomb a red bead and then the pink minisquid with a #1 siwash hook with the barb pinched down. Also was the only yak out fishing at Mukilteo on Thursday trolling for Silvers. Found it super hard work to keep the yak
tracking straight.Was usin a 4-6 oz banana weight 11"hot spot flasher and a green hootchie.It took about 18 digs on the rt  to every 20 strokes to keep it going straight.
Boy,was my rt shoulder sore today.Quit the trolling after a few hrs and headed back in and took one cast with my steelhead rod with the pink setup and landed a nice sized pink.Any suggestions on trolling techniques would be welcome since a pedal yak
is out of the budget for now.

fly tyer.would love to hook up but am working all weekend.Lets do it in the future

Hey Demonick. Just used a #2 buzz bomb a red bead and then the pink minisquid with a #1 siwash hook with the barb pinched down. Also was the only yak out fishing at Mukilteo on Thursday trolling for Silvers. Found it super hard work to keep the yak
tracking straight.Was usin a 4-6 oz banana weight 11"hot spot flasher and a green hootchie.It took about 18 digs on the rt  to every 20 strokes to keep it going straight.
Boy,was my rt shoulder sore today.Quit the trolling after a few hrs and headed back in and took one cast with my steelhead rod with the pink setup and landed a nice sized pink.Any suggestions on trolling techniques would be welcome since a pedal yak
is out of the budget for now.

I was out at Richmond Beach the day before, and only lasted about an hour on the water.  More time paddling than fishing.  Lots of effort to get about 1.5 kts to the SSW.  More time anxious attention about boat orientation than attention to fishing.  Again, 2' chop.  No jumpers.  Some fish in the upper water column in about 200 FOW, but never got out further than that. 

Just rode the wind the 1/2 nm back to shore keeping the stern to the wind and made over 3 kts.

While the pinks are running I have given up on trolling from the kayak, and am casting only.  Maybe I'll get back to trolling when the pinks are done and the coho are running.  Was using 8 oz banana with small flasher/dodger and various spoons and hootchies.  No hookups.