Snoho this week

So here is my tale...

Matt and I meet in Snohomish before six and then drove a bit to the launch spot.  After investigating the launch, down a steep narrow path launching over the rocky shore, we geared up. 

We paddled down stream towards the spot I had fished over the weekend.  The tide looked about max high, as the water was high and the currents minimal.  As we approached the spot, I saw a boat, no..two, wait three!!  WOW!  Of these boats, one was up current of where I wanted to be, while the other two were right there.  Matt and I settled in downstream of the bottom boat and started to fish.  Right away, two other boats headed our way.  One of them saw the crowd and found a spot for themselves upstream.  The other boat proceeded to try to squeeze itself between the two boats that had the best spots.  This resulted in yelling and general tension, so Matt and I went downstream to another spot. 

The current was still minimal as we fished our way down to a nice hole.  There were lots of nice fish jumping and moving up river in the channel along the bank.  I settled into a nice spot were I was able to cast into the spot I saw was the best, while Matt went ashore on the opposite side of the river so he could fish the same spot.  Right after I settled in, my learning shifted from fishing to a bunch about kayak fishing on rivers.  The current started to build, and as it did so, the eddy currents increased.  I was on the spot I wanted to be when there was minimal current, on the edge of the strong flow, but when the flow picked up I kept getting caught in the eddies.  I would get pushed at really weird angles, a few times doing complete loops.  It was during the first of these that I hooked a fish.  The line was awkwardly behind me somehow as I spun, but I was able to land a nice pink.   

I tried adjusting my position to stay out of the eddies, but during the time I was messing with this, a boat anchored itself right where I wanted to fish.   I tried anchoring in the stronger current, to get out of the eddies (they kept growing in size as the current increased). I quickly found that my anchor would not hold in the depth and current I was working with.  I was using a 5# grappling hook, and it was just bouncing along the bottom.  After fishing I went directly to a marine store and bought some chain...I tried to keep things light, but I should have known that skimping on chain would catch up with me.

Matt left to go to work and I moved upstream and hooked my anchor on a tree branch, and fished above the boat that had arrived.  I hooked another pink there before seeing that the boats had move from the spot I had wanted to fish originally.  As I went to retrieve my anchor, I saw that the line had gotten wrapped around a branch.  I tried to untangle it, but it was about a foot below my reach.  The current was really pulling on me, especially when the anchor trolley was at my hip.  At one point I was side to the current and the line was really tight.  I tried to pull my anchor trolley fore or aft, but under the load it was experiencing, no go!  It was a pretty delicate position.  I didn't like it a bit  After considering my options, I let my anchor line loose, and paddled upstream to the branch.  I could see the anchor on the bottom, about two to three feet down, while the line streamed downstream.  I was able to easily untangle and retrieve everything while it wasn't under load.  That was a good lesson.

I went up stream and proceed to have more trouble anchoring.  I was finally able to anchor when I found the edge of a sand bar and drifted over deeper water.  I got a good bite while there but wasn't able to set the hook. 

I headed for the launch, finding after a bit that I was going to need to walk around one section of the river.  As I hauled out, I saw some fish gathered on the bank above the small rapids.  As I looked more, I saw that there were hundreds of humpies all over the large bank.  They had created large holes, I believe called redds, along the bottom, and there were 4-10 fish in each hole.  The humped backs of the males were weaving back and fourth as they vied for position, with fish periodically darting in and out of the fray.  I tried to get some pictures, but without a polarized lens or waterproof camera it was tough.  Seeing all those fish, spawning right there was the highlight of my day.  It was really cool! 

This trip was my first on a rapid flowing river, and I learned a lot.  As I mentioned I got some chain (5' of 1/4"...went big to increase weight as well) to improve the angle the line pulls the anchor across the bottom.  I realized that the anchor trolley system I had wasn't cutting it.  I got some nice turn blocks that I mounted on my new yak, matching it with some nicer quality and larger line (5/16").  I also got a nicer clip to run my anchor line through.  It seems much smoother and solid.  I don't think it will stretch as much, which was a factor in increasing the friction in the system, and the blocks make pulling it back and forth really smooth.  I am also considering the need for another anchor, so I can secure myself in eddy current situations like I was finding.  I'm thinking that I would reproduce the anchor trolley other side, so I can us either for either anchor.  It seems like that may be the ticket, since that system would give me control to position myself exactly how I want.   I would also be nice to stand up, so I have been considering outriggers.  The design shown here looks pretty good, any thoughts?  Does anybody know of a place that sells RAM equipment locally? 

No silvers unfortunately.  I didn't have the chrome/chart Dick Nites, instead using the 50/50 since that was what I had.  Pole², thank you for your idea to offer Dick a kayak fishing trip 

I look forward to refining my river fishing techniques.  Does anybody know anything about the Stilli or the Skagit? 

Cheers!

Opps..here's that link:  http://kayakfishingstuff.com/articles_view.asp?Kayak_Articles=31

Some of the guys at NCKA have been doing some neat things with river anchors ... http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,6672.0.html

Seems like the consensus is to use 10# pyramid river anchors.

-Allen

Great report Espiga! Quite a tale. Bummer about the boats hording your spot. You'd swear w/ miles and miles of river people can't find their own spot and be happy w/ it. Especially when there's plenty of space to spread out. Good work on the pinks.

BTW The work some members put out is insane! fishnshim's drift anchor system is awesome!

Z

So who's still down for tomorrow morning? Probably like a 99% chance of rain but I'm still down for it. Any takers?

Z

Yea man!

I'm planning on checking it out.  I want to be out there early since I know there will be lots of other boats out there.

Did you guys get out?

-Allen