tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-152792102024-03-13T02:02:54.013-08:00Rudy's Alaska Fishing Blogs
Kayak is the vessel of choice though I will fish anytime, anywhere for anything!
Logs of every time I go out and fish in the Great state of Alaska!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18388151105015102156noreply@blogger.comBlogger143125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15279210.post-3242046378733656522016-09-19T22:03:00.003-08:002016-09-19T22:04:05.842-08:00No thanks to Picasa moving to google photos, there aren't any more Jpg extensions. So trying to add to blogs and see if they work...<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18388151105015102156noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15279210.post-5972711071803291622016-08-27T21:14:00.004-08:002016-08-27T21:14:46.998-08:00Summer 2016 updateThis summer, though I think most Alaskans would say we have had a great summer, the weather from a kayaking perspective has been brutal. Constant Southwest winds meant big surf in Lower Cook Inlet and Homer.<br />
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I need to do a better job of keeping up with the blogs, but I do post a lot of my adventures online. <br />
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So here are a few videos and short commentary on the few days I did get out this summer<br />
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<b><u>May 15th.</u></b><br />
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So in my previous post I mentioned Ryu caught a nice 40 pound halibut. He is becoming quite the fisherman!<br />
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<b><u>May 27th</u></b><br />
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A family outing! Anyone can do this!! My 14 year old daughter joins us and we manage a nice limit of chickens. Nothing huge, but when you can keep 6, these were perfect eating size!!!<br />
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<b><u>July 16th</u></b></div>
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Ryu out of 2 dozen anglers wins the 2nd annual BArbaie Rod classic with a 45 pounder! Great job Ryu!!!</div>
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<b><u>July 18th</u></b><br />
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What? No kayak? Ok, we went shore fishing for reds. Action wasn't fast, but we did manage a few nice reds!!!<br />
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<b><u>Aug 6th</u></b><br />
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We try Homer due to bad weather and though its earlier than normal, Ryu and I manage some nice feeder kings!<br />
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<b><u>Aug 8th</u></b><br />
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The biggest halibut of the year for us. a 73 pounder off Anchor Point<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18388151105015102156noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15279210.post-5174304371556098842016-05-15T17:33:00.001-08:002016-05-15T17:33:06.050-08:00May 14 Anchor Point Calcutta King Derby recap plus crazy HalibutFished Saturday with my son Ryu in the Anchor Point Calcutta King Derby. I had to bid $225 for Ryu's kayak when mine only went for $150, LOL. Kayakers did great though with SwansonSilver from the NWKA boards placing 3rd overall! <br />
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For Ryu and I, we only managed one King Salmon of maybe 10 pounds that I released, But the fishing was ON! The bad news...they were mainly 5 to 10 pound halibut.<br />
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After the derby was done at 4pm, Ryu wants to fish halibut so off we go. We land a LOAD of fish. But they were small. We keep the three largest fish and they went roughly 20, 25, and 40 pounds. <br />
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Maybe the most interesting part of the weekend was the super sunny days, clear waters, and aggressive halibut made for some interesting episodes of halibut chasing our baits on top. <br />
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So here's one of those episodes. Halibut follows my bait up. Looks at my sinker and swivels. Then runs off to check out the commotion Ryu's small halibut is causing and hits Ryu's swivel. Then it comes back to grab my bait and I hook it. Crazy!!!! I bet we saw a dozen halibut come to the top. Can you imagine if a 100 pounder followed it up!!! <br />
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So here's my first video of the weekend....The crazy topwater halibut. <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18388151105015102156noreply@blogger.com48tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15279210.post-8481284345762914032016-05-15T16:56:00.004-08:002016-05-15T16:56:55.731-08:00May 6-8 Lower Cook Inlet King Salmon and HalibutSo the full report...sort of. Bits and pieces of it at any rate.<br />
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Short version: So a 3 day weekend. Total was 2 kings and 6 chickens. Not bad. <br />
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Long version:<br />
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First day was a tad sporty. Ended up with a small king and a couple of chickens that averaged maybe 15 to 20 pounds. After limiting on halibut, I begin trolling for kings. In 30 minutes I had a couple of take downs and landed a small 10 pounder. <br />
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I did deploy the down rigger camera. Some might find it boring but I watched it a few times. Definitely have some take aways from the clips. Too bad all the fish are 5 to 10 pounders. Be fun to see a 50 pound fish come crashing in. Can't use a down rigger, the halibut will just follow along forever. Maybe a bigger one will just grab and go. I think spoons might be as effective as the bait. One clip I didn't add because I found it later was when I clipped the down rigger release to the 200 pound mono. No swivel so the bait wouldn't roll. There was a small halibut that came up to it and then just left. I think because the herring didn't have action. Larger fish trolling seems reasonable given the clip with two fish. Stopping once after the strike, letting the fish reposition the bait, then setting the hook seems prudent. <br />
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Down rigger takes up too much space, but I will try it again maybe when I have my son with me for more storage. <br />
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Day 2, Started fishing halibut. Headed South. Super Slow at first. Water super dirty. As the tide begins o come back in, the water clarity improved and it was non-stop action. I bet I landed 20 halibut. All 10 pound-ish or less. Kept one 10 pounder and started to head in. Strong winds and huge tides started to carry me back too fast. I changed my halibut gear for salmon gear so I could troll faster back in. Right at the launch as I was about to pick up gear, a 20 pound halibut strikes my salmon gear and I get carried a quarter mile past the launch and the current is ripping. Beached there and thankfully I bought a 4wd truck so drove down and got my kayak. <br />
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Day 3. Decided with the derby coming up, I better try kings. 6oz of weight, a flasher and green label herring. First 5 minutes I go to talk to James on a kayak. I hook a 5 pound halibut. 10 minutes later, I am hooked up to a 15 pound-ish king. I was going to release it and fish some more, but decided I would go catch two halibut and quit early. Managed to bring the fish in without a net...though I had one. Couple hundred yards past the markers and 1.3 miles out, I manage two chickens right as the tide is turning and start heading in just as the current was turing north. Launched at 9:30am. Out of the water by 1pm. Not bad. <br />
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So first the underwater video. I'll edit out my gopro video though rain and moisture in my housing made for less than stellar footage. <br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18388151105015102156noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15279210.post-67906883789633626352016-04-17T23:49:00.002-08:002016-04-18T00:21:54.125-08:00Lower Cook Inlet Halibut. April 16, 2016<div style="color: #454545; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
Halibut fishing in April…hard to believe. But in reality, I know of folks off of kayaks who caught halibut in January this year though they had to release them.</div>
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Still it’s not something I would have thought to be productive despite fishing these waters since I was a kid. I have seen the occasional halibut catches during the winter king season posted and this year those numbers have increased for sure. Warmer water? Something else going on like with the common murre die offs? I don’t know. </div>
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It’s still hit and miss, but if you wanted to keep a limit of 10 pounders, it wouldn’t be much of a problem. But we are also catching fish from 30 to 60 pounds enough to make it interesting.</div>
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On Saturday, I head out with my son around 3:30pm a few hours before low tide. Fishing was relatively slow. My first two fish came in the span of less than 20 minutes. I guess the fish went 25 and 45 ish…In fact I was dealing with the first fish when the second fish strikes.</div>
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My son manages a small chicken at the end, and I release several more ping pong paddles.</div>
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Sunday, my son releases two oversized ping pong paddles…maybe tennis racket head size. I manage something on the order of a dozen sculpins. So its still slow, but enough fish to make it interesting with a decent chance at a 30 plus pound fish.</div>
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I struggled with my fishing and near disastrous mistakes were made. It’s amazing what was so easy last season was so difficult after a half year layoff from halibut fishing. </div>
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I heard of at least two kings caught by the kayak crew. We tried for about 3 hours on Sunday and my son had one really good takedown where the fish didn’t stick. </div>
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One oddity to note was that both large halibut had what looked like a pollock. Other kayakers reported running into schools of pollock. Odd to see a halibut without crab in it. Other anglers reported seeing sand lances but no more hooligan and no herring.</div>
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It only gets better from here!!!! </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18388151105015102156noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15279210.post-19200370404599323012016-03-20T20:29:00.002-08:002016-03-20T21:46:02.006-08:002016 Homer Winter King Derby! Out fished by Ryu again!!!!Ryu and I enter the Homer Winter King Derby along ten or so other kayak anglers. We had a great time!!!<br />
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Ryu is the first Kayaker to hook up and he did great! Despite dad yelling instruction (which he couldn't follow himself later to lose a big fish...video coming), Ryu keeps his composure and successfully lands the fish with me netting the fish. <br />
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At first Ryu thought he was reeling in a pollock as the king steadily swam towards him. Once at the kayak, Ryu realizes that its no pollock...not even a small king...but a possible contender! He was worried about the fish coming off because he felt he had not set the hook at all, but that point was moot after the fish takes a screaming run after it sees the kayak. I had to hustle to get over there because I thought it was something smaller as well. <br />
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Its hard to fully understand without being a parent but I'd like to think just about every parent would do just about anything to make their kids happy. I think Ryu is generally a happy kid. <br />
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How fun is it to see them smile and get a big thank you for a long awaited Birthday gift or Christmas present? That kind of happiness is something to cherish. But how often do you get to make a kid so happy that he loses a little composure like he does in the video below. Ok, sorry buddy that I have to embarrass you a little bit, but this has to be the best video out of 200 I have ever shot!!!!<br />
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Ok, we didn't win any of the official prizes though he was only a pound off of winning the youth division (youth winner was off a powerboat of course) and maybe 18oz from making a top 20 finish!!! But without a doubt, I think I was the biggest winner of the day along with Ryu.<br />
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This experience is going to be tough to beat. Video is a tad longer than normal, but his reaction after landing the fish is priceless. Its something I know I will remember forever. I hope he does too.<br />
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I am proud of ya buddy! <br />
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Here's the video:<br />
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A few pictures</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18388151105015102156noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15279210.post-65959794315292208052016-02-27T13:15:00.000-09:002016-02-27T14:49:05.880-09:00My 2016 Plans for the Homer Winter King Derby<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My 2016 Homer winter king derby planning and strategies</span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-57a30a3a-24c6-78e8-6067-fae635c2f505" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">First off, I want to make sure everyone understands that I am no veteran of this derby. I have fished it for three years getting totally skunked the first two years. Last year I caught one fish the day before the derby and got lucky and landed another the day of the derby. I did catch a king February of 2016 but the ocean conditions are different. So take it for what it’s worth, but just as much for my benefit as anyone, I am going to layout how I am going to approach this derby. If you choose to follow any of advice, just remember its being given by a guy who has fished three of these derbies and has only entered one fish. Haha. Buyer beware! Good thing it's free...except for your time! </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Before we begin, I highly recommend checking out the rules of the derby at: </span><a href="http://www.homeralaska.org/visit-homer/events-homer/winter-king-salmon-tournament/2012-tournament-rules" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Homer winter king derby rules</span></a></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So, first, let’s look at the basic conditions that we will be facing outside of weather. The tides are not favorable in my opinion. Lines in at 9am and out at 4pm means I don’t get the fish the last half of the outgoing tide which has generally been more consistent for me. A significant portion of the derby will be fished during slow/slack high tide which means the fish will be more spread out. I may have an hour or two at the 9am start time to fish some of my low water spots. But location is going to be much more of a crapshoot this year I think.</span><img alt="Screen Shot 2016-02-27 at 10.21.21 AM.png" height="437" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/UtwNhhO6nEfmfWK9tYIl9pqFrhO-9FPfP-70T0UhDjOFttAI1Ss5ng_nEDhImLkEdnG_F6MOapCB7G6uOAZS_w-seDFSlnT7XijHZR7eKLOfFB_CaPIpuKj00hINCYxE6-mFXqyF" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="510" /></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now the general lay of the land….</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="Screen Shot 2016-02-27 at 10.31.36 AM.png" height="457" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/gbmiZdYTiaDnHBh64wqglwl6eJFK8tUK8b2sKn-enzNLPGMhtsWpMqtoNFTTegcjnm2UsSZGYgfo3zD6VNI76ajHr3ud9njXPkufbJnaQ9hblgD9VJP64UrPkKA3tPqmfGQUXWm6" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624" /></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So the above shot covers 99% of the areas I fish. Depth are in feet. I would venture to guess that 75% or more of my fish come in this section between the two mileage pins on th map below. But once again this is at low tide. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="Screen Shot 2016-02-27 at 10.34.56 AM.png" height="417" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/gM3yGWtCtBZmTOmx91Db8LOKKtJYJ4353vlsZ_T4WaAttXTJvqfcSE2I0EpgfMkH49zatstlMZ8yFnoeT3uQj--hg44abgaK_bXOi2BkzKECsUxXgrgOT2Ev1q1IgRL90kKivl0E" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624" /></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My “highwater” fishing tends to be more spread out. I will fish along the contour lines all the way out to the Green can as well as head up the spit if I think the fish are shallower. Basically everywhere. I realize that’s not helpful but it just seems to be the case.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If the pollock are not around (and they seem to be around right now) you can fish off the very tip of the spit. Typically there are too many pollock in the area to fish. But if you can avoid the pollock, like any “point” it can concentrate fish.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So even in the areas I have covered the water is from 1 ft to 150ft or more deep. So where do I plan to fish? I don't know. I will let my sonar tell me. BUT here’s the way I plan to approach things. So a few tidbits of intel to consider:</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last year I caught both king using a 10oz sinker ahead of a flasher. That means I caught the fish less than 20ft down if my recollection serves me correct, it was in about 60ft of water.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Many powerboaters I have spoken to fish right off the bottom during the winter months. That’s one of the reasons why if you follow some of the Alaska boards, you will notice a lot of the trollers are also hooking up to halibut. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My February king came while downrigging in 100ft of water at 85 ft down. But I marked fish at 40ft and cranked my gear up and immediately got the strike. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Well, that intel seems like they could be anywhere. Well once again, that’s the truth of it. But here is my plan….after re-reading it, it doesn’t seem very useful but….</span></div>
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<br />
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At lines in, it will be well past sunrise. That’s too bad. I have found that while it is still a little dark, the fish tend to be higher in the water column. I still plan to start my son off with my sinker and flasher combo working shallow at first...20 to 40 ft of water along the condos. I don’t have time to teach downrigger use to my son. I am going to outfit him with a 10oz sinker and the heaviest (double weight) deep six diver in lieu of a downrigger. I think he can get it down to 50ft or more if lets out 100 ft maybe a bit more of line. Unlike normal fishing where we pass time fishing side by side, he is capable enough to fish alone so until we find fish, he will be covering the shallower areas, and I will start scouting the deeper areas.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I plan to start with my downrigger and start heading deeper always monitoring my sonar and changing depths accordingly. Conventional wisdom says to fish right off the bottom. I tend to fish 10 to 15 ft off the bottom as I believe the an actively feeding fish will have no issues chasing down bait 15 ft above them. The only exception to this concept I think is when the kigns are known to be feeding on polychaetes worms. Then they are probably looking “down” but I have to trust the flasher will get their attention. Also the kings loaded up with these worms tend to come more from the Seldovia side. I haven’t caught any kings off the spit with those worms in them but I have heard of stories where trollers drag up kings with “sore noses” where they have been rooting around the bottom for feed. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As it gets closer to high tide, if I still haven’t caught anything, I plan to spend at least sometime fishing crazy shallow. Under 20ft of water down to 10ft or so. I think the incoming tide can push them up against the shoreline a little bit. Not as much as during a fast outgoing current. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As a general rule, the less light available, I fish shallower. The colder it is, the deeper I fish.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another primary consideration on where to fish is the clarity of the water. Obviously you don’t want to be in brown murky waters, but there are always subtle difference in water clarity depending on things like surf action, water current and even algae blooms. As a rule of thumb, the clearer the water the better the fishing has been for me. But often time the dirty scummy water you see does not extend more than a few feet deep. It's worth trying for sure, but given a choice, I like to fish the clearest water. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Speaking of water clarity, when novices just look over the water, it’s hard not to wonder where to start. It’s a big ocean out there. As I troll along, I ALWAYS head towards anything that looks different. Of course bird are an obvious sign. Better that they are feeding actively, but I have been amazed that as I troll over an area with just resting birds, there are often bait fish deeper down. It’s like the birds know they are there and are just waiting for them to come shallower. But I am always looking for any subtle differences. Is there a patch of flat calm water amongst the chop? Is there a line of debris floating in a line along the surface? Trolling along the edges of two distinct colored water is also a good bet. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>Tackle</u></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bait vs lure: </span></div>
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<a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/1cXOi-OzUE6B9_Y9vyVReWRh7nSJt1sumfB5gycEW4evxENLLfNVu8IVdzp8VXHvJb3jDFKu1smJjBXpZO-K80SGaq6qU_1PBIpSlufLCO1PuuCfQJp2XmtewjBp3lV5Ppel9mQ7" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="20150927_151247.jpg" border="0" height="210" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/1cXOi-OzUE6B9_Y9vyVReWRh7nSJt1sumfB5gycEW4evxENLLfNVu8IVdzp8VXHvJb3jDFKu1smJjBXpZO-K80SGaq6qU_1PBIpSlufLCO1PuuCfQJp2XmtewjBp3lV5Ppel9mQ7" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="372" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My winning fish last year came on the Silver Horde Coho Killer spoon. I will be carrying a few of those. I will say that I have not seen sandlance or heard of them. My king had two pollock and in late November the fish were 2 to 4 inch herring. So I will also be carrying a couple of slightly larger profile spoons. Every year I gain a lot more confidence using artificials. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But I have to say, I have been a life-long bait guy. It’s going to be hard not to run herring at first. I’m going to use red label. If I can find some quality anchovies, I may even use them. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What’s probably going to happen is I run spoons when I am fishing deep on the downrigger and bait when fishing shallower with a sinker or diver. Checking bait after every little tap from a 100ft down on a downrigger is no fun. Ok, I am lazy. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have successfully run flies and hoochies. Make sure you sue a swinging flasher and keep the leader length short and the leader extra thick, 50 to 100 lbs test as it helps to transfer the action of the flasher to the lure. I just think spoons are a tad more productive.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I will let my son decide himself what he wants to use, I bet he uses bait. I think that’s actually a better choice for him even if strikes were proven to be 50/50. The two hook trolling rig I use seems to hook fish MUCH better than a single hook spoon. I like the Silver Horde Coho Killer because they are super light. The heavier the spoon you run, the more leverage a fish has to throw it when you are fighting it. The two hook gamakatsu rig is the lightest setup and often times both hooks are in the fish making it better for those a little less experienced in fighting fish. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>Flashers:</u></span></div>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/2ckpfke5EAHpTIJGFr0irwDuiaxGxV_bPq4_juqMu_s1SVxAFKuYW5FvNs6pqgN-FsBsZN7__PZ5WqFFCkKiOs18N5-KoaAk4cUtihTjtqIEykVFDSBARM_9RytDFmD5r3uRQFub" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="image026.jpg" border="0" height="263" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/2ckpfke5EAHpTIJGFr0irwDuiaxGxV_bPq4_juqMu_s1SVxAFKuYW5FvNs6pqgN-FsBsZN7__PZ5WqFFCkKiOs18N5-KoaAk4cUtihTjtqIEykVFDSBARM_9RytDFmD5r3uRQFub" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="350" /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Personally I think the large flashers that swing side to side are more effective than the triangular flashers that spin on an axis. For flies and hoochies, you have really no choice. You have to use the flasher that swing side to side to give the hoochie or fly action. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Despite saying the large swinging flashers are more effective, the past few years, about 90% my fishing has been with the triangular flashers. Two reasons that when kayaks are factored in, the in-line flashers are the way to go. </span></div>
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<a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/N5y7id3PKcFvl6PzCXL2CEF3FpweOw-W2cZwpn2lF7B6qyrQi8-QSpe5feyk3p8SmAM9nyX1ZnUAxzxc8B1h91sPnJdbCixC00rAbQXni-7IkuQ6OBVR0QU9ft69WCpn8rou-BjU" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="IMG_2222-2.JPG" border="0" height="252" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/N5y7id3PKcFvl6PzCXL2CEF3FpweOw-W2cZwpn2lF7B6qyrQi8-QSpe5feyk3p8SmAM9nyX1ZnUAxzxc8B1h91sPnJdbCixC00rAbQXni-7IkuQ6OBVR0QU9ft69WCpn8rou-BjU" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="335" /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">First is they seem to have less drag. But it's important to keep in mind that added drag means the flasher is moving more water. There are many that believe that the fish can detect this change in water pressure and it is a primary attractor of the fish. It’s the primary reason I think these large swinging flashers are more effective off of a boat. On a boat you can run heavy weights, troll faster to get the diver down, or are using a downriggger with big weights. Drag becomes less of an issue. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Meaning for the same weight or diver, you can get down deeper. But maybe more importantly, Unlike the swinging flashers that require your sinker to be at least 1 ft or so away, you can attache the sinker directly to the flasher. This means you can increase the distance between the flasher and lure since one of the number one rules for kayak fishing is that your total leader length (i.e. when your gear can’t be reeled in any further) MUST be shorter than your rod length. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>Line:</u></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I use 50 to 65 lbs powerpro braid as my main line. I use 40 to 60 pound fluorocarbon for leader material. Yah it’s heavy, but I have had at least a half dozen times my leader has come back completely sheared off. I have no idea by what. More importantly, I have had more than too many times where the leader has caught on the rudder or drive briefly. I know guides that run 100lbs. I can’t help but feel I would catch more using 12 to 20 pound leaders but...nah…not during a derby where the big fish will ALWAYS expose your weakest link. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>Rod & Reel:</u></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For a reel, I like the lever action reels. It just allows for more control while fighting a fish. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My rod selection goes against I think conventional wisdom. I have two rods. One is a more conventional salmon rod I think 8ft Seeker with a parabolic softer action rated at 20lbs. Love the rod, but I am going to use my other seeker rod, which also happens to be more goto Big Halibut rod. It’s a 6ft Seeker Hercules rated for 40 to 80 pounds. So the rating is much more like a halibut rod. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So let’s think about why the 8ft softer rod is considered a more conventional rod for salmon trolling and also for downrigging vs a stiff 6ft halibut rod. First I think the the whole big bend in a long soft rod for downrigging is better because it snaps up and takes up more of the slack line is a MYTH. When I run the math, unless you are fishing 10ft down and the gear is less than 10ft behind the ball, that extra line pick up is just a very minor advantage that can be overcome easily. Let’s say you have a ten foot rod, just for easy math bent in half. when the rod snaps back up, it picks up 5 ft of line. Even with braid, if you are fishing more than 50ft deep and have your gear say 20 to 30 ft behind the ball, that 5 ft of pickup is irrelevant. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another reason for a longer softer rod is that it protects the line and hook pulling out when a fish suddenly surges. Well I am using 50pound test gear so I don’t need the line protection. My drag is set at a super light 5 to 8 pounds and my kayak easily gives so I lower considerably the odds of a hook pulling out versus say a angler fishing 15 pounds of drag on a several thousand pound boat that also typical continues to troll hoping for multiple hook ups. We kayakers don't need to do that. I think that really increases our hook up to landed ratio over a power boat.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The advantages of a shorter stiffer stick (oddly my halibut rod would be considered a softer parabolic action I think if we were using big halibut gear) shines when the fish is coming to the net. It is a HUGE increase in fish control as you try and guide a fish into the net. I can show you multiple videos of the difficulties in landing fish with long soft rod whether it is for halibut or salmon. I would add the caveat that I try and land fish as quickly as humanly possible. I do NOT subscribe to the make sure they are worn out before you net them school of thought. The simple truth is the longer they are on the line, the greater chance of them coming off given you don’t just horse them in. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another advntage is when I set the hook, I set the hook by pedaling as fast as I can until the rod is fully loaded up. Once the line tightens up, I think the stouter rod transfers the motion of the kayak more powerfully making for a better hook set. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If I can get the fish close to the kayak quickly, the instant my gear touches the tip of my rod, I am immediately thinking about netting it. I will say that I try and take a very good look to see how well it is hooked. If it is lightly hooked, I of course back way off the pressure and it takes longer. But if I see the hook is firmly in the corner of the mouth or I have two hooks in the fish, I will just clamped down and guide the fish into the net. With a stiff rod and thick line, the fish is much less likely to be able to take off and miss the net. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rod Holder:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am convinced you MUST use either the folbe or the scotty orca holders. I have seen too many fish lost as a good fish pins the rod to the rod holder and because we are often sitting and off to one side, rod removal is difficult.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A few more random thoughts. </span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When using a downrigger and you want to check bait or whatever, first pop the line off the downrigger clip. But then put the rod back in the rod holder and reel up the downrigger ball first. I’ve had an abnormal amount of strikes on the free floating gear while I have been dealing with the downrigger ball. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When you catch a fish, obviously secure the fish, but IMMEDIATELY get your line back in the water. Even if it’s just drifting around. Once the bait is in the water, you can more properly deal with the fish. I have had a few strikes due to the few extra minutes of “bait in the water” time...which coincidentally is the ONLY time you will ever get a strike. LOL.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Obviously you must show common courtesy in terms of fishing proximity of others. BUT without a doubt the best fish finders on the planet are your eyes...or more accurately seeing other boats hooked up to fish. If you see a fish hooked up, you’d be foolish to not immediately head that way. Often times on a power boat where we deploy 4 lines or more, a bad day turns into a great day when multiple rods go off. These fish do seem to school around and stick to an area for a while. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Most of us are pretty good anglers. But one of the things I notice but don’t often comment on because I think everyone has their own style but in my opinion the second biggest error I see when landing fish after too long of a leader is that people have their drag set way too tight. yah I realize that I am using 50 pound main line and 50 pound leader, but I always set my drag to not much more than 5 pounds or so. Part of it is because I use braid. Instead of the line being the shock absorber. I let the kayak and the drag take that place. 5 pounds of drag will still allow the kayak to be pulled around. Right as I net and or when I need to turn the fish, I just thumb down. This also allows me to use the shorter stiffer rods I prefer. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As a general rule, especially when i mark good fish while using a sinker, I will slow the troll down if the fish are below where I think the lure is running. Then as I thhink my lure is getting to where the marked fish are I speed up. Two reasons, if its pollock, it discourages a strike. If its kings, I think they strike more aggressively. But I continue trolling until I am confident my gear has passed where I marked the fish. Then I make a hard turn in a direction which lowers the speed and gives a different look and as I complete the turn, I am also passing over the same general area of the good marks. I get a lot of strikes as I am turning hard and the gears changes speed. Often as it slows, then suddenly picks up speed as the line straightens out. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Do NOT be afraid to try something new. Last year, I had a guide friend tell me the fish were in 8 ft of water. Of course I was totally skeptical. Moved into 8ft of water and 4 fish on in 30 minutes between my son and I. Another example is if a lot of boats are in the area, I might fish a bit without a flasher. Hoping something a little more subtle might get a strike. I’ve caught enough kings without flashers using a barbie rod to know it at least has a chance. During lunch breaks and rests, I plan to just drift around with a herring. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Finally, perseverance pays. The difference in this derby is one fish. Zero fish sucks. One fish is awesome. The area is proven to hold fish, It may not be hot fishing, but I GUARANTEE there is at least one respectable fish in that area. As long as the bait is in the water, you have a chance, Keep in mind, even off of powerboats, only one in 5 or 6 anglers land a fish. </span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18388151105015102156noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15279210.post-24686402852172320652016-01-04T21:38:00.002-09:002016-01-04T21:38:40.694-09:00My 2015 Kayak fishing highlights!A little anti climatic after posting my sons, but I had a pretty good year too! Here's my 2015 highlights!<br />
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/PQQ_MszBQ2Y/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PQQ_MszBQ2Y?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18388151105015102156noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15279210.post-6274489278337886742015-12-22T12:13:00.005-09:002015-12-22T12:13:47.017-09:00My Son's 2015 HighlightsI need to update these blogs some more but here's a quick easy way. I did compile my ten year old son's highlight reel where the last video were taken in November...Man I am lazy....<br /><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18388151105015102156noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15279210.post-51692678042256649272015-10-21T11:04:00.004-08:002015-10-21T11:04:42.569-08:00Ship Creek Kings July 5<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">So I came back early to avoid the madhouse drive. Also I had to get back to watch the Women's World Cup Soccer. USA vs Japan! Go...uh...GO...uh..Soccer? I usually like to root for the underdogs. In this case it USA is ranked higher but Japan is the defending champion. Hmmm... Well I can't lose so I'll just watch and hope there are some great plays and I don't curse the officiating. But I digress. All that doesn't mean I can't go fish!</span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">Hit the water around 11am. Tide was already falling. Use roe under a bobber and managed two fish. Both would be considered jacks here. But on the other hand, they are both definitely chinooks. So I have to count it. I would draw the line at going to the local lakes that stock kings but they rarely get over 10 inches long. These were nice chunky fish, smaller than even my June king. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">Still, these are legit ocean going fish so ok, if I counted my June king, these will count too! But I'll still continue to try and catch a good one. I think next year my goal will have to include a weight or size threshold. Maybe 10 pounds and 24 inches or something like that. Still, the point isn't that you catch big fish from kayaks, but that these kayaks put you in a position to catch a king salmon EVERY MONTH OF THE YEAR...in ALASKA!!!! INSANE!!!!</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;"><br /></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18388151105015102156noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15279210.post-75718646045768033172015-10-21T11:03:00.003-08:002015-10-21T11:03:35.781-08:00Pollock Fishing with Ryu - Homer, AK July 12<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">So Saturday I fished Whiskey Gulch with my son. I managed to boat 2 halibut that might total 20 pounds. Nice healthy fish. He had a couple of strikes that burned drag off for a few seconds but still didn't manage to hook the fish. Not sure what he is doing wrong. It all looks ok. Hmmm....</span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">So I promised him that if we didn't hook any halibut, we would go "Catching" instead of fishing. I hate doing it because I think it resets the patience clock a little bit, but I can remember when i was his age, loving to fish the tiny sculpins we had in the ditch behind our house. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">So we head to the Homer spit on Sunday where I knew he could catch a bunch of pollock. The pollock were there and the fishing easy. Used artificial at first and caught a bunch. Last 30 minutes I stick him over to bait and it was non-stop. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">So a few observations:</span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">1) A kid doesn't care anywhere near what an adult does in terms of species for the fight. There is great truth to the saying "The tug is the drug". For him, its all about getting the strikes. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">2) The pollock turned out to be awesome because on this day, by himself handled well over 25 fis. I helped with what seemed like almost as many and by the end of the day, he was getting 90% of the fish off the hook, baited and back down fishing. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">3) These pollock around the spit are usually infested with round worms. And normally you can just tell they are generally in bad shape with the sores and open wounds. These fish looked amazingly clean and my dad loves pollock and cod so I kept the bunch you see at the end. When I filleted them, they were amazingly clean. maybe a couple of worms here and there but easily seen and not very many at all. Fish looked really clean. I did pull up a few that had some isopod alien looking thing attached to them. I love marine biology but even I let out a squeal when I flipped the fish over and saw them. They were like an inch long and looked like one of these but with hair or spines...I didn't touch them to find out.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;"><br /></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18388151105015102156noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15279210.post-81563747899116227082015-10-21T11:02:00.000-08:002015-10-21T11:02:04.769-08:00July 4th Halibut Whiskey Gulch<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">So I try my luck. Raining and 5knt winds but very comfortable. Much more so than the blazing sun from yesterday. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">Hit 35 ft of water and start fishing. The bite was definitely on. Boated 8 or 9 fish in less than 2 hours. The problem was they were all in the 15 to 25 range with a couple of 5 pounders mixed in. Determined to bring back of at least a pair of forties I keep pitching them back with the bite being on. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">Then all of the sudden I'm caught in 15knt winds and super steep wind waves. Nothing crazy but it would have been if it had gotten any worse. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">Being a few miles offshore, I decide to high tail it back to the launch. Fortunately for me I ran into two fish on the way back. The only bummer....I swear the instant I cut the second fishes gills, the wind stopped and it completely flattened out. I could have, should have fished kings but I was drenched. I wonder where the heck I'm going to catch a July King. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">At any rate, ended the day a little perturbed at Mother Nature despite two fish that should total close to 45 pounds but if I'm partially bumming about today, then I'm spoiled rotten. LIFE IS GOOD!!!!!</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;"><br /></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18388151105015102156noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15279210.post-8414050918857976292015-10-21T11:01:00.000-08:002015-10-21T11:01:02.238-08:00Ship Creek King June 30<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">Ok, I even hate posting this. But it is what it is. Been desperate for my June king and I spent most of june chasing halibut with guests and my kid. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">So I did what any desperate kayaker would do. I fished the "ditch" other wise known as Ship Creek in Downtown Anchorage. Tried it two evenings with no results. Then last night I ran into a local legend Yogee who used to post a lot on Alaska Outdoor Journal. He showed me the spot and set up.</span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">Launched at 6am, into the office at 8:30am. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">Notice I said I landed a CHinook for the tenth consecutive month. Not sure most folks in Alaska would call it a king. Its a pretty big Jack or a super tiny king. Nice Chunky fish though. Genetic analysis would confirm though that it is a Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, which as a simpleton, roughly translates into King salmon! Might try later this evening to make feel a little better about a better sized one since I have a proxy. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;"><br /></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18388151105015102156noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15279210.post-37711250788295287832015-10-15T10:19:00.004-08:002015-10-19T08:34:38.073-08:00Homer Juevenile Black Cod - June 19<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">Tried homer. No kings. One 2 pound halibut I released. BUT at the end of the day, I found something even better!!!!!</span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">It's rare but I found a school of juvenile black cod!!!! Yah baby!!!! I've never had the little ones but people tell me they are as good as the big ones...especially smoked. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">Managed 24 of them before I ran out of bait. We will see but if they are as good, this is s huge score. Caught 20ft down in 100 ft of water. </span></span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18388151105015102156noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15279210.post-41001399342647635072015-10-15T10:18:00.000-08:002015-10-15T10:18:19.669-08:00June 18 -22 HalibutMAK and Akfishripper made some awesome fish and chips plus onion rings!!! Thanks!!!!<br />
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Took Nick from southern CA out today. Less than 8 hours after landing in ANC, he is hooked up!!! Between us, I bet we landed 15 halibut. But none bigger than 20lbs. Argh. At one point we were 4.5 miles off shore and 11 miles from the launch. Way too far! Got carried away trying to get him on fish. I'm a terrible guide. <br />
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I broke off the biggest fish of the day. Idiot. I had a backlash that pinched the line. Broke 50lvs braid 10ft from the pole tip. Argh!!! Unforgivable !!<br />
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I also hooked a red on my trailing red bare hook. Lost it at the yak. Hmmm.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18388151105015102156noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15279210.post-8796187385951389352015-10-15T10:16:00.000-08:002015-10-15T10:16:33.049-08:00Rainbow Trout with Ryu June 13<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">Friday was my birthday so I took the day off and drove down to Kenai with the kids who had just gotten back from Japan. Interestingly enough, my son had gone semi deep drop fishing (250 ft or so with smaller electric reels) with the ex-father in law and was ranting and raving about fishing as soon as he got back, so of course we had to fish.</span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">He's been out in the ocean before but its been over a year so first we had to hit a lake. A colleague of mine has a summer home in North Kenai so we stayed there.</span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">Rainbows to 20 + inches and one fish after the other. A really great time. Its ultra cool having a son so excited about fishing. It's even better when he wants to try a Barbie rod since I had caught fish with it. Right after one of the rainbows jumps into the kayak, he immediately relates it to the video where a silver jumped in my kayak. SUPER good feeling to have your son proudly compare his catch to mine and recall it the way he did. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">Video for the day. At nearly 4 minutes its double the length I normally try to keep it. But this video is frankly more for him than the public. I had a BLAST!!!! Thanks Ryu, my best buddy and fishing partner!!!!!! I had one of the best birthdays ever!!!!!</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;"><br /></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18388151105015102156noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15279210.post-28471688889309148012015-10-15T10:14:00.001-08:002015-10-15T10:14:15.937-08:00June 6 & 7 Whiskey Gulch Halibut<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">Too tired... 90 minutes sleep since Saturday at 3am....</span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">Halibut was good. Saturday afternoon was windy and choppy. Saturday night flat calm. Sunday morning sort of calm.</span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">Saturday maybe 5 or 6 landed. Kept two in the 25 to 30 pound range.</span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">Sunday, Kept a 15 pounder then a 49" (56.5lbs on chart). </span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">Here's my 49" fish...</span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">Forgot harpoon shaft. Finally tried a Shark hook due to circumstances totally within my control...actually lucky I had it...</span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">I HATE SHARK HOOKS. I am going to persistently and loudly MOCK anyone who thinks a shark hook is better than harpoon except in a specialized circumstance...whatever that might be. Now a flying gaff with retainer like I saw Rawkfish use is a different story. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">4 halibut over the weekend. One at 15lbs, two at 25 to 30lbs. one at 57lbs. Not a bad weekend!</span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">First still is sat fish. Second is Sunday. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">Did get one take down that was "King-esque" but didn't connect. ARGH!!! But who can complain! </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;"><br /></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18388151105015102156noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15279210.post-17118304834879142402015-10-15T10:13:00.000-08:002015-10-15T10:13:07.180-08:00Older posts - May 31 N WKA 2015 Yak ClassicMay 31<br />
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2015 NWKA Yak Classic<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">First of all, I want to thank every one that came out. Great to see new faces! </span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">I think we had a dozen folks, maybe a couple more. There were other folks that were surfcasting that had kayaks. Not sure if they would have entered fish or not. So Andy and I have made all three. Mike made the last two. Everyone else was new. So its great to see new people all the time. But I hope I'm not scaring away the other folks who have come out in the past. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">The weather in terms of the water could have been better. We had calm seas mixed with 3 ft chop on day one. Day two was forecasted to be light and variable winds. Turned into at least 15knts with 6 foot or better rollers coming through when you got off shore.</span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">We had one incident where a Pro Angler capsized on Day 1. Thanks to the guys who went out and helped him out. I heard he filled with water do to an unsecured hatch? Maybe some one could relay the story a little. It might be embarrassing but its important to learn from mistakes. How ridiculous would it be if someone got hurt next year doing the same thing? </span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">There was talk about having another get together. Let's start another thread and do it up! I had a great time!!! </span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">Oh. The results. Here are the fish entered. A bunch more were caught but there were a lot of little chickens in the area.</span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">Kardinal_84: 47"</span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">kardinal_84: 44"</span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">McLucky: 39.5"</span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">Kardinal_84 38"</span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">Kardinal_84 38" (not duplicate)</span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">RDRASH 36"</span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">AKFishRipper 32"</span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">Memkis 32"</span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">Memkis 30"</span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;">Nick 29"</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #e7eaef; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.48px; line-height: 17.472px;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18388151105015102156noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15279210.post-59687028321320470182015-09-21T16:46:00.003-08:002015-09-22T00:12:45.972-08:00Review of Truth Sg Reel (Formerly known as Release Reels)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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(Image from <a href="http://truthreels.com/">TruthReels.com</a>)</div>
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Truth SG reel Review</div>
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I won a Release Sg (recently renamed to Truth Reels) reel in a fishing tournament two years ago. It sat for a while unused as my Avet Sx reels were my primary go to reels at the time. Tp be honest, I thought the Release/Truth reel seemed a little too light to really hold up to the rigors of the typical fishing I do. 25 pounds of Drag on this small lightweight reel?? Please...no chance, right?</div>
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Well I am happy to report that it is now my primary reel of choice for everything from 5 pound pink salmon to 100 pound or larger halibut. I load it with 50 lbs braid and out of a kayak, I believe I can land any sportfish on the planet that hits my line. The smooth drag combined with the lever drag should allow me to tighten up and get towed all day long by any huge fish. </div>
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The initial reel “feel” is a bit misleading as it doesn’t come out of the box or repair facility as smooth as one might expect. But after some reading, they do tell you in advance that it comes this way and with a short break in period, it is as smooth as any reel I have tried. </div>
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Current specs on the reel are:</div>
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SPECIFICATIONS</div>
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• WEIGHT: 13.2 OZ</div>
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• GEAR RATIO: 6:1</div>
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• 34” PER CRANK</div>
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• MAX DRAG: STRIKE 18#, Full 25#</div>
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• CAPACITY: MONO 20# 275 YDS</div>
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• CAPACITY: BRAID 50# 375 YDS</div>
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• CERAMIC SPOOL BEARINGS</div>
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• CARBON DRAG WASHER</div>
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They have a limited life time warranty which I got to test. I absolutely abuse my gear more than I should. I love my Avet reels but after a while, even several nights of continued saltwater exposure they tend to seize up. The Release/Truth reels were MUCH more tolerant. Yet, after several years of heavy use and frankly abuse, there came a time where I had to send the reels in for repair and maintenance. They have a standard $25 fee to cover shipping and handling as well as the repairs. It was 100% my fault for the damage I had caused, yet they only charged me an extra $25 and I got back a reel that was as good as new. Given the components they replaced, I thought it was a SUPER good deal. </div>
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The bottom line, ever since I started using my Release/Truth Sg reels I have yet to use my Avet reels. I highly recommend these reels! Quality appears to be very high and their service was outstanding. <br />
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Here's one of my better videos showing the truth reels coming through for me. First place AND Second Place fish at 2015 Alaska Yak Classic!!<br />
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I have the clicker on at all times because I can't afford a backlash on the water, and it makes for better video in my opinion when you can clearly tell when the fish is taking out line.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18388151105015102156noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15279210.post-60075636065547749322015-08-30T20:21:00.001-08:002015-08-30T20:21:09.110-08:00Greek or is it Italian Halibut Entree and SpreadIs it Greek or is it Italian? I have no clue. <br />
<br />
So a week ago, I try some halibut in parchment paper. Turned out really good so I thought I'd share...and I am bored...<br />
I think this parchment paper method has some real potential. Keeps fish moist. Is super easy and super fast. Even though you serve it in burnt paper, for some silly reason, people think it is fancy. lol.<br />
<br />
So the entree first. I took the left overs and mixed with mayo and it made some great halibut spread. So I have that project after the entree.<br />
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Sorry, I don't use recipes, I don't measure. Therefore I have zero recipes and no names. lol.<br />
<br />
This is as close as I can come for this attempt:<br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
Halibut <br />
Roasted Garlic in oil<br />
Artichoke hearts<br />
Chopped green and kalamata olives<br />
Spinach<br />
Lime<br />
Olive oil<br />
Butter<br />
Salt & pepper<br />
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I got the roasted garlic, artichoke hearts, olives at the groceries antipasto bar.<br />
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Season halibut lightly with salt and pepper. You can almost eliminate this step depending on how salty your other stuff is. <br />
Chop up the garlic, artichoke hearts, and olives.<br />
Take halibut and top with the chopped up condiments.<br />
Sauté spinach in butter and place on top of condiments<br />
Place lime slices on top. <br />
drizzle olive oil over the top.<br />
Wrap in parchement paper<br />
400 deg for 8 to 12 minutes depending on thickness. <br />
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So I decided to try and make some spread I could share at the office. Food is one the ultimatum motivators and favor generators at the work place. LOL.<br />
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Once again, antipasto from the grocery store. This time Olives, roasted garlic, artichoke hurts, roasted tomatoes, and capers. <br />
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Chop it up. This time I am going to marinate in a ziplock bag. Added olive oil to help distribute the flavors better. In the refrigerator overnight.<br />
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I plan to bake it in the same method as above using parchment paper. I'll try some as is but plan to make the rest into spread. I know it can be good since I made something similar with the entree left overs. Will report results. <br />
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I don't se any reason it wouldn't work for salmon. Any additional ideas????<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18388151105015102156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15279210.post-83148867374341288452015-05-26T06:56:00.001-08:002015-11-27T13:10:35.527-09:00A Tragic Alaskan Love Story - Kardinal & Barbie<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><u><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></u></b></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Prologue</span></u></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My name is Rudy. Many of you know me as KardinaL_84 on the forums. I have a confession to make. I type this sitting in a small room with all of the lights shut off. Depressed beyond belief, I agonize over what should have been heaven on earth this weekend. Instead of heaven, I ended up in hell. Fortunately during Alaska Summers, the small room isn’t dark and dreary with the long daylight hours...but my soul is.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ve heard “it's better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all.” I used to think, “Well duh!.” But today I type with a heavy heart reconsidering that and now I know why its actually a well known statement. I am starting to think the pain is too much to go through something like this again.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So here’s my story…details the best I remember. 99% non-fiction...well let's say most, at least 51%...</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><u><span style="font-size: large;">ACT I: In the beginning...</span></u></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So the story really starts a few weeks ago. reading through one of my kayak forms, I see that they have a “Barbie rod classic.” Ahhh...Barbie. I had sort of met her once through people who knew her ex, “Snoopy”, the namesake of the Snoopy Rod Classic in Western Washington. I recall walking by her thinking “Wow...she is PURDY!” Then I swore I heard her say in a slightly drunken but sexy voice “That Ken is so passe.” “YES he is! But I’m NOT!” I thought in my head...</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Years go by, and as I was walking through a sporting good store here in town...THERE SHE WAS!. Hot dang!!!!! I stand next to her sneaking glances hoping nobody would notice. It’d be SUPER embarrassing if any of my friends knew I was trying to make a really bold move. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I reach out and touch her. I swear, though my memory is hazy, I hear “Hey! Mr Fisherman! Long time no see! Take me fishing!” </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Are you kidding?!?!?! Heck ya!!!! Quickly go through the formalities, a little embarrassed to be seen with such a beautiful item...at least I thought so. The cashier looks at me like I am nuts as I walk out with her in my arm. I can’t wait to take her home and “unwrap” her!!!!!. I fumble around. Dang this is harder than taking a bra off a gal for the first time! They sure make these dang outer packaging hard to remove. I slowly examine her and say out loud “Sweetie, I have to change your line out to 20lbs powerpro. Its ok, its allowed by the rules at some of the better known tournament hangouts.” </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I usually don’t take strangers out fishing. especially ones I want to impress. Fishing is always fun. But catching is never guaranteed. My kids are overseas in Japan. My girlfriend takes off to New York on one days notice saying something like I’ll be back in 5 weeks. Last time that 5 weeks turned into 5 months. Haven’t gotten a call from her in over a week. Hmmmm...something not right. Too bad for her, she should know that "Hard times and idle hands are the devil's workshop…." </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">C’mon Babe..errr Barbie! Let’s go fish!!!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Act II - Prepare to fish!!!!</span></u></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s Saturday of Memorial weekend. I’m so excited I can’t sleep Friday night and I drive down to Whiskey Gulch getting there at about 4am. Sleep a few hours and it’s time to hit the water!!!!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Barbie is looking F-I-N-E, FINE!!!!. She feels SO good to the touch. Not like any of the others I take fishing with me. That shine, light weight. The perfect feel in my hands. She has that sort of inexpensive but super HOT look. At $14.99 not only is she a hoot to fish with, she is WAY cheaper of a date than my other fav gal, Avet. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Unlike with Avet, I know fishing with Barbie, I am at a major disadvantage...or so I thought. I didn’t want to stress her with a flasher so she gets paired with a 2oz sinker and green label herring. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Being Memorial Weekend, the boats are out in force. You can see they are hooking up pretty consistently. I fish with Barbie, but maneuver around with Barbie tucked under my arm hoping nobody notices her. I know these fisherman can be cruel. They’d laugh at me for fishing with her, but as soon as they saw what she can do. If they knew what she has on the INSIDE as well as the ultra hot exterior...they’d try to steal her away in a heart beat. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So I slowly let line out. Barbie is a little shorter than my type. I typically like them about 6ft. Barbie was only 30 inches. A serious disadvantage.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Oh, wait. No wonder I am still single. Where are my manners?? I haven’t yet introduced you to Barbie. So here she is. Tell me you don’t have some immature thoughts of just grabbing her while fishing! I think I am in LOVE!!!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb1XN80V-5_UfvgXlCqTlfomLHXPmuKJ0aO4WyPmJk_fjsBaH_kSD29_OU0xQ9wQHh-0SuYvQFPYEDsGSEOQJ6OmOisFQJCx_-YJAg6OE439DyX19QavLaEoVUANmDAzevIjENVw/s1600/FullSizeRender-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb1XN80V-5_UfvgXlCqTlfomLHXPmuKJ0aO4WyPmJk_fjsBaH_kSD29_OU0xQ9wQHh-0SuYvQFPYEDsGSEOQJ6OmOisFQJCx_-YJAg6OE439DyX19QavLaEoVUANmDAzevIjENVw/s640/FullSizeRender-3.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><u><span style="font-size: large;">ACT III - The Courtship, Marriage, and Honeymoon.</span></u></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Finally the fishing!!!! Never having tried without a flasher, I really didn’t know what to expect. But in less than an hour, I am hooked up to my first king thanks to Barbie!!! Ya baby!!!!!!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Barbie has the perfect balance of flex and backbone. You don’t expect much drag but her voice gives me goose bumps when the fish is peeling out line! Such a turn on!!!!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Next I manage a tiny halibut I release. Hmm. Barbie might be able to handle this fishing. I thought maybe a king was possible but halibut? </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But before we can find out, Barbie is putting the hurt to her second king!! SEXY!!! Maybe I shouldn’t be talking about things like this without really knowing for sure. But am I the only one that just gets TURNED ON when Barbie, Avet and the like start singing as the fish starts peeling away! HEAVEN!!!!! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Two kings and a halibut for Barbie in the first few hours! I am in LOVE!!!! But it’s rainy and I had driven all night without sleep. I am tired. It’s been a great day! “Hey Barbie, let’s go in.” I swear she is a pretty and fun gal with a fish on, but just then I swear, I swear I saw images of Lucifer behind her eyes. She glares and just continues to fish. Moments later.. FISH ON!!! I wasn’t looking at her, but I hear “I told ya so…”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This time its a ten pound halibut. Wow. Great battle. All I could think of was “What are we going to do with a twenty pounder?!?!?!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But Barbie isn’t done. As we finally head in, she scores her third king!!! Are you kidding me?!?!?! One of my best King days ever and all with Barbie!!!!!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I take her to Kenai to meet my parents. Give her a nice clean shower. Replace line since I had broken off once on the bottom. But 3 for 3 on Kings. 2 for 2 on halibut. THAT is what you call the perfect companion. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In my dreams, I marry her. Heck ya!!! Where are you going to find a gal that can go 5 for 5 on kings and butts her very first time out on a kayak?!?!?! Who I ask? Give me a name! A perfect 5 for 5? Definitely a keeper!!!! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So as usual, though a little embarrassing, I did take some gopro footage. I know the average attention span for viewers is under two minutes, but because I want to really show off Barbie and how she handled these fish, I have a little longer segment for each.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><u><span style="font-size: large;">ACT IV : Tragedy & Heartbreak</span></u></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day two starts early. The last time I glanced at the clock last night, it was midnight. I wanted to get up early but Barbie, err, my new wife had just worn me out. I am on the water after lunch and the water is much flatter! Excitement slowly bleeds out into desperation as hours pass without as much as a strike from an Irish Lord. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Is it just me or does it happen to others (though maybe not this quickly) where that euphoric feeling of love seems to dissipate immediately following marriage?!?!?! No? ok, at any rate….</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After 5 hours on the water and minimal sleep, I am beat. No mas. “Barbie, let’s head in!” I say. “What you are giving up?” she says with a glare that I can only describe as chilling. "We haven't even gotten a decent strike!" she cries out almost audibly. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Out in front of the parking lot, a powerboat hooks up. Then another! I don’t even recall how it happened but I swear Barbie just started fishing virtually by herself! Just as we hear the boat ahead say “it’s a dandy halibut!” Barbie bends over and starts to sing! Yah baby!!!! After a great battle up comes a ten pound halibut. I am starting to think these ten pounders are about the upper limit for Barbie. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then a few moments later she is hooked up again!!!! It’s another king! Technical difficulties (i.e. I pushed the wrong button) and I don’t get the footage. Barbie is a little bit “Hollywood” and she was NOT happy that I missed the shot. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The furor over missing “the glamour video” was to portend the beginning of the end of what seemed like the perfect partnership.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I've been tagged out on salmon since last weeks Anchor point Derby so I say “let’s try and get our second halibut.” Right in front of the launch the rod doubles over and it’s game on!!! This is a bigger fish. Halibut for sure. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This fish, will likely be forever the “Lucifer” to me. First I glanced to make sure the video is on after fighting it for a bit after the last episode with a missed shot. I notice the battery is on one bar. Dang it! I turn it off knowing this battle is going to go one for a while longer and I needed to get the kill shot. In retrospect, it was stupid. Nobody would ever believe a non continuous video of what would end up being a monster of a fish.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maybe after 10 minutes, I see color. 20 or 25 pound maybe??? as I peer into the water. The shape just keeps getting bigger and bigger. My initial reaction was “It’s bigger than my Kodiak 105 lbs halibut!!!!!” Ok, maybe I was excited. But it was at least 75 pounds. ARE YOU KIDDING ME????</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I slowly work it within harpoon range and I hit it. I can feel the harpoon go all the way through. Game over for the fish...uhh...so I thought. The fish takes the A0 buoy down for about 30 seconds. Then it pops up, I start reeling to get the buoy and the fish decides to take off. It is just ripping out drag. YEEHAW!!!! That buoy will slow it down! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I glance over my shoulder and I see the buoy just floating there. I look at my reel as line peels off. I glance back at the still buoy. “Oh Oh...this isn’t good.” Better look one more time. Yup. Buoy is not going anywhere. And a few seconds later I am spooled and the fish is gone!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“what happened” plus a few expletives later, I am just crushed. To go from 100% elation thinking you had accomplished something maybe no one else had ever accomplished and lost it do to PURE stupidity. I seriously am ill thinking about it.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I can still hear Barbie just screaming at me. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I saw you post on the forums that you have NEVER lost a halibut with a harpoon.” </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I did all the hard work and got the fish to the kayak only for you to screw it up!” </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“No wonder why everyone I know refers to you behind your back as the “Effin Rudy”.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“LOSER!”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then the words that made me consider giving up fishing….”I WANT A DIVORCE!”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And a quickly as I was on top of the world...I found myself in fishing hell.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sorry for the mild profanity in the video...I guess you can say it on tv and it’s a thing of beauty to hear Barbie sing. Had to keep it unedited at that point. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Epilogue</span></u></b></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So what went wrong? I can’t say for sure but I think this is what happened. After playing with the harpoon, I was thinking my new golf club handle shaft was too light for good penetration. So I grab my commercial harpoon and put the tip on...uh...TRIED to put the tip on. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">EFFIN WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT OVER!!!!!!!!!!!! It doesn’t fit on to the harpoon shaft! </span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I grab my golf club and it barely fits over the very tip of the shaft. So when I pushed the harpoon tip with a little force, it wedged onto the shaft. I bet I pulled the harpoon head part way back into the fish and it finally separated when the flesh caught the edges. The buoy was down for thirty seconds. It must have ripped it open during that time. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?!?!?!?!?</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I didn’t check it as I thought they were all standard size and I am sure I have bought Danielson ones before. I almost want to check and see if they switched sizes. </span></div>
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<br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So I am crushed. Brief flashes of “I am done with this fishing thing!” entered my mind but quickly dissipated.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Barbie is gone, the divorce was painful but that’s ok. She was getting a little tired and weary after delivering 4 kings and three chickens PLUS battling a monster halibut. Anti-reverse was half shot. She was already rusting after two days. Two days of a wicked good time, but by the end of Sunday, she was definitely a lot worse for wear.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of the commenters on facebook suggested that the reason I lost the fish was the Big halibut are all female so a majority would probably prefer getting caught by Ken.. rather than Barbie. Hmmm...Can’t say I have ever seen a Ken rod. But like Barbie said “He is so Passe” I may go look for a Snoopy rod to entice the big butts!!!!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I still feel ill. But I also should point out that I am absolutely disgusted with hitting the big halibut with a harpoon and due to my failure likely wasted a very nice fish. I’m sure folks have shot a halibut off the leader or done other crazy thing. But really, had I known this was going to be the outcome, I’d rather NOT have hooked it. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>So what does this episode definitively prove? Conventional wisdom is WRONG! It is better to NOT have loved at all than to have loved and lost...This feeling sucks!!!!</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ok...enough...I gotta go throw up…..</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then I'm going fishing!!!!! Who is in!!!!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18388151105015102156noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15279210.post-9734640567598711342015-05-25T21:07:00.003-08:002015-05-25T21:07:38.973-08:00Anchor Point Calcutta DerbyThree of us kayakers entered the derby. two of us landed kings. Myself and one other kayaker managed a limit of halibut before the derby even started. <br />
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The derby was delayed two hours even though the kayaks launched to calm seas. +1 for the kayaks!!!<br />
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One of the kayakers used a hybrid SUP/Kayak. Seemed to work great!!!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18388151105015102156noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15279210.post-21476783876882325542015-05-25T21:06:00.001-08:002015-05-25T21:06:07.448-08:00First halibut of the year! May 9th!Managed my first halibut of the year on May 9th!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18388151105015102156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15279210.post-86431426986303220912015-04-19T13:48:00.002-08:002015-04-19T13:48:25.554-08:00Weather:Forecast vs Reality<span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Hate posting about no fish but maybe this will help others trying the area. </span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">So plans for Saturday was to hit Whiskey Gulch or Homer. But there forecast is for 3 ft in Homer with 20knt winds and 5 ft in Lower Cook Inlet. Even the spot forecast was reading 3-5 ft for Lower Cook Inlet. </span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">My alarm goes off at 3am. Weather looks nasty. Back in bed. Check again at 8am and it seems better. Not the forecast but the general wind conditions.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Check: <a href="http://homerwebcams.com/"> Homerwebcams.com</a></span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Check: the new K-Bay buoy <a href="http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=46108">http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=46108</a></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fafafa;">Check Wundermap. Make sure you click weather stations. <a href="http://www.wunderground.com/wundermap/">http://www.wunderground.com/wundermap/</a></span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Doesn't seem THAT bad...</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">So off I go. Flat tire at Hope. ARGH. Back to Anchorage. Decide I can hit the low slack at Whiskey Gulch. Forecast still remains similar. Get to the beach at 6:00pm. Current is raging with the big tides. Low tide is at 9:30pm. Sunset is at 9:30pm. I want to stay close to the launch so I fight the urge to jump in the water and wait till 7pm. </span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Once I launch, I can hold position or move slightly up current. I stayed in front of the car basically the whole time. So at least with a Hobie, you can hold your position even on a big tide swing within 2 maybe 3 hours prior to high or low tide. The last hour and a half, I could freely do circles or move as I pleased. </span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Fished halibut for an hour. trolled king for two. Nothing. But you can see the water is pretty flat. Glad I went. At least I got it out of my system.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">one minute video of conditions and landing. </span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18388151105015102156noreply@blogger.com1