It is always great getting back to home water. a few learning experiences from two days of fishing. first, don't leave your fishing license in the truck (thanks to wdfw enforcement for being so understanding). second, make sure your video camera is in video mode. i thought i had at least 10-15 minutes of incredible grey whale footage that ended up being a single jpeg of me pushing the button on the gopro. chris
Looked as though you were hitting them. I never heard of a Ling Cod before and saw a picture of one. They sure are ugly but not as ugly as that dog fish
Great video, I really need to get one of those cameras and make some warm water fly fishing videos. Are you using the original GoPRO or the II?
Chris, welcome home. I really like the new blog. I am looking at picking up a go pro as well. I think it will add a new dimension to fishing. I also appreciate you providing your music credits. You have rekindled a love of Galactic for me. Have you checked out Trombone Shorty? Great stuff as well. We will have to get out and wet a line soon.
Great video, those kelp beds look awesome. I've been looking at kayaks more and more... you have pushed me closer to the plunge.
Great video, Chris. Do you think that those locations (or similar along the Strait) would be accessible via a pontoon boat? If not, what problems do you envision? Also, I could see that you are wearing a pfd and a kayak dry suit, have a bright flag on the aft of your kayak and are wearing what I assume to be a marine radio. What other safety gear to you think is essential to do this safely? Steve
i would not fish out of a pontoon out there at any time. the reason is simply speed. the currents can run quite hard along the shoreline and imo a pontoon boat cannot be paddled as fast or efficiently as a kayak imo. i can cruise comfortably at 3.5 knots and pick it up for short stretches if needed. both spots on the video required at least a mile of paddling to reach. i will also add that in the two days i paddled fifteen miles (10.5 the first day and around 5 the second). as for other safety stuff, you are required to have a sound producing device (there's a whistle next to the radio). i have a combo gps/sounder hard wired in the kayak and carry a backup gps just in case. i practice self rescuing myself back into the boat a couple times a season. i also carry an extra paddle. think of worse case scenarios and try to be prepared for those... while still being aware there is no way to get the risk to zero. as for the specific spots in the video. i have a ton of experience with those spots and carefully picked the tide conditions to venture out there. when in a human powered boat i prefer the lesser tidal exchanges. less current just makes things easier and i also try to go out when the wind is not blowing very hard and am quick to bolt if conditions change. chris
Hi Chris, Thank you for your insights. As one generally does not row a pontoon boat "miles" a day, your points on distances and currents are quite clear. Perhaps a kayak is in my future (or a gas-powered boat....). Steve
Absolutely great advice. It would be crazy/stupid to take a pontoon out on the Strait or Ocean. I also prefer the lesser tidal exchanges when fishing from a yak (or any small boat) in the salt or lower rivers. Especially when there is wind involved. Opposing current and wind can be really fun to deal with when trying to fly fish. Strong currents and winds can be formidable enemies to your fishing plans and methods, if they are working against you. That vid is well done! Makes me want to get out there. I liked the sequence when you were paddling over the kelp bed with the gentle swells rolling through the early morning glassiness. I was going to fish here (out along the jetty) this morning, but its raining lightly, and the wind will be in my face, messing up my eye glasses and ability to see clearly. I can't stand to have raindrops messing up my vision. I am going to wait and maybe just go out for a shorter session a little closer to high tide if the rain backs off.
Chris, were you free drifting the whole time you were casting and retrieving, or did you clip on to some kelp, or try to hang on to some kelp with your feet? I'm thinking of getting one of those large spring clips to use whenever there is something to clip onto. I don't like to anchor my SOT yak out in the ocean (quit taking my anchor system along), and I usually just free drift while casting.
i was free drifting. many of the places i fish are on the outside of kelp beds or in the place where most of the rockfish were landed there is no kelp. i was out yesterday and tried a drift sock for the first time and it did help while drifting over deeper water. i have tied off to kelp before and it is nice but i like the fact that free drifting allows you to cover a bunch of water. i'll probably play with more anchoring in the kelp once salmon season opens in july.
