First Day Trolling for Salmon 4-7-21

With the reports of the fish on top and my small inflatable boat lacking downriggers I decided that now is my chance to try and pick up a salmon for the first time in 25 years. The day before picked up a couple deep six divers to get me to 60 and 80ft. I also grabbed myself a 3 pack of cripple anchovies, watermelon apex, black and purple hoochies and some brads cut plugs.

Showed up to the harbor around 6:30 and was able to get myself on the water by 7am. Made it to the soquel hole around 7:30 and heard lots of good reports on the radio. Eager to get my gear down I grab my pole rigged with my largest deep six diver, short bus flasher and crippled anchovy. I drop it over the edge while doing about 4mph and all of a sudden the pole loads up immediately and snap. First setup is lost and gone to the deeps. Never really trolled to much at all so learning important lessons. Set the drag! Much too tight. Probably hit a jelly or some seaweed on the drop.

Needless to say I was stuck fishing my 60ft deep six diver the rest of the day. Paired it up with a 8" silver and pink slingblade and cripple anchovy. Once I was retied and situated I began trolling through the boat pile on the east edge of the canyon. Right around 9am or so the line snaps back and the pole loads up. I grab the rod and feel a bit of extra weight. Once it gets about 100ft from the boat I start feeling some good head shakes. I actually have a fish on!! I go to grab my net and it quickly shakes the hook and I am at least happy to think I am doing something right. Trolled the rest of the day for one more potential bite. Did not feel headshakes but whatever it was broke my anchovy helmet leaving me one left in the bag. After 10am rolls along I switch things up for my watermelon appex. I like how it comes with a bead chain swivel but the leader is like 4 feet long. Seems a bit much to run behind my flasher but I do it anyway. No bites despite everyone reporting quick limits on the radio all morning. Must have been a early bite. Also I'm thinking I may have done better with a 40ft diver. One person reported they were getting them as low as 10ft down!

Called it a rockfish day around 11:30 and headed back before the wind got too bad. Hit a deep spot on the way back on the edge of the MPA. To my surprise it takes my shrimp fly baited with anchovy less then 5 minutes to pick up what I thought to be a small shaker halibut in 270ft of water! As I was picking up to leave a sealion jumps nearly in my boat and scares the hell out of me. I thought it was fishing but just continues to do acrobatics around my boat for the next 15 minutes. I think it was playing or begging for some free food lol. Never have i seen anything like that before. A very cool experience!

At least that halibut shook of the skunk. Spent almost a hour trying to get to my rockfish spot before the weather was too bad to fish. I lost that bet. Spent 10 minutes there for no bites and got blown off the water. All in all a great learning experience. As long as the salmon are on top then I will be out there again soon.

Видео First Day Trolling for Salmon 4-7-21 канала Foggy Mountain Studios