My daughter has been wanting to get out in the Tin Cup since she got back from working on the Disney cruise line so seized the opportunity today but didn't get the early start I had hoped for. She wanted to go shopping first with a friend so I told her I would go ahead and get the boat out and to call me when she got to the launch.

Got on the water by 1:30 and what greated by lots and lots of pleasure crafters enjoying the day on the water. Made my way across and found that it wasn't too bad over by the western shoreline of Mercer so started trolling north. Started with a green smile blade, slow death hook and a 3" gulp minnow at 25' down the wire but no takers.

By 3pm had worked my way back south and switched over to some hootchies I had tied up for the Chelan trip using the Ace hi-fly tipped with cured shrimp. Also the amount of boats going by had now turned the water into a washing machine so when my daughter called to be picked up, was happy to get out of there.

Now I targeted cutthroats so that is what I put down but could have easily have put down kokanee... but wait, I am getting ahead of myself! When I picked her up suggested we stay closer the shoreline on the west side and just work our way to Seward park and boy that was the right call!

We put both lines out, one on the wire at 30 feet and the other long lining with a 2 1/2oz weight using the Chelan hootchies that I am calling them now tipped with shrimp on one and pink gulp maggots. We were working our way north and I noticed quite a few markings between 25' and 35' feet so set the rigger at 30' and figured the long line was in the right place when Anna's rod bounces down and rips off the clip and I see a sliver splash behind the boat! Fish on!

She fights it in just like I taught her (haha) and it's a chunky 18" plus cutty! It's her 1st fish since the chum she caught at Chico creek last November so she is stoked but has to do the traditional "kiss your 1st fish of the year" thing!

We set the lines back out and after that we got a bonus when I got a fat kokanee on the Ace hi-fly set-up and after that it was almost non-stop action with us letting go a few dinks but ended up with 3 cutts and 3 kokes. The little guy was bleeding pretty bad so kept him and he will smoke up nicely! All in all, a stellar day on the lake and was hoping to see Fish Dawg and the princess out there but they were probably already off the water by the time we got our late start; but not complaining as this was close to my best day yet out there!

Back to work for me but who knows, may sneak out again this week before the derby next Saturday! See you on the water!

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