Bottom to Top Charters - Providing world class fishing for Halibut, Salmon, Lingcod and more in the most magnificent setting in the world. Fish within mear miles of 18 thousand feet mountain peaks and even closer to the Hubbard Glacier. Grizzlies, Black Bear, Moose and Deer inhabit the surrounding lands as bald eagles soar all around you. Come see what make’s Alaska your dream vacation destination.
Well, a last-minute decision and a few late-night texts resulted in one for the books. Although it had been talked about nothing was cast in stone. Thursday afternoon I asked one of my fishing buddies if he could fish Friday, telling him that I had a plan. Later that evening I heard back and he could go. I texted back and asked him if he could meet me at the ramp at 3:30 Friday morning and again his reply was yes. Plans in place I got the boat and gear ready for an early morning departure and set the alarm for 2:00. I was up and half-dressed before the alarm went off and rolling down the street shortly thereafter.
I arrived at the Everett launch right at 3:30 and my fishing buddy was waiting. While commenting on all the trailers in the parking lot and both tribal and commercial crabbers in the launch basin we splashed the boat and did all the pre-departure gobbledygook. My plan was to fish the Tulalip Bubble and apparently the crabbers plan was to drop a pot every 20 yards between the launch basin and Tulalip Bay. Our predawn run was perilous, there were crab pot buoys everywhere. Many of the buoys were not actual floats but half submerged hunks of foam and you really had to keep watch. Ultimately we made it safely to the Bubble and got to business.
Our plan was to run flasher and spoons while targeting suspended meter marks. My “Bubble plan” varies a bit from the norm and can be traced back to when I was a kid fishing the area out of a 16’ wood boat with “Old Smokey” hanging on the back. Back then I ran the whole length of the bluff and made note of where I got bit, then concentrated on that area. Now I run the length of the Bubble at a couple different depths while keeping a close eye on the FF, then focus my efforts on the areas where there a good concentration of meter marks.
Friday we were running a green and red 11” flasher on both sides of the boat and a purple haze 11” flasher off the aft downrigger. We cycled through a variety of Coho Killer spoons and other 3.5” lightweight spoons. In the end it seemed that the 3.5” Herring Aid and 3.5” Cookie n Cream spoon tied on 42” of 30# Segar fluorocarbon had the edge. We were running 1.7 to 2.9 mph while actively targeting meter marks in 80-200’ of water.
After a couple drive-bys and the release of a smaller coho; while making a turn to avoid one of the many crab pot buoys and a boat that had just lost their kicker the rod on the starboard rigger loads up. While thinking “crap, we’re going to snag up on a crab pot” the rod starts to dance and the clip releases. We were on a hot fish in a forest of crab pot lines and a flotilla of boats targeting chinook. I tried to steer towards open water and clear gear while my fishing buddy did battle with a serious fish. After about ½ hour of avoiding crab pot buoys and a close call with another boat that didn’t see our fish strung out about 100 yards off to our port side I was able to slide the net under a beautiful chinook.
We fished for a few more hours, releasing a few shakers and more drive-bys before we pulled the plug on an awesome trip. Other than having to avoid a gazillion crab pot buoys our run back to the ramp was uneventful. The ramp was crowded with crab buyers and an assortment of mostly seaworthy crab boats but we were able to get back on the trailer without delay. The morning was a blast and we caught a beautiful chinook!
That is the best post ive ever read. You really gave a first hand perspective of the times and steps it takes to get to the area you want to fish. I never would have expected the boat launch full of trailers at 3 30 am. Maybe thats why im a good Fishman and lousy Catcherman.
That was a great story rseas. Reminiscent of sitting around a campfire listening to fish tales, except this one wasn't a tall tale. *lol* I've been emailing the game dept. about requiring blue & white flashing LED lights on crab buoys which would spare a lot of boaters from running over buoys and lost gear. I am also hoping they will take into consideration requiring water activated red & white LED flashers on life jackets. That would cut down on the time looking for an overboard boater immensely and possibly save lives. I've rambled enough. Keep those great stories coming and ((((FISH ON)))).
Bottom to Top Charters - Providing world class fishing for Halibut, Salmon, Lingcod and more in the most magnificent setting in the world. Fish within mear miles of 18 thousand feet mountain peaks and even closer to the Hubbard Glacier. Grizzlies, Black Bear, Moose and Deer inhabit the surrounding lands as bald eagles soar all around you. Come see what make’s Alaska your dream vacation destination.
