We Lost A MONSTER Today...

[Capt Josh]

After a slow morning of salmon fishing, where talk drifted off to Clarion Island, PV, Panama, and just about everywhere in between, the boys and I were beginning to stare off into space and wonder if the action would ever pick up.

Just then the starboard downrigger rod bucked violently, signalling a massive strike.

"HIT THAT SONOFABITCH!!!!" I screamed at Alex, who instantaneously dove for the rod and hauled back on the fish with hell bent abandon.

Feeling the sting of the hooks the fish tore off in a searing run, hammering Alex to the side of the boat as he struggled to maintain a firm grip on the rod.

"DON'T LOSE HIM!!!" screamed Greg and Ben, the line rising towards the surface at a startling rate.

"HE'S COMING UP!!! GET READY FOR THE JUMP! BOW THE ROD!!! BOW THE GODDAMN ROD!!!" we all hollered in unison as the seas parted and a nuclear submarine went Apollo 7 towards the stratosphere.

Shock. Awe. Absolute catastrophic silence as we watched the beast clear the water, perform a barrel roll mid-air, and then crash back into the cold, deep waters from whence it came - snapping the line with an authoritative CRACK as it went.

Heartbreak, shame, furious regret.

I've seen a lot of big salmon in my day, but that one took the cake.

Well amigos, he's still out there. And tomorrow's another day....

[captainviv]

...

[SeaBiscuit]

Yum!

[Capt Josh]

Man we had a killer (literally) killer whale show yesterday out at the **** & Balls. A pod of transient Orcas were torturing and beating a sea lion to death for the educational advancement of their young. It wasn't pretty, or in no way fun for the sea lion, but it was sure awesome to watch from the relative safety of my Grady for an hour or so.

Those kinds of moments, those true glimpses into the majestic savagery that is our natural and untamed world, often send small children screaming and crying for their mothers; but as grown men we're usually found hooting for the killer whales as they punted the sea lion towards the sky.

I made some comment about the fact the whales must have known the world cup was on, as one by one they took turns whalloping the shit out of that poor little sea lion with their tails, heads, just about everything and anything they could throw at him. He looked like a soccer ball in the midst of a very large, and highly skilled aquatic football practice, except of course for the fact that the players had very large teeth and when the practice was over instead of putting the ball back in the garage they eventually ate him.

Such is life in the wilds of the north Pacific, where it's eat or be eaten, and kill or be killed.

Speaking of which...it's time to go fishing!

Headed offshore for the morning salmon bite, then up to the lake for an afternoon of fly-in trout fly fishing.

I'll post some pics of the whale show and the fishing later tonight....

[Robja]

So did you get the release

[lilharcher]

Nice.....I miss good ole Tofino and that non-stop salmon/lingcod action....

[Rawhide]

JT,

Sorry to hear about the break off.

You slow trolling up there (2ish mph)?

If so, I need to send you some sick rotating flashers and meat rigs we use to bang up the kings down here in the Great Lakes. You won't be disappointed......

Fletch

[CaptAnthony]

Bad Ass scenery with story to go with it. Ive never been up to those parts but definitely seems like very chill place to hang out. and maybe not so chill if you are a killer whale toy.

[Capt Josh]

JT,

Sorry to hear about the break off.

You slow trolling up there (2ish mph)?

If so, I need to send you some sick rotating flashers and meat rigs we use to bang up the kings down here in the Great Lakes. You won't be disappointed......

Fletch

Yes we are slow trolling with either dead bait (anchovy and herring) or with plugs/spoons/hoochies.

Shoot me an email and i'll give you my mailing addy i'd love to try some of your stuff out!

Fishing really picked up today, i'll post up some pics in a minute...

[marlin_mike_]

how cold is it ???