March Madness 1

March.

Schizophrenic as an ax murderer with a side job as an ER Doctor.

One day you’re basking in spring-like temps, flat calm waters and the next you’re trying to catch your hat before it blows off your head as the wind knocks foam off of the whitecaps.
So, when we saw a window in the weather, we headed for the banks. Buoyed by a glowing report from Tony Floor (and maybe a waypoint or two) it was Coyote bank or bust!

We launched at Cornet Bay just inside of  Deception Pass and ran west for 35 minutes in a small surface chop to find four other boats on Coyote. The US/Canada border splits Coyote Bank and I was surprised to find that only one of the boats were trolling like us. The rest of the boats were anchored on the Canadian side halibut fishing! What’s more, they were boats from the US which had purchased Canadian licenses. The ability to get that Canadian non-resident license is a nice option for Americans who want to start their halibut seasons early!

We made our first Pass on Coyote Bank and were quickly rewarded when my friend Eric Fagan boated this fat blackmouth!

Every drop we were greeted by a bite but as far as keeper chinook were concerned we were done with the one! Juvenile lingcod, kelp greenling and shakers were the best we could muster as the banks are nothing short of a nursery for the young, rapidly growing residents of the Straits of  Juan de Fuca.

As we left the banks that sunny Sunday, the south wind started to pick up and we knew if we wanted to fish later this week, it would have to be in the rivers.
March can be more than a little unpredictable weather-wise but there is one thing you can count on: Columbia springers. Well, maybe “count on” is a little optimistic for the second week in March but the thought of a springer on the barbeque drives a man to do crazy things!

While we were lucky on the banks to get bit on our first pass, it was not until our last pass on the Columbia that we finally got our fish but it was the right one!

Phil Michelsen admires his first Columbia River springer of the year but he would only be taking half of it home! I was ready to wrestle a filet away from Phil but he generously offered me half!

The month of March offers many angling challenges but very few opportunities to take advantage of them. Here’s hoping you get a weather window and get lucky, Even if it is only for one fish!