New Member Introductions

[Nelly]

Glad to have another Veteran on board Coho!
Even though we're in the thick of summer fishing season right now, I can't help thinking about hunting season either!
Congratulations on your Special Permit draw and when you fill that tag I hope you can post a report on our hunting page!

[jerk&reel]

Have lived here in the Northwest all my life and love getting on the water and fishing for giant sturgeon on the Fraser, to battle fishing at buoy 10. I enjoy your morning show, it makes going to work on the occasional Saturday mornings more tolerable. Keep up the good work. <”)))><

[Nelly]

Thanks J&R!!!
We appreciate your kind words and appreciate you listening! Welcome aboard!

One question: Who will you be rooting for in the Apple Cup?

[jerk&reel]

UW

[Nelly]

Good answer! Go Dawgs!!!

[Wilson]

Just wanted to take a minute to introduce myself. I moved over to Western WA about 8 years ago from Spokane. I never fished much untill I moved over here, now it controls my brain! I currently enjoy fishing all that our great area has to offer, Skykomish,Columbia River and Puget Sound. I must still be pretty new because something always seems to happen everytime I go out, than again it might be the company i keep.

I enjoy listning to the radio show and looking through the posts when i cant be out on the water.

Thanks,

Wilson

[Nelly]

Sorry about the "brain control"... Just give in and do what the fish tell you and everything will be fine!!!

Thanks for joining our on line community and good luck out there!

[corkie]

Hey everyone, Corkie is my fishing name on all sites. New to this site...but an avid fisherman and an occasional listener to the show (seems like i'm always doing something AWAY from a radio)

I used to have a 16 footer. 25 horse on the back and after a series of 12' lake boats I thought I had the BIG BOAT now. Well one day we decided to take a trip to Hood Canal for some salmon and after a few hours of being skunked, decided to go to Ilwacco....it seemed like a good idea at the time...heck, it was only 1100am. Well we got there and launched by 1230 and the afternoon wind started to pick up. didn't think too much of it cause I was in the big boat. The rig was kind of set up like a bass boat with a little more freeboard, no windshield and had nice seating in the back and two downriggers set up. didn't get too far and saw so many fish on the finder that we decided to "deploy" our gear.
being such a novice at the time, i didn't know that I shouldnt be out there. It didn't take long for my DR ball to get tangled with a crab pot line....luckly after 10 minutes, it unwrapped itself and we were free.. traveled out a little further in the CR to find that the current and wind were a lot of work. Kept tangling up the lines in the current and basically had a miserable time attempting to fish...to make it worse, it was getting later and I THOUGHT I recognized the shoreline to head back to..we were done.

nope not yet. I started to panic a little when I tried to get closer to shore but found that I wasn't where I thought. I was about 1-2 miles away, down current. Doesn't seem like much until you factor the current, having to travel against it, and the wind. traveling against the current, in an open boat, also against the wind causes the boat to hit the chop in such a way that it "sprays" the water straight up, which is then hit by the wind causing all of the chop-water to repeatedly soak me. after attempting to get back to the Ilwacco marina, I thought I made it only to find that it was the Chinook launch about 2 miles away.

the tide was going out fast causing even more current speed. The wind was getting stronger and we were getting wetter by the second..

I told my son (8 then) to stoop in the corner and we threw coats on him to keep him dry. My brother and I continued to fight the CR...

Finally, after an eternity, soaking wet, and somewhat salty, I could see the marina. I tried to head straight to it but the FF alarm said I was in less than 2 feet of water...couldn't be true, but the skeg in the sand said it was true. I tried several different approaches only to find that, one, we were the only boat out there, and two, low tide is really low...

so I got out of the boat, stood thy-deep in the water and tried to "lift" my boat over the low tide...nope. The best I could do is get it free from the sand and went back to 5-6 foot water.
the sun is starting to set, the top of me is soaked from the chop and the bottom is now "wicked" all the way to my belt. I'm tired, wet, cold, and it's getting dark....

that's when I see a trawler running in "the slot" going back to the marina, real close to the lighthouse shore. and I thought if THAT guy can do it so can I.

well made it back, learned a lesson to study my surroundings more, have the appropriate safety gear (like a radio!) and a map maybe, and have some respect for the water.

my big boat was great for many years after that. I never did launch from Ilwacco again (always Chinook) but fished the CR many times in that boat.

I finally got a 20' thunderjet a few years ago and love the boat and (especially the windsheild)

I have SO MUCH more respect for the water and am so greatful I got away with that experience unscathed....

truely, a lesson learned

[Robbo]

Welcome to the neighborhood Corkie

Glad you decided to stick with fishing after that harrowing experience on the Columbia. Your not alone here in that department, as I'm sure most of had a similar experience or three out on the water. I grew up fishing the Puget Sound and duck hunting from a 12' Smoker craft. Looking back on it I'm certain my folks were trying to "off" me at the time

[Nelly]

We've all been there Corkie!
I've had my share of swims and groundings.
Some "lessons" are harsher than others
I try to learn something each and every time out. as of yet, I've always found something!
Thanks for joining our happy little crew here and thanks for the story! I got a real kick out of it!