Fish & Feathers: Coho news slow to get out

Published 11:58 am Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Fishing has been a mixed bag this summer out of the mouth of the Columbia. The good news is that Marine Area 1 is the only place on the Washington coast where you can keep coho. The bad news is that news never really seemed to get around to all the fishermen.

Customers are not breaking down any doors to get to the charter fleet. Many charter boats that are going out for salmon are going out with light loads, and really have to work for limits.

The bright spot in the ocean are a lot of tuna, and they are hungry. Private and charter fishermen venturing to the tuna grounds are returning with smiles on their faces. Capt. “Dirty E” reportedly had a 37-pound albacore caught on the Shake and Bake on Wednesday, July 13 — a big fish for this time of the year.

Halibut fishing in marine Area 1 is now closed. Buoy 10 salmon season starts Monday, Aug. 1.

While fishing on the ocean is exciting, being on a tuna trip can also produce some bizarre experiences. The clear blue ocean waters encountered while tuna fishing can also offer interesting sights.

One one such trip, a mako shark jumped right outside the wheelhouse window. I had never seen a mako before, except in an aquarium, but as it jumped 12-feet straight into the air, there was no mistaking it. It had a long streamlined head, blue body and protruding jagged teeth, with a large black eye that seemed to be looking directly at me. It was a picture that will be embedded in my mind forever.

On a similar albacore trip, on a flat ocean with glassy seas and brilliant sun, we observed hundreds of blue sharks swimming on the surface, their brilliant color accentuated by the sunlight. A truly stunning sight.

In another instance, while a customer was fighting a salmon there was a tremendous swirl in the water behind the boat and what could only be described as a very large dorsal fin and a very dark shadow emerged. As clients gasped, what emerged was either a great white or large salmon shark (which look similar). It took the salmon and made a quick exit, snapping the line.

Ron Malast can be reached at 665-3573 or raiders7777@centurylink.net.