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THE SPORTSMANS
CORNER: Hot bite for salmon on coast
By Gary Roussan
For the past two weeks, the salmon
fishing off the Fort Bragg coast has been
red hot. Limits have become the norm for
anglers seeking the ocean delicacy. Most
days before this catch increase were
termed under par for many.
In my first trek of this salmon season,
I again was invited to try my luck in
cousin Bob Petersens great fishing boat,
the Osprey. The boat is 32 feet long and
is powered by two 350-horsepower Chevrolet
inboard engines. It was built about 25
years ago by Bob and some friends. This
boat will get up and go.
This particular day, the ocean was a
bit snotty, so we did not run for the
fishing grounds at anywhere near full
speed as we left the channel entrance at
6:15 a.m.
It was only a short, straight run to
about 350 fathoms, and we began fishing.
There were five of us aboard that morning,
and for three of us it was the first trip
of the year.
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| My
grandson Keola Wilson stands
alongside a 20-plus-pound salmon
caught off Fort Bragg this week.
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It wasnt long before we were into the
fish and by 8:10 a.m. we had our limit of
10 fish. They ran slightly smaller than
normal, but three of the fish were 20 to
23 pounds. After a short trip to the
harbor, we were tied up to the dock by
8:40 a.m.
Most of our fish were taken on
green-and-chrome flashers, with a
white-and-grey hoochie and an anchovy.
Although this years salmon season
started slow, anglers are now making up
lost time, and the fishing off Fort Bragg
is at its best right now. |
