It's great to be back fishing again. I missed the first three weeks of this Ketchikan charter season waiting on the USCG to get my license renewal back to me. I've been running sea trials since the fourth of May shaking the winter bugs out of Bella Misy and trying to figure out what the kings want this year. I suppose after the third or fourth "sea trial" you just have to face the fact that your just fishing for fun. Capt. Jim Parrott, Miranda, and I went out on the fourth and had a great start to the Ketchikan fishing season. We landed 4 Kings and lost some in about 5 hours of fishing. Ketchikan King fishing has been better than average for this time of year. The only cloud on the horizon is a group of Orcas that have been visiting the area. Bella Misty is running very well and has me looking forward to a trouble free season. Knock on wood.
5/21 - 5/27
Began this week with a visit from our 'Black and White" friends. They seem to be settling in to a routine of coming around every third day or so. That makes for tough fishing. I ran 4 half day trips this week with 4 to 5 passengers per trip. Wrap up: Mon-2kings, Thur(a.m.) 2kings and 1 just under 28'' released, Thur(p.m.) 1 King released, Sat.1 nice king.
5/28 - 6/3
There seems to be a routine developing. Fishing has been very steady so far, but before it can get too good, the Killer Whales come through just to bring us back to reality. There are two groups now working this area. One is circling Gravina Island and the other is working from Pt. Alava to Mountain Pt and drainages in between. I took my first Halibut trip of the season this week to check out some of my best spots from last year. Fishin was good we caught 6 halibut and 1 large red snapper as well as a grab bag of other bottom fish. Still a bit early though, the larger halibut haven't moved in yet. Just some nice "chickens" up to 25lbs. 1/2 day Salmon Wrap Up: Mon 4 Kings, Tue 0Kings Landed, Th(a.m.) 3 Kings 1 Shaker released, TH(pm) 1 King, Sat. 1 Shaker King released and 1 Coho (first of season)
6/4 - 6/10
Shaker Week! Lots of big Shaker King Salmon this week, the kind that you have to bring aboard to measure (27 inchers) that may way 10-12lbs. This week we released 7 like that and ended up with 1 keeper King, 1 Halibut (troll caught) and about 20 rockfish(troll caught). Dogfish finally arrived as well, started losing leaders on Friday. guess bait season is just about over.
King Week! WOW what a week.The Monday morning trip was pretty slow for the whole fleet. During the last hour or so we picked up two nice kings.But something was different, very different.They were "Ocean Bright" very aggressive and had just arrived from the outside waters. I decided to try to put together an afternoon trip to confirm my suspisions that a new batch had arrived. When I got back out, it was ON! fished for about 3 1/2 hours and had 7 Kings on and landed 4. Big, Bright, Beautiful Kings up to almost 30lbs all caught on whole bait down deep.This began one of my best weeks ever for Kings. By the end of the week I was fishing nothing but artificial squid bodies (too many sharks!) Caught first Pink Salmon Wed. Afternoon and heard of some others picked up. Wrap Up: 52 Kings 5 release Shakers, 1 Silver, 3 Chum, 1 pink.Bottom Trip: 8 Halibut to 35lbs, 5 P-Cod, Various Rockfish.
6/18 - 6/24
Killer Whales Eat King Salmon should have been the headline on Monday mornings newspaper. We had such a large group in that it must have attracted them and prematurely ended the King season.There are still some to be caught, but I thing the majority of the run is over. The Pinks are beginning to come in though.By the end of the week, I was picking up 3-4 per trip. Wrap Up: 4 half day charters 1 King,11 Shakers, 4 Silvers, 7 Pinks,1Chum.
6/25 - 7/1
Ran four half day trips this week and earlier suspicions have been confirmed. Pinks are moving in and Kings are wrapping up. Had Six Kings this week, with half of those being under 28''. They were keepers though, as our terminal hatchery are has been opened up. 3 Silvers, 17 Pinks and 1 Chum.
7/2 - 7/8
July Grab Bag. We had good catches on all five of our half day trips this week. An early batch of Silvers brightened up the week considerably. Wrap Up: 3 Kings, 11 Shakers, 14 Silvers, 31 Pinks, 7 Chums, 1 Halibut (Troll Caught).
7/9 - 7/15
Full Blown Pink Season Begins. Six Half Day Charters Cooler Count: 6 Kings, 12 Silvers, 84 Pinks, 3 Chums.
7/16 - 7/22
Just four trips this week, but still having good fishing. This is the first week I haven't had a King, gotta hate that. This weeks Cooler Count: 4 Shaker Kings one big enough to keep, 2 Silvers, 59 Pinks, 1 Chum.
7/23 - 7/29
Took a couple of days for routine maintenence and some improvements. I had to add another washdown pump to take care of all the blood from the Pinks. Also, I have some long range trips this fall so I added a new Garmin chartplotter. It's sweet! I ended up running four trips this week, here's the Wrap Up: One Nice King, 7 Silvers, 40 Pinks, 1 Chum, 10 Dusky Rockfish (Pelagic Troll Caught)
7/30 - 8/5
Limits Of Pinks. Not every trip, but close. Buisy, Buisy, Buisy. Six Half dayers this week. Here's the count: 1 King, 3 Silvers, 185 Pinks, 1 Chum
8/6 - 8/12
Pink City. Same report as last week, except, 9 trips this week. The more trips I run the more I know about where they are and what they like. Fish Count: 6 Silvers, 238 Pinks, 2 Chums.
8/13 -8/19
Transition Time. Pinks seem to have peaked last week as this week the numbers per trip dropped noticably each day. I would really like to see the numbers of Silvers begin to pick up some, otherwise, it could be a long wait before they show. Fishing was still good, but it is kinda like coming out of shock from last weeks frenzy. I am constantly thinking it should be faster. I did catch a nice Feeder King this week though.
4 Trips Fish Count: 1 King, 5 Silvers, 44 Pinks, 1 Chum
