Salmon fishing, marine mammal catching

[catmania]

Had a great weekend fishing in Juan de fuca straight off of Southern Vancouver Island. We were doing good with 2 keepers in the boat, one pink and one coho. Bringing the 3rd one in, it is close to the boat, and the water is clear, I can see it, it looks to be about 15 pounds a nice chinook. Suddenly rod tip curves to touch the water, and reel screems out 200+ yards of line. I start thinking maybe more like 40-50 pounds, what a run. Then I see it dance on the water a couple hundred yards back of the boat. Thinking "thats strange behaviour for a chinook, usually only coho tail walk like that"<br />Wait a minute its not dancing its getting thrashed about by a SEAL. Ohh no. I am pretty sure that i will be losing my flasher and lure now. We finish hauling in lines (had 4 in the water when we got the bite) then circle back to at least collect some of my fishing line. The seal is taking his time and putting up a pretty good fight, I am trying to jerk the fish out of his mouth. All the boats that had circled towards us when they saw that we had a fish on are now realizing what is going on and are suddenly thinking that the fishing may be better somewhere else. They flee the area and my fight for tackle and a partially chewed salmon continues. We manage to get right on top of the seal and you can see him chewing on the fish 15 feet under the boat, he is not really to worried about us. I try to time it to when he is going to take another bite then yank hard. Well at least i got my flasher back. Lost the lure and salmon tho <br /><br />Every fish after that was hauled to the boat, lost 2 because we were so nervouse about another seal attack . Did okay with another 2 fish in the boat by the time the afternoon gale came up and chased us in.<br /><br />Has anyone ever gotten a fish back from a seal after he has grabbed it? Any tips?

 

[ShawnQ]

Re: Salmon fishing, marine mammal catching

We have a similar problem here in S. TX with sharks and cudas...Never seen a seal in the wild, hehe.<br /><br />Once a shark or cuda gets it...there is no getting it back. Sometimes you can get lucky though, and land the shark!<br /><br />I once hooked a kingfish about 60miles off of Port Aransas, TX, and I was about 20min into the fight (light tackle), and the fish got hit! DOH! Well, I continued to reel it in...just to see what had happened. I ended up with half a kingfish...what's a shame is that half of it weighed in at over 27#, that would've been a **** nice king!<br />We concluded it was a shark after we hooked a shark on the other rod, shortly after..<br /><br />Shawn

 

[Capn Mike]

Re: Salmon fishing, marine mammal catching

Sea lions have been a real problem in the Columbia River all the way up to Bonneville Dam (145 miles from the mouth!). They've tagged them and one in Vancouver USA (mile 115) was found in Nanimo, BC, a week later....that's a couple of hundred miles away!<br />This spring, a friend of mine had one snatched 3 feet from the boat....scared the bejesus out of him, as he was just reaching for the net, when this monster comes out of the water and took the fish. <br />Spring and summer silvers and chinook are not to be kept in the CR if they have the adipose fin...supposedly, those are the natives, and are to be put back to spawn. Last spring, I caught a nice 22 lb. with a seal bite on the back....right where the adipose fin might have been. Still don't know the fish's origin, but have been thinking about getting a seal-bite knife.....

 

[dolsen]

Re: Salmon fishing, marine mammal catching

Thats funny Mike, because it seems that every "native" springer i caught had seal damage, one severe 10" across and deep. But the hatchery springers were untouched. Makes you wonder. Come on fall nooks im ready.

 

[Capn Mike]

Re: Salmon fishing, marine mammal catching

Finally got into some serious fish this last week: our little hog line had about 1.5 fish per rod each day. Blue, brass Alvins, nickel/drk green Brads. Nickel Alvins/Brads w/light green tip.<br />Barbequed up a nice 25' about 2 hours after I caught it. Soaked a pre-oiled alder plank in water for a couple of hours, fillet the fish, took off all skin, cooked slowly. Garnished with huckleberries mashed w/lemon juice and a touch of pepper flakes.<br />I can die happy now.....

 

[james1]

Re: Salmon fishing, marine mammal catching

Catmania<br />here in sa we have a fairly big problem with seals. I'm a commercial line fisherman and the ***** things have taken plenty fish from me . The only advice I can give you is; when a seal takes your fish give it line until it throws the fish and then reel in like you never have before.If it catches up repeat process

 

[ratherbefishin]

Re: Salmon fishing, marine mammal catching

seals are such a problem that they will follow your boat, and dive if they see you pick up a rod, figuring on taking the salmon.A real nuisance.They seem to be hit with a strange malady come winter, you see the odd carcass rolling in the surf.No idea why though.May have something to do with the fact that a lot of guys who fish halibut carry a .22 to dispatch them before bringing them in.But you didn't hear it from me.

 

[NOSLEEP]

Re: Salmon fishing, marine mammal catching

The seal problem is way out of control. lots of<br />fed up salmon fisherman are taking it to the<br />seals. BANG

 

[Jerry M.]

Re: Salmon fishing, marine mammal catching

Catmania, thanks for the tutorial on how to handle sealion attacks. I was out off Everett yesterday and saw two lounging on a bouy. Big guy's 6-7ft and at least 1,000lbs. My grandson ask's me....grandpa, what happens if one of those things takes our bait???? I say, "don't worry about it". Now I worry about it.<br /><br />Jerry

 

[ratherbefishin]

Re: Salmon fishing, marine mammal catching

you cut the line.Guy out here last summer was just ready to net a nice spring- probably over 40lb- but a killer whale decided he wanted it.Not a good time to play tug of war- you want it?- you got it!He ended up with just the head to prove it .Guy had to change his jeans though.....