Happy 4th! So my boss asked me this week if I planned on working July 4th as we needed to do my business review and it was the only day he had open. I replied after I fish in the moring, I do plan on doing some work later on; so he offered to do my review in the boat if I wouldn't mind taking him out as he wanted some fish for some family get together's this weekend and had never caught a cutthroat or kokanee before her in WA. Was thinking about taking him to Lake Stevens for some of that early morning kokanee action but also needed to be close to home in case I needed to get back in a hurry for work, so chose the Big Lake to give him a shot at it.

Now being a holiday knew also most boat launches would be getting pretty darn busy later on so chose to meet at Atlantic City and arrived at 6:30am with only a police car in the lot! Cool! David showed up at 6:45 and we were off to explore some Independence Day fishing fireworks of our own. Since it was early we motored straight across to the beige house on the west side of Mercer as I also knew this path would be busy too as more and more people launched out of Coulon and made their way north. Put an ace hi-fly with the wonder bread dodger on one line and the seahawk Brad's cut plug on the other dropping the first set up at 25 and the second at 35. We had just passed the second big brown house on that side when the rod with ace hi-fly just bends down and pops off the clip but keeps on going down so I am thinking seaweed or something but still hand the rod to David. He says he feels some action on the other end and then I see his rod tip dancing and it's fish on! He gets it close and slide the rubber net under and it's his 1st lake WA cutthroat and a start towards his weekend bbq needs!

We get the lines back down and just as we round the corner I see a tap-tap on the same rod, so pull it off the clip and it's fish on! Hand over the rod again and he says it's fighting sort of funny~ hmm, I am thinking kokanee so coach him on bringing it in slow and he guides it perfectly into the net for now his 1st kokanee too! Not too big but will be great eating so now I go and put a different set up on the one that had the cut plug with a hand tied spinner with a pinched night crawling trailing and this time start to go deeper at 30 feet and 40 feet. Doesn't take long before we get another one of those slow take downs and the POP! A fish comes flying out of the water way behind the boat and David brings it close but as I about to net it this fish decides to make a run for it under my motors and before I can do anything wraps around and breaks off! Darn! It was a nice one too but ended up only taking the trailer hook so still had my spinner and dodger.

Picked up another kokanee over by Paul Allen's place that was a bit bigger then the first before things got pretty busy and trolled across to Seward Park. As we were coming through the cove had another kokanee on but was an escape artist as we went to net it, it was gone! Things were a bit slow now so changed out again this time to a green sparkle smile blade with slow death hook and 3" gulp minnow and the other with the "go to" brad's stuffed with chopped herring. I said this one usually produces some bigger fish and no sooner do I say that when the rod buries and pops off the clip and we see a huge splash way behind the boat! Yea baby, so this time I reel it in but not before it makes some nice runs and leaps to keep our hearts pounding but finally comes aboard and sure enough, biggest one of the day.

Now it's about 2 pm and yes, we did get some work done out there and decide to get in before all heck breaks loose on the water! Good call as the launch was just starting to get crowded but managed to get a spot coming in and had the Tin cup on the trailer by 2:15 and out of the water! Great day out there with my boss and he gave me a pretty good review as well if you can imagine that! haha!

Have a safe and happy 4th to all and haven't decided yet where I am going tomorrow but you know it will involve getting my line wet somewhere! See you on the water!!

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