Area 7 San Juan Islands

Air Temp: 66° - 70°
Method: Downriggers
Species: Chinook Salmon
Bait: Herring
Conditions: Sunny
Water Temp: 46° - 50°
Rating: 2
Views: 4082

This is actually for a three day boat camping trip to San Juan's for the 20-22nd, we anchored one night in Garrison Harbor and the next night in Reid Harbor. Fishing was tough and slow all three days with a few hours at various tides, locations bait/lures. I only saw one other boat catch any salmon and it was either too small, wild or something that they did not want to keep as it was quickly released. I only managed to scrape up one dogfish! Had a couple other clip releases and bites but nothing that stuck. Tried all kinds of lures and herring. Monday made the mistake of heading back around the west side of San Juan, there were heavy roller and some wind chop which made fishing very difficult and was soon scrapped, only saw two other boats fishing from lime kiln to Eagle point (should have been my clue that weather was too bad). Still figuring out what the wave height etc. all really means when I am out in the 10' Glasply. Should have went the inside passage and followed Rseas!

Crabbing was a bit better, especially the first night. Dropped a pot with leftover salmon carcass and some trout carcasses for an overnight soak, got 4 that were keeper size, but just kept the biggest two. With limited cooler space and ice I did not want to keep anything that might not make it for two more days and I had one more night to soak. Second night used another salmon carcass, let the pot soak overnight and there was absolutely nothing in there. Do not know if someone "checked" my pot for me or if the crabs all escaped! At least I got one good crab feast on the boat.

There was this crazy creature swimming around our boat when we anchored in Reid harbor, found out later from marine biologist friends that it was a pile worm. Odd looking thing swimming like a snake, but looking like a water centipede.


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