End of the ling season here in the Sound....

[lokidog]

I haven't posted much since opening weekend with Carpsniper, but it has been a decent season even though I have not had much time to get out.  I'll try to find photos from the season.  Last week, a friend and I caught an 8 1/2 and 12 pounder, he hooked both, his first lings ever.  The best part was I was getting paid hourly while I fished since I have been ferrying a research group around to some of the very small islands to do weed surveys.  While they survey, I get to fish.   

Weathergirl has been pestering me to get her out for at least one time before the end of the season, so I took an extended lunch break from work today.  The tides were looking good for returning to where my friend and I limited last week, so off we went.  First drift, I caught a short ling.  Second drift, bam, 28 incher with a full belly that left him at 11 pounds.  Weathergirl caught a couple of shorts and two rockfish. 

Another fisherman moved in on the downstream edge of our drift but was not crowding us.  After a bit, we watched him hook up and fight a fish.  It looked like he had a big fish, or a wet noodle for a rod, so we allowed our drift to head his way.  He slashed at his fish a couple of times and finally got it in the net, holy crap it was huge!  A pic will be posted later.  Realizing that he would probably have to release an oversize ling, we moved in to see if he wanted us to help him get a photo, he did.  He measured it and said it was 38 inches.  It looked to me to be about 30 pounds.     that thing was a hog.

We fished a bit more but the current slacked and the bite quit so we moved on. The breezepicked up which made any other fishing more difficult.  We were going to hit a spot I got a keeper about three weeks ago but saw another fisherman nearby so we decided to head back the way we came.  Knowing that spot was a good one, we decided to try another drift or two, but now the wind was opposite the bit of current  so it was tougher fishing.  Weathergirl hooked bottom but got loose.   I hooked bottom, but no, it was fighting back.  I thought for sure the fish dove into the rocks but it was coming up a bit as I pumped the rod.  My wonderful wife quickly reeled in her line and got ready to net my fish.  As it came into view, I just about crapped my pants, and then thought "Oh crap, I'm going to have to let him go...."  As he hit the surface, he started splashing and fighting, he didn't seem to fit the net very welland luckily, as he flipped the lure out of his mouth he also dove into the net!     weathergirl tried t4o lift the net but I had to help.

I didn't think I would need a maximum line on the deck of the boat, so we pulled the tape out and marked it.  He touched the line but did not go over, WOOHOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!  It turned out he weighed a bit over twenty pounds, and had a large empty belly.  My biggest WA ling and second largest to date.  Enjoy the current photos.

[kisfish]

Good eating there ed. 

[SeaRun1]

That is a nice Ling.  Just under the slot maximum!  Well done.

SR1

[Cap.Silver]

Congrats Ed, you did it again . I wish my wife would be more willing to get out , but can't have everything , right? Now comes the salmon season , hope to be out there more often .

[cohoho]

Nice ling!

[lokidog]

The smaller one today fed nine people tonight.  Come on out Capn. the pinks will be jumping in the boat this summer.   

[h2ofowlr]

A dandy ling.   

[Skillet]

Nice work Ed!  Looks like you have that PS ling deal nailed 

[gasman]

That's awesome 

 I never made it out once for lings 

[bearhunter99]

Great looking ling there Loki.  Congrats!

[quadrafire]

Nice story Loki. Beast of a Ling 

[Gobble Doc]

Right on!  Glad to see you scored a nice one. 

[Whitpirate]

Nice fish Loki....

Someday I'll find a way to become a fisherman.

I mostly drown bait and flog the water.   But I've got a boat now and less excuses as my 10 and 4 year old are hammering me to fish.  Here's to hoping a few pinks give the old man a shot.

[scudmaster]

Nicely done

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[lokidog]

Thanks, here are a pic of the guy with the 38 incher and the other "small" one we got at 11 pounds.